Compare TV Providers in the Treasure Valley
Sparklight, DISH, DIRECTV & Antenna Channel Lineups
One search shows the channel number and the price on every provider.
Ways to use the Channel Finder
One tool, a few different jobs — here’s what it can do for you.
Add the channels you actually watch and see the lowest package that carries all of them on DISH, DIRECTV, Sparklight, and Your TV People — with real monthly pricing side by side.
Type a channel name to see its number on DISH, DIRECTV, and Sparklight, plus its over-the-air channel in the Treasure Valley. Looking up “what channel is ESPN on Sparklight” or any other network? Start typing and it’s right there.
Open any provider’s lineup from its result card and print a clean, full channel list to keep by the TV — including a printable Sparklight, DISH, or DIRECTV channel lineup for the Treasure Valley.
Check which local and over-the-air channels reach your home through the Your TV People antenna service — the foundation every household can start with for just $29.99/mo.
We built this to give you a straight picture.
The tool above shows every provider side by side — even when the best answer for your household is someone other than us. We’ve been helping Treasure Valley families sort out their TV since 2008, and the comparison above is the same math we’d run for a neighbor.
What prices do you even compare when evaluating TV service providers?
Nobody pays the price you see on ads. The number that shows up on your bill depends on a few things the advertised rate leaves to the fine print. That’s why the comparison tool was built to represent the price you’ll actually pay — not just generic package prices.
The channels you actually watch
This is what the price really turns on. Nobody watches hundreds of channels — we each have our own handful we turn on regularly. The trick is finding the lowest tier that carries the ones you actually use. That’s why you can add and remove channels one at a time — to see exactly what each one does to the price, so you’re not paying for a whole tier to get a single show.
Fees that aren’t in the headline price
Broadcast-TV fees, regional sports fees, equipment and DVR charges all move the real total, and so does the number of TVs in your home. Be sure to set the number of TVs in the tool so it can calculate these properly — otherwise the price you see won’t match the price you’d pay. The comparison folds all of this in, which is why its numbers won’t always match a provider’s advertised rate.
Which option fits your household
There’s no single best provider — there’s a best fit for how a given household watches.
- An antenna pulls in the local broadcast channels over the air — the major networks, plus a surprising number of subchannels. For a household that mostly watches local news, network shows, and broadcast sports, it can be the whole answer on its own. It carries locals only, though — no cable networks.
- Satellite (DISH or DIRECTV) reaches nearly every address in the Treasure Valley, including places cable doesn’t run, and carries the full cable-network lineups. It’s the realistic option when you want the big channel packages or regional sports and don’t want to depend on a home internet connection.
- Sparklight delivers TV over its internet service, so it’s tied to having their broadband — worth factoring in if you don’t already.
Add your channels to the tool above and it turns all of this into real monthly numbers for your exact lineup — the clearest way to see where you actually land before you talk to any provider.
Compare more than just channels-
| Feature or Policy | DISH + Your TV People (Recommended Setup) | Your TV People (Standalone) | DISH Network (Standalone) | DIRECTV | Sparklight TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Channels Count | ~92 Channels | ~92 Channels | 5 to 10 Major Networks | 5 to 10 Major Networks | ~30 Local Channels |
| Seamless Guide Integration for OTA Channels | Yes Uses 1 Guide & 1 Remote Control | Hardware Agnostic | Yes | No (Must Switch TV Inputs) | No (Must Switch TV Inputs) |
| Dispute-Proof Local Networks | Protected Major Local Networks Only | Protected | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
| Signal Diversification | High Protection Dual signals prevent losing all channels at once | Antenna Only Relies entirely on antenna signal | Single Source Total satellite reliance | Single Source Total satellite reliance | Single Source Total broadband internet reliance |
| Net Cost to Add Your TV People Subscription | N/A Already Included in Bundle | N/A This is the Base Service | +$3.00 / month | +$6.00 / month | +$24.99 / month |
| Price Guarantee | 2-Yr Satellite Lock 5-Yr Local Lock | 5 Years Locked | 2 Years Locked | 2 Years Locked | No Price Lock |
| Contract Length | 2-Yr Satellite Contract 1-Yr Local Contract | 1 Year | 2 Years | 2 Years | No Contract |
| Internet Required | No (WiFi connection just adds optional perks) | No (WiFi connection just adds optional perks) | No (WiFi connection just adds optional perks) | No (WiFi connection just adds optional perks) | Yes (Required) |
| Support Location | Local Store Visit us in person in Meridian | Local Store Visit us in person in Meridian | National 1-800 Phone | National 1-800 Phone | Regional Phone Lines |
| In-Home Visit Fee | $0 (Completely Free) | $0 (Completely Free) | Fee-Based or Protection Plan | Fee-Based or Protection Plan | Fee-Based or Protection Plan |
| In-Home Remote Tutoring | Unlimited & Free | Unlimited & Free | Phone Support Only | Phone Support Only | None |
| Maximum Tuners | 18 Shows at Once | Hardware Agnostic | 16 Shows at Once | 5 to 7 Shows | Cloud-Based Setup |
| DVR Storage Type | Physical Hard Drive | Hardware Agnostic | Physical Hard Drive | Physical Hard Drive | Cloud Storage Only |
| HD DVR Storage Capacity | 500 HD Hours | Hardware Agnostic | 500 HD Hours | 200 HD Hours | 200 HD Hours |
| Broken TV Safety Net | Free Loaner TV We provide a temporary TV for you | Free Loaner TV We provide a temporary TV for you | None | None | None |
One thing this tool can’t compare: service.
The tables above cover price and channels — the things you can put in a grid. What they can’t show is what happens after the sale: who answers when you call, whether you’re dealing with a real local person or a call center, whether there’s a place you can walk into when something needs fixing.
For a lot of households that’s a footnote. For others — especially older folks who’d rather deal with a real local person than work through a call center — it’s the whole decision. If that’s you, or someone you’re helping shop, here’s how we handle TV service for seniors.
Comparing TV providers in the Treasure Valley — common questions.
How do I compare TV channel lineups and prices by package?
Use the Channel Finder above. Add the channels you actually watch — one at a time. You can search by channel name or number — then scroll down to see the cheapest package on Sparklight, DISH, DIRECTV, and Your TV People with all of your selected channels, and real monthly pricing side by side. It isn’t a simple list of advertised package prices. It’s what each provider would charge you for your channels, at your number of TVs — including fees and surcharges.
How do I find what channel number a station is on for Sparklight, DISH, DIRECTV, or my TV antenna?
Select “Find a Channel Number” mode at the very top of the tool, then simply type the station name into the search box in the Channel Finder. You’ll see its channel number on all four at once — Sparklight, DISH, DIRECTV, and over-the-air antenna in the Treasure Valley. A dash means that provider doesn’t carry it.
Why does Sparklight sometimes show two different channel numbers?
Sparklight is running two systems. Channels on the newer app-based service sometimes sit at a different number than they did on the traditional cable lineup, and both numbers are still in use depending on how you watch. The Channel Finder shows the app number first with the legacy cable number in parentheses when they differ, so you can find the channel either way.
Where can I print a full channel lineup?
Select “Print Channel Lineup” mode at the top of the tool and the Channel Finder provides a complete, current channel list for Sparklight, DISH, DIRECTV, or antenna — every channel with its number, in one clean page you can print and keep by the TV.
To print a specific package rather than a comprehensive list, use “Compare Packages & Prices” mode to add your must-have channels and find the right package, then click “View this package’s lineup” at the bottom of the comparison card for the provider you want to see. From there you’ll see the print button up at the top of the lineup.
What’s the cheapest TV provider for the channels I watch?
It depends entirely on which channels those are — which is the reason the comparison tool exists. Add your channels and the Channel Finder shows each provider’s lowest package that actually covers your whole list. Add or remove channels one at a time to see how they affect the bill with different providers, and find the best package based on your personalized channel priorities.
Is Your TV People a DISH retailer, or just the antenna and subscription service?
Both. Your TV People is a Premier Local DISH Retailer — the DISH option in the Channel Finder is sold, installed, and supported locally by us, out of our Meridian showroom. You can have either service on its own, or add our subscription on top of DISH for a net cost of just $3/mo.