Charter in Texas - pixelation overload!

edpoe

I've had an off-an-on problem with pixelation/tiling for a couple of years now, usually on the HD channels.

A few days ago, it got so bad that I scheduled a repair. (Again!)

Of course when the tech got here, the channels were perfect, not a blip anywhere. He went ahead and changed all the cables leading into the house and checked and tightened all the connectors. He also told me that I was No. 5 of 6 accounts being fed off the same cable so he moved me to No. 1.

Does that sound like what should have been done?

That night, when I got home from work, the problem was as bad as always, a couple of channels so bad they looked scrambled. (On both TVs, the Sony XBR with the DVR and the Philips LCD in the bedroom with the regular HD box.)

The next repair appointment is scheduled in about an hour, and-as luck would have it-everything is functioning fine though it wasn't early this morning. I did take a picture to show them how bad it can be.

What do you think their followup will be? Change out the boxes? Do some more mumbo jumbo and hope I'll be quiet?

Anything I should ask them? Any other thoughts or ideas?

~Ed

GregB

I feel your pain Ed.

I've been dealing with pixelation/tiling issues here with Comcast in metro Atlanta for a while now. Tonight has been the worst I've seen since either first service call back in June.

There were times tonight when there was no audio and very heavy tiling over more than 50% of the screen.

Hopefully your service call today helped.

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seibelcj

I have the same problem with Charter in St. Louis. Just the HD channels. Some times its just one or two chanels. tonight they all seem to be having problems.. Have had box switched out. Used to have an amplifier on that line but the Charter tech said that was part of the problem (not sure I believe him). IS THIS JUST A CABLE PROBLEM or does statellite have this issue too?

Jason44

If anyone has information I am interested as well
thanks in advance!

tiger862

Take all the splitters out. Where cable comes into house there should only be one splitter. You can split all your tvs off that one splitter with no splices. You can also upgrade your cable to rg6 I believe it is.

seibelcj

I have done that (changed to RG6 and removed splitters) and still have the problem. What I can't figure out is where the problem lies: with the DVR box, my cable lines, or what. I do know that the probelm only exist with HD channels (both DVR recorded and live) Tried to watch 24 recorded in HIDEF last night THE PIXALIXZATION AND SOUND DROPS WERE HORRIBLE!

jyospur

ask the tech for a signal amplifier on your cable line.

seibelcj

Funny you should mention that. I had a signal amplifier and the last time a charter tech came out he said that was the problem: too heavy of a signal was messing up the DVR (he at least looked like he knew what he was talking about). Is this all just a question of the cable companies compressing their signals too much?

Loves2Watch

You hit the nail on the head!

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Theater 1 - Panasonic TH-85PF12U Plasma TV, 6 Conrad Johnson LP275M Amps, Anthem Statement D-2 Pre/Pro, 6 Thiel SCS4 Speakers, 2 REL T-1 Subs, Infinity Interlude 120S Sub, Simaudio MOON Orbiter Universal Disc Player, ELP Laser Turntable, 2 Dish Network ViP 622 DVR's, Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player, Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD Player.
Friends don't let friends buy Korean brand TV's.

seibelcj

Will this problem go away after digital transition 2/19? or do they not have anything to do with each other?
If not then its time for me to switch. Any suggestions as to who has the clearest (least compressed)signal? Where I live choices would be dish, directtv or U-verse)

Loves2Watch

It's close with those 3. I prefer Dish but not because of PQ as it is very similar.

__________________
Theater 1 - Panasonic TH-85PF12U Plasma TV, 6 Conrad Johnson LP275M Amps, Anthem Statement D-2 Pre/Pro, 6 Thiel SCS4 Speakers, 2 REL T-1 Subs, Infinity Interlude 120S Sub, Simaudio MOON Orbiter Universal Disc Player, ELP Laser Turntable, 2 Dish Network ViP 622 DVR's, Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player, Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD Player.
Friends don't let friends buy Korean brand TV's.

byrontrantham@

I have been having this problem for months! Mine has been limited to two channels breaking up. They have rerun the cable from the tap in the backyard to the house and replaced all bnc connectors and splitters to their brand-no joy! Just today I replaced my HDMI cables with component cables and an optical audio cable. Still breaking up. I am supposed to get a new box next week (8300HD). From the sounds of it, it won't fix it either. If, after the last ditch effort with the new box, I still don't receive these two channels correctly, I am cancelling and signing with with Verizon. I have done everything I know to do and they just don't seem to be too interested in fixing teh problem. As an aside, I am the last man standing on our street. Everyone else has moved to Verizon!

seibelcj

As Love2Watch agreed, It is just a question of the cable companies compressing their signals too much. From what I read and experience you probably don't have trouble with HD channels like ESPN and HBO because they dictate in their contracts with the cable companies strengh of signal (or max compression) but most of the others they can do what they want. In short I share your pain.

gwl

I had this problem a couple weeks ago, it only affected the HBO, Cinemax, and Star - all in the HD channels. Bugs the hell out of me when it happens.

seibelcj

yes for the most part it is the HD channels I have problems with. Have pretty much nailed it down to a problem with the Moxi box (ran cable line directly into my tv and HD stations that I could get that way and they looked fine). I am looking to get one of the new Moxi 3012s and hoping that will solve the problem. But again it just may be a compression issue. Will let you know.