Audio and Video drops every 30 secs???? WHY?

[Max_Gator]

Am I the only one that is having this problem?? Every thirty seconds EXACTLY, there is a brief audio and video drop. It is much more pronounced on the HD channels. On the SD channels, all you see is a small disruption in the picture.

I switched Pace boxes and it still does it.

Anyone know what's up?

[bdraw]

I have a similiar problem. The audio drops and I get some macro-blocking. But it is not every 30 seconds. It is spuratic.

[Max_Gator]

Are you sure it isn't every 30 secs?

I get it on all channels - at the same time - so it is systemic. I can set my watch and then switch channels and say "now" - that's how regular it is.

BUT I didn't think it was regular until I timed it because it is not always as severe.

Where do you live? Any idea what is causing this problem??

[MarkMSM]

Are you sure it isn't every 30 secs?

I get it on all channels - at the same time - so it is systemic. I can set my watch and then switch channels and say "now" - that's how regular it is.

BUT I didn't think it was regular until I timed it because it is not always as severe.

Where do you live? Any idea what is causing this problem??

Max_Gator, I just responded on the "other forum". I had this problem a while back, and now it's back. Someone else in South Tampa also had the issue. I called it "popping".

[bdraw]

Are you sure it isn't every 30 secs?

I get it on all channels - at the same time - so it is systemic. I can set my watch and then switch channels and say "now" - that's how regular it is.

BUT I didn't think it was regular until I timed it because it is not always as severe.

Where do you live? Any idea what is causing this problem??

It is not every 30 seconds, and only on HD channels.
Some more than others. I am convinced that I have a bad signal, or interferance somewhere.
I plan to call BHN and have them someone out to test my signal.

[Max_Gator]

Are you sure it isn't every 30 secs?

I get it on all channels - at the same time - so it is systemic. I can set my watch and then switch channels and say "now" - that's how regular it is.

BUT I didn't think it was regular until I timed it because it is not always as severe.

Where do you live? Any idea what is causing this problem??

It is not every 30 seconds, and only on HD channels.
Some more than others. I am convinced that I have a bad signal, or interferance somewhere.
I plan to call BHN and have them someone out to test my signal.

Hmmmm. It is very odd that it would be so regular on mine and show no pattern on yours. That points to different causes.

Is there any regularity at all? I'm not doubting you but do you think you could time a few and see if there is ANY pattern? These problems must somehow be related.

[bdraw]

It doesn't seem that often.
To be honest I really don't watch it much.
I have D* and OTA, so I only turn it on when I am using my D* to record something to my ReplayTV.
I will pay more attention next time.

I buy cable for the other room, and it doesn't cost much extra for the HD box.
D* won't give me another reciever since I don't have a home phone, and I would rather pay for cable than a land line.

[bdraw]

Ok after dealing with these drop outs for 6 months, during the game on Sunday I gave up and called BHN.

They sent out a tech today.

He went into the service menu, and checked the signal levels. There were fine. He admited that they were having trouble in my area. Ybor, harbor island. He showed me how to check it in the future(whether it was a signal porblem or head end). I am going to call every time just to make sure they know I will not give up. But the guy was very knowledgeble, and we actually had an interesting talk. BHN justs needs to get things worked out on their end.

Is anyone else experiencing this? Or is it only my area.

Also he told me he does all the service calls for this area, and he said that 80% of the people on harbor island have HD, and 90% have cable modems. He told me that they are laying another fiber run to deal with the demands, and they already have two.

[jaymer]

Ben
get in contact with that guy and lets make sure he knows about the site and has some cards to give out! 90%! that should be good for some new members... get out there and hold up a sign each day on the bridge or something! :lol:

[bdraw]

Ben
get in contact with that guy and lets make sure he knows about the site and has some cards to give out! 90%! that should be good for some new members... get out there and hold up a sign each day on the bridge or something! :lol:

I did tell him about the site.

We were talking and he couldn't believe that I knew how to get into the service menu. He kept saying "It sure is nice to talk to someone who understands what I am saying" I told him about this site and that he should check it out. He said "If all our customers went to that site it should would save me alot of service calls" He said that most people on Harbor Island don't have a clue. He gave them the same explanation as he gave me and they kept telling him it didn't make sense. I have to say it is frustrating, but at least I know what the problem is and can quit thinking it is on my end. I just hope they fix it soon.

[Max_Gator]

After numerous trips by BHN, they ultimately rewired my main line. That didn't fix my problem, though.

What did fix my regular recurring drops was changing the Monster Cable splitter that I was using. Now I only get infrequent problems.

I am a bit embarassed that I didn't figure out the problem sooner. The reason I didn't, however, is that the techs that came out said there was no problem whatsoever with the signal coming to the box - so I didn't think there was any reason to suspect a problem.

Turns out that once I got a good tech to come out, he was able to detect that the signal was locking and then unlocking at the box. We still couldn't figure out that there was anything interally wrong because when he tested the signal before the box (and after the splitter) it remained perfect.

As a last ditch effort, he placed an order to have my line replaced (they had already done everything to confirm that there was no issue "outside."

After that didn't work, I was reorganizing my ent. center and doing some testing and thought "Hmmmm - let me run the line direct from the wall to the box" and "voila" it worked.

Better problem solving and testing on my part would have saved me months of aggravation.

[bdraw]

What did fix my regular recurring drops was changing the Monster Cable splitter that I was using. Now I only get infrequent problems.


What are these infrequent problems?

On Sunday I was trying to watch football and the drop outs were so bad that I finally called. Then I had no problems at all till wednesday. Sometimes I get them once per hour sometimes once per second, and it seems to change day from day.

I live in an apartment complex that was built 2 years ago, I have one spliter in my apartment that splits the incomeing line to my Tv's. The spliter has 3 outlets. One has less signal loss than the other two. I have the 3db loss sent to my Pace box the 7db loss to my cable modem and TV in the bedroom.

I have a friend who lives in the same building as me( about 150 apartments per building) His line does not come from the same box in the courtyard as mine does. He has the same drop outs and they seem to occur less frequently, but they are there when mine is.

The wires and spliter in my apartment are cheap, I have alreayd replaced the one spliter that I am using. I think I will replace the connectors on the existing wire and see if that helps.

My signal seems to be fine according to the service menu, but in the service menu there is also a place to see the errors in the data and when my drop outs are bad the erros are high. These errors only occur on the HD channels, if I switch to a normal digital channel the error number is 0.

To read yours go into the service menu by holding down the select button in the middle of the channel and volume button on the front of the pace box till the mail box shows up above the time. Then hit info, use the channel button to go to page 4 of 17. On the right about 1/3 down is your S/N, and another signal. (I can't remember I am not at home right now) Those numbers should be white if they signal is too low the color will change to yellow. About 2/3 down is a number that say block errors(I think) this number should be zero. On my HD channels this number is never below 80, and when the drop outs are bad it is ~300.

When I get home I will edit this post.

[Max_Gator]

Yes, that is how the BHN guy checked. I was getting no errors but the signal was locking and unlocking. It's the field that is in the upper third on the right hand column.

That's what was so strange for me - no errors but I was getting dropouts.

In my area, there are no known problems unlike yours. So, I'm not sure my experience is much help.

I didn't check to see if I was getting errors on Sunday but I was getting some dropouts during one of the games.

That was the first I had seen of the drops since I replaced my splitter.

I know how aggravating it is.

[gmclaughlin]

We've had a similar discussion at times over in Orlando, and you need to rule out dropout that are present in the original signal, either from the Network to the broadcaster, or the broadcaster's own output.

We did that by organizing a test in which people on the thread logged dropouts seen during a particular show -- both OTA and BHN users.

Jaymer -- do you want to organize this?

BTW, we found that 90% + of the dropouts were coming from the original signal. But let's try an original test and find out.

[jaymer]

hi greg, ya, we could prolly organize something here.

recently, i have seen "dropouts" on a few shows and thought it strange since the source was cable. i'm unsure what these other guys "see" when the dropout occurs... for me, the last 2 times i remember were an almost instant "hiccup" where the picture froze and instantly resumed with that blockiness (or some say "macro-blocking") look that we usually see when the OTA signal has been messed up. But in the last 10 hours of BHN viewing, I've only had this hiccup twice... certainly no where near the "every 30-seconds issue"

I don't watch TV on Sat, and
Alias is a repeat this week on Sunday.
Monday is Vegas, but thats OTA and
Tuesday I don't watch any TV.
Wed is UPN OTA and Angel OTA, Smallville is non HD and The OC is on DirecTivo.
Next Thursday I'm away, but normally Threat Matrix and CSI would be a good test... and back to
Friday is Stargate on SciFi (non HD)


So I'm not really the best guy to organize during "my shows"... but if we want to pick some specific shows or a discovery or inhd program where we could all check it out at a specific time, then I'm down with that.

[millerman101]

gmclaughlin , over here in clearwater they have started noticing the dropouts more since the upgrade, but only with the pace boxes.. I havent seen anyone complain about it with the SA HD box

[Islander]

Greetings from Clearwater Beach............

I can relate with you guys concerning audio drops and video break-up, "tiling" as the BHN techs call it, I have had those same problems since Oct/03. BHN has changed the Pace550 three times, replaced the cable from the pole to the box, adjusted tuners, nodes, amplifiers, and taps, and the problem remains. They even ran a direct line from the pole to the box and still have the problems. I know I've had 10 service calls, we even replaced the Pace box with the SA HD box, same...no change..... :twisted: I am at my wits end with these guys...maybe I should go elsewhere for service...maybe dish or direct........frustration is at an all time high... :? maybe they should stop running SA software on Pace boxes or better yet, buy better boxes!!!

Fuming at the Beach :!:

[millerman101]

islander, most people here I dont think are having the tiling issue, just some audio drop outs that have risen as of late.. And you cant just change software throughout the whole system because one person is having problems. Works fine here most of the time

[Islander]

millerman101...I think you are missing my point.......when you are using company "x" software from one vendor and applying it to company "y" hardware and believe that there will be a perfet mesh of technologies, that would be a perfect world. As we all know the better product does not always win out when it comes to quality and performance....I'm sure BHN did not choose Pace because they were the cheapest and best...I have heard many horror stories from techs on the quality and reliability of the Pace boxes, so I don't consider myself the only one with problems with BHN and their products or services.

Until BHN solves their internal issues, this forum will thrive....

Islander

[Max_Gator]

Islander -

Are your audio/video drops regular?? Do you have a splitter before the signal gets to the box?

If they are, I would replace any splitter and see what happens. You can read above about my experience.

[Islander]

Max_Gator............we have replaced everything from the pole to the plug...like I said, we ran a direct line from the pole, bypassing all splitters, ground blocks, etc to the box atop my RPTV and still the errors persist....I am, even today (1/26), waiting to hear back from BHN concerning these issues........

Islander

[jaymer]

hey Islander,
well, its certainly tough luck you are having.
i think you'll be quite happy with the BHN setup once its fixed...

how often are you having these problems?
one or twice during any given 1hr show?
and is it am immediate "blip" or do you lose significant dialog if someone is speaking?

jaymer...

[gmclaughlin]

Islander,

PM me your name and account information and I'll push it to the engineers.

[Islander]

Jaymer.....................I get approx. 4-5 audio and/or tiling occurences per hour, doesn't matter which dig. channel it's on....I lose 2-3 words in dialog and maybe 1/2 second when the tiling occurs, while the minimal audio/video loss is not the paramount issue, besides being an annoyance while trying to enjoy HD programming, it's the fact that I am paying premium prices and not getting premium service.

I would be satisfied if everyone said that occasional drops and tiling are normal in digital service, but I haven't gotten that impression from these forums or the service techs that I've spoken to.

Maybe someday..............


Islander

[jaymer]

Islander... oh no, I'm not trying to minimize the issue. Hey, its all relative... I, personally, would hate ANY loss of signal (which sometimes, unfortunately, I have with OTA and it drives me CRAZY) during a favorite show. What you're experiencing is just as bad as what I get on WB via OTA... for no apparent reason, just outright hiccups (same as you described or worse) in the middle of Smallville/Angel. Absolutely drives me crazy. My wife on the other hand says "its only TV - don't cuss in front of the kids" :)

So yes, for paying a ton of money and having this isolated malfunction would start to wear on me as well. Fortunately, Greg will look into some things on your behalf - he's a good guy... and hopefully some monetary adjustment may come your way someday to offset the disruptions you've experienced. As I said before, once its resolved you'll be happy.

[playingthrough]

:evil: Im so tired of watching digital cable ( at a high premium ) only to have to put up with audio drop outs and video pixualiation. Ive noticed that as the later in the evening it get the more dropouts i experance, around 11:30 pm and later it gets really bad. i know from reading all the comments from TampaHDTV members that we all cant be having bad spliters or anything else at the end of the signal. This has to be a source problem either with the laters software installment for the pace box ( thats when i noticend my troubles ). We as a collective should be able to get to the root of this problem. Im tired of watching a thriller movie just about to reviel the killer only to have the audio drop out and not here how it was. Im paying just short of $100.00 a month for cable ( Road Runner not included ) in Manatee County not to get better service or a good explanation of whats going on. IM MAD AS HELL AND I WONT PUT UP WITH IT. :twisted:

[bdraw]

:evil: Im so tired of watching digital cable ( at a high premium ) only to have to put up with audio drop outs and video pixualiation. Ive noticed that as the later in the evening it get the more dropouts i experance, around 11:30 pm and later it gets really bad. i know from reading all the comments from TampaHDTV members that we all cant be having bad spliters or anything else at the end of the signal. This has to be a source problem either with the laters software installment for the pace box ( thats when i noticend my troubles ). We as a collective should be able to get to the root of this problem. Im tired of watching a thriller movie just about to reviel the killer only to have the audio drop out and not here how it was. Im paying just short of $100.00 a month for cable ( Road Runner not included ) in Manatee County not to get better service or a good explanation of whats going on. IM MAD AS HELL AND I WONT PUT UP WITH IT. :twisted:

I agree I am going to start a thread, and every time there is a drop out I will report it. We will see if it is in the signal or our segment.