Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
meneelyt
Enthusiast - Level 1

I'm generally quite happy with our FIOS HD TV, except that I get consistently bad HD reception during Pittsburgh Penguins NHL games, on channel 576. All other HD channels are great. The game in standard definition on channel 76 is fine. FSN Pittsburgh HD at other times is fine. This weekend we watched the Pens pregame show with no problem - and then as soon as the game started, the picture started to deteriorate.

The picture pixelates and breaks up, freezes, sometimes goes blue screen. We can watch up to five minutes of clear picture, and then it will break up. Changing the channel and coming back sometimes gives a clear picture for a minute or two, but it inevitably breaks up soon after.

I called Verizon during business hours (not during a game) last week, and the pleasant guy said it all looked OK to him, but I needed to call during the game / while experiencing the problem because they could do more tests. I called back during a game (off-normal hours) and talked to an unpleasant woman who told me the Pens were blacked out for the season in Pennsylvania and that was the problem, and refused to do anything more; she seemed to think I was trying to get something I shouldn't have. She wasn't interested in doing any tests, nor in the fact that the game is clearly there in SD.  (The Pens are blacked out on NHLNetwork, but not on FSNPittburgh - they've been sold out for several years in a row now).

Any suggestions on things to try, or what combination of words I should be using with Verizon to get them engaged in the problem?

I'm in the Pittsburgh / Penn Hills FIOS region, watching through an HD DVR on a Samsung 32" HDTV.

Thanks,

Tim

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
Bob_Robertson
Specialist - Level 1

if only one show on one channel.... it doesnt sound like a FiOS issue... but rather an issue witht he HD broadcast/signal/feed/whataver you wanna call it, from that particular game/channel provider/etc

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
Donald_Linbin
Contributor - Level 1

try going to the menu and then help on the box, then run a self diagnostic, there will be an oob ratio you want it to be over 19.  Try adjusting the cable from the wall to see if that helps at all too.

Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
meneelyt
Enthusiast - Level 1

@Bob_Robertson wrote:

if only one show on one channel.... it doesnt sound like a FiOS issue... but rather an issue witht he HD broadcast/signal/feed/whataver you wanna call it, from that particular game/channel provider/etc


Well, that could be - but Verizon is the company that gets my money each month and lists FSN Pittsburgh HD on their channel line-up. <shrug> Actually, the first guy - who told me to call back during the game - suggested it might be an FSN issue, but said they would convey my issue to FSN if so.

Thanks,

Tim

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
meneelyt
Enthusiast - Level 1

Thanks for the diagnostic procedure - I thought that was there someplace but couldn't find it. I'm reading 25 dB, and everything else green (except the "EPG Server" failed - I don't know what that is?).

Anyway, that would make me think it's not a cabling problem. So would the other hundred or so HD channels which look just fine.

Thanks,

Tim

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
FiberTech
Newbie

Tim,

Did you resolve this ?

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
Hubrisnxs
Legend

easy enough solution, what time and channel and who was playing, and let one of the VZ guys tell you if it was legitimately blacked out.

it likely was.

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
meneelyt
Enthusiast - Level 1

> Did you resolve this ?

Well, kinda. I bought a Radio Shack signal amplifier - supposedly two-way - and put it into the line, and the situation vastly improves - after tinkering with the gain some, we get only very occasional and brief pixelation, so it's basically fine.

So... I figured I had a cable problem, and pulled a nice new, pre-terminated cable through the conduit - from Home Depot, but premium stuff. (This is a 100 foot run from the box). And it acts just the same as my previous don't-remember-what-it-is cable; signal breaks up on FSN Pittsburgh during HD hockey.

Unfortunately, when the amplifier is in-line the STB can't talk to the network, meaning the channel guide doesn't update (probably other problems too, but none that bother us). So, right now I'm installing the amplifier for the game, and then sometime later I go back down and take it out.

My conclusion: We have a marginal signal getting to that STB. The high contrast / fast rate of change of HD hockey is too much for it, whereas other things on FSN Pittsburgh (baseball) are fine in HD. In parallel, FSNP (and Verizon, wherever that hand-off happens) must put out a weaker than average signal (because hockey is fine in HD on NBC or Versus).

<shrug> Combination of things, I think, with my unique wiring just putting me over the edge.

I guess I need to have Verizon come out, sometime when I can afford to take a day off work. I'm told there are more things they can tinker with.

Regards,

Tim

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Re: Problems with only one HD channel, sometimes (FSN Pittsburgh during Penguins hockey)
meneelyt
Enthusiast - Level 1

No, I'm really really sure no Penguins games are blacked out this year. On top of which, there's never been any problem in standard def - even if there was a blackout, which there isn't, it would surely apply to both SD and HD.

That particular Verizon woman was... well, wasn't helpful to me.

>easy enough solution, what time and channel and who was playing, and let one of the VZ guys tell you if it was legitimately blacked out.
>it likely was.

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