You've weighed the costs and benefits, constructed flowcharts and Venn diagrams, and then finally decided to flip a coin to pick your provider. Lazy bum. However, after the big toss, you still have some work to do. The next decision you'll have to make is what channel package to buy.

The two main things in this decision are channels offered and price. Sure, the companies will entice you with everything from free toasters to private trapeze lessons in order to pick the most expensive options, but be strong and shop smart.

What dish networks offer:

Regarding both providers, we must warn you that the 100 (or more) channel packages contain about 30 "music channels," or blank screens playing continuous music of a certain genre. So really, you're only getting about 70 or so "real" channels and 30 or so radio stations. However, a benefit of DBS is lots and lots of Pay-Per-View movies. Click a button and a "new release" movie in video stores plays on your screen for about the cost of a rental just about any time of the day. The good side of this is that it eliminates frustrating trips to the store; the big drawback is that you can't pause or stop the movie.