When it comes to the Big Dogs of the pay TV market there is no disputing that DirecTV is a major player. As the largest satellite TV provider in America it gives the other companies a run for their money. Enter Cablevision… this Northeast based company is now the fifth largest cable provider today. As Cablevision continues to pick up steam there is talk that it could be a serious contender for the number one spot.

The major difference is the method used to transmit the signal to your home. Cablevision, as their name implies, relies on traditional wires routed from the company to your home. DirecTV uses signals bounced off of a satellite to beam programming into your home.

The programming itself can be quite varied as can the pricing that goes along with it. Cablevision offers an extremely barebones package for around $11. Their first package comparable to DirecTV however is the Family Cable one. It comes in at around $3 cheaper than the DirecTV Choice package.

As the packages increase in channel offerings the cost begins to fluctuate with Cablevision beginning to be typically higher. When it comes to DVR offers DirecTV has the company beat hands down. Cablevision charges a monthly fee for each box while DirecTV offers the first one free. Additional units cost the same price for Cablevision while DirecTV offers them at a slightly lesser price.

The biggest advantage that Cablevision has over DirecTV is the number of on-demand shows and movies that are currently available. With Time Warner and other cable bigwigs pushing the envelope the push to offer the most instant watch material is a going issue.

A large part of the decision as to which may be better comes down to location. Without expanding its current area Cablevision will not come close to knocking DirecTV out of the number one position.