DVR Playback issues; image freezing
Richard
Enthusiast - Level 3

I just got my FIOS TV set up yesterday with the 7200 series box (HD DVR). I'm having problem with playback of recorded programs; essentially they are constantly freezing for a second or two; the audio continues just fine, but the video freezes.

Now I'm fairly certain it has something to do with recording or doing too many things at one time because tonight (currently) I am taping the HD version of the David Blaine special on ABC. Basically I began watching it about 10 minutes in, and was also recording another HD show on another channel. I had the stutters and freezes. I manually stopped the other recording, and continued to watch the Blaine special that I was recording. Still stuttered. Now, I'm stll watching the special, but it's stopped recording because the show is over, and voila, no freezes or stutters.

I've watched other programs on the DVR and they were generally stutter and freeze free, but it I am recording other shows at the time they definately stutter.

I haven't tried this with SD shows.

Anyway, It's as if the hard drive just can't keep up... has any one else had this problem? Should I ask Verizon to switch this box out? It's pretty annoying...

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
Richard
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hey PSUMATT --

I'm watching "Things We Lost in the Fire" on an HBO HD recording right now. The show is currently recording (about a half hour so far) and I've watched the first five minutes so far; and I haven't had any stutters yet.

Of course I'll keep checking, but I'm going to call this one solved.

A note about calling verizon; like all big companies interested in saving money on expensive staff; they have a pretty effective automated service that resets your machine for you while you call in. I got impatient and ended up hitting buttons until I got a live agent. He reset the machine himself; though I'll bet if I had been more patient the automated system would have worked as well... 

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
psumatt1
Contributor - Level 2

Richard,

Wow! I'm not alone. I'm seeing EXACTLY the same issue with my 7216 DVR. To the T the same symptoms, scenarios, etc. I think we may have discovered an issue!

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
Richard
Enthusiast - Level 3

It sounds like it's isolated if only you and I have seemed to mention it in the forums... My next step is to just do the "unplug the machine for 30 seconds and let it reset" thing.

I watched it more last night and realized that it was still stuttering even if nothing else was being recorded... majorly annoying. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the recording end; just playback, because if I repeat an area that just stuttered, it won't stutter or freeze in the same place.

Anybody else have this problem or success solving it?

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
Richard
Enthusiast - Level 3

I'm not sure if this is solved yet, but I'm hopeful. I called FIOS customer service; they did a soft reset from their end to my machine. According to the guy, my machine is new, but it was using the codes from the old machines and needed new codes to be installed. Supposedly the old codes made the machine stop and think everytime it encountered something odd, causing hiccups in the drive.

I recorded about 2 minutes of stuff with the guy on the line and it played back fine. My old recordings still are broken, but that would make sense if the hiccup happened on the recording end and not the playback. Anyway, I'll report back after a few more things have taped and I can see how it goes...

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
psumatt1
Contributor - Level 2
Richard,
Definitely keep me informed if it works.
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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
Richard
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hey PSUMATT --

I'm watching "Things We Lost in the Fire" on an HBO HD recording right now. The show is currently recording (about a half hour so far) and I've watched the first five minutes so far; and I haven't had any stutters yet.

Of course I'll keep checking, but I'm going to call this one solved.

A note about calling verizon; like all big companies interested in saving money on expensive staff; they have a pretty effective automated service that resets your machine for you while you call in. I got impatient and ended up hitting buttons until I got a live agent. He reset the machine himself; though I'll bet if I had been more patient the automated system would have worked as well... 

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
psumatt1
Contributor - Level 2

Richard,

Do you know if they performed a "soft INIT" or a "cold INIT" to your DVR? The COLD one will erase any previous recordings. From the sound your post, it didn't sound like that happened.

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Re: DVR Playback issues; image freezing
Richard
Enthusiast - Level 3

Definately a "soft" one. That said; the old recording are still messed up, which means it was a recording and not a playback issue. (Still watching the movie and after an hour, no more mess ups; I'm pretty sure it's solved).

So given that the old recordings (at least all of my old recordings, all 6 of them) were messed up, it wouldn't have made a difference to me, but you might have some stuff you want to save that you know isn't messed up...

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