Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
jjgoodwin3
Enthusiast - Level 3

A site search on "black out" does not turn up a similar issue, of course it may be my search skills are lacking. 

New subsciber since Sep 2010.   I have 3 boxes, 2 standard QIP2500 phase 3 (basement/MBR) and 1 hi-def (LR). Hi def TV in MBR, standard in other 2.  Both standards would on occassion 'black out' for just a second or 2 ever since original install. No problem with the hi-def. One standard is wired with coax, one with s-video, the hi-def with HDMI.  When the black out occurs, the screen will freeze for an instant, then the screen goes black, then it comes back. The information on the box does not black out, the TVs don't power-off and restart. It's just the screen goes blank and then comes back. It happens without any seeming warning, and will happen at any time of day. Sometimes it will happen repeatedly, sometimes it won't happen for a long time.  Both boxes have been repeatedly reset and rebooted with no improvement.  During one tech call the tech had me relocate one of the standard boxes to the hi-def location to isolate that it wasn't a location (in-house cable) problem. I thought it curious since it was happening at 2 different locations but went through the drill anyway.  The relocated standard worked for a few minutes, then went black for a second as the problem does.  Plugging the high-def back in resolved the issue at that location. The tech said he would send 2 new standard boxes. The replacement boxes have not resolved the issue.  Any suggestions? 

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
Hubrisnxs
Legend

my first thought reading this is that the s video cable is the problem.   Did you get a new s video cable with the box ? or was that changed out?   

I wouldn't have thought the boxes right off the bat?

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
jjgoodwin3
Enthusiast - Level 3

Originally both standard boxes were wired with coax. I used the s-video to see if that might fix the prob. It didn't.

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
Hubrisnxs
Legend

if it's doing that on two different boxes using both coax and s-video then I think that leaves a possibility of the coax.  that would be a unusual symptom of a bad coax/splitter but try this.  

Wait for it to start acting up - when it starts acting up, stay tuned to that station, and hit your menu > customer support > in home agent > network diagnostics and click ok to start.

check the video signal using that menu selection.  after it's done running it will give you a general message like "you're video signals are not in the optimal range"     after you see that, hit info and then look at the SNR DB   it should give you a number.

32-36 is optimal, below that is questionable.

If it is below that then it's probably going to be a problem with the splitter at your house, and you would either replace it yourself, or call verizon to replace it.  be sure to tell them the DB

Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
jjgoodwin3
Enthusiast - Level 3

Appreciate the advice and will attempt to follow-through at next incident. 

But would wonder why if it is before the splitter (or it is the splitter), there is no issue at the hi def box?  Although it did occur at the hi def location using a standard def box.... hmmm.  So maybe the issue is something the high def box can deal with/filter out?

Anyway, thanks and will post results if I can do the troubleshoot as you suggest.

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
jjgoodwin3
Enthusiast - Level 3

Noticed an error in my original post...

The basement and MBR are both standard TV and standard boxes, not a high def TV in MBR as stated. 

The only high def TV is in the LR with the only hi-def STB.

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
jjgoodwin3
Enthusiast - Level 3

OK, so I'm getting this intermittent blackout during the Dallas-Washington game and try the diagnostic. The result is "We have detected that your network and video signal levels are fine. There are no known outages in your area."

The diagnostic reports the video signal is OK (SNR value 37).

It is a bit frustrating that the picture just goes black for a second or 2.  And this only occurs with the non-HD boxes. Diagnostics don't indicate a problem, using the non-hd box at the hd location still produces the problem, replacement boxes have not resolved it, and no one else has reported such an issue, which leads me to believe it's something in my house, especially that no one else seems to have this problem. 

Will just live with it until I get frustrated enough to swap out the non-hd boxes for hd boxes, of which the one I have seems to do just fine.  thanks for the suggestion.

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
Hubrisnxs
Legend

yeah if you have tried all three, coax to coax, coax to rca, and coax to s-video, then it might be the tv, especially since you brought the hd box over to the location and it does the same thing.  

just might be the tv .   if you get real bored and have time, try checking with the tv manufacturer.    sorry we couldn't have been more help. 

0 Likes
Re: Standard def STB repeatedly blacks out for a second or 2
pbergeron37
Enthusiast - Level 3

Have the same issue with Standard definition box\tv dropping out for a couple seconds now and then.

There is a way to view the signal strength (not sure if it varies from box to box)  but when I did this I could

see the signal was "good"  but if I waited 30s or so I would see it briefly drop to "poor". 

I'm going to to try a new splitter.  I'll let you know if this resolves the issue or not.

0 Likes