Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
rspeed
Newbie

I've had the same problem with the last two episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It seems like there's a problem with FiOS and FX.

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Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
Keyboards
Master - Level 3

@tcelline wrote:

FIOS says it's the network? Then why are the commercials almost always commercials FOR FIOS? If you try watching AHS at 11pm there don't seem to be interruptions that I can see.

Are there any Verizon FIOS people on this discussion board that care to please respond to us?

Just to clarify, I believe what they are telling you is that the network (FX in this case) sends a signal on a sub-carrier that tells the cable company that it now has an X minute window to insert local commercials (this is all automated equipment) so yes under that condition all the ads would be local or Verizon's.  Not saying that is what is happening, but it is a legitimate scenario.  I know that in VHO8 (Philly region) on Speed HD (channel 583) the local commercial insertion is 5 to 10 seconds late causing the return of the program to be partially cut off by that amount of time.  Not as bad as what you describe, but annoying when watching a live F1 race.

As for Verizon people on the board, yes there are some that monitor BUT this is primarily a PEER-TO-PEER (user to user) forum as stated at the top of the page.

Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
SonOfFergus
Enthusiast - Level 2

Well, if the problem lies with the network (e.g. FX), I'd be curious to know if those using Comcast are experiencing the same problem. That would stand to reason, given what fios support has told some of you.

This is really getting to be painful! Interruptions occurred this past week during:

* the season finale of Sons of Anarchy (at a key point)

* the next night during yet another point of American Horror Story

* the following night during Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Ridiculous!  You would think fios would *WANT* to address this problem BEFORE they start losing subscribers. After all, it's a reflection on their service, more than anything else. For the first time in a long time, I'm starting to consider a move back to comcast  (I cringe to even admit/type that).

If someone from fios support is reading, we'd love to see an official reply/answer.

Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
Malcolm_Stanley
Contributor - Level 3

As keyboards says, the way the system works is that the broadcaster sends a signal called an SCTE 30 cue tone as part of their broadcast. That cue tone defines the start of an ad break where Verizon (or any other service provider) has been given the rights to place advertisements. Equipment at Verizon uses that cue tone to know when it is ok to insert ads into the broadcaster feed.

Verizon may be placing ads into the break, but it is up to the broadcaster to define when the break occurs. So if the break is occurring when it should not, the thing to do is call the broadcaster and tell them there is a break scheduling problem they need to fix. It could be they have a glitch in the schedule file, they may have a flaky cue tone generator, there are any number of reasons why this could be occurring.

Bottom line, it is the broadcaster responsibility to send tones at the right time. Unless/until they discover they did not send a tone and a break occurred, the default troubleshooting assumption is that they did send a tone and we executed against it as expected.

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Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
Justin46
Legend

@Malcolm_Stanley wrote:

As keyboards says, the way the system works is that the broadcaster sends a signal called an SCTE 30 cue tone as part of their broadcast. That cue tone defines the start of an ad break where Verizon (or any other service provider) has been given the rights to place advertisements. Equipment at Verizon uses that cue tone to know when it is ok to insert ads into the broadcaster feed.

Verizon may be placing ads into the break, but it is up to the broadcaster to define when the break occurs. So if the break is occurring when it should not, the thing to do is call the broadcaster and tell them there is a break scheduling problem they need to fix. It could be they have a glitch in the schedule file, they may have a flaky cue tone generator, there are any number of reasons why this could be occurring.

Bottom line, it is the broadcaster responsibility to send tones at the right time. Unless/until they discover they did not send a tone and a break occurred, the default troubleshooting assumption is that they did send a tone and we executed against it as expected.


Malcolm,

What I think is happening is that the Verizon-inserted ad is actually a little too long for the break slot it is being inserted into. While I have not seen that happen here in VHO1 for quite a while, it used to happen pretty regularly, the local ad would run and when it ended the program would have already been running for at least a few seconds.

What I do see still happening here is that a "national(?)" ad will start, and a couple of seconds later a clearly "local" ad will replace it. But like I said, here it appears the local VHO has figured out how much time each spot allows, and I don't remember seeing any overrun into a program (but of course it could be happening on channels I don't happen to watch).

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
FIOSHD
Newbie

As frustrating as this issue is it actually is an issue with the provider.  The way this works (I have friends in the industry) is that the content provider sends a flag in their data stream that signals to the cable provider that it is time to go to the local add they have cued up.

I guess it is possible that on the FIOS end there is an issue where they are improperly thinking the flag has been sent, but this is typically an issue with the stream they are receiving from the content provider.

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Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
MikeNJ
Enthusiast - Level 2

So it seems the root cause of the problem has been identified, but there’s still the matter of who’s responsible for righting the matter.  Verizon says the end customer needs to call the network to complain, whereas I think Verizon’s voice would be far louder than ours in getting heard – plus, they know EXACTLY where to address the complaint within each network, whereas a call from me to complain is sure to get fully ignored, left to rot in some database (like Verizon's complaint line).   

So how about this, Verizon?  Give me the ability to drop the stations who are doing this most evil deed.  WE BOTH KNOW they’d hear that voice loud and clear, right?  But you don’t offer an a la carte programming model, do you.  So, since you’re complicit in forcing me to pay for this content, and YOU'RE benefitting from the local advertising sales behind this problem, isn’t the onus is on YOU to correct this?

Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
SonOfFergus
Enthusiast - Level 2

Agree with MikeNJ 100% on verizon being the one to solve this situation. We, as consumers, don't know who we should be calling. I also have contacted friends in the Baltimore area that have comcast, they do no recall any such problems. Furthermore, 90% of the time, the offending advertising includes a verizon ad. Doesn't that seem odd to anyone?!?

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Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
SonOfFergus
Enthusiast - Level 2

Justin, I appreciate the explanation, but I am seeing something slightly different:

Series of ads run during an appropriate break, the ad stream ends, the show returns. No time is lost. However, at some points during programming, ads appear randomly...usually in short bursts (2 to 3 ads, no more than 90sec for the entire stream to run). When that stream ends, we have lost that block of programming time. The ads are usually for local businesses, and 90% of the time they include a verizon ad (for on-demand programming or for the home service).

So yes, maybe it's the result of a time cue or some such mechanism, but if that were the case, you would think that this would effect comcast, etc customers as well...same broadcaster in the area servicing multiple cable providers. I would also think that the broadcaster would not want their own programming interrupted!

I just chatted with verizon support. They said the network team has been alerted. I don't have high hopes of a resolution, but we shall see.

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Re: Local & FiOS ads interrupting program content
Justin46
Legend

@SonOfFergus wrote:

Justin, I appreciate the explanation, but I am seeing something slightly different:

Series of ads run during an appropriate break, the ad stream ends, the show returns. No time is lost. However, at some points during programming, ads appear randomly...usually in short bursts (2 to 3 ads, no more than 90sec for the entire stream to run). When that stream ends, we have lost that block of programming time. The ads are usually for local businesses, and 90% of the time they include a verizon ad (for on-demand programming or for the home service).

So yes, maybe it's the result of a time cue or some such mechanism, but if that were the case, you would think that this would effect comcast, etc customers as well...same broadcaster in the area servicing multiple cable providers. I would also think that the broadcaster would not want their own programming interrupted!

I just chatted with verizon support. They said the network team has been alerted. I don't have high hopes of a resolution, but we shall see.


OK. All I was doing was describing what I see occasionally. And of course I may not be watching the same channels you are so I could be missing the problem without knowing it.

As far as I know I have never, ever seen here what you describe. Since it is usually (maybe always?) local and/or Verizon ads, I would point the finger at your local Verizon VHO. Local ads are by definition introduced into the stream "locally", otherwise other areas that the ads do not apply to would see them. So I am pretty sure that is done at each Verizon VHO location. I have no idea where you, or any of the others who are seeing this, are located, but I suspect most or all of you are in the same general area of the country, and served by the same VHO. FWIW I am in VHO 1, North Texas.

If my guess is correct, then yes it is a Verizon problem, and Verizon can and should fix it.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9
Keller, TX 76248

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