# Continuous Problems that aren’t getting FIXED



## Rob37 (Jul 11, 2013)

Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Did I Mention PIXEL-Fu*kin-ation? When in the Hell is the problem going to get fixed? It has been going on for more than a year it hasn’t just started, it’s been going on for a LONG time. I have almost had it with DIRECTV. The only reason I am still with them is for the NFL Ticket. The picture quality is great but when Pixelation starts happening it isn’t. I don’t want to leave after this year but me & the family have started discussing it. DIRECTV AT&T better shape up fast because we are long time customers & we have just about had it with them. Whether I cancel or not remains to be seen but right now we aren’t happy.


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## compnurd (Apr 23, 2007)

Rob37 said:


> Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Pixelation Did I Mention PIXEL-Fu*kin-ation? When in the Hell is the problem going to get fixed? It has been going on for more than a year it hasn't just started, it's been going on for a LONG time. I have almost had it with DIRECTV. The only reason I am still with them is for the NFL Ticket. The picture quality is great but when Pixelation starts happening it isn't. I don't want to leave after this year but me & the family have started discussing it. DIRECTV AT&T better shape up fast because we are long time customers & we have just about had it with them. Whether I cancel or not remains to be seen but right now we aren't happy.


Leave. Not having problems here


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

This pixelation issue is so strange. It's been happening to a lot of people, including myself...However, it doesn't seem to be happening to everybody. It's been going on for too long and it is the reason I got rid of it. What's even more frustrating is that they don't even acknowledge it a lot of times nor give you an exact answer of what the issue is and when it's going to be fixed. At this point, it's either not a priority or they don't really know. One thing I do know: There wasn't anything wrong with my equipment/satellite or cabling, so it was most definitely a DIRECTV issue.

I had some reps acknowledge it being an issue they've been hearing about quite a bit while others said they didn't know anything about it. One said it was a software issue and an update would be out in like September or October and now here we are in December nearly and now it's possibly going to be fixed at the end of this month. I don't buy it. Month after month continues to go by and the issue still persists. It's kind of like a.. I don't know what the problem is or when it is going to be fixed so we'll just tell the customer a fix should be out within the next month or so hoping the customer will ride it out.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

No pixelation for me


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## I WANT MORE (Oct 3, 2006)

texasbrit said:


> No pixelation for me





compnurd said:


> Leave. Not having problems here


Are you both stating that you have ZERO instances of video/audio freezes/stutter ever?
I have them frequently on my HR54, HR24s, and C61Ks. 
I also see it at my daughters home as well as my sisters and they are both in different states.
The mention of the issues is so widespread on these boards I find it inconceivable that anyone has ZERO instances of the issue.


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## compnurd (Apr 23, 2007)

I WANT MORE said:


> Are you both stating that you have ZERO instances of video/audio freezes/stutter ever?
> I have them frequently on my HR54, HR24s, and C61Ks.
> I also see it at my daughters home as well as my sisters and they are both in different states.
> The mention of the issues is so widespread on these boards I find it inconceivable that anyone has ZERO instances of the issue.


You can find it as inconceivable as you want. Maybe I don't watch as much TV as others but no I never see that


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

I WANT MORE said:


> I find it inconceivable that anyone has ZERO instances of the issue.


I too have experienced pixilation, video/audio freezes and stutter on several channels but I don't find it inconceivable that others haven't. As you are probably aware there have been widespread reports of people reporting missing recordings in their PLAYLIST yet I have never been affected by this issue.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

texasbrit said:


> No pixelation for me


Virtually none. Occasional on ESPN, very occasional on NBC but not recently. Had pixelation on ABC but that stopped a couple of months ago. HR54 and HR24. One C61 client but I rarely use it.


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## Microphone (Jan 30, 2007)

Not leaving cause we get it a lot here in the northeast. BIG problem I agree with OP


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

I WANT MORE said:


> Are you both stating that you have ZERO instances of video/audio freezes/stutter ever?
> I have them frequently on my HR54, HR24s, and C61Ks.
> I also see it at my daughters home as well as my sisters and they are both in different states.
> The mention of the issues is so widespread on these boards I find it inconceivable that anyone has ZERO instances of the issue.


I got rid of most of the problems you've listed above. Now I have two HRs, a 44 and a 24 that run so well it's like watching an Internet stream. I had all the problems you had and I do see the occasional blip but it always seems to be a broadcast issue since I can replicate them. The problems I had never stopped no matter what I did. Now they have...Curious?

Rich


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## Steady Teddy (Jan 23, 2007)

The video freezing & stuttering has ALWAYS been there. The pixelation has gotten far worse in the last month or so. I watch mostly sports channels.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Microphone said:


> Not leaving cause we get it a lot here in the northeast. BIG problem I agree with OP


Kinda hard to believe that anybody "_never"_ sees pixies, isn't it? I've been with D* since 2002 and the last 3+ months have been relatively free of pixies. That's 3 months out of 16 YEARS! I always saw them and I have no equipment or cabling problems. Nobody has been able to help, the audio and visual problems just kept happening.

Rich


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## Microphone (Jan 30, 2007)

Rich said:


> Kinda hard to believe that anybody "_never"_ sees pixies, isn't it? I've been with D* since 2002 and the last 3+ months have been relatively free of pixies. That's 3 months out of 16 YEARS! I always saw them and I have no equipment or cabling problems. Nobody has been able to help, the audio and visual problems just kept happening.
> 
> Rich


And I should mention too Rich on the rare occasion I get somebody in the know at D*, they have admitted that problem exists in certain areas and "they are working on it." (Code for praying for a quicker rollout of streaming boxes). This is same person who admitted to me that there was a problem with the disappearing DVR programs and to hit red reset button and "we still don't know what's causing that bug." These problems exist, pixelation may be geographical, but it's here in Southern New England.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

The only pixilation I've experienced has been tied to weather. 

But I don't think that is what the TS/OP is talking about.


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## slovell (Nov 22, 2011)

I've got it. Pixelation on random channels, stutter, audio drop out, all of it. Had a service call, replaced the LNB and a ground wire, no difference.


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## CTJon (Feb 5, 2007)

All (or most) channels or "local" broadcast ones mostly. I suspect, depending upon where you live, there are issues with local channels sending stuff to vendors and/or the adding of local ads and local banners at bottom of screens.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Microphone said:


> And I should mention too Rich on the rare occasion I get somebody in the know at D*, they have admitted that problem exists in certain areas and "they are working on it." (Code for praying for a quicker rollout of streaming boxes). This is same person who admitted to me that there was a problem with the disappearing DVR programs and to hit reset the button and "we still don't know what's causing that bug." These problems exist, pixelation may be geographical, but it's here in Southern New England.


I doubt it's the software. The CSRs will tell you anything to pacify you. Four months ago I would have agreed with you about the software. I made one change to the DVRs I use and I don't see what I used to anymore. It may be a geographical problem but I saw audio and video breakups constantly here for years. Now they are gone. One of the worst channels was YES. I watch every inning of every game (well, I try) and always had breakups. Don't have them on YES anymore. Same thing with FOX. Watched the Cowboys game this week on FOX and saw no problems.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

slovell said:


> I've got it. Pixelation on random channels, stutter, audio drop out, all of it. Had a service call, replaced the LNB and a ground wire, no difference.


It would help knowing where you are...

Rich


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Not just where located, but Channel #, time and TV model, along with STB specs. Locals can be screwy sometimes, but if it's across the board, that'd be something to latch onto.


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## slovell (Nov 22, 2011)

Rich said:


> It would help knowing where you are...
> 
> Rich


Upstate, SC


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## slovell (Nov 22, 2011)

Laxguy said:


> Not just where located, but Channel #, time and TV model, along with STB specs. Locals can be screwy sometimes, but if it's across the board, that'd be something to latch onto.


It's across the board, no discrimination here.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

I'm in Michigan and had pixelation like crazy when I had it. Have Spectrum now, no pixelation.


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## skinnyJM (Nov 19, 2005)

We too have been seeing more instances of pixelation on various channels, both local and CONUS, in the past year or two, certainly far more than previously when it was rarely noticed. As far as location, here in Texas the satellites are pretty much staring us in the face.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

slovell said:


> Upstate, SC


Thanx,

Rich


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## ejbvt (Aug 14, 2011)

CTJon said:


> All (or most) channels or "local" broadcast ones mostly. I suspect, depending upon where you live, there are issues with local channels sending stuff to vendors and/or the adding of local ads and local banners at bottom of screens.


It's not just locals. My locals are fine, and I have nearly 2 markets in HD. It's national channels. I see it on 202, 209, 245, 247, 356, 362, and 630 the most. I am watching ST 708 now, in the rain/snow, and not a single blip since 1pm (After 3pm now). That being said, SOME people in SOME markets are reporting issues with locals but Burlington VT and Boston at least are fine.


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## ericknolls (Aug 18, 2013)

I have pixelation too. Still here since 2007. These cry babies are the ones hurting DIRECTV and DISH'S business. Go TO CABLE and TELCO TV if the service is better. BYE! Thanks for being a customer. NOW MOVE ON...

Sent from my XT1609 using Tapatalk


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## Steady Teddy (Jan 23, 2007)

Watching Habs feed of Sharks-Canadiens on CI 773-1 right now and the pixilation is out of control. 
Avs-Wings on second display 776-1 and no issues-yet.


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## AngryManMLS (Jan 30, 2014)

ericknolls said:


> I have pixelation too. Still here since 2007. These cry babies are the ones hurting DIRECTV and DISH'S business. Go TO CABLE and TELCO TV if the service is better. BYE! Thanks for being a customer. NOW MOVE ON...


Totally unexcusable to say that people who are upset over faulty service are "cry babies." That means service that works. If they can't do that then they deserve to have their business hurting.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

AngryManMLS said:


> Totally unexcusable to say that people who are upset over faulty service are "cry babies." That means service that works. If they can't do that then they deserve to have their business hurting.


Completely agree! That's why I left, it is unacceptable. Customers pay a lot of money for the service and they deserve a service that works. A lot of people don't like change, so they hold out hoping DIRECTV will get the issue resolved. If nobody speaks up or says anything, it'll just become the norm and a lot of things won't get taken care of. It's quite evident that this is happening to way too many people and it needs to be fixed, it's been going on for how long now? There are posts in regards to this back from 2017. It's tough to leave when you get used to a service and rely on having things such as the NFL Sunday Ticket. Customers shouldn't have to leave, they should be receiving a service that works properly and that is just the bottom line. I love DIRECTV's picture quality when it is working properly..


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## bjdotson (Feb 20, 2007)

It is possible to disagree with someone's opinion with out name calling and denigrating them. I know that this seems to be a foreign concept nowadays, but it is still true (for awhile at least).


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## MikeT98213 (Jul 1, 2008)

Been with DirecTV for 20 years and the last few with ATT has convinced me that it’s time to leave. I’ve had pixelation and freezing issues for many months and have had multiple technicians at my home trying to diagnose the problem. I’ve had DVRs replaced, wiring changed...even had a new dish installed, without any substantial improvement.

Just as disturbing is that in bad weather I now experience extended service outages when, in the past, they would usually last about 10-15 minutes. I had one, in a light snow, that lasted 8 hours.

The customer service is abysmal. I can say with complete certainty that I know more about their product and service than their uninformed representatives. They’ve made service appointments and failed to keep them, made promises to swap out equipment at no charge, only to bill me for them anyway and rarely offer loyalty perks that they used to provide routinely.

Right now I’m just evaluating the various streaming services as well as local cable and FiOS offerings. Once I’ve completed the review, I’ll be gone. Good riddance to what was once a great company.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Chrismon1001 (Apr 3, 2011)

Out side of Atlanta GA, TONS of Pixelation, stutter, blips and glitches and occasional smears... Had all my cable yanked out and new ran and all my equipment replaced twice try to fix the issues.... turns out its not a hardware or cable issue. The tech that came out today says complaints about this issue plague him all day.... Before someone says its a signal issue with the dish alignment I'm happy to send signal pics with ALL of my signal levels between 99-100 as the techs tried harder and harder to fix the issue I had a guy almost do as flawless of an alignment as you get with everything at 100 other than one at 99. For the Record I have a HS17/100 (0x1112), C41-100 and C61K-700. On top of this every software update is making the guide increasingly slow and the entire UI is getting more and more "stuttery" After almost 20 years I have officially paid for my install of Dish Network with a full Hopper 3 System... I am done with the constant excuse of just wait for the next software update every time I have called in since February. Directv Bill - $231.08 down to Dish Bill - $120.05 the only channel missing is HBO, add the money for HBO Now and I'm still saving a ton for service that actually finally works. Plus I get the better version of the Red Zone as a consultation prize. For anyone having issues with all the DirecTV software and Pixelation the fix is Dish Network with Hopper 3. Almost a 20 year account lost. Customer Service Rep suggested today as I was canceling to wait for the Genie 3 being released in 2019. For anyone who is hanging on to DirecTV that may be exciting news.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

Chrismon1001 said:


> Out side of Atlanta GA, TONS of Pixelation, stutter, blips and glitches and occasional smears... Had all my cable yanked out and new ran and all my equipment replaced twice try to fix the issues.... turns out its not a hardware or cable issue. The tech that came out today says complaints about this issue plague him all day.... Before someone says its a signal issue with the dish alignment I'm happy to send signal pics with ALL of my signal levels between 99-100 as the techs tried harder and harder to fix the issue I had a guy almost do as flawless of an alignment as you get with everything at 100 other than one at 99. For the Record I have a HS17/100 (0x1112), C41-100 and C61K-700. On top of this every software update is making the guide increasingly slow and the entire UI is getting more and more "stuttery" After almost 20 years I have officially paid for my install of Dish Network with a full Hopper 3 System... I am done with the constant excuse of just wait for the next software update every time I have called in since February. Directv Bill - $231.08 down to Dish Bill - $120.05 the only channel missing is HBO, add the money for HBO Now and I'm still saving a ton for service that actually finally works. Plus I get the better version of the Red Zone as a consultation prize. For anyone having issues with all the DirecTV software and Pixelation the fix is Dish Network with Hopper 3. Almost a 20 year account lost. Customer Service Rep suggested today as I was canceling to wait for the Genie 3 being released in 2019. For anyone who is hanging on to DirecTV that may be exciting news.


It is unfortunate that so many are dealing with this pixelation. Did the technician say anything about what he thinks the issue could be? I know you mentioned that he said it has been plaguing him all day, I just wondered if he went into detail about it more or not. I'm assuming he doesn't have a clue, but I thought maybe he's heard some things. As for me, I have had the DISH system with the Hopper 3 and 4K Joeys and I have to say, the service itself worked a lot smoother compared to DIRECTV, however, the picture quality really bothered me with DISH. I don't know if it's my general area or what, but it was pretty bad. I have Spectrum now and the picture quality is a lot better. I was at my brothers on Sunday and he has the DISH Hopper 3 as well and the picture was just as bad as it was when I had it. I tend to notice it more on the local channels but I thought even the national channels didn't look all that great.


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## Chrismon1001 (Apr 3, 2011)

DR2420 said:


> It is unfortunate that so many are dealing with this pixelation. Did the technician say anything about what he thinks the issue could be? I know you mentioned that he said it has been plaguing him all day, I just wondered if he went into detail about it more or not. I'm assuming he doesn't have a clue, but I thought maybe he's heard some things. As for me, I have had the DISH system with the Hopper 3 and 4K Joeys and I have to say, the service itself worked a lot smoother compared to DIRECTV, however, the picture quality really bothered me with DISH. I don't know if it's my general area or what, but it was pretty bad. I have Spectrum now and the picture quality is a lot better. I was at my brothers on Sunday and he has the DISH Hopper 3 as well and the picture was just as bad as it was when I had it. I tend to notice it more on the local channels but I thought even the national channels didn't look all that great.


He said the official statement is software and there is an update on the way to fix it... he said that very sarcastically and also told me he has been saying that for over a year.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Chrismon1001 said:


> He said the official statement is software and there is an update on the way to fix it... he said that very sarcastically and also told me he has been saying that for over a year.


He could be right. It took DIRECTV nearly a year to come up with software to fix the infamous audio drop out issue with the C61K-700.


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## Steady Teddy (Jan 23, 2007)

Chrismon1001 said:


> Customer Service Rep suggested today as I was canceling to wait for the Genie 3 being released in 2019. For anyone who is hanging on to DirecTV that may be exciting news.


So they've never been able to fix the issues with the HS17 or C61K but are recommending the Genie 3? Uhh, OK.


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## makaiguy (Sep 24, 2007)

Chrismon1001 said:


> Customer Service Rep suggested today as I was canceling to wait for the Genie 3 being released in 2019.


Hmm.. Maybe this is the Satellite/IPTV unit people have been speculating about for months now.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

makaiguy said:


> Hmm.. Maybe this is the Satellite/IPTV unit people have been speculating about for months now.


Probably the next generation of the headless thing (HS17). A 27 perhaps?

Rich


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Chrismon1001 said:


> Customer Service Rep suggested today as I was canceling to wait for the Genie 3 being released in 2019.


The key word being wait ... Don't cancel. Hang in there. It will get better. Say anything to keep the customer. I'm not surprised.


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## Soccernut (Jan 20, 2004)

Pixilation here in Northern California, including locals, not weather related.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

Soccernut said:


> Pixilation here in Northern California, including locals, not weather related.


Wish we'd get some more information about it, it is pretty widespread. Instead of the ole, we plan to release a new update in the next 1-2 months. I'd like to get DIRECTV back in mid 2019 if the issues get resolved. If it is a software issue, it would be impacting pretty much every customer, wouldn't it?


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## AngryManMLS (Jan 30, 2014)

Rich said:


> Probably the next generation of the headless thing (HS17). A 27 perhaps?
> 
> Rich


I do vaguely remember talk of the HS27 coinciding with new Android OS based client boxes. I wouldn't be shocked if the boxes in beta testing for DirecTV Now are similar to the potential ones coming for the sat based DirecTV.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

AngryManMLS said:


> I do vaguely remember talk of the HS27 coinciding with new Android OS based client boxes. I wouldn't be shocked if the boxes in beta testing for DirecTV Now are similar to the potential ones coming for the sat based DirecTV.


Pretty sure it will be the exact same boxes, though they might have a slightly different model that includes coax. The main difference with the new clients is that they run the apps so the HS27 server would not need to - so it wouldn't need as much CPU or RAM as the HS17 and would be a little cheaper to make.


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## makaiguy (Sep 24, 2007)

slice1900 said:


> The main difference with the new clients is that they run the apps so the HS27 server would not need to - so it wouldn't need as much CPU or RAM as the HS17 and would be a little cheaper to make


Would that make each of the clients more expensive, by roughly the same amount, resulting in overall higher costs?


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## AngryManMLS (Jan 30, 2014)

slice1900 said:


> Pretty sure it will be the exact same boxes, though they might have a slightly different model that includes coax. The main difference with the new clients is that they run the apps so the HS27 server would not need to - so it wouldn't need as much CPU or RAM as the HS17 and would be a little cheaper to make.


I also could imagine the remote for the DirecTV sat client would have a few extra buttons for functions such as guide and DVR.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

makaiguy said:


> Would that make each of the clients more expensive, by roughly the same amount, resulting in overall higher costs?


It would make them a little more expensive than they have to be, but not by the same amount - the HS17 has to support running apps for multiple clients at once while the client only has to run one.

Since they needed to beef them up anyway to be able to run Android, and they had to run apps for the IP service since there is no Genie, there was no choice but to beef up the client. But having done that, there's no reason why they wouldn't want to save money on the Genie.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

AngryManMLS said:


> I also could imagine the remote for the DirecTV sat client would have a few extra buttons for functions such as guide and DVR.


The IP version will still have a guide and channel numbers, and will use a cloud DVR so you'd have the same set of buttons.


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## AngryManMLS (Jan 30, 2014)

slice1900 said:


> The IP version will still have a guide and channel numbers, and will use a cloud DVR so you'd have the same set of buttons.


From the video showing the beta box the remote on that one is lacking a dedicated guide and DVR button that current DirecTV remotes have. There is also a lack of a button for handling going back to the previous channel as well on that remote.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

I didn't look closely at the remote but I did skim through that video when it was posted. The thing has a guide, I guess you access it via the 'menu' button so it would take more than one button press to get to it. Seems dumb to me, hopefully there is still a way to access it directly if you use a universal remote.

What does the 'DVR' button do? I assumed you meant stuff like FF, pause etc. Probably makes sense to drop useless buttons since I've got along just fine on my Tivo for many years without having a 'DVR' button


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## AngryManMLS (Jan 30, 2014)

slice1900 said:


> I didn't look closely at the remote but I did skim through that video when it was posted. The thing has a guide, I guess you access it via the 'menu' button so it would take more than one button press to get to it. Seems dumb to me, hopefully there is still a way to access it directly if you use a universal remote.


Either that or you say "guide" with the voice button on the remote. I'm just guessing as the person doing the video didn't go into what voice commands could be done with the remote.



> What does the 'DVR' button do? I assumed you meant stuff like FF, pause etc. Probably makes sense to drop useless buttons since I've got along just fine on my Tivo for many years without having a 'DVR' button


It takes you right to your DVR recordings. Another name for the same button is "list" on my Logitech Harmony remote.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

AngryManMLS said:


> From the video showing the beta box the remote on that one is lacking a dedicated guide and DVR button that current DirecTV remotes have. There is also a lack of a button for handling going back to the previous channel as well on that remote.


First time I've seen that video, thanx for the link. Box looks good, remote is interesting. I don't see why folks think this will replace a sat receiver.

Rich


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## the2130 (Dec 18, 2014)

slice1900 said:


> The IP version will still have a guide and channel numbers, and will use a cloud DVR so you'd have the same set of buttons.


Will the cloud DVR still allow you to fast-forward through commercials? If not, they can keep it. I will never sign up for any service where I am forced to sit through unskippable commercials.


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## Chrismon1001 (Apr 3, 2011)

SyFy is having a ton of pixelation today.... this is becoming easier and easier to switch. I scheduled my install far out for Dish (22nd of Dec) in case the service gets better.
I'm having a tough time taking a hit in picture quality, but if the service doesn't' work properly so am I really missing out on anything....

Can anyone explain the picture quality of Dish compared to DirecTV other than the one post above? Maybe screen shots of the difference will it be a huge noticeable thing?


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

the2130 said:


> Will the cloud DVR still allow you to fast-forward through commercials? If not, they can keep it. I will never sign up for any service where I am forced to sit through unskippable commercials.


Of course it will today, though I wouldn't bet anything on the idea that this will always be the case. Once most people are streaming, I could easily see networks requiring at least some unskippable commercials during certain events. Or worse, the providers themselves could add unskippable commercials even while letting you skip all the commercials the recording came with.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

Chrismon1001 said:


> SyFy is having a ton of pixelation today.... this is becoming easier and easier to switch. I scheduled my install far out for Dish (22nd of Dec) in case the service gets better.
> I'm having a tough time taking a hit in picture quality, but if the service doesn't' work properly so am I really missing out on anything....
> 
> Can anyone explain the picture quality of Dish compared to DirecTV other than the one post above? Maybe screen shots of the difference will it be a huge noticeable thing?


I've had DIRECTV, DISH and Spectrum and I can say without a doubt, DISH has the worst picture of the three. I'm not overly picky or anything like that, but their picture was highly compressed and it just kind of had a dull look to it. It just didn't have the vividness or clarity that the DIRECTV picture has, when working properly. I noticed a lot more background artifacts that I didn't like. The DISH receivers work really good, they release updates and stay on top of issues a lot better than DIRECTV, in my opinion. There's no doubt the Hopper 3 DVR is the better DVR, it's just the picture that I have a problem with and the fact they tend to have more contract disputes with broadcasters. If you search around the internet, you will see others who have complained about the DISH picture quality compared to some other providers, such as DIRECTV. It may have just been an issue DISH was having in my area, as a lot of people say it is good enough for them. There's zero doubt in my mind though that the picture is softer and not as crisp/detailed.

There are a lot of people that go to DISH and absolutely love it. You may not notice much of a difference and be completely happy with it. Definitely not trying to talk you out of it. I've just had both services and both were recent. Just talking from my own personal experience.


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## Steady Teddy (Jan 23, 2007)

DR2420 said:


> I've had DIRECTV, DISH and Spectrum and I can say without a doubt, DISH has the worst picture of the three.


How does Spectrum PQ compare to D*?


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Steady Teddy said:


> How does Spectrum PQ compare to D*?


Cable varies from region to region in most cases - different systems have different limitations on bandwidth and have different PQ. That's getting to be less true over time as they get them upgraded for DOCSIS 3.1, which requires upgrading a lot of the older setups.

While you'd think those upgrades would help, where Comcast has done so they have converted all HD channels to 720p 3 Mbps CBR. Terrible PQ.

So if you want to know what Spectrum's PQ is like, you should go to a friend or neighbor where you live who has Spectrum to find out. Because someone in the next town over might have much better or much worse PQ than you would get if you signed up where you lived.


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## Barry in Conyers (Jan 14, 2008)

Steady Teddy said:


> How does Spectrum PQ compare to D*?


Spectrum is a collection of local systems, not all of which are equal and the HD PQ varies accordingly. Some local systems are not so good, but most that I have seen in the last year or so are about equal to DirecTV HD PQ. I recently stayed at a resort on Maui where the HD PQ was considerably better than what I get from DirecTV at home; even my wife noticed.


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## the2130 (Dec 18, 2014)

slice1900 said:


> Of course it will today, though I wouldn't bet anything on the idea that this will always be the case. Once most people are streaming, I could easily see networks requiring at least some unskippable commercials during certain events. Or worse, the providers themselves could add unskippable commercials even while letting you skip all the commercials the recording came with.


It's possible they will try something like that, but there are already a number of streaming services that are either ad-free or offer an ad-free option for an extra fee. I currently have the ad-free versions of CBS All-Acess and Hulu. I can't imagine that I would ever sign up for a service that forced me to sit through unskippable commercials.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

the2130 said:


> It's possible they will try something like that, but there are already a number of streaming services that are either ad-free or offer an ad-free option for an extra fee. I currently have the ad-free versions of CBS All-Acess and Hulu. I can't imagine that I would ever sign up for a service that forced me to sit through unskippable commercials.


I just saw something yesterday that said AT&T and someone else (Netflix or Amazon, I believe) was going to experiment with putting up ads when you press pause.

If they make you pay more to avoid stuff like that, it still makes streaming more expensive. And they could easily decide "look at how many people were willing to pay $5/month extra to avoid ads, we can probably make more money by making that no-add fee $10".

Look at how many ads there are on TV now - would anyone 50 years ago have thought we would have nearly 20 minutes of ads per hour of TV? They will always overdo it, because too many people accept stuff like that.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

Steady Teddy said:


> How does Spectrum PQ compare to D*?


I'm impressed with Spectrum's HD picture quality. I would say it's close to DIRECTV. As others have stated, it tends to vary from area to area. I will say Spectrum, formerly Charter, has really made some improvements over the last few years. I remember having it 5+ years ago and it was terrible, it was so compressed. So, whatever they've done, it has worked and it is quite noticeable. My service is very reliable, don't have to worry about rain or snow here in Michigan. My only complaint is their DVR is ancient, mine is anyway. I'm sure that will be getting upgraded at some point. Spectrum has really made some advancements, I gotta give them credit. I couldn't stick with their TV 5+ years ago.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

I noticed pixelation last night on my local Fox affiliate. I switched over to the same programming on NFL Network and it was clean. I think some of the pixelation is related to sign issues (in LIL cases, the OTA pickup stations) and sometimes issues in the transmission line b/w LNB to IRD. I don't seem to notice any wide spread pixelation issues on a whole. I simply have all of the other issues with the 4k setup of loss of 4k signal, loss of 4k resolution settings, etc.

In some cases, a simple RBR is needed to address some issues since IRDs are computers, in essense, and they need to be reset periodically... such as one per week.


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## the2130 (Dec 18, 2014)

slice1900 said:


> I just saw something yesterday that said AT&T and someone else (Netflix or Amazon, I believe) was going to experiment with putting up ads when you press pause.
> 
> If they make you pay more to avoid stuff like that, it still makes streaming more expensive. And they could easily decide "look at how many people were willing to pay $5/month extra to avoid ads, we can probably make more money by making that no-add fee $10".
> 
> Look at how many ads there are on TV now - would anyone 50 years ago have thought we would have nearly 20 minutes of ads per hour of TV? They will always overdo it, because too many people accept stuff like that.


I would be surprised if Netflix ever becomes an ad-supported service. I think those rumors you are referring to are about Netflix expanding some of the annoying "features" they already have, like shrinking the credits to show promos and playing videos in an auto-preview window when you are browsing for something to watch. If they are planning to play promos, ads, or anything else when I pause the video, that is a showstopper for me. When I pause a show or movie, it's usually to talk to my wife, which I can't do if there is a video blaring out from the TV.

I don't mind paying more for ad-free services, as long as the price is reasonable, as it is with Hulu and CBS All-Acess. If they think they can gouge me, let them try. They will simply force me to take countermeasures. I could record the shows, strip out the commercials, and put them on my media server, where I can watch them in a way that suits me, without the distractions.


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## T.C. (Sep 21, 2017)

Pixelation started around September 1, 2017 around Week 1 of the NFL Season for me... and it's never stopped. It's probably the most annoying F'ing thing ever. But you just deal with it. I live near Detroit, Michigan.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

Have you checked your coax, the connectors, the actual connections to your LNB and IRDs? Something may simply be loose. Any braid strands shorting out within an F-connector? What are your signal strengths?


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## I WANT MORE (Oct 3, 2006)

It's not the connectors.
It's not the LNBFs.
It's not the cables.
It's not the dish.
It's not the firmware.
It's not the splitter.
It's not the SWiM.
It's not the power inserter.
It's not the HR.
It's not the C61,41,51.

Did I miss anything?


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

How do you signal strengths look? Any trees in the way?


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## T.C. (Sep 21, 2017)

n3ntj said:


> Have you checked your coax, the connectors, the actual connections to your LNB and IRDs? Something may simply be loose. Any braid strands shorting out within an F-connector? What are your signal strengths?


LNB replaced. Coax replaced. SWiM replaced. It's not the issue.



n3ntj said:


> How do you signal strengths look? Any trees in the way?


A poster on here mentioned if you live near an airport... the planes could be interfering with the signal. But that's not the case... before AT&T purchased DirecTV.... I didn't have any issues. Never moved. Great signal.... etc. A tech came out here twice and said... your signal is amazingly strong. I can't make it any stronger.

So basically.... I'm patiently waiting until it's fixed. But it's been about 14.5 months of sh#$ service.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Yet some of us don't have any if these issues. Weird.


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## T.C. (Sep 21, 2017)

trh said:


> Yet some of us don't have any if these issues. Weird.


I don't know who else is from Michigan on here? I think the poster DR2420 is. But it has to be a regional issue. At first.... it was only the local channels that had the pixelation. FOX, CBS, ABC etc. Then it became larger.... TNT, ESPN, ID Channel, NFL Network, CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, NBC Sports Network, NBA Channel.

I actually put a lot of research in this the first 3-4 months it was happening. Giving DirecTV techs everything they needed. They promised me a fix..... and then all of a sudden.... it's like the communication just vanished between me and the techs. No calls... no updates.... it's like they were playing dumb. They know it's a regional issue... and they are hoping you just don't complain about it.

There's really no pattern to when it happens. Like for instance.... it could be 85 degrees out... no clouds in the sky.... and no wind.... and a channel will pixelate.... almost in a chronic ridiculous fashion. Then.... we'll have totally sh#$ weather here.... wind blowing at 20 mph+, raining periodically.... and I won't have a pixelation problem.... you'd think the picture would go out? But the signal holds.

What's the point in calling a tech out again? And again? And again? You have to take time off of work for them to be here... or adjust your schedule. They're here for an hour or 2.... and they try and repair it.... but the next day it happens again.

I can only imagine how much wasted money is spent USA wide in fixing this issue? Like.... having a tech come out.... replacing coax... LNB's.... SWim.... etc. They must bill DirecTV the repair fees right? I don't know how it works? But someone has to pay the tech. I'm not billed anything. I wouldn't pay lol But the wasted equipment to fix this is ridiculous.

There has to be a supervisor at DirecTV that knows what's going on.... I mean... if you have an outbreak of poor service in a 300 mile radius (figuratively speaking)... then there's a transmission issue somewhere. They must know what's going on. But of course it is AT&T now.... they love to waste money on advertising and bill customers double.

I'm probably going to wait.... until June or July 2019 to get another tech out here... or pray for a fix. Hopefully by that time.... other competitive pricing options will be available from other providers.


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## T.C. (Sep 21, 2017)

I do remember a DirecTV customer support agent who told me.... the company was aware of the situation and they were noting all ZIP CODES for every customer this was effecting. They were going to pin point the area it was happening and make adjustments. This was probably back around May of 2018 when I was told this. But not every DirecTV rep is honest with you... they play dumb.


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## spiketoo (Sep 24, 2007)

I tried to resist but not too hard.

Play?


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

spiketoo said:


> I tried to resist but not too hard.
> 
> Play?


T.C. is right, several agents won't even acknowledge it, while others will. Some will act all surprised like they can't believe it's happening. Like he said, someone has to have information regarding this as nothing is coming from AT&T/DIRECTV. It has been a known issue in my area since September 29, while escalations were being taken for it well before then. They said they'd have a new software by the end of October I believe it was, then by the end of December, now it's February.


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## DR2420 (Jun 12, 2012)

Weird thing is I have a friend who lives nearby, about 10 minutes away and he says he doesn't have these issues. Only difference was I had the HR54, he has the HR44, I had 4K activated, he does not.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> Yet some of us don't have any if these issues. Weird.


You keep bringing this up, I think it's normal.

Rich


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Rich reported most of his pixelation stopped when he replaced the hard drives with SSDs in his DVRs. That suggests some sort of software issue was affecting him - that's not to say there aren't other possible reasons like RF interference for pixelation they see that Rich does not.

Everyone everywhere in the country gets the EXACT same signal on all nationally broadcast channels. If someone has pixelation in Arizona but not in Alabama, then the the pixelation in Arizona is being introduced AFTER it leaves the satellite.

I think the only conclusion you can draw for sure is that since some people don't see this pixelation, either they aren't watching the channels the people who do report it at the same time or didn't notice it, or Directv is broadcasting a clean signal and something down the line like localized/regional interference (would pretty much have to be military if it is regional) or software bugs are messing up the clean signal coming from the satellite.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

slice1900 said:


> Rich reported most of his pixelation stopped when he replaced the hard drives with SSDs in his DVRs. That suggests some sort of software issue was affecting him - that's not to say there aren't other possible reasons like RF interference for pixelation they see that Rich does not.
> 
> Everyone everywhere in the country gets the EXACT same signal on all nationally broadcast channels. If someone has pixelation in Arizona but not in Alabama, then the the pixelation in Arizona is being introduced AFTER it leaves the satellite.
> 
> I think the only conclusion you can draw for sure is that since some people don't see this pixelation, either they aren't watching the channels the people who do report it at the same time or didn't notice it, or Directv is broadcasting a clean signal and something down the line like localized/regional interference (would pretty much have to be military if it is regional) or software bugs are messing up the clean signal coming from the satellite.


It appears to me that D* is indeed broadcasting a clean signal. To my area. How do you know everyone in the the country gets the same signal on nationally broadcast channels?...serious question, I've always thought problems could occur regionally.

I don't think _"That suggests some sort of software issue was affecting him"_ is what happened to my HRs. I think replacing the HDDs with SDDs and seeing very few issues immediately points directly to the HDDs themselves. What I think happens is the HDDs very slowly degrade over a period of time (I have no real idea how long that is) and once they hit a certain point of degradation cause the video and audio breakups. The software certainly didn't change the moment I put the SSDs on. The issues went away as soon as I put the SSDs on the HRs. Just put another one on a slow refurbed 24-500 the other day, same thing happened.

Few more days and it will be 4 months since I put the SSDs on the HRs initially. Still no problems that I can attribute to a drive.

The problems in this thread seem to be centered in Michigan. Would be nice if someone living in Michigan with an SSD laying around would try one on an HR and see if that solves the problem. Wouldn't that be a revelation if it worked?!

Rich


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## bjdotson (Feb 20, 2007)

This makes me wonder a couple of things; one, do the people that have lots of pixilation do a lot of recording and deleting. two, does a reset do a complete defrag of the hard drive.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

bjdotson said:


> This makes me wonder a couple of things; one, do the people that have lots of pixilation do a lot of recording and deleting. two, does a reset do a complete defrag of the hard drive.


I don't think that is the problem for some. My son uses an H24, no hard drive, and he is complaining about pixilation / tearing a lot of the time and there is no rain anywhere in the area.
I also see it on my HR24.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

bjdotson said:


> This makes me wonder a couple of things; one, do the people that have lots of pixilation do a lot of recording and deleting. two, does a reset do a complete defrag of the hard drive.


Once upon a time I had 12 HRs, I always had video and audio breakups. I religiously kept my HDDs less than half full (all had 2TB drives in/on them, the 44 has a 3TB internal) and did everything I knew how to do to keep them trouble free. Obviously, I had a lot of capacity and we recorded everything interesting or new. Rarely saved any recordings after viewing them.

A reset or a CLEARMYBOX always helped but the problems were always there. I never bothered trying to defrag an HDD. They were inexpensive and it was easier to stick a new HDD in/on the HRs. When you do that, the HR works really well. Time passes and problems start up again.

Simply put, watching content on D* using the HRs with SSDs is like watching a NetFlix stream, no problems.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

jimmie57 said:


> I don't think that is the problem for some. My son uses an H24, no hard drive, and he is complaining about pixilation / tearing a lot of the time and there is no rain anywhere in the area.
> I also see it on my HR24.


That is a puzzle. I haven't had anything like a H24 since I discovered DVRs. The H24s have tuners, right? He sees the problems watching live TV?

Rich


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Rich said:


> That is a puzzle. I haven't had anything like a H24 since I discovered DVRs. The H24s have tuners, right? He sees the problems watching live TV?
> 
> Rich


YeP, so do I. Of course the DVRs buffer, so ?


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

jimmie57 said:


> YeP, so do I. Of course the DVRs buffer, so ?


Only thing I can think of is stick an SSD on your 24 and see if your problems go away. If they do, your son might have a problem with the H24 that he's blaming on the broadcasts. I certainly blamed D*'s broadcasts for the problems I had...and I do believe I was wrong.

Rich


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Rich said:


> It appears to me that D* is indeed broadcasting a clean signal. To my area. How do you know everyone in the the country gets the same signal on nationally broadcast channels?...serious question, I've always thought problems could occur regionally.


The same reason that everyone who picks up the OTA signal of a TV station (that has no translators) gets the same signal - it is the same antenna broadcasting to everyone.

If problems occur regionally, it would have to some type of interference.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

There are different feeds for different regions. The TV station in Arizona is usually not retransmitting the same feed used by a TV station in Alabama. There are time zone differences. In rare instances there may be live content carried in both Arizona and Alabama, but such live programming can also be separate feeds. SPECIFIC examples should be given to help determine if the feed used by the two stations are the same feed.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

James Long said:


> There are different feeds for different regions. The TV station in Arizona is usually not retransmitting the same feed used by a TV station in Alabama. There are time zone differences. In rare instances there may be live content carried in both Arizona and Alabama, but such live programming can also be separate feeds. SPECIFIC examples should be given to help determine if the feed used by the two stations are the same feed.


I'm talking about national channels on Directv, like ESPN or HBO, not locals. There is no different feed for national channels, they are coming from the same antenna on the same satellite for everyone in the US who subscribes to Directv.


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## vinhmen (Feb 22, 2007)

I don't have any issues with pixelation. But do get the annoying stuttering on ESPN. And the occasional freeze. When it happens on EPSN I switch the output resolution to 720. Not sure it helps but makes me feel better.


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## I WANT MORE (Oct 3, 2006)

vinhmen said:


> I don't have any issues with pixelation. But do get the annoying stuttering on ESPN. And the occasional freeze. When it happens on EPSN I switch the output resolution to 720. Not sure it helps but makes me feel better.


The output resolution on ESPN should already have been 720p. 
Should be no need to switch anything.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

I WANT MORE said:


> The output resolution on ESPN should already have been 720p.
> Should be no need to switch anything.


Makes me wonder what he had it set for originally.

Rich


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## EdL (Sep 1, 2007)

Nebraska resident who gets it all - pixies and audio dropouts. All channels at random times. The audio dropouts are the worst, which is why I’m switching back to Cox cable after 10 years and numerous service calls. Watching tv should be easy and pain free.

EdL


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

Do you get audio drop outs just on locals, as I get them on Cox cable, was about to switch to Directv.
Wonder if it is the upload or studio links that are bad if it is just locals?
Also what hard ware model DVR and Minis do you . have could be model specific bugs.
Ideas.


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## ericknolls (Aug 18, 2013)

I hate to be a "CRY BABY but the PIXELATION problem has gotten worse. So subscribers have a right to complain to DIRECTV. I notice it on all stations i.e. local, cable channels and premium networks. The channel slows down for a few seconds. Then those pixilated squares appears. It happens for a few seconds then the show plays numerous times throughout the showing. It freezes in place when a commercial comes on. It will play or won't play after the few minutes. This is the stuff customers are grumbling about and threatening to leave. The 775 dish communication error has caused problems after techs have come and claimed to fix the problem then it comes back again. That is BAD business!

Sent from my XT1609 using Tapatalk


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

That is obviously a problem with your LNB or cabling, or your Genie if you just have it and clients. Pretty sad that the installers haven't been able to fix it.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

slice1900 said:


> That is obviously a problem with your LNB or cabling, or your Genie if you just have it and clients. Pretty sad that the installers haven't been able to fix it.


I would have said the same thing 6 months ago. And, in my case, I would have been wrong. I'd be looking at the HDD/s he's got in his DVR/s. I had those problems and you know what I did to get rid of them. Sounds like he has had folks out trying to fix the problems. Problems I gave up on and suffered thru. Now I know better and so do a growing number of folks who are doing what I did.

This isn't rocket science. If the installers can't find a fix I'd be looking to go out of the box for a solution. At the very least I'd put a new HDD in or on that HR.

Rich


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Rich said:


> I would have said the same thing 6 months ago. And, in my case, I would have been wrong. I'd be looking at the HDD/s he's got in his DVR/s. I had those problems and you know what I did to get rid of them. Sounds like he has had folks out trying to fix the problems. Problems I gave up on and suffered thru. Now I know better and so do a growing number of folks who are doing what I did.
> 
> This isn't rocket science. If the installers can't find a fix I'd be looking to go out of the box for a solution. At the very least I'd put a new HDD in or on that HR.
> 
> Rich


He's seeing pixelation lasting several seconds, I don't recall you saying you were having that - I though it was more a momentary blip.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

slice1900 said:


> He's seeing pixelation lasting several seconds, I don't recall you saying you were having that - I though it was more a momentary blip.


I don't watch TV with a stopwatch in my hand. I have no idea how long they were. They were a constant on YES and now they're not. Same thing with audio drops. None. Just like watching NetFlix on an Apple TV box, no pixies, no audio drops.

As I said, it's not rocket science. From the dish to the HR it's just a few components, easy to change them. If folks have had installers out to fix problems and they replace components/cabling and nothing changes...do something besides complain. Putting those SSDs on my HRs was a whim. I just wanted to see what would happen. I did not expect to see my issues with pixies and audio drops disappear, I was certain they were caused by software bloat. And I was absolutely wrong. Absolutely.

Rich


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Rich said:


> I don't watch TV with a stopwatch in my hand. I have no idea how long they were.


Ok .... "The channel slows down for a few seconds. Then those pixilated squares appears. It happens for a few seconds then the show plays numerous times throughout the showing. It freezes in place when a commercial comes on. It will play or won't play after the few minutes."

Does that in any way describe the pixilation you observed?


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

James Long said:


> Ok .... "The channel slows down for a few seconds. Then those pixilated squares appears. It happens for a few seconds then the show plays numerous times throughout the showing. It freezes in place when a commercial comes on. It will play or won't play after the few minutes."
> 
> Does that in any way describe the pixilation you observed?


Yes, at times. There is/was no constant. Sometimes a short blip, sometimes longer. Been observing those since 2006...thought they were normal. Thought there was nothing I could do about them. Thought it was caused by "Bloatware". What else could it possibly be? I was/am pretty sure all the components from the dish to the receivers are/were in good shape. Had to be software...and it wasn't. I was so wrong.

Rich


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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

Bump....

I’m getting a LOT of audio dropouts in this Super Bowl Halftime Show!


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## dreadlk (Sep 18, 2007)

The TV not being recognized as a 4K TV on the C61K is becoming very annoying. It has no rime or reason behind it. It just happens about every third or fourth time I go to a 4K channel.


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## GLJones (Feb 12, 2008)

My Genie 2 makes loud sound blips followed by an annoying digital sound that is loud. Sometimes it is once, sometimes a few times in a row, and occasionally until I hit pause or stop or change channels on live TV. I have turned Dolby on and off and nothing seems to help. 
My mom recently got DirecTV with a Genie 2 and has the same issue. This has been going on since the Genie 2 came out. Add to that the slow response to the Guide and List buttons, very slow Menu scrolling after hitting the MENU button and occasional playback of recorded programs just dumping out to live TV for no reason and I question DirecTV's competency. The bill continuously rising (I get everything except sports and porn) is just icing on the cake. I am approaching the end of my contract after having DirecTV since the old USSB days and I am actively looking at options. I really don't like Dish's interface and the wired options in my area are horrible. (Brighthouse, now Spectrum). The existing providers of live TV are actually pushing me to go streaming only. Their service, tech and pricing all poor and getting worse.


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## GLJones (Feb 12, 2008)

Oh...and I forgot the dreaded 30 second skip bug. About 5% of the time, hitting the skip or an arrow button scrolling the guide the button will act like I hit it six or eight times. While watching a recording, this jumps to the end of the recording and displays the Erase or Keep box. VERY annoying and another bug that has been there since the Geine 2 came out. Happens on all TVs and I can recreate at my mom's house as well.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

codespy said:


> Bump....
> 
> I'm getting a LOT of audio dropouts in this Super Bowl Halftime Show!


Remember the missing recordings from the Playlist? Remember the recordings that were on the Playlist that didn't show any indication of which HR they were recorded on? Remember we were told the last NR would solve those problems? How about the unwanted recording from On Demand channels?

I still get a couple of the unwanted recordings every so often. The last NR did not stop them. That's been going on for at least two NRs. Last night we sat down to watch the Super Bowl. I had recorded it on 3 HRs. I saw two recordings on the Playlist of my 44 in the floating box. Neither was identified, had no idea which HR recorded them. It matters because for some reason I see a delay if I use the 44 to watch a show recorded on the other two HRs that have SSDs in them when I use trickplay. See no delay when I use the 44 to watch a show recorded on it. I wanted to use the 44 last night.

I've been having problems with one of the 24s that has an SSD on it. Not related to the SSD. That 24 just shuts off for no reason. Since I only saw two recordings of the Super Bowl in the floating box I assumed that HR had crapped out again. But I got the delay on both recordings so I went to the 24 and it was on. Went back to the 44 brought up the Playlist again and there it was but not in the floating box. And all 3 recordings were properly labeled. Maybe this is just a one time glitch, but I have feeling those problems are back.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

codespy said:


> Bump....
> 
> I'm getting a LOT of audio dropouts in this Super Bowl Halftime Show!


I was using a Sony AVR for sound last night. With that, I can tell when an actual audio drop occurs. The display moves/changes on the front of the AVR. I heard those audio drops during the halftime show too but the display on the AVR never changed. My son thinks the rapper's song contained words not permitted and the network dubbed them out. I don't know if that's even possible but they had no effect at all on my AVR except for those moments of silence. The Late Show dubs out words and that doesn't affect the AVRs. Same thing? I dunno.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dreadlk said:


> The TV not being recognized as a 4K TV on the C61K is becoming very annoying. It has no rime or reason behind it. It just happens about every third or fourth time I go to a 4K channel.


What does that cause? Do you still see 4K despite the warning?

Rich


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

Are all these issues on Genie mini wireless? Wifi is know to have blips its a fact of Wifi. Even some cheap LED bulbs can cause radio interference when first turn on. 
Bet wired genies have no slowness or quirks. 
As for 4k issues that is hand shacking over hdmi issues most per tv brand. Update the firmware on your tv if you can to get soMe relief


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Rich said:


> I was using a Sony AVR for sound last night. With that, I can tell when an actual audio drop occurs. The display moves/changes on the front of the AVR. I heard those audio drops during the halftime show too but the display on the AVR never changed. My son thinks the rapper's song contained words not permitted and the network dubbed them out. I don't know if that's even possible but they had no effect at all on my AVR except for those moments of silence. The Late Show dubs out words and that doesn't affect the AVRs. Same thing? I dunno.
> 
> Rich


I think he was joking. Hence the big laughing face.


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## tsduke (Mar 20, 2007)

Rich said:


> I don't watch TV with a stopwatch in my hand. I have no idea how long they were. They were a constant on YES and now they're not. Same thing with audio drops. None. Just like watching NetFlix on an Apple TV box, no pixies, no audio drops.
> 
> As I said, it's not rocket science. From the dish to the HR it's just a few components, easy to change them. If folks have had installers out to fix problems and they replace components/cabling and nothing changes...do something besides complain. Putting those SSDs on my HRs was a whim. I just wanted to see what would happen. I did not expect to see my issues with pixies and audio drops disappear, I was certain they were caused by software bloat. And I was absolutely wrong. Absolutely.
> 
> Rich


You replaced the hard drives?


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## dreadlk (Sep 18, 2007)

Rich said:


> -----SNIP-----
> My son thinks the rapper's song contained words not permitted and the network dubbed them out. I don't know if that's even possible but they had no effect at all on my AVR except for those moments of silence. The Late Show dubs out words and that doesn't affect the AVRs. Same thing? I dunno.
> 
> Rich


Yes with 100% certainty can tell you that they can cut out anything they want to. Remember the Superbowl 38 halftime show when Janet Jacksons Boobs went public  Since then they installed a very long delay system in case of future Wardrobe malfunctions or foul language.

BTW this was the most BORING superbowl game I have ever watched and half time sucked just as much. I guess Karma really is a ***** for the NFL.


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## dreadlk (Sep 18, 2007)

Rich said:


> What does that cause? Do you still see 4K despite the warning?
> 
> Rich


No the Receiver disables the 4K resolution in the settings/video/resolution menu.
You have to go back into setting and select 4K again. I get the usual message, "If you can see this message press the Info button". I press Info and 4K is enabled again.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> I think he was joking. Hence the big laughing face.


I'd like to know/see how they do the halftime shows. They have to be on some kind of delay. Took ~ 8 minutes for the field to get cleared last night after the performance, they must have a herd of people moving the stage and all the equipment off and on the field.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

tsduke said:


> You replaced the hard drives?


Here's the whole story. What happens if I put a 1TB SSD in my HR44-700?

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dreadlk said:


> Yes with 100% certainty can tell you that they can cut out anything they want to. Remember the Superbowl 38 halftime show when Janet Jacksons Boobs went public  Since then they installed a very long delay system in case of future Wardrobe malfunctions or foul language.
> 
> BTW this was the most BORING superbowl game I have ever watched and half time sucked just as much. I guess Karma really is a ***** for the NFL.


Today's Daily News addressed the halftime show, let me see if I can find it...here: Maroon 5's Super Bowl halftime show was as dull as dishwater - NY Daily News
I haven't watched a halftime show for some time, I found it disappointing.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dreadlk said:


> No the Receiver disables the 4K resolution in the settings/video/resolution menu.
> You have to go back into setting and select 4K again. I get the usual message, "If you can see this message press the Info button". I press Info and 4K is enabled again.


That has to be annoying. The missing recording thing popped up again last night. And there was no way to tell which HR did the recordings, I had 3 HRs programmed for the game and had no idea which HR recorded them. No info in the floating box once again.

Rich


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Rich said:


> Today's Daily News addressed the halftime show, let me see if I can find it...here: Maroon 5's Super Bowl halftime show was as dull as dishwater - NY Daily News
> I haven't watched a halftime show for some time, I found it disappointing.


Both Adam Levine and Intel droned on ...


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Or as The Onion said:


> Super Bowl Halftime show was marred by functioning sound system


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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

Rich said:


> I was using a Sony AVR for sound last night. With that, I can tell when an actual audio drop occurs. The display moves/changes on the front of the AVR. I heard those audio drops during the halftime show too but the display on the AVR never changed. My son thinks the rapper's song contained words not permitted and the network dubbed them out. I don't know if that's even possible but they had no effect at all on my AVR except for those moments of silence. The Late Show dubs out words and that doesn't affect the AVRs. Same thing? I dunno.
> 
> Rich


You nailed it Rich, I was referring to the supposed inappropriate lyrics being used during the rap segments! My 12 and 15 year old caught them right away. 

In our opinion, it had nothing to do with DirecTV equipment or the broadcast from CBS, but an effort to save CBS from potential fines from the FCC. Lol....


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## knoxbh (May 1, 2002)

Having trouble with Directv 4k. Have spent hours on Directv tech people trying to find out why my channels 104 & 106 are showning as pay-for-view channels (over 2 weeks now). Each time with the tech we have done everything they asked and each time the tech has given up and said they were sending it up to the next level and I would notified by email shortly - not sure what shortly means at Directv!! Never have heard from next level. Been with Directv since 1996 and about ready to say "thanks for nothing" and going with Spectrum. Actually, only reason staying with Directv is for the whole home feature and double-play, neither of which Spectrum has. It has previously been suggested I go with TIVO but really not willing to spend that much for basic unit + several minis.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> Or as The Onion said:


That's funny!

Rich


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Rich said:


> That's funny!
> 
> Rich


I'm not familiar with Maroon 5, but I recognize Adam Levine from The Voice. While watching part of the halftime show, I had to wonder if he had been auditioning, would he have been selected by one of the judges. I was not impressed with his singing.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> I'm not familiar with Maroon 5, but I recognize Adam Levine from The Voice. While watching part of the halftime show, I had to wonder if he had been auditioning, would he have been selected by one of the judges. I was not impressed with his singing.


Yeah, I was expecting a spectacle. With good performances. I had no idea that politics was gonna ruin the halftime show. I had no idea who Levine was. Must have been better in the stadium spectacle-wise. All I could think of while watching it was how are they gonna get all the people and equipment off the field in time. That, I would have liked to see.

Rich


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Rich said:


> Yeah, I was expecting a spectacle. With good performances. I had no idea that politics was gonna ruin the halftime show. I had no idea who Levine was. Must have been better in the stadium spectacle-wise. All I could think of while watching it was how are they gonna get all the people and equipment off the field in time. That, I would have liked to see.
> 
> Rich


There is a YouTube video of all the equipment coming on the field. Something I think they practice multiple times during the week leading up to the game.


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## je4755 (Dec 11, 2006)

More than six months ago a first-level tech told me DirecTV engineers were working on a solution to the recurrent deselection of the 4k resolution box in Settings, mandating it be activated manually (and then pressing “info” on the remote) before viewing programs on channels 104 and 106 in 4k. Nevertheless, I still am encountering this issue.

On a semi-humorous note, I was informed (presumably-senior) AT&T staff attending the recent golf tournament at Pebble Beach endeavored to look at DirecTV’s 4k coverage of this event at a location immediately off the course but initially received the “can only view in 1080p” message; maybe their enthusiasm for rectifying this long-lived problem will heighten as a result (but I doubt it).


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## christheman (Nov 13, 2014)

Rich said:


> I'd like to know/see how they do the halftime shows. They have to be on some kind of delay. Took ~ 8 minutes for the field to get cleared last night after the performance, they must have a herd of people moving the stage and all the equipment off and on the field.
> 
> Rich


Congrats on your solution using SSD hard drives! Must be expensive though, I have long read about other people's problems with this and suspected that for some time. I have read that the DVR recordings are made in hundreds or thousands of tiny little sequential files, all over the HDD (not really in order like people have come to expect with Windows file systems), and the bandwidth requirements for HD video exceed the time it takes for the traditional HDD to seek and find the next file. So it wouldn't do much good to try and defragment a DVR HDD. Also it is reasonable to expect performance to degrade over time, as the HDD falls out of spec.

Interestingly enough, I have noticed that most people who complain about this issue on other forums also state that they don't have this issue with the SD feed, just the HD feed. So that corroborates with my "real-time bandwidth requirements not being met" theory.

I have a Genie HR44 which is in good condition, the HDD is usually empty. Usually no pixellation, but I have seen pixelation occasionally, as everyone else has.

Another case scenario - I have a secondary Directv H25 setup without any internal DVR hard drives, it is just constantly tuned to one channel, TCM. That is used as an input for an external capture device, which in turn a computer uses to record to its internal HDD, which I have complete control over. I have NO issues with pixelation. Period.

Also, here's a short little article on the tech detail involved for the halftime show. For deeper info you can search on the specific products mentioned.
Live From Super Bowl LIII: Halftime Show Tackles Live-Sound Challenges of Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Agree on the biggest Superbowl issue being no technical issues.

Congrats again on your deductive reasoning towards finding your SSD solution!


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

christheman said:


> Congrats on your solution using SSD hard drives! Must be expensive though


Thanx. Wasn't terribly expensive. For 3 SSDs I spent about $400 and I put them in docks that I bought years ago. For what I ended up with, it was worth every penny.

Rich


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