NY MPEG4 locals - any issues for anyone?

[hancox]

Been seeing reports of issues on the outskirts of the NY DMA with the MPEG4 locals.

I'm not seeing a ton myself, but thinking we should take a look at the collective group...

 

[CKNA]

People in CT can't get that spotbeam at all. Fairfield county which is part of NYC DMA gets no picture at all. There is a problem for sure.

 

[JAG72]

I am seeing issues right now in the Central Ohio market.

 

[hancox]

People in CT can't get that spotbeam at all. Fairfield county which is part of NYC DMA gets no picture at all. There is a problem for sure.

Well, I can, and I'm about as far north/east as you can get. I do see sporadic issues, but nothing I'd say is 100% concrete.

My tp3 reading is very low, though.

 

[JMattz]

Been seeing reports of issues on the outskirts of the NY DMA with the MPEG4 locals.

I'm not seeing a ton myself, but thinking we should take a look at the collective group...

Thanks for this post. Yes, you are correct, I am in Brookfield, CT zipcode 06804 and my MPEG 4 channels are almost always unwatchable from pixelization. 99(b) txp 3 from which the signal comes is very low (range of 7-20). Seems like D* is blowing this off as this has been going on since the 9/26 roll out. Any help in getting this resolved would be hugely appreciated.

 

[ScoBuck]

I watched the NFL game last night on NY Channel 4 MPEG4 - no problems that I noticed. That is execpt for the problems Buffalo had in stopping the Pats.

 

[JMattz]

In addition to the pain of the Pats blowing out the Bills, my Mpeg 4 NBC was unwatchable last night-- had to view via the DNS (for a long as I could stomach the game). Be interested in what your 99(b) txp 3 signal strength is -- this seems to be a bigger problem the more north you are in the NY DMA.

 

[hancox]

Probably best everyone post their zipcodes and tp3 readings, to track this down.

06468

I'm 100 on nearly every other tp on 99b aside from 3, which hovers from 18 +

 

[RickL]

Trumbull CT 06611

Transponder 3 99b reading 18.

So far, problems only in the mornings until about 9 am.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

DirecTV is aware of the issue and is watching this thread, if you are having problem please post your zip code and signal readings for this transponder.

Thanks!

 

[ScoBuck]

Zip 11793

99b Transponder 3 reading 70

 

[hancox]

That makes sense - you're much further south - appears most of the issues are around the northern end of the DMA.

Did D* forget Fairfield County is part of the DMA?

 

[ksupersano]

This is my post from the D* forums that has started this most recent round of complaints. I hope we can get to the bottom of this. I am at 06484.

There seems to be a rather large community of users on various forums, experiencing the same issue here in the NY local channel area. The MPEG4 local channels (2,4,5,7,9,11) are either unwatchable due to massive pizelization or get the 771 searching for sat issue. Apparently these channels come from the 99b Sat on transponder 3. We all seem to have the same symptoms, 100 (or near 100) signal strength on all the 99b transponders but #3 seems to be very low (mine is 13, others are lower). Since we all didn't have the same installer and we all don't live in the same house, it's pretty obvious the issue lies with Direct TV.
Fortunately the MPEG2 NY Local channels (80+) are fine so we are not totally screwed but if Direct TV decides to take them away, we are going to be on trouble.
So my hope is that someone from Direct TV is monitoring this forum and can please address this issue. The level one CSR's obviously cannot address this. This needs high level engineering attention. With Cable adding HD content and AT&T's Uverse knocking on the door here in CT and FIOS gaining ground in both subscribers and HD content, Direct TV will need to continue to provide the value and quality that has made us all use them. God forbid they loose the football package.
Sp please, I am begging you, someone at Direct TV please give us some hope that someone cares enough to address this.

 

[monroe]

06468 - I get from 0 to 20 for transponder 3 on 99b. When I get a 0 which has been most mornings lately I get a 771 for 2,4,5,7 as expected. When it is higher - <20 - picture is unwatchable. My readings on all transponders for 99b right now are 100,100,11,97,100,98.

 

[CKNA]

Zip 11793

99b Transponder 3 reading 70

Your reading should be close to 100. 70 means that you are close to the edge of spotbeam.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

DirecTV knows there is an issue, however with the Holiday they dont intend to try fixing it until after the holiday.

That is the last update I have from last night.

 

[CKNA]

DirecTV is aware of the issue and is watching this thread, if you are having problem please post your zip code and signal readings for this transponder.

Thanks!

It should not matter what zip code. Whole CT should be covered by that spotbeam. There are other spotbeams that carry locals from 300-400 miles away and level readings are at high 90's in CT. D* screwed up big time. What is particularly bothersome, that they screwed up the biggest TV market.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Here is the exact message I got from DirecTV on this matter.

We are going to try some other things but we have to wait until after the holiday. If it wasn't for the fact that they can still get the MPEG2 HD versions it would be a bigger emergency. Spotbeams can be complicated.

 

[CKNA]

DirecTV knows there is an issue, however with the Holiday they dont intend to try fixing it until after the holiday.

That is the last update I have from last night.

That is good to know that they are finally planning to fix it. However it should not take too long. They can either move NYC locals to another spotbeam or fix this one and adjust to cover more of Northeast.

 

[RickL]

Quote:
"If it wasn't for the fact that they can still get the MPEG2 HD versions it would be a bigger emergency. Spotbeams can be complicated."

However, some people can't receive the mpeg2 hd locals due to tree issues. Also, it's no fun watching sports and other fast action material with macroblocking on those channels.

But at least it's nice to know that they are working on fixing the problem.