Frustrated

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rbmanrow

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Nov 14, 2007
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I have been experiencing sound and picture drop offs with my local channels (Traverse City MI area). The worst is NBC which is almost unwatchable but the the others do it too. Communicated with DTV numerous times and all they can say is they are aware and working on the problem. Does anyone out there know what the deal is and why it can't be fixed? I am getting nowhere with customer service...been talking to them since November. Help!
 
I have been experiencing sound and picture drop offs with my local channels (Traverse City MI area). The worst is NBC which is almost unwatchable but the the others do it too. Communicated with DTV numerous times and all they can say is they are aware and working on the problem.
I know this their answer doesn't answer your question, but that is all they will ever say in these circumstances.

Does anyone out there know what the deal is and why it can't be fixed?
The fact that it hasn't been fixed does not mean it can't be fixed. Depending on what is causing the problem, these things can take time to resolve.

I am getting nowhere with customer service...been talking to them since November. Help!
The phone agents are given very little information about technical outages, other than maybe a short paragraph that basically says "we're aware of the issue and we are working on it" with no specific information as to what is causing the issue. Occasionally (but not often) they are given a approximate resolution time frame.

The simple answer is this: You have probably gotten everything from customer service in the form of an answer that you will get. No sense in letting it raise your blood pressure. If you want to help get the problem fixed, contact the station engineers at the local stations and get them to lean on DirecTV to fix any issue that may be there.
 
I have been experiencing sound and picture drop offs with my local channels (Traverse City MI area). The worst is NBC which is almost unwatchable but the the others do it too. Communicated with DTV numerous times and all they can say is they are aware and working on the problem. Does anyone out there know what the deal is and why it can't be fixed? I am getting nowhere with customer service...been talking to them since November. Help!

Are the locals from Traverse new , last 3-4 months ?

It was very common for them to have issues with new local channels coming on board till they get them tweaked.

You said it's LOCALS ONLY right ?
 
I know this their answer doesn't answer your question, but that is all they will ever say in these circumstances.


The fact that it hasn't been fixed does not mean it can't be fixed. Depending on what is causing the problem, these things can take time to resolve.


The phone agents are given very little information about technical outages, other than maybe a short paragraph that basically says "we're aware of the issue and we are working on it" with no specific information as to what is causing the issue. Occasionally (but not often) they are given a approximate resolution time frame.

The simple answer is this: You have probably gotten everything from customer service in the form of an answer that you will get. No sense in letting it raise your blood pressure. If you want to help get the problem fixed, contact the station engineers at the local stations and get them to lean on DirecTV to fix any issue that may be there.

You may even find out that it is a LOCAL network issue not a D* issue, that is sometimes the situation as well.
 
This has been trouble since last Fall but NBC is definitely getting worse. Have talked to other DTV people in the area and they are also having problems....I guess I just wonder why more people aren't upset....the Olympics were terrible.
 
The local receive facility for DirecTV in the Traverse City/Cadillac market is the address of Fox 32/33. This means the equipment DirecTV uses to pick up all of the Traverse City/Cadillac stations is located on the property of the local Fox affiliate.

Their site has a Reception Troubleshooting page which asks for information on who you get their channel through, what kind of issue you are experiencing, etc. My recommendation would be to use this page to notify them that you are experiencing issues with all the stations in the area.

Your NBC affiliate appears to be around 50 miles away from the Fox station. That is quite a ways to pick up a station with an antenna (which is how DirecTV typically does it).
 
I know this their answer doesn't answer your question, but that is all they will ever say in these circumstances.


The fact that it hasn't been fixed does not mean it can't be fixed. Depending on what is causing the problem, these things can take time to resolve.


The phone agents are given very little information about technical outages, other than maybe a short paragraph that basically says "we're aware of the issue and we are working on it" with no specific information as to what is causing the issue. Occasionally (but not often) they are given a approximate resolution time frame.

The simple answer is this: You have probably gotten everything from customer service in the form of an answer that you will get. No sense in letting it raise your blood pressure. If you want to help get the problem fixed, contact the station engineers at the local stations and get them to lean on DirecTV to fix any issue that may be there.

that last paragraph will do the trick...ive done many installs at tv stations in the N.O area.... they get service from DTV & DN so they can monitor the quality of their broadcast over satellite....they are probably already on it ....
 
that last paragraph will do the trick...ive done many installs at tv stations in the N.O area.... they get service from DTV & DN so they can monitor the quality of their broadcast over satellite....they are probably already on it ....

This will work, be polite but persistant.

GL, Eric
 
Sad part about this is that there really are only 2 stations up here. NBC and ABC are owned by the same people. The same deal for CBS and FOX. I have contacted them both by email and I'll see what happens. I might even get others to do it too. I promise I was polite! Thanks to you all for your advice.
 
Sad part about this is that there really are only 2 stations up here. NBC and ABC are owned by the same people. The same deal for CBS and FOX. I have contacted them both by email and I'll see what happens. I might even get others to do it too. I promise I was polite! Thanks to you all for your advice.

Call them and talk to them.
Ask for the Engineer
 
Got this email...does this make sense?

"DirecTV has had a problem nationwide with local affiliates that are running AC-3 Dolby 5.1 audio as 29 and 7 do. CH.9 is running 2 channel stereo and that is why their audio does not break up as our stations do. DirecTV is aware of their problem and are working on it. We are working with DirecTV to fix this problem. People with Dish, cable and antenna reception do not experience this problem."
 
Got this email...does this make sense?

"DirecTV has had a problem nationwide with local affiliates that are running AC-3 Dolby 5.1 audio as 29 and 7 do. CH.9 is running 2 channel stereo and that is why their audio does not break up as our stations do. DirecTV is aware of their problem and are working on it. We are working with DirecTV to fix this problem. People with Dish, cable and antenna reception do not experience this problem."

Yes, this makes perfect sense.

Except for the Nationwide part .....
It could very well be happening else where, but not Nationwide.
 
Thanks Jimbo..that makes me feel better...I guess!
BTW...used to live in Berkey (just outside of Sylvania)...were we neighbors?
 
Wolverine MI...about 40 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge. Had to get out of there before the city of Toledo imploded...looks like we might have just made it! At least Carty is gone...right?
 
Wolverine MI...about 40 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge. Had to get out of there before the city of Toledo imploded...looks like we might have just made it! At least Carty is gone...right?

Yes Carty is gone and the new guy is NO BETTER .....

Really glad I'm not IN Toledo, I get to pay the Sylvania taxes instead !

I don't think the city is going to implode ...... yet.
They have to pay for the baseball and hockey venues first !
 
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