Signal Troubles??

[KwestJones]

I didn't know Cable could have signal troubles but for some reason or another I am unable to get my local channels (in HD or SD) on the HD DVR. It keeps saying "This channel should be available shortly."

I don't have receiver details but....the rest of the digital (non HD) receivers in the house pull all the channels just fine but my HD DVR will not pull ESPNHD, ESPN2HD, the local SportsNet. The crazy thing is that it says that its not authorized. And the Coup de Grace....half the time it won't even bring up the frigg'n Comcast Home channel. I get TNTHD most of the time but its filled with digital artifacts and when I was trying to watch the Cavs game last night it was virtually impossible. I watched most of the game on the SD channel. HBO-HD and Starz HD will come in but, like TNT, I will get digital artifacts (The HBO and Starz SD Channels come in fine though). I even have trouble bringing up the ON Demand Guide.

I called Comcast and they say that they are going to send someone out on Thursday. I was wondering if anyone else has seen this kind of trouble before and if so what was the problem.

 

[HDFreud]

I have had this kind of trouble before and it was the signal form the pole to the house. They cleaned it up and gave me a power boost and I am all set. How many runs do you have in the house (how many times is the signal split)?

 

[KwestJones]

Probably five times...There are 5 TVs in the house plus the internet connection

 

[sgip2000]

I had that problem once too. They installed a "drop amp" and that fixed the problem.

 

[HDFreud]

Yep, sounds like you need an amp.

 

[KwestJones]

So the guy comes out yesterday, and unfortunately I couldn't be there when he was there but he says he's fixed my problems. When I got home I noticed he put a higher quality co-axial cable in and I sit down turn on the TV. I notice that my local channels are now accesible SD........I turned to the HD Versions and there are major breakups and "signal loss." ESPN and ESPN2 HD still don't come in...TNTHD is still breaking up.

To top it all off...they had a MAJOR outtage last night so I couldn't DVR the Cavs/Pistons game..........sure to be a classic. The internet drops out daily....

I hate comcast and i've had it for all of 6 days...

 

[stevenl]

You need to have them come back out when you are home so they can finish troubleshooting the problem. Their is only so much they can do outside with noone home to let them see if they fixed the problem. You cant be mad at them for not fixing something if they couldnt see what was broken. At least give them the chance to come inside and fix the problem and explain to them whats going on. So give them another call to come out when you can be around so they can fix your problem. They dont know whats broke unless you tell them.

 

[cfkillers]

i had the same problem i live in a apartment. most of my hd channels were all pixelated. i requested a service tech and when he came it wasnt pixelating but he did change the wire from the wall to cable box and said that should help. when it continued i called again and they sent a different guy and this time the hd channels were pixelating the tech watched a pixelated version of discovery hd for 5 min then said he coudlnt fix it and left so i returned all comcast gear and tried to explain why i was leaving them they wouldnt even let me even finish what i was saying. now im back to ota with voom box.

 

[branchbouncer]

KwestJones, What type of HD DVR are you using?

 

[stone phillips420]

sounds to me like your having rf troubles in comcast white box
i had to have my white box where services come in twice, my symtoms were very similar to what you mention channel available shortly tons of artifacts

 

[HDFreud]

When you call Comccast request a "Comcast tech." Most poeple don't know that you can do that and you get an actual Comcast employee rather that a contrator. In my experience they are better informed and more realiable.

 

[KwestJones]

You need to have them come back out when you are home so they can finish troubleshooting the problem. Their is only so much they can do outside with noone home to let them see if they fixed the problem. You cant be mad at them for not fixing something if they couldnt see what was broken. At least give them the chance to come inside and fix the problem and explain to them whats going on. So give them another call to come out when you can be around so they can fix your problem. They dont know whats broke unless you tell them.

Well I wasn't there but my parents were there. They got inside. He replaced the receiver.

KwestJones, What type of HD DVR are you using?

Its a motorola although I don't have the specific model number here at work withi me.

My father told me later that the guy ordered an amp for the line so maybe that will fix it. I scheduled another appt for Saturday morning when I am home.

Hopefully that will improve the internet as well. I started to DL a torrent...1.5 GB...it said it will take 35 days to DL....on Comcast? My DSL didn't take that long and i KNOW that's got less bandwidth.

 

[branchbouncer]

The amp will probably do the trick, had to add one where the cable comes into the house and our service is fine now. One thing to watch though is that if your internet service is also cable, the cable running to the modem shouldn't be amped,some of the techs don't know/or care about that.When they first install the amp at my house everything was amped, then the modem started to act up,a bit of googling turn up the info that data(modem) shouldn't be amped, took the cable out of the amped circuit and the modem was fine after that

 

[stevenl]

Your internet speed has little to do with how long it takes the DL the torrent. Your only as fast as the slowest connection and ill bet you its the torrent seeds.

goto www.speedtest.net and run aspeed test ill bet money its faster then your previous DSL modem

 

[KwestJones]

Just an update: the problem seemed to be due to a bad splitter and line. The second tech that came out while I was there was much more thorough and change some of the other wiring and equipment in the house. That fixed my problem. What I wasn't aware of was the extra charge for getting all the HD channels...i.e. ESPNHD, ESPN2HD, CSNHD, etc. I thought that when I got the HD DVR that I'd automatically get all the HD Channels. Doesn't make sense to me that they give me the HD DVR (I think all the DVRs do HD but I specified I wanted it for HD) and not give me the package. Oh well...its done...everything seems to be working fine.

I must say though....coming from Dish...I think the HD Picture on Comcast is clearer than Dishes. And I love MHD...beautiful channel..beautiful music....disclaimer on this tho....When I had dish I was watching a 52" projection TV across a family room....with comcast I'm on a 32" LCD in my bedroom. Not sure if that makes a huge difference but I am pleased.

 

[branchbouncer]

We got Adelphia (now Comcast) here when we moved outta the city, mainly because we were moving in, had the D* account in suspend, and knew that it would be at least a month before we got around to putting the dish back up. We were getting the HSI from them so we decided to have cable tv installed for the interm since there was no equipment charges and no contract. After viewing D* and Comcast, Comcast with out a doubt is clearer,sharper and just better overall PQ quality, Maybe in 2008 D* will get it act together with the new birds up but until then Comcast is staying here