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Problems with Philadelphia HD Locals

1K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  dvrblogger 
#1 ·
Happened again tonight. HD locals were fine until CSI started at 9PM ET. Then all of the HD local channels had extreme pixilation and sound dropping out to the point of being unwatchable. Cleared up for about 10 minutes about mid-way through the hour and then the problem was back. Cleared up completely by the time ER started at 10PM ET and then they were fine again. When it happens it effects all of the HD local channels.

Is anyone else in the Philadelphia area seeing this? It appears to be an issue with MPEG4 as it only effects the HD local channels and when it happens they are all effected.
 
#2 ·
Sorry to say I don't watch CSI, but I did get one of those "searching for satellite" messages when I just tried to tune in WPVI (ABC) via HR20. Have not seen the pixelation issues, but we back up everything with our R10. Wife hates the HR20, and I moved to component and it seems to have calmed things down.
 
#4 ·
randy_o said:
Yes I'm in the market too and get the same crap. Plus missed recordings.:(
Thanks for the confirmation of the problems randy_o!

What is unclear is whether these problems are specific to the HR20 which would indicate that it is an issue with the MPEG4 signals as decoded by the HR20 HW or whether folks with the non-DVR units ie. H20 are seeing the same thing which would inidcate a generic problem with the MPEG4 data streams.

Earl,
You hearing anything from the DTV folks that could shed some light on this?
 
#5 ·
Did you try recording it for now on Channel 80 (CBS in NY)? Those are still MPEG2 and don't suffer from the same problems as the HD locals, including the so-called 8MM effect (NBC and CBS in Philly have a glossy, weird look on their HD broadcasts, especially sports).
 
#6 ·
mjwagner said:
Thanks for the confirmation of the problems randy_o!

What is unclear is whether these problems are specific to the HR20 which would indicate that it is an issue with the MPEG4 signals as decoded by the HR20 HW or whether folks with the non-DVR units ie. H20 are seeing the same thing which would inidcate a generic problem with the MPEG4 data streams.

Earl,
You hearing anything from the DTV folks that could shed some light on this?
I have an H20 as well, but it never fails in terms of picture/sound problems, only has the 8MM effect (which is because of local equipment or something like that, according to Earl). So the pixelation is HR20 related, not an issue with H20.
 
#7 ·
tstarn said:
I have an H20 as well, but it never fails in terms of picture/sound problems, only has the 8MM effect (which is because of local equipment or something like that, according to Earl). So the pixelation is HR20 related, not an issue with H20.
Seems like we are getting closer to being able to narrow this down. Since you have both an H20 and an HR20, have you seen any situations where the MPEG4 Local channel or channels were pixelating and unwatchable on the HR20 but the same channel(s), at the same time, were fine on the H20?
 
#8 ·
mjwagner said:
Seems like we are getting closer to being able to narrow this down. Since you have both an H20 and an HR20, have you seen any situations where the MPEG4 Local channel or channels were pixelating and unwatchable on the HR20 but the same channel(s), at the same time, were fine on the H20?
Happens all the time. I have to admit, my locals on the HR20 behave pretty well (except for that 8mm thing), but as soon as I have an issue, I run to check it out. And the H20 is always spot on. Never has a problem.
 
#9 ·
tstarn said:
Happens all the time. I have to admit, my locals on the HR20 behave pretty well (except for that 8mm thing), but as soon as I have an issue, I run to check it out. And the H20 is always spot on. Never has a problem.
My HD MPEG4 locals work just fine probably 90% of the time. But the problems seem to always happen at the worst time, like during 8 - 11 PM ET. Seem to last just long enough to screw up 1 or more prime time show recordings/viewings.

Sure would be nice to see DTV admit they have a problem with the HR20 and MPEG4 HD local channels and that they are working on it. Would prevent all of us from wondering if we have specific problems with our HR20's.

Makes you wonder how much money DTV is wasting replacing HR20's, sending tech's out to realign dishes, etc. for people who don't have access to this forum and are calling up to complain about this issue. Certainly the average CSR is clueless about the fact that this seems to be a systemic issue.
 
#10 ·
I have posted several times regarding the green breakup of the ABC channel 6 (WPVI) in the Philadelphia area. This time I have included a screen shot of the breakup that occurred this morning during GMA (forgive the flash reflection). This seems to be identical to the break ups being described in the Washington DC area sticky thread. It can last anywhere from a few to tens of seconds and it only occurs on ABC. Obvious from the screen shot is a complete replay ticker bar at the bottom ruling out a HR20 to TV problem. I also have seen the 8mm effect on CBS during footbal games. Pausing the screen reveals gross decompress artifacts and washed out details. I hope these probems can get some attention and get fixed. Either that or give me the OTA function (which is the primary reason I bought the HR20)!
 

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#12 ·
COPTERDOCTOR said:
Looks like signal loss from some reason. Do you live by any airports?
No airports close enough to interfere with satellite reception. I am located near an aircraft naviagation beacon and we get a lot of aircraft overhead, but nothing in line with the dish and satellites. Could radio frequency interference from aircraft produce this effect? And only one channel?
 
#13 ·
COPTERDOCTOR said:
Looks like signal loss from some reason. Do you live by any airports?
The Philly airport is 5 miles from my house, which is the city, but then every large city has an airport. Again, I don't see it on my H20, just the HR20, and they share the same dish, of course.
 
#14 ·
jwilkens said:
I have posted several times regarding the green breakup of the ABC channel 6 (WPVI) in the Philadelphia area. This time I have included a screen shot of the breakup that occurred this morning during GMA (forgive the flash reflection). This seems to be identical to the break ups being described in the Washington DC area sticky thread. It can last anywhere from a few to tens of seconds and it only occurs on ABC. Obvious from the screen shot is a complete replay ticker bar at the bottom ruling out a HR20 to TV problem. I also have seen the 8mm effect on CBS during footbal games. Pausing the screen reveals gross decompress artifacts and washed out details. I hope these probems can get some attention and get fixed. Either that or give me the OTA function (which is the primary reason I bought the HR20)!
If you get them, you can use the MPEG2 HD channels out of NYC. No similar issues there. It's something with MPEG4 and the HR20, not the H20, seems to me. Again, the 8mm effect is on both in my experience.
 
#15 ·
jwilkens said:
No airports close enough to interfere with satellite reception. I am located near an aircraft naviagation beacon and we get a lot of aircraft overhead, but nothing in line with the dish and satellites. Could radio frequency interference from aircraft produce this effect? And only one channel?
Anything that gets in the line of site between your dish and the satellite can cause a problem. You describe it as happening for a few seconds or up to ten, so if say a large plane flys just in the right spot it can interupt your data stream long enough to cause the screen in the photo. And yes strong transmitters such as aircraft IFR beacons can cause interference with any receiving equipment.
 
#16 ·
Hey, could you guys tell me what you are getting for signal on the KA sats. I'm just south of Reading and recently got the AT9 dish installed. I'm not in the Phila market but I know I am in the spot beam area. I get really low numbers on both the 99 and 103. I think the guy did not align it correctly
 
#17 ·
chewwy420 said:
Hey, could you guys tell me what you are getting for signal on the KA sats. I'm just south of Reading and recently got the AT9 dish installed. I'm not in the Phila market but I know I am in the spot beam area. I get really low numbers on both the 99 and 103. I think the guy did not align it correctly
Yeah let me check, I have to wait 4 minutes for my son's Pokemon to finish.....

sat 99 gives: 97 42 97 40 94 77 rest all dashes
sat 103 gives: 0 0 94 92 88 85 rest all dashes

As for the Philly MPEG4's I only see the 8mm bug too. No green screen thingy.

Snewo
 
#18 ·
Wow! I guess my installer did a crappy install after all. I thought he was pretty good. But since my DMA isn;t up and running in HD LiL yet (end of year they say).He said that he could not make sure the Ka sats where aligned correctly. I though this was crap when he told me that. All the Ku sats are perfectly fine. I thought that as long as you got the Ku's all aligned the Ka's should fall right in to place.

Mine shows:

99:
55-0-51-0-40-0

103:
0-0-0-16-0-10
 
#19 ·
jwilkens said:
I have posted several times regarding the green breakup of the ABC channel 6 (WPVI) in the Philadelphia area. This time I have included a screen shot of the breakup that occurred this morning during GMA (forgive the flash reflection). This seems to be identical to the break ups being described in the Washington DC area sticky thread. It can last anywhere from a few to tens of seconds and it only occurs on ABC. Obvious from the screen shot is a complete replay ticker bar at the bottom ruling out a HR20 to TV problem. I also have seen the 8mm effect on CBS during footbal games. Pausing the screen reveals gross decompress artifacts and washed out details. I hope these probems can get some attention and get fixed. Either that or give me the OTA function (which is the primary reason I bought the HR20)!
I see this onece an hour on our local wabc 7 in NY area.I have seen it simultaneously on H20 and HR20 and believe it to be a transmission problem not a box problem.try and post specific times and channels and see if anyone else is seeing the same thing.
 
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