# Bug Report L186: OTA channel screen is all black.



## chuckbernard (Aug 3, 2004)

My local NBC station locks with a signal strength of 125 but when trying to view the station the screen is fully black. If I choose to view with gray bars then the WHOLE screen turns gray!

The station is KRNV NBC in Reno Nevada. Broadcast on frequency 7 and
does NOT transmit PSIP information. Channel is 7.1. The person in the station's engineering department is Steve Galvin (775) 322-4444.

The ABC & CBS stations are transmitted from the same tower and come in with the same power level but work perfectly. After contacting the stations I have found out that the ABC (KOLO) and CBS (KTVN) stations both transmit PSIP. Maybe that is why they work?

I'd really like this to be resolved before the Olympics start... Maybe
the next update fixes this???

Thanks,

//Chuck


----------



## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

chuckbernard said:


> My local NBC station locks with a signal strength of 125 but when trying to view the station the screen is fully black. If I choose to view with gray bars then the WHOLE screen turns gray!
> 
> The station is KRNV NBC in Reno Nevada. Broadcast on frequency 7 and
> does NOT transmit PSIP information. Channel is 7.1. The person in the station's engineering department is Steve Galvin (775) 322-4444.
> ...


Are other digital stations working correctly? It may be the transmission, but there are issues with bugs in the 921 software that make OTA rather unpleasant. Does anyone else have a problem with the channel? Do you have another HD receiver to compare?


----------



## Martyf (Apr 8, 2004)

I have a similar problem with KWQC (NBC 6.1 and 6.2) here in the Quad Cities. I pull a very strong signal, usually over 100, but get a black screen when I try to view the channel. 

I found that I can pause the channel on the black screen, and then play the delayed signal. I get no video, but about 1 to 2 seconds of sound, then about 4 seconds of silence and 1 to 2 seconds of sound. It will continue this way as long as it is behind the "live" signal.

I was able to test the channel with a 811 and 6000 and they both worked perfectly. I am trying to find someone else in this market with a 921 to verify that it is a problem with all 921s, not a OTA tuner problem with mine. 

The actual signal for KWQC is on 56. Where does your problem channel hit. Is there possibly a problem at the higher frequencies with some 921 tuners?


----------



## chuckbernard (Aug 3, 2004)

boylehome said:


> Are other digital stations working correctly? It may be the transmission, but there are issues with bugs in the 921 software that make OTA rather unpleasant. Does anyone else have a problem with the channel? Do you have another HD receiver to compare?


Yes, all other digital stations (two) work perfectly. I do have a dish 6000
receiver that I just tried and it works just fine on the offending channel.
So, it appears to be a problem with the 921.

I tried pausing like was mentioned above but the receiver does not 
respond to the pause key for this offending station.


----------



## chuckbernard (Aug 3, 2004)

Martyf said:


> The actual signal for KWQC is on 56. Where does your problem channel hit. Is there possibly a problem at the higher frequencies with some 921 tuners?


Mine is on 7, which is in the VHF range. So, it doesn't appear to have anything to do with the frequency.


----------



## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

chuckbernard said:


> Yes, all other digital stations (two) work perfectly. I do have a dish 6000
> receiver that I just tried and it works just fine on the offending channel.
> So, it appears to be a problem with the 921.
> 
> ...


You are a victim of L186!


----------



## DonLandis (Dec 17, 2003)

You MUST report this to Dish ADV tech support. I called yesterday and was aghast at the lack of bugs being reported, most likely because people here have the idea that they read these forums and do something about the complaints. They may read the forums but the complaint is not registered so call it in! I repeat, Call it in. Every day my 921 exhibits bugs, I plan to call the list of bug observations in each day!


----------



## chuckbernard (Aug 3, 2004)

My local NBC station started broadcasting PSIP information late last week and now the station comes in perfectly. Both 4-1 and 4-2 come in great. The station(s) are broadcast on ATSC 7 and are remapped with the call letters and everything. So, I consider my problems solved. Even if the original fault still exists in the PVR921. 

This just cements the fact that it is the missing PSIP information that is causing the problems!


----------



## jchamlin (Aug 12, 2004)

I've got the same issue.

Station call letters: WFTC-DT
City where station is located: Minneapolis, MN
Digital broadcast channel: 21-1 and 21-2
The PSIP remapped channel: supposed to be 29-1 and 29-2 (they are analog 29) except they are not broadcasting PSIP data.
is the station broadcasting PSIP data? No (confirmed with UPN station)

I've got it connected to a nice OTA antenna and I get great signal strength on all analog and digital channels. Basically, everything TitanTV's digital and analog guides say I should get I do get. With one exception.

21-1 and 21-2 (WFTC-DT) which is UPN (29's) digital channels have 125 signal strength (the max the meter goes up to) so I have great strength. I think I have line of sight to the towers from my house. Anyway, I get a channel name of NONE and they show up on the wrong channel, they should be 29-1 and 29-2 (which now I know is because UPN isn't broadcasing PSIP data yet) but I also get a black screen with no audio on 21-1 and 21-2) and as well when tuned to 21-1 or 21-2 the response time of my 921 to the remote control goes from about 0.5 seconds to about 4 seconds (like it is stuck/broken/busy trying to decode a signal it cannot). I have the latest software on my 921 (L188 I believe is the latest release which downloaded a few weeks ago, and it didn't work with L186 or L187 either). Anyone have a Dish PVR-921 and successfully receive 21-1 and 21-2 in Minneapolis? I'd like to know if it is a bug with the Dish PVR-921, or a problem with just my unit. 

By reading this form, it appears this black screen with no audio is a condition which exists elsewhere in other cities with channels that are not broadcasting PSIP data. Has this been confirmed?

Anyone else wanna check the reponse times to their remote control (channel changing, bringing up the guide, etc) and see how much different it is on the blacked out channel vs. a normal channel.

Thanks in advance. 

-J.C.


----------

