As technology marches on, consumers are faced with an ever greater number of choices for television entertainment. HDTV and satellite TV are two of the most important developments that have come onto the scene in the last decade or so. Although HDTV is a topic I enjoy discussing, the focus of this article is going to be on satellite TV, and more specifically DISH Network.

As most people know, cable TV has been around for quite a while and didn't have too much competition for quite a while. When companies like DISH Network and DirecTV began offering a new way to receive television programming, it would change the landscape forever and finally gave the cable TV industry something to worry about.

I was never a big fan of cable television. Sure, it had a lot of channels and that was nice, but I was never satisfied with the picture quality that the cable companies always bragged about. I always thought it should have looked a lot better than it did, but since it was the only way to get all those channels at the time, I stuck with it. Although it was an option, I was not about to spend $1000 or more for one of those gigantic C-Band satellite dishes that some people used 20 or so years ago.

When DISH Network and DirecTV became available, I decided that I had to give one of them a try. After all, I figured they could not be any worse than cable.

After a lot of research, I decided to order DISH Network. I chose to go with a DISH Network Deal mostly due to their programming choices. DirecTV had a lot of programming that just didn't interest me, and I liked the way DISH Network had arranged their programming packages.

That was a little over 10 years ago and I am still a DISH Network customer. The service and technology has come a long way since I first signed up with DISH Network in 1998 and the 51-inch HDTV and DISH Network ViP622 DVR I have today sure make my old 19-inch standard-definition TV with DISH Network 5000 receiver look pretty sad. I will say, however, that the picture quality I experienced with DISH Network back in 1998 was something that no cable TV picture I saw ever came close to.

There are a few options for those who are seeking the best DISH Network offers these days, and as you might expect, the best thing to do is to sit down in front of your computer and start doing some research.

You can go directly to DISH Network and order from them or you could order your service from one of the many resellers that are out there offering various special deals. The resellers often offer incentives for new customers -- things like free gifts, rebates and discounts.

No matter who you order it from, it's likely that the same local company is going to be the one that will actually come to your home to install the system. Both DISH Network and the resellers do not have offices nationwide and must rely on local contractors to actually install the systems.

Search the internet for the deal you are most comfortable with. It is worth taking some time to compare deals between the various resellers and look for one that has the best promotion at the current time.

It's also important to understand that most satellite TV plans require you to enter into a contract with them where you agree to remain a customer for a specific length of time. If you cancel the service before the contract expires, you may be subject to a penalty payment.

Take your time and make sure you completely understand what you are agreeing to before you sign up and it will greatly increase your chances of having a positive experience and getting more enjoyment from your new DISH Network service.