What's in a TV service? A lot apparently, at least when you've signed up for a satellite TV service that is. That would seem to be the only logical conclusion to be drawn from the massive migration of American home television viewers from their previous cable providers to their current or soon-to-be satellite providers. Yet what is it about satellite TV that makes it so incredibly irresistible for modern American home viewers of all types? There doesn't appear to be any one single answer to that question, but rather it's the package of benefits that come along with signing up for a premium satellite service. Here, let's take a look at what five of the most important features are that are causing Americans to convert to the satellite cause by the thousands each and every month of the year.

1. The number one reason has got to be (at least for those of us that enjoy a little tech-sophistication in our service) the fact that satellite is the only sensible choice for getting the most HD programming of the moment. Everybody wants to be able to watch everything in high def these days, whether it's the local weather forecast, their favorite movie or an unforgettable live game between their favorite team and its biggest rival. Hence the switch to satellite, which is the only way that people can get over 130 channels in strictly high def image quality, including all of their favorite networks such as HBO, ESPN, Starz, Discovery, the History Channel, and even the local news channel!

2. Next up is the fact that satellite television packs in the sports madness like no cable provider could ever do-and in a nation known for its sporting fanaticism, that is a feature that really goes a long way in terms of attracting new subscribers. The most exclusive broadcasting privileges have been signed with satellite providers rather than cable providers, probably in full knowledge of the fact that satellite companies have much larger audiences that reach across the nation and even across the globe in many cases.

3. Then there is the fact that with satellite TV, parents can actually get a handle on what it is that their kids can and cannot see on the tube. There is no better way to get the kinds of parental controls that today's parents want and need than through a satellite service: from channel blocking to unsupervised viewing restrictions to limitations on how many pay-per-view purchases can be made without parents' permission, parents will find that they've got all the tools that they could possibly ask for in controlling their kids' viewing habits.

4. Furthermore, the fact that today's leading satellite companies offer free installation within only a few short days of having made a purchase is sure to attract a good deal of people without even knowing anything about the above benefits.

5. And finally, there is the fact that satellite services are more reliable today than ever, not subject to the interruptions that characterized satellite communications so negatively in the past.