Any one else having DVR playback issues? Particularly Seattle-area people?

[Richard]

I posted a previous query about this, and put a "solved" box on it when I thought it was resolved... turned out it wasn't and I'm wondering if others are having the same problems.

Basically I record shows on the DVR (Mostly HD shows). When I play them back, the image will freeze every 30 seconds to a minute or so for a second or two. The audio will continue fine.

I haven't systematically checked things; but my suspicion was that the hard drive basically was working too hard by recording two HD programs at the same time and playing back another one. It seems like the stutter is on the recording end because when I replay a spot where an image stutter occurs it happens again at the same spot.

I haven't tried to see if it only stutters when I'm recording two things at the same time.

Anyway, I called verizon and they did some kind of a reset of my computer that re-uploading the latest drivers. The guy on the phone said that the old firmware was causing the hard drive to "work" more everytime it encountered something it didn't understand, and this was the cause of the hiccups.

It seemed to fix things for a day... but then it was right back the bad stuff.

On friday I called Verizon and the guy on the phone decided to send a rep out (within two hours!) and the guy that came out was really great and professional. He determined that my line was really great and had a perfect signal. He replaced my box, which seemed to work for a while. He basically said that if this doesn't work, it's probably something at the Verizon office's switch end.

I understand his logic, but I don't think he's correct, because today I was watching one of the shows while it was being recorded. I don't recall any freezes while watching it live, but now watching it again ("Locked up Abroad" on the Nat Geo HD Channel), it's full of the image stutters. That seems to tell me something's wrong with the recorder.

Anyway, have others had this issue? Even periodically. Anyone in the Greater Seattle area, particularly the Snohomish County area?

The rep that came to my house said that they haven't received any tickets for this problem other than mine, and I only see a few things on this forum, so it seems pretty isolated. But now having it happen to TWO boxes has left me wondering...

Please respond to this message if you're have similar problems!

Thanks.

[1duckydude]

The only issue I have had with DVR playback is playing a recorded show ousing Home media.  All the Set Tops that are NON DVR, seem to skip and have issues during FF and RWD.  Once play is pressed, the STB will play as ussual for around 5 seconds, then skip backwards and start over where I had pressed paly.  More of a nuisance than a true issue, but closest I have come to your issue.

[RussB2]

Richard, I have 2 DVRs and have the same problem as you but only occasionally, and only on 1 of the DVRs.  They are both hooked up to the same TV.  Hopefully someone else has fixed it and can fill us in.

[justjndeb]

I live in Mill Creek and I am having the same exact problem you described all the time , I've also noticed it on live tv mainly on stations in the 600's (nat geo a&e) I have been on the phone with Verizon more times the I can count!

They did every reset to my STB under the sun with no change. They are sending out a tech Sat 10-18 and I was hoping that would be the end of it but after reading your post worried

[Floridaman]

Richard:

What is the model number of your DVR?

[Richard]

I've got the latest version of the motorola machine (7200? series)...

To the person in Mill Creek; I'm not sure about A&E, but I know realize that 90% of the time it's just happening on only the Nat Geo channel... I've taped Locked Up Abroad and World's Hardest Fixes several times and each and every time they are ruined.

The weird thing is that I think, but am not sure, that the show's are playing ok live, it's just when they are recorded. I'm basing this on the single time that I saw Locked up Abroad live, and it didn't have an issue. But it seems every other time they've taped, they are messed up.

A couple of days ago I had to call Verizon because a ton of my channels weren't coming through (mostly hi-def). I would get them for a a second or two and then the screen would say "currently unavailable". We ended up just unplugging the box for 30 seconds and plugging it in again; this seemed to fix that problem but I'm not sure about the Nat Geo Channel problem. I'll set up some A and E channel stuff to record soon to see if I have a problem on that channel too.

I don't know what's going on and it seems clear that Verizon doesn't either.For the most part I assume it's part of the growing pains of the Seattle Area rollout, but it is frustrating to pay for this service yet it having constant problems....

[Floridaman]

Richard:

I have gone through two of the 7216 models and they both had problems.  I finally had Verizon replace with the 6416 model.  Here are the problems I experienced.

1. When playing back a recorded show the picture will freeze briefly then will play then freeze again before finally playing back normally.
2. When you tune to a channel it appears to be ok and then the picture turns black and it says currently unavailable. You have to press the channel key and tune to another channel and then go back to the original channel to see the picture.
3. When you select to play back a recorded show often times the box would just keep playing the live show you were watching. You have to go back and repeat the steps to play a recorded show and then it works.
4. Sometimes when I watched a recording and opted to fast forward through a commercial the picture would freeze. The only option to fix this was to start the playback over again.
5. Shows that I had setup in the series manager and scheduled to record would drop out of the view schedule list. I had to set the shows up again to record.
6. Changing a channel will display the information screen of new channel but the STB is actually on the prior channel.
7. The most annoying problem by far is the remote control. You have to press buttons multiple times to get a response from the STB. It responds the same way a remote does that has worn out batteries. You can literally be only a couple of feet away from the STB and pressing buttons on the remote and get absolutely no response from the STB. Eventually the STB responds to a remote command but it is frustrating when you have to press the buttons over and over again.

Do yourself a favor and request Verizon to swap the box for a 6416.

[romanom]

I'm having a similar issue, but with Live TV and only on certain HD channels, specifically 618 (Fox HD), 622 (NatGeo) and on occasion 620 (Discovery HD) and 625 (Smithsonian).

It seems to be an issue with the DVR function, because when it stutters I can clear it by hitting the Fios (live TV) button.  It's as if the DVR hard-drive isn't keeping up with the live signal.

I've noticed that if I hit the Fios button on the remote during live TV it will skip about 4-5 seconds ahead, which suggests to me that the DVR hard-drive is delaying the live signal to the TV by quite a bit.  

On occasion this delay gets "messed up," which manifests itself as a skip, stutter or momentary break up of the image.

It's only really bad on channel 618, where it can completely freeze or stutter a lot.

Oddly I have had no issues with recorded shows, just live TV.

It never happens on any of the SD channels, including the SD channel equivalents of the HD channels mentioned above.  It also never happens on the my HD (non-DVR) box or SD box

I strongly suspected that either the DVR hard-drive or operating firmware is the cause. I was going to call and have it replaced, but given other people's issues I suspect it's a design flaw in the hardware or software, probably the software since it seems to manifest itself differently under different applications.  It's not Vista based is it 

I have a QIP6416-2 STB hocked up to the TV with an HDMI cable (Verizon supplied) with the latest 1.6 firmware.

[Techman28]

I just want to confirm with everyone that this is HD recordings only when playing back on the DVR or via another HD box using the Multi room feature

[Richard]

I don't have a second room STB, but I'm about 99% certain it is only HD programs.