HD Channels 507 and 509 very poor video / sound quality - ALL other HD and NON HD channels fine

[MurrietaRob]

Problem Summary:

Only HD channels 507 and 509 are bad; extremely poor video and sound quality; ALL other channels are fine, including the same carriers when using their non HD channels (7 and 9).

Problem Resolutions attempted:

1. Performed countless system resets to no avail.
2. Checked and double checked all connections from street through entire house to every STB/DVR and still ONLY those 2 channels are bad; Recordings on same channels are completely unusable

Status:

1.  I'm ready to cancel ALL of my Verizon services (5 SmartPhones, Home Phone, FIOS TV and Internet ) due to the automated assistants that Verizon keeps forcing me to use; what a worthless service; I realize Verizon management is probably happy with the reduction in O&M expenses, increased bonuses, etc. but its use is maddening as hell to those paying their salaries.  Not sure what is worse; when a company outsources their service desk to a country that doesn't speak english, or listening to an automated voice...
2. Since this is clearly NOT a generic signal problem being that its ONLY impacting 2 HD channels, the source to the problem MUST be with the feed from the Carriers; in this case its the LA KABC (507) and LA KCAL (509) sources; Note to that the same carriers are great on their NON HD channels (7 and 9).
3. The problem is common to all 3 of my STB/DVRs so not a specific DTE component / in home problem.
4. My wife is ready to strangle me because she has been unable to record "The Bachelor" so someone better get this fixed quick!

Is Anyone else experiencing the same problem in my service area (So Cal) with just those 2 HD channels?

[mfizzy]

Use the box to check signal turn to one of the channels. Press Menu> Settings> System Information then press the Info button on remote. A diagnostic will load. Under channel info section,  SNR should be good. Short term should be 0 and carrier lock true. If these value are anything else, you have a cabling issue.

If it does look like cabling, change the main splitter. It old have to be something common to all the boxes having the issue

[MurrietaRob]

Thanks for the information; the SNR Level and Values are POOR and 26 DB respectively. The Short Term Error Count changes between 900+ to over 60000 on each refresh.  Since this is impacting all STBs, does this indicate a problem at the FIOS house connection, or more than likely at the splitter at the distribution box in the house?  I'll check / replace any splitters at the latter.

[MurrietaRob]

I replaced the splitter inside the house / distribution box and no joy (I made sure the splitter met the FIOS specs too); diagnostics show same degraded signal values; I believe at this point a Verizon tech should be dispatched to take a look at the ONT? 

Appreciate any additional thoughts / confirmation.

Thanks

[MurrietaRob · Accepted solution]

Follow up: Problem Resolved with an ONT replacement.