Q: I have a new flat panel TV with both a cable hookup and an antenna. I have noticed that sometimes the picture from the antenna looks noticeably better than the picture from cable on the same local channels. Is there a cause of this, and can the matter be fixed?

TIM WALLIN, Spring Park, Minn.

A: I think your cable company may be compressing the signal too much.

The very best image quality from HDTV network broadcasts are obtained over-the-air with an antenna. This way you get the signal direct from the station in its purest form.

The cable company and satellite companies receive the exact same signal and compress it so they can fit more channels on the limited bandwidth of their cable line or satellite. This can take a toll on image quality. Sometimes it is not at all noticeable, other times it is obvious.

The differences will vary based on the channel, the cable company and the region of the country.

The satellite providers tend to do a good job with HD broadcasts, and the quality is identical nationwide. Some providers using 100 percent fiber optics, such as Verizon FiOS, do not compress their HD channels at all. They have virtually unlimited bandwidth, so they just transmit it as they receive it.

Q: In an earlier column this year, you mentioned a Blu-ray/VHS combo player, the Panasonic DMP-BD70V, is coming soon and that it converts VHS tapes to 1080p. Have you tested it out yet? I have more than 1,500 VHS movies and would like to know what you think of its ability to upconvert to 1080p. I am very excited about the possibilities.

DICK DVORAK, Mendota Heights, Minn.

A: Many readers have asked me about the DMP-BD70V and its VHS upconverting performance. It may upconvert VHS to 1080p, but VHS tape is very low resolution (about 240i), and you can't create detail where none existed to begin with. The DMP-BD70V's HDMI connection does produce an image that looks cleaner and more solid than an analog connection, though the colors and edge sharpness look a mite exaggerated at times. It won't fool you that you are watching anything but VHS tape, though.

The big benefit of the upconversion to 1080p over HDMI is that you need only one HDMI connection to play both VHS and Blu-ray discs, instead of the usual rat's nest of cables and connections. Using the DMP-BD70V with a few of my own remaining VHS tapes quickly demonstrated to me what a boon this player will be to people with VHS libraries. There's no changing of TV inputs to use your video player, image quality is slightly enhanced, and there is only one connection. It all has a nice feel to it that I can't quite describe. Usually a VHS deck seems out of place connected to an HDTV. With the DMP-BD70V, it somehow seems to be a fit. If you ever buy and use one, you will understand.

So what is my final verdict on the DMP-BD70V? It's absolutely great at what it does and provides an easy and seamless way to view your VHS tapes on your HDTV while adding Blu-ray for the ultimate in picture and sound quality. It is one of the best Blu-ray players you can buy, and DVD upscaling is excellent as well. It's a winner.