942 Ota L2.83

[Tom Bombadil]

Ever since my 942 was updated to 2.83, I've been experiencing problems locking onto OTA channels. It is worse than the old "49%" problem. One of my local channels is typically received with a signal around 80%. When I switch to it, about 30-40% of the time, the signal strength reading is 0%. After a few seconds, I get an error message on the screen saying that it could not lock. After this message comes up, it stays up. I could leave it for an hour and the channel will never lock in.

But if I change channels and then back to the problem channel, most of the time it will quickly lock on at 80% and be fine after that.

When I browse my local channels, this happens over and over again. I pick up 6 local HD channels, I cannot browse from the top to the bottom of this list without encountering this message at least once.

Is anyone else seeing this?

 

[lakebum431]

I have not seen it. My OTA has been stronger than ever since L2.83, but some of this may have something to do with the leaves falling off the trees. . .

 

[Tom Bombadil]

My OTA signal strengths have been a bit higher with L2.83 too. I just have a harder time getting a lock.

 

[lakebum431]

Interesting. So what are your average signal levels that won't lock? You mentioned 80% in your post. Is that the normal level that you are having problems with?

 

[Grandpa J]

I have a locking problem too on some Digital channels since the 2.83 download for both 942, sometime the 942s lock on channel sometimes not. What is interesting is that I have a separate Digital tuner on a LG HD recorder and it does not have the same locking problems. Even when the 942s do not lock the LG tuner does so I can watch/record. Note - all tuners work off same OTA antenna with spliters (no analog here).

 

[Tom Bombadil]

My channels are typically at 75%-80%. But when they aren't locking it is because they are reading 0%.

I switch a channel, it sits at 0% for a few seconds and then I get the can't lock error screen. So I switch it to another channel and then right back. Usually it will then immediately read 80% and lock. But there is no pattern.

Let's say it is like this:

Channel 1: 75%
Channel 2: 80%
Channel 3: 85%
Channel 4: 75%

I might be watching Channel 1 and then attempt to change to 2. But 2 now reads 0% and it fails to lock. So I switch to 3 which works. Then back to 2 which now works. Later I switch to 3, which reads 0%. So back to 2, which works, and then back to 3, but it still gets 0%. So it is back to 2 again, which now also reads 0%. Then back to 3 which now reads 85%.

This happens all of the time. Changing channels is a crapshoot. I never know when I'm going to have to switch back and forth to get them to work.

But it isn't because the signal strengths are jumping around a lot. Once they lock, they stay locked. They don't go into and then out of lock, because the signal strength might read 80% one second and 30% the next. It is a problem with the 942 being able to detect a signal.