In today's world folks are seeking to maximize their entertainment dollar. High fuel prices, a slowing economy, and high food costs are putting the squeeze on Americans. Fortunately, one of the great values in entertainment is your cable or satellite television service.

If you stop and think about it, anyone can get a package including over 200 stations including premium movie channels like Cinemax and Encore for about $80 dollars a month. That is less than you typically will drop for dinner and a movie. The latest technology in the pay TV market is HD, or high definition programming. What should you consider when hooking up that new flat screen TV you just bought?

Remember that your standard cable or satellite TV service is not in hi-def. You must specifically buy a programming package that features this type of programming. So where do smart shoppers start?

Call your current provider and find out exactly what they can do as far as HD service. Satellite TV corporations DISH Network and DirecTV have been leading the charge as far as providing the most high definition when you examine channel counts. Cable TV providers like Cox also have some nice offerings, such as HD on-demand. Ask exactly how much upgrading to hi-def will cost, and if you need to buy additional equipment.

If what they offer is not what you want, do a little comparison shopping. The newest offerings include an all hi-def package from DISH Network called Turbo HD Silver. Direct TV offers HD service for only $9.99 per month. Prices vary with cable television companies across the country, so you will need call your cable company to see what the price is for high definition.

Another factor to consider is that many telephone companies now offer TV service. AT&T now offers their UVerse service in some areas they cover along with telephone and high speed internet. Verizon is also in the game, offering their fiber to the home service FiOS in some neighborhoods. It is advisable that you compare services side-by-side, such as DirecTV vs. Verizon FiOS. All of this is a great benefit to the customer, as more competition encourages lower costs in the long run.