[Number 6]

For full disclosure, let me state that I have been a Direct TV customer for a number of years, and intend to continue when we move to TV (hopefully soon). I am also an old C-Band (BUD) customer. Having said that, the small dish signal is not perfect. If you want a “clear as a bell” signal, you should have seen the analog C-Band signal from a 10 foot dish. Anyway, those were the days. The small dishes take the first generation signals off satellite and compress them down and retransmit them. That process does degrade the picture on anything over a 12” TV set. We also have the issue of “rain fade”. It seems just before a thunderstorm, we lose the signal due to interference between the satellite and the dish. It doesn’t last long and should not be a reason to pass on the small dish.