Greetings all

I have been experiencing mostly unuseable service from all channels using the QUAMS in the 500-545 MHz range.

The signal strength on these channels is in spec and the Rogers tech tried everything including a new drop and replacing the slitter. The issue is on my alternate TV so we know it's not a PVR issue. (Actually the old SD box locks on the signal sooner and holds with high bit errors longer)

At times the FDC shows out of spec at -13 however 5 minutes later it's back to -2

The Rogers tech also tried moving my drop to a different tap and still the same so I assume it is an upstream issue however according to Rogers my neighbours do not have the problem. (I plan to do my own survey) They do see and acknowledge there is an issue however no indication of a fix date.

I record numerous programs on Dejaview as well as DiscoveryHD and rarely have a watchable recording.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues?

What's your S/N Ratio? What's your signal strength? If it varies a lot with time, there is some issue, perhaps a poor RF-Coax to the STB in question, which warms up and then gives a good electrical connection?

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719

This issue occurs on all 3 STB. 1 8300PVR and 2 old style SD boxes. Conenctors have all been reseated by me as well as the rogers guy today. he also put in a different splitter and changed the drop cable.

Signal levels are reasonable at -6 on to +5 QAM level (ch dependant) and an average of 32dB S/N. The FDC at the moment is -11 which is marginal however the SDV channels in use tonight are still acquired OK so I assume communication back to the node is OK.

It looks like an upstream issue so will await the word tomorrow after the Network guys check it out. Strange that only the QAM's in the 500-545 MHz range are effected. And when they go dead I loose FDC lock however signal levels remain constant. And of course tonight everything is playing properly.

I had a similar issue a couple of years ago. In my case it was a new Panasonic Dect 6 phone clobbering a small frequency range. I think it was 711 Mhz. The only channel at that frequency I watched was CNN. I still have the same problem, but since Rogers added CNN HD, it doesn’t affect me. I demoed the issue to a senior tech and he was surprised when I showed him that as I moved the phone base closer to the PVR that the unrecoverable error rate increased and when I entered the room with it the channel would unlock. You may have some electronic device in your area affecting 500-545 MHz.

Is there anything broadcasting over-the-air on channel 26 in Ottawa (digital or analog)? Perhaps, your issue is being caused be ingres.

Those sorts of ingress problems are usually solved when all the cabling and splitters are replaced with new stuff. I thought that was done in this particular case - perhaps not. The phone ingress issue happens with several types of phone, including 2.4 GHz - usually affecting one QAM, not that whole band, unless there is some massive ingress or massive interference from something in this home...

In my case, I believe it was interference. I discovered that when I stood in front of the PVR (my body between the PVR and phone base) the errors would reduce, but when I went back to the couch, the errors increased. Once I discovered this, I tried moving the phone base around the apartment, which didn’t help much. Finally I placed the phone base in the same room as the PVR but behind a very large brass lamp base. With a precise placement the errors were gone (lamp base directly inline between the phone and the PVR). Even a small misalignment and the errors would return.

I thought ingress however it was over 48 MHz of Spectrum. The good news is that Rogers Network people appear to have resolved the issue so Kudo's to their quick response. Signal levels are now about 3-4 dB higher and the S/N is 2dB higher so something upstream may have been right on the edge with those 8 QAM's.