OTHER TECH

LIGHTNING STRIKES

Q. My satellite receiver pulls in both DirecTV high-definition and terrestrial HDTV broadcasts from local channels. But nearby lightning strikes have damaged the tuner section of the receiver badly enough that it had to be returned to the manufacturer for repair. The cable from the rooftop antenna and satellite dish is adequately grounded before it enters our house. How can I protect the receiver from another strike? Denny Taylor Muscatine, IA

A. Ian G. Masters says: I doubt your problem has anything to do with the antenna or dish, or how they're grounded (although proper grounding is very important). If lightning had hit your equipment directly, the damage would have been a lot worse than a bunch of blown capacitors in the receiver. The "nearby" lightning strikes you mention can put large spikes in the power lines, however, and these can cause the kind of damage you've experienced. A surge protector inserted between the AC plug and your receiver might avert damage, although there's only so much such devices can do for a direct hit. For the best protection, unplug your gear before a storm hits. Don't just switch it off, as that doesn't disconnect it from the power lines. (See "Powerhouse".)

IS FILM HD?

Q. The movies from the 1970s and '80s that I've watched on HDTV movie channels are very sharp and nice-looking. Does movie film have enough resolution to be considered high-def? What are the movie studios using now? Jose G. Mejia West Melbourne, FL

A. Al Griffin says: Unlike HDTV, which has a number of subformats with fixed horizontal and vertical pixel counts, the 35mm film stock used to shoot movies doesn't have a specific resolution. That number depends on several variables, including the optics of the camera used to record images to the film negative, exposure settings for a particular shot, and the lab processing that occurs after the film is fully exposed. Nonetheless, 35mm film is considered a high-resolution medium with detail to spare for high-definition video transfers - which is why those old Mel Brooks and Cheech and Chong films showing on the INHD channel look so good. But the Hollywood studios are starting to switch to HD video cameras for production, with the technology's well-known proponents including Star Wars director George Lucas and Sin City's Robert Rodriguez.