Signals determined by broadcasters

December 2, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Q. My neighbor and I both have cable, and he recently looked into getting satellite. The DirecTV rep told him Comcast does not broadcast HD signals in 1080, and the best you ever get with them is 720. According to the rep, all DirecTV broadcasts are in 1080. Is this true, and what do you think of the various options?

S.E., Bloomington, Minn.

A. Though picture quality varies widely between providers, the HDTV format itself is determined by the broadcaster, not the cable or satellite company. For example, ABC, FOX and ESPN broadcast in 720p, and CBS, NBC and most HD pay channels broadcast in 1080i.

Incoming signals are converted to the native resolution of your set. For example, if you have a 720p HDTV and are watching an NBC 1080i broadcast, the set-top box or the television itself will convert the incoming signal to 720p for viewing. According to jdpower.com, the top-rated pay TV providers are (listed alphabetically) DirecTV, Dish, Verizon FiOS, and WOW! (Wide Open West.) Individual consumers typically do not have a choice between competing cable companies but may have a choice between cable, FiOS or satellite.

To see how providers in your area compare, go to www.jdpower.com and look under the Consumer Telecom tab.

Cable quality and service varies widely from company to company and region to region. A/ V buffs rave about FiOS picture quality but don’t seem as impressed by the hardware. My own preference is satellite.

I find both satellite providers to have excellent picture quality, value for money is excellent, and their hardware is the best in the industry.

Long-time readers know I have been a happy Dish customer for over 16 continuous years.

Earlier this year, I got the Hopper and Joey whole-house DVR system, and it has transformed my TV experience.

Comparing an ordinary DVR to the Hopper setup is like comparing videotape recording to a DVR. The tile-based menu interface resembles an iPhone screen, I can program the DVR from any room, and whatever I record is available on all the televisions in the house.

The AutoHop feature automatically skips prime-time commercials, and with 2 TB of space and three tuners, it is unlikely you will fill the DVR or run into recording conflicts between favorite shows.

The Hopper can automatically record up to six prime-time programs simultaneously using the Primetime Anytime feature, and you can install apps (such as Pandora, Facebook, Twitter) to personalize your system.

SRS TruVolume fights volume fluctuations, and the Hopper’s integrated Bluetooth wirelessly streams audio to Bluetooth headphones or speakers such as the Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz.

You also can access your system remotely to view live or recorded content on your mobile device or computer. Go to www.dish.com.

DirecTV’s whole-house DVR option is called the Genie. At 1 TB, it has half the Hopper’s recording capacity, but it has two more tuners for a total of five. The Hopper has three.

The Genie Recommends feature will suggest and record new programming based on your viewing habits, and you can view past episodes up to five weeks back. Tuned in late? You can restart programs at the beginning. SRS TruVolume is included, and one Genie box works the whole house without additional boxes on each television. Go to www.directv.com.

Contact Don Lindich at www.soundadviceblog.com and use the “submit question” link on that site.

2012 McClatchy-Tribune News Service