# New Letter to CEO, Dish Quality re: NBC HD pq and ABC HD Audio



## Wrecker06 (May 23, 2006)

After getting a canned response from Dish Quality saying they only handle picture quality issues (DUH!!!!!!! that's why I sent it), I decided to send a stronger worded letter to them and the CEO. We'll see what the response is. Here it is.

I strongly suggest that everyone experiencing the same NBC HD ghosting (comet cursor movements) and ABC HD audio sync issues do the same thing. If everyone complains maybe they'll get off there (_I_) and fix it and stop giving us the run around.

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Greetings,

Since I seem to get the usual run around from Tech Support, can someone please let me know if there is a fix for these issues or not?

When I call tech support, the reps are useless. Reset, Do a check switch, reset, another check switch, that's all we can suggest, would you like to schedule another technician (for which I'll have to take another day off of work)

I would think that for the $150.00+ per month that I'm paying Dish Netowrk, 
my Television service would actually work as promised. Perhaps Dish should stop
charging for the Local HD service until the issues are fixed. People can't complain about it if it's free. 

--
The issues: 
NBC HD picture quality is horrendus. It skips, ghosts, and is pretty much unwatchable. Any movement by people causes trails (like a mouse on your computer). Even when someone blinks. It's really bad. 

ABC HD the audio is completely out of sync. It's like a bad kung fu movie.

--
I know that I am not the only person experiencing this (read dbstalk.com, HDForums.com and satelliteguys.us)

It seems like a large percentage of people who have the new HD locals are experiencing the same issues. (in the Bay Area anyway)

It also seems that responses from Dish Quality are all canned, with the same answers to everyone regardless of the questions, they pass the buck saying they're only responsible for picture quality (which is why I sent it to them in the first place), so I'll try to answer everything they ask in this email:

1. Does this happen only on local programming?? i.e. news, soaps,etc.. 
- All programming

2. If this is on a local channel, what affiliate? i.e. ABC, NBC, CBS..
- KNTV - NBC / KGO - ABC


3. Is it only on HD? - No. All programming on the locals.

4. Does this happen on DVR events or live programming? - both


5. When did the issue first appear? Or worsen? - since day 1.


The following information would be helpful in troubleshooting your concern(s):

Receiver Type: VIP622 / VIP211

Receiver Software Version: The software version is obtained via the main menu of the receiver. - L356

TV Screen Size: 42" and 27 Inch. 

Hook-up Configuration (Receiver to TV): I've tried both HDMI & Component

Specific Channels or Programs: 005 and 011 

Time of Day problem is experienced: All day

Subscription package (Top50, Top100, Top150, etc): HD Platinum 

Would you consider the problem (slight, moderate or severe): Severe, both channels are unwatchable. NBC looks like you're on an acid trip or something. ABC is like a bad kung fu movie

Is the problem Intermittent? No. Constant.

Contact phone #: 925-xxx-xxxx

A technician has already been out. He repointed the dish and told me that even though I have a clear line of sight, the signal strength from the 129 (where my locals are) in the Bay area will never be over 60 and that's probably why I am having the issues. He said everyone w/ HD has these issues right now.

It happens on both my vip 622 and vip211. My 622 has already been replaced
and it still happens (although this one isn't rebooting all the time, which is much appreciated)

Best Regards,

Daniel XXXXXX
(charter member of DirecTv who switched to Dish to enjoy more HD and may now be regretting the decision)


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## Mark Strube (May 10, 2006)

Yeesh... this makes me wonder how the Milwaukee locals will look. Even if they fix these problems, those channels won't look the best they could since they're re-encoding them all to lower bitrate MPEG4. Ever considered just using an OTA antenna? (After all, both of the boxes you use have connections for antennas, and it integrates right into the guide.)


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

The problems you are experiencing with your HD locals has nothing to do with the 129 bird. Your locals come off of 119 not 129. Hate to tell you this but the installer that told you that was incorrect on the location of locals and was probablly using that as an excuse. How do your Voom channels look & sound that is what you are getting off 129 with a D-1000 dish. So if Charlie replies he is going to have that to tell you. The work around right now to lip sync problems is to use the go back button. Touch that once and the sync comes back. The other thing that can be done is to reboot the unit once a day. or do not watch the programs in real time. here is the chart that show where the all the channels are located.

http://www.dishchannelchart.com/ Dish Network Channel Chart (Unofficial)


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## BrianB (Jul 13, 2003)

whatchel1 said:


> The problems you are experiencing with your HD locals has nothing to do with the 129 bird. Your locals come off of 119 not 129. Hate to tell you this but the installer that told you that was incorrect on the location of locals and was probablly using that as an excuse. How do your Voom channels look & sound that is what you are getting off 129 with a D-1000 dish. So if Charlie replies he is going to have that to tell you. The work around right now to lip sync problems is to use the go back button. Touch that once and the sync comes back. The other thing that can be done is to reboot the unit once a day. or do not watch the programs in real time. here is the chart that show where the all the channels are located.
> 
> http://www.dishchannelchart.com/ Dish Network Channel Chart (Unofficial)


Which does lead me to believe that it's a software issue, not an uplink issue. Hopefully they get it fixed soon.


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## Wrecker06 (May 23, 2006)

That's odd. Both the installer and the Dish Engineering team who called me originally after my first letter said they are on the 129. One would think that if it was a software issue, it would happen on all channels, not just two HD channels. My signal strength on the 119 differs for each transponder but ranges from 97-115.



whatchel1 said:


> The problems you are experiencing with your HD locals has nothing to do with the 129 bird. Your locals come off of 119 not 129. Hate to tell you this but the installer that told you that was incorrect on the location of locals and was probablly using that as an excuse. How do your Voom channels look & sound that is what you are getting off 129 with a D-1000 dish. So if Charlie replies he is going to have that to tell you. The work around right now to lip sync problems is to use the go back button. Touch that once and the sync comes back. The other thing that can be done is to reboot the unit once a day. or do not watch the programs in real time. here is the chart that show where the all the channels are located.
> 
> http://www.dishchannelchart.com/ Dish Network Channel Chart (Unofficial)


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## Grandude (Oct 21, 2004)

Wrecker06 said:


> That's odd. Both the installer and the Dish Engineering team who called me originally after my first letter said they are on the 129. One would think that if it was a software issue, it would happen on all channels, not just two HD channels. My signal strength on the 119 differs for each transponder but ranges from 97-115.


I can confirm that the SF HD locals are on 119. I get them, all four, and don't have a dish pointing at 129 (yet).

I also have the exact problems you are having with ch11 and ch7. No amount of booting will cure the 'smeary' look of KNTV and skipping back may get the sync a little better on KGO but it doesn't hold. Often so bad that I can't stand watching it.

I have a Comcast HD cable box and their basic programming for a total of 20 bucks a month as backup and was hoping to be able to turn it in and discontinue the cable service when I got my 622 but unfortunately I can't do that yet. Cable channels for KGO and KNTV do not have any of the problems that Dish has.

Brian


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

Grandude said:


> I can confirm that the SF HD locals are on 119. I get them, all four, and don't have a dish pointing at 129 (yet).
> 
> I also have the exact problems you are having with ch11 and ch7. No amount of booting will cure the 'smeary' look of KNTV and skipping back may get the sync a little better on KGO but it doesn't hold. Often so bad that I can't stand watching it.
> 
> ...


U are assuming that the standard CSR at Dish knows something. They don't know squat. They parrot what the D* installer tells them. Only the Advanced Tech Dept knows anything about the new HD systems. The CSR's only know the party line of unplug, reset, & reboot . To talk to the standard CSR is just a really a good way of wasting Ur time.


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## Wrecker06 (May 23, 2006)

whatchel1 said:


> U are assuming that the standard CSR at Dish knows something. They don't know squat. They parrot what the D* installer tells them. Only the Advanced Tech Dept knows anything about the new HD systems. The CSR's only know the party line of unplug, reset, & reboot . To talk to the standard CSR is just a really a good way of wasting Ur time.


Read my post. It was not a standard CSR. It was someone from the dish network engineering team. I don't speak to the CSR's which is why I send the emails to the CEO and Dish Quality.

Dish Engineers sent me a special UPS pick up to get my 622 so they could see what is going on. They had me record several HD shows from ABC & NBC HD so they could experience what is happening in the Bay Area.


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## hhkr (Nov 7, 2005)

I'm having the same problem with the picture quality on nbc kntv and kgo 7 and last night ktvu wasn't much better. I have a good signal on 119, 80-85 but the local hd is unwatchable. I'm thinking it is a software problem that is occurring in the new mpeg 4 receivers. Something just ain't right.

The Voom channels on 129 with a 60 signal strength have a much better picture quality.

Tim


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## LG811User (Jan 12, 2005)

hhkr - do Rave and KungFu come in for you OK?

Every time I select channel 9470 it tells me to "check switch". I do and the signal strength on sat 129 tp 30 is around 70+. Should be fine.

All other HD and Voom channels come in great.

I'm in the Los Gatos mountains and I notice you're in Big Sur so we should simialr signal strengths.


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## hhkr (Nov 7, 2005)

LG811User said:


> hhkr - do Rave and KungFu come in for you OK?
> 
> Every time I select channel 9470 it tells me to "check switch". I do and the signal strength on sat 129 tp 30 is around 70+. Should be fine.
> 
> ...


I checked my signal strength as I watch Rave and Kung Fu all the time. Its only 64 right now and its clear, but even during the rain there are very few drop outs. I bought one of the first 1000's and it has always been low, but I am right on the ocean too. I was thinking about changing to a dish 500 for the winter for 129, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

What receiver do you have? I'm using a 411 and on original install I have a few prob lems but they straightened out. If you go to your system info screen you should have all 3 satellites in the green and in the device line you should have DPPTwin, Twin(1), Twin (2), Twin (3) unless you have a different receiver setup. If the check switch keeps coming up you might try unhooking the coax and running checkswitch and go through all the switches and then unplug it and hook the coax up and bring it back up and do a checkswitch and you should have the above info in the system info One screen.

Tim


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## WTB955 (May 11, 2006)

I'm in the Bay Area, and with the exception of KNTV being slighty blurry I am having no problems with the HD LiLs. 

Panasonic TH-50PX60U
Sony KDL-V32XBR1
Two ViP 622s
Three Dish 500s pointed at 61.5, 110, 119 and 148.


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## LG811User (Jan 12, 2005)

hhkr,

Thanks for the detailed response. I have a different setup than you. I have a 622 with a Dish 500 for 110/119 and a Dish 300 for 129.

The System Info screen shows green for all 3 satellites.

I actually have problems on 3 channels - Rave, Kungfu, HDNews. All 3 are on transponder 30 of the 129 satellite. They are also the *only 3* transponder 30 channels. The "Point Dish" screen shows 70+ signal strength for transponder 30 of sat 129 (about the same as the other transponders on 129) but every time I go to these channels it says "check switch". I'm at a loss right now. I am going to try tweaking my dish next weekend and checking all my grounding.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.


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## jcvaughan (Sep 7, 2005)

Finally I see a post talking about the problems I am having with SF HD LILs. Thank you wrecker. At times I also experience no picture but sound on the ABC feed that a soft reset fixes. The audio is always out of sync though. I also experience signal loss more often than I did with the 942. I hope your letter gets Dish to really look into these problems.


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## tomcrown1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Comcast is using the HD feed from 11 dish vircus comcast hd feed to show how much better the picture is on comcast. If anyone wants to leave dish for better HD picture call comcast and they will give you an offer that is hard to pass up.


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## Lyle_JP (Apr 22, 2002)

> Ever considered just using an OTA antenna? (After all, both of the boxes you use have connections for antennas, and it integrates right into the guide.)


Due to the terrain of the Bay Area, there are large populated areas with absolutely no OTA signal. I know, I live in one.


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