[Ian Graham]

IF YOU ARE IN THE WASHINGTON DC DIRECTV MARKET AND ARE HAVING ISSUES SIMILAR TO THE STORY BELOW, RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE WITH YOUR STORY. ALSO, POST PICTURES OF YOUR TV ISSUE HERE AS WELL. WE WILL SEND THE ENTIRE THREAD TO DIRECTV.

BECAUSE WE WILL BE SENDING THIS THREAD TO DIRECTV, PLEASE RESPOND ONLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

ISSUE: MPEG-4 FEEDS FROM DIRECTV (ESPECIALLY ABC7-LOST, DH, ETC) HAVE PICTURE BREAK-UPS EVERY SO OFTEN - "THE GREEN CRAP". AUDIO STILL WORKS, BUT THE VIDEO IS TERRIBLE.

I'm afraid that since this is just a Washington DC problem, the issue will get swept under the rug. Each of us complaining individually doesn't seem to work at all. Does anyone have a good idea about how to do this?

-Ian (Fairfax, VA)

This is from one of the threads:

"I watch ABC7 on Directv, and receive DirecTv's high def feed. However, there is a major problem with the ABC7 Hi-def broadcasts. Approximately 3 times per hour (in durations that last from a few seconds up to a full minute), the picture breaks up almost completely. It is not due to poor reception (that breakup looks different) or my specific equipment, as I have been in contact with several other local DirecTv viewers, and all are experiencing the same problem. I wanted to make sure that ABC7 was aware of the problem and are taking steps to work with DirecTv to resolve the problem. You can see a picture of what is happening in your DirecTv feed here:XXX"

That streaking doesn't look like normal macro blocking, or the typical "brake" up you see from signal loss, or error in decompressing. That seems more like a communication between the HR20 and the TV.

I connect through component and I had the same exact scrambled image last night. Most of the time it only lasts for around 10secs. There was one last night that lasted for a good minute though."

 

[jschuman]

I experienced this exact problem with Lost on Wednesday night. 3 times during the show there was massive green pixelization. So you can count me as a 'sufferer'. I connect through HDMI.

(On the other hand, I am now happy that this is a broadcasting problem and NOT something wrong with my HR20)

 

[Sherman67]

I'm having the same exact issue with WJLA out of DC. My wife and kids constantly tell me about it. Especially when they are watching "Dancing with the Stars." I've had this problem for over a month.

 

[Axecleaver]

I have this problem in the DC area, too. I have only experienced it while watching Lost, but I get it every time. This past week's broadcast, there was an extremely long "green garbage" lasting over a minute.

 

[melduforx]

I'm definitely having this issue. Lost was awful to watch. I counted three times where the picture dropped and the audio kept going.

 

[bonscott87]

Has anyone in the DC area checked the OTA HD feed to see if the same problems exist? I ask because a couple years ago my local CBS OTA HD feed has the exact same problems when they got new encoders. Many of us from AVS worked with the lead engineer there and over about a 3 weeks period they got it tweaked enough that it doesn't happen anymore. So perhaps it's a problem with that ABC station, especially if that's the only station that has the problem.

I'd also suggest researching your local HD thread at AVS found here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 and see if others are having the same issue either OTA or with other receivers. That way you can narrow it down to either:
1) It's a problem with the local ABC station itself
2) Only a problem with MPEG4 DirecTV version
3) Only a problem with MPEG4 version on DirecTV on the HR20 only.

 

[fairport]

I have experienced this problem since last year when I first had my AT9 dish installed along with H20 receivers. I always thought it was related to the positioning of my dish, trees, etc. Now I find out that many of us are experiencing this issue at the same time. (For example, the Rabbit scene in Lost last Wednesday.) Here is the original picture I posted on DBSTALK along with one other.

I want to emphasize that I have had this problem with the H20 AND the HR20. I was not able to capture an image of it until I got the HR20. I distincly remember this happening during LOST last season, always at critical points in the show.

 

[jschuman]

Yep. It happened on the rabbit scene for me as well.

 

[jschuman]

It looks like the question has been asked and answered over at the avs forum:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8748288&&#post8748288

Interpreting the (rather snide) remarks indicates that this was not a problem with OTA, but someone did report that it was a problem with the DishNetwork feed.

Anyone smarter than me care to make a conclusion with this evidence?

 

[w6fxj]

I strongly recommend that anyone who has problems receiving a good signal from WJLA-TV via DirecTV contact the station Chief Engineer about the problem. DirecTV call centers and their web feedback will NOT get the problem to the people who repair the DC DirecTV Local Receive Facility. However, the station can and will contact DirecTV directly and has a lot more leverage with them to fix the problem. Check this link for WJLA contact info: http://www.wjla.com/contact.hrb

 

[patsrule316]

I have been having the problem, and I sent the message to the station general manager of WJLA. I haven't heard back yet.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Note: I deletd a few threads for those that are not specifically for WJLA.
This particular station seems to be having a very specific problem... and we are trying to get as much feed back for that specifical channel.

Not that the others are not important... they are.
I would please request that you post those into the main software release thread.

After this next software release... I will start a specific thread to report specific networks, so we can see if we see any trends... (which we now have seen for WJLA)

 

[blucas95]

Has anyone in the DC area checked the OTA HD feed to see if the same problems exist? I ask because a couple years ago my local CBS OTA HD feed has the exact same problems when they got new encoders. Many of us from AVS worked with the lead engineer there and over about a 3 weeks period they got it tweaked enough that it doesn't happen anymore. So perhaps it's a problem with that ABC station, especially if that's the only station that has the problem.

I'd also suggest researching your local HD thread at AVS found here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 and see if others are having the same issue either OTA or with other receivers. That way you can narrow it down to either:
1) It's a problem with the local ABC station itself
2) Only a problem with MPEG4 DirecTV version
3) Only a problem with MPEG4 version on DirecTV on the HR20 only.

I can chime in on this one. I have seen the green snow when watching the MPEG-4 through the HR20-700 and I can tell that it is NOT there when watching the same episode OTA on the HR10-250...

 

[melduforx]

Lost was VERY frustrating to watch this week due to the video problems.

("What happened to the bunny? I don't get it! Oh, it died. Is someone pregnant?")

 

[gashog301]

same problem here, ota did not have problem.

 

[mhevey]

I had the same problem with WJLA while watching LOST. This has happened on other shows on WJLA as well (not just lost). I have also observed the same green break up on my H20 while watching WJLA MPEG4 broadcasts. I have never observed this issue while watching WJLA OTA.

I have not seen this on other Washington DC MPEG4 locals (although that does not mean it does not happen).

Whether this is a WJLA problem, a Directv problem, or a combination of both, I hope this gets fixed soon since it is annoying.

I am lucky in that I can get most of the DC stations via OTA, so once the HR20 OTA is active I can cancel my locals with Directv if the problem is not fixed by that time.

 

[ITrot]

I have experienced this problem since last year when I first had my AT9 dish installed along with H20 receivers. I always thought it was related to the positioning of my dish, trees, etc. Now I find out that many of us are experiencing this issue at the same time. (For example, the Rabbit scene in Lost last Wednesday.) Here is the original picture I posted on DBSTALK along with one other.

I want to emphasize that I have had this problem with the H20 AND the HR20. I was not able to capture an image of it until I got the HR20. I distincly remember this happening during LOST last season, always at critical points in the show.

Yes, me too. I have that problem with the H20 and HR20. The green squiggly lines but audio is fine. Nice to know I'm not the only one having this problem. There were several time while watching LOST that this happened (again). Thanks for posting this and I hope it gets resolved.

 

[ddem]

I have been having the same problem with Ch7 as everyone else is reporting....does not happen with OTA

 

[JBernardK]

I have an HR10 and watch OTA. WJLA has had problems like those decsribed here, but they have been mosly fixed the past few weeks. If you go to AVS and look at the Washington DC forum you will see that the WJLA chief engineer posts there. Its a tough forum to navigate since it includes cable as well at D* and E* and Baltimore too.

 

[awursta]

I have experienced the same problems with WJLA. I believe that there were 3 seperate times that "the signal broke up". One time it lasted for almost a minute. Very frustrating.