Getting ready to move into my own place and right now my room mate and i have Comcast HD dvr..... But i see that Direct Tv has HD channels and is cheaper and also has Chiller Channel. Verizon i haven't seen many hd channels. Just wanted to know which of the three is the best option for HD PQ and best overall??
Sorry if this has been covered...

I would rate:

FIOS
Comcast
Direct TV

In my viewing area FIOS and cable are about equal in numbers of HD channels and quality. FIOS has the bandwidth to add many more channels than cable. Direct TV transmits HD-Lite so I would put them at the bottom of the list.

Direct TV is adding capacity for 150 HD channels. I suspect that we'll find that most of them are the same as TNTHD - a SD signal that has been scaled to quasi HD specs. Heck, they don't even use the original aspect ratio. Everything is 4x3 that is blown up to fit a 16x9. Hmm, It's the "top of their head is chopped off" channel.

So what they do is take the original film, chop it down to 4x3 (pan and scan) and down convert it to SD. Then they upconvert it and magnify it to get back (somewhat) to the OAR. That's Dtv HD!

Based on that I can sell you a Faroudja NRS and every channel you have will be better than TNTHD (better upscaling and you can retain the 4x3 ratio).

I can't agree with Nmlobo. I haven't seen FIOS or Comcast. But if they are anything close to Directv they really suck.

in that case i may lean towards FIOS.....i want the best PQ

From everything I have read, FICOS is the best.

I can't agree with Nmlobo. I haven't seen FIOS or Comcast. But if they are anything close to Directv they really suck. I rated FIOS and Comcast above Direct tv...... FIOS at the top. What are you disagreeing with?

in that case i may lean towards FIOS.....i want the best PQ FIOS has the "potential" to deliver the best quality. So far the potential is not realized. Picture quality is about the same as cable. I would also compare which stations are carried. In some markets FIOS does not have agreements with all of the locals while cable may. In other markets, vice versa.

I rated FIOS and Comcast above Direct tv...... FIOS at the top. What are you disagreeing with?

I haven't seen Comcast or FIOS so I can't rate them. :rolleyes:

I haven't seen Comcast or FIOS so I can't rate them. :rolleyes:My bad. I misunderstood your statement. I thought you disagreed with my statement and not that you could not agree because you were unable to make a comparison.

I read a review in an HT mag awhile back that said FIOS' SD was actually slightly worse than Direct's (in this reviewer's particular setup).

I have heard people say here that it's better, so I really don't know what to believe, since I've never seen FIOS at all myself.

It's hard for me to believe than it could be any worse, but who knows?

From all accounts though, I do hear that their HD is the best.

Wow. That would make FIOS's SD pretty bad. I'm always seeing macro blocking, dropped frames, etc. on DirecTV's SD material.

I read a review in an HT mag awhile back that said FIOS' SD was actually slightly worse than Direct's (in this reviewer's particular setup).Absurd.

I have heard people say here that it's better, so I really don't know what to believe, since I've never seen FIOS at all myself.Subjectively, Fios PQ is vastly better. Objectively, Fios SD channels are at 720x480i, while DirecTV's are at 480x480i.

Verizon customer service makes any cable company look good. We waited for 10 days for them. They said they couldn't make the promised installation date and would call later to reschedule. Of course, they never called, but their installer showed up when they said he wouldn't, so we were told that it was our fault for not being there. As punishment, they put us out two weeks. Getting DISH TV instead.
From what I hear from others, Verizon did us a favor.

By getting Dish instead? I don't think so...

Does Verizon use Verizon employees for installs or do they use contractors like Directv?

Does Verizon use Verizon employees for installs or do they use contractors like Directv?
Verizon employees (FIOS techs) for the work in the house - contractors to rip up yard to bury the cable.

I've seen both. I friend of mine has FIOS and I have Directv. I do have FIOS for Internet only.

Comparing FIOS to Directv......the PQ is comparable. You would have a hard time discerning any differences between the two. I would compare them via what you get for the dollar and whether you care to have a dish installed.

My friend switched from Directv to FIOS and tells me he likes Directv better not because of PQ, but because he likes the menu system better. he also said that maybe it was because he was so used to Directv.

On Directv the HD PQ content does vary depending on the station and programming. HDnet, HDnet Movies, Discovery HD are awesome in PQ. CBS can also produce some excellent looking shows such as CSI Miami, CSI NY, The Unit...etc. Some of the Sitcoms seem a little weak in PQ on the various networks.

Sports are usually excellent.

Just my .02 for what it's worth.

Comparing FIOS to Directv......the PQ is comparable. You would have a hard time discerning any differences between the two.You might have a hard time. To me, it's like night and day.

But I agree that Fios' customer service is inept compared to DirecTV's. (On the other hand, Verizon's installers are better than DirecTV's contractors.)

My friend switched from Directv to FIOS and tells me he likes Directv better not because of PQ, but because he likes the menu system better.I've mostly used the same menu system on both (Tivo's). But this is another example of why cable (and satellite) companies need to get out of the business of trying to control the user interface, and stick to providing TV. The chief complaints I see about Fios, other than the customer service, are about the set-top boxes. No one complains about the PQ, the selection, or the price (for programming -- but box rental is expensive).

On Directv the HD PQ content does vary depending on the station and programming.Yes... from bad, to worse.

HDnet, HDnet Movies, Discovery HD are awesome in PQ.Not on DirecTV, they're not. These days, they're all delivered at 1280x1080i. But they're at full resolution on Fios (1920x1080i).

I've heard some say that Fios' SD is AMAZING. I compared it recently to my Comcast's, and it seemed a little better, didn't wow me. However, in my area at least, Fios has a lot more HD channels. I have 20 on Comcast, while Fios in my area gets about 28. Although, Comcast has a very good OnDemand selection, while Fios' is still getting off the ground.

For me, I'd definitely get Fios if I could (people who live a mile away from me can get it but I can't), most because Comcast's internet speeds are pitiful.

I Palm Beach Comcast is a joke. When they took over for Adelphi in January my bill went from $114 to $128. Now all of a sudden the bill is $171. Yes. That's correct. They raised my bill $42. Why? Additional DVR service fees for my 3 boxes. Strangely, under the charge for the additional outlest and boxes there is also another charge listed for DVR service. It is like $6 per box. A call to Comcast confirms that the cost is now the original $6 plus $14 more per box...for DVR service fee.

Three "managers" couldn't explain it to me, but confrimed that that's my bill, and if I want to lower it I can cancel channels or bring back some boxes. Why all DVR boxes? That's all they offer for HD now in my area. Oh yeah, that $171 is really 219.99 but I get a 48.99 credit for having basic cable included in my homeowners association.

For another 24.99 (making it 195.99) I can get 8mbps internet instead of the crappy 6 I get now.

As soon as FIOS makes it to Florida's east coast comcast is getting a cancellation notice and used tissue in the mail from me. I SOOOO hope FIOS and IPTV bury comcast in their muck.

The quality of picture (to my eyes) is about the same on Detroit locals (via Directv) as over OTA from Lansing locals. This pertains to non-HD programming and HD programming. Sometimes it is best to forget numbers and let our eyes be the judge. Also, programming on Discovery can be very nice. And sports on ESPN the same. As far as HD programming, Directv should be the leader (for awhile) this Fall. And the DVR seems very nice from Directv and it was free (plus $20.)

Fios no contest. A small town north of DFW was one of the first in the country to test Verizon's Fios and I'm still jealous of my friend who lives up there...the PQ is truly just as good if not better than OTA HD programming and much better than anything I've seen with cable, Dish or Direct. I've since moved to a smaller market (Abilene Tx) which probably won't see anything like Fios for 5-10 years if ever. :(

Now all of a sudden the bill is $171. Yes. That's correct. They raised my bill $42.

I can't believe people are so hooked on TV that they are willing to pay such sums - unbelievable. :eek:

I can't believe people are so hooked on TV that they are willing to pay such sums - unbelievable. :eek:

When I was in college my Engineering Economics teacher didn't have a TV because it just lost value. He couldn't understand why anyone would waste their money on something like that.

I seriously doubt he spends any time on avsforum.

Sometimes it is best to forget numbers and let our eyes be the judge.The numbers only confirm the judgement of my eyes.

Most people don't have the luxury of being able to compare for themselves, and relying on others' subjective opinions (at least as presented in this thread) clearly isn't going to give anyone a consistent answer. So, I gave the numbers.

As far as HD programming, Directv should be the leader (for awhile) this Fall.What matters for someone subscribing now is what DirecTV offers now, not what they say they'll offer in the future.

..and, to me, numbers prove little. My eyes and ears are the sole judge of what I see and hear. I do understand, we all have a differences of opinion on this forum. And I do respect those differences. Again, to me, the quality of picture is..about the same..between OTA and MPEG4 HD.
Digital (only)..same sources..looks 'good' to me.

What matters for someone subscribing now is what DirecTV offers now, not what they say they'll offer in the future.

What type of commitment does Fios & Comcast require? Directv requires 2 years so future capability should be considered, though the capability of 150 HD channels does not mean there will be 150 HD channels, or even that they won't be HD Lite.