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I have six set-top boxes two of which are DVRs. Any of the 6 can access recordings on the two DVRs, but the quality of the video/audio is so bad it is literally unwatchable. The video pixelates and the sound constantly cuts on and off. Apparently this has been like this for month, I usually watch the main tv with a dvr and rarely try to access shows on the other dvr, but when polling my kids who do, they tell me they don't even try...haven't for months. I'm hoping someone has an easy fix for this, my experiances calling Verizon support in the past has been frustrating, extremely time-consuming, and very rarely successful.
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DVR playback uses the MoCA network. MoCA is a networking technology that is essentially Ethernet over coax. It co-exists with normal TV programming by using frequencies above the TV range. It is capable of going forward and backwards through splitters, but there is a limit.
With six set-top-boxes you've got lots of splitters on your coax network. My first recommendation is to make sure all of the splitters are 1GHz capable. If you've got old splitters, it's quite possible they aren't passing the MoCA signals as cleanly as possible. If you find any old splitters, replace them with new splitters. Your best source is most likely from an online store.
You should also look at how your splitters are arranged relative to the DVR. If there are lots of splitters between the DVR and the root of the coax network, there is a much greater chance of issues. If you can re-arrange the coax network to move the DVR closer to the root, that may help.
Note that a 2-way splitter is the basis for all splitters. A 3-way splitter is really two 2-way's internally. SImilarly, an 8-way splitter has seven 2-way splitters inside. Be sure to count these internal splitters when mapping your network.
Lastly, don't forget to use good quality coax. RG-6 is typically a good cable for home distribution. RG-59 is used sometimes, but long runs should be avoided or replaced with RG-6.
Good Luck.
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Thanks for the response! Good information about MoC A network. A couple of years ago I finished my basement and at that time I re-wired all of the cable with RG-6. I installed a patch panel in the basement with the main TV cable from the router feeding it and each TV has a dedicated cable from that panel, so I don't have individual splitters, but I suppose the patch panel is essentialy one big splitter. I will check the specs on the panel. (If nothing else, I'm seeing it was a good dec ision to terminate all the cables in one place)
- Bob
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In addition to the previous poster, you may also have a faulty hard drive on one of your DVRs. I have seen multiple Verizon DVR hard drives fail in the manner you are seeing. My own Verizon Cisco DVR hard drive failed after only two months (DVR was brand new too).
As a short term temporary fix, you can go into the Menu and look for the "Fix Common DVR/STB Issues" This will try to repair filesystem damage and other things with the DVR. If this temporarlly fixes your problem, then it comes back again, then it may be a sign the hard drive is failing. At least it is something else to try. Locating the app is the hardest part since Verizon keeps renaming it and moving it around.
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In the future use web chat to contact Verizon instead of calling. It's very fast and easy.
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very good info on the MOCA network. thanks 🙂
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Seeing a comment below, I may not have been clear. This problem is ONLY related to viewing the recorded programs on a remote TV. When watched on the TV with the DVR, they are just fine.