I am sure you are correct. They can't fix it.
But....but...but...it's Canada's most advanced PVR!!!!!!

It's idiotic. They used the UPS/surge protection, reset argument with the 530 and then THEY finally got it to work fairly well. How much later and with the "latest and greatest" they are training their reps to use the same arguments. Why are they wasting a customer's time with removing surge protection, reboot, factory reset. This is not a joke it's criminal the way they are doing this.

Just back from an extended vacation and over 50% of the recordings on SD channels looked at so far(used SD rather than HD while away to ensure enough space on the 630's) have "some" to "unwatchable" pixellation problems. Good job Shaw!(sarcasm!)
BTW they weren't pixellated on my cheap laptop recordings in the RV or while watching live in the RV on the other dish.

just to add to this never ending pixelation problem, I have a 75cm dish peaked to the max with my super buddy, 14+ ebno 99% signal on almost every tp. the lowest being 12+ yes both birds.
4 lines into a 4x8 6 out. 1 630. to get to my point. I've never seen pixelation with this setup nor can i purposely create it trying every combination i've seen on here.....just food for thought. i know i'm only 1 guy but a qiuck guess would make me think i either have a rare well working 630 or the people with this problem have sub par set-ups.

Come on out to BC and give me those readings and we'll see. Don't think they're ppossible toward the Wet coast.:rolleyes:

I also have never had pixellation other than just before they cut out due to weather .. a couple of times a year.

My signal strength is in the 80 - 90 range and ecb around 10.

So it may be hardware related and not firmware. I've got 2 x 630s when they were first released.

I also have never had pixellation other than just before they cut out due to weather .. a couple of times a year.

My signal strength is in the 80 - 90 range and ecb around 10.

So it may be hardware related and not firmware. I've got 2 x 630s when they were first released.
Pixelation is related to the interaction between the tunners and depends on what channel each tunner is set at one moment.So depending of your watching habits you may see it more or less. But if for example you record every week two shows at the same time on two channels which have the problem you will get the problem every week.It's hard to say if it's hardware or firmware, and the latest firmware update made it better but did not eliminate it. I don't think there is any hardware revision done for 630 so it's not something you don't have, just most likely you watch usually channels which don't interact.

Just to mention the other problems after our return. A few reboots and a few blank hour long programs recorded on at least two separate days. I don't think the black/blank recording is strength of signal related.
Oh well, some stuff was watchable and I do enjoy the HD when it works.
Looking forward to the new releAse.....whenever!

Watching 2 hockey games (flipping back and forth) - channels 292 & 484 (both HD).
All was fine from 7pm to 9pm until the recording of 'House' on channel 287 (HD) started in the background at 9pm. Now I'm getting the sound/video dropouts everyone has been reporting every minute or so.
I know we're all aware of this and it's due to a conflict with the channels, but thought I would add my experience. This issue really should be resolved by now.
I'm interested to see if my recording is poor too.

Update to my problems. We got a blank hour long recording tonight and other pixellation on current recording so I called customer service. Trying to blame signal 96 and ECBno 8.7 . After the usual bunch of stuff, then I was walked through a factory reset and the pvr did not come back!!!!!
Later I tried a front panel and it finally came back. As a side note, neither the CS or tech were a pleasure to deal with, although my frustration had a small part in that. I could discuss the incompetence and script following but that's another thread, I imagine.
Anyway a service call is scheduled and we'll see.

Recorded Flashpoint tonight @ 8 est on 293. Also recorded Adler at the same time on 517. Started to watch Flashpoint at 8:30 and it was pixelated so badly it was almost unwatchable. I was so PO'd that I sent a rather nasty note to whoever wants to read it @ Shaw. I've just about had it with this lame 630. I'm on my FOURTH one! Has anyone tried to call tech support lately? I've never had the callback option in 2 months. I've actually sat with speaker phone on for over 2 hours waiting for someone to answer. All the time listening to inane blurbs about how 'valued' I was as a customer etc etc. and that they'd be with me 'in just a moment'.

I think they're in deep doodoo right now. This albatross 630 is theirs and theirs alone. I'm sure there are people literally tearing their hair out right now, trying to figure this thing out. Time is running out.

Have you seen their facebook page? Look at "Friend Activity".....No friend activity found. Do ya think?

My 630 dual records from the start of Primetime for about 4-5 hours, 5 nights a week. I have none of the problems listed here since the firmware update. None.

what firmware update?

I also noticed that lately recorded shows are pixelated... I dont see that kind of problem with live TV so I dont know if its the channel, if its the recording or the playback that is the problem.

I have a 1TB HD installed and its full, Im wondering if that could be the cause of the pixelation. I'm going to do some experiments with it.

Just a question for those of you still having pixelation, do you have the LOD (Live on disc) enabled or disabled?

I have a 1TB HD installed and its full, Im wondering if that could be the cause of the pixelation.
It's quite likely. Leave at least 10% of any disk free at all times. Filling a hard drive beyond 90% can seriously impact it's performance.

Just a question for those of you still having pixelation, do you have the LOD (Live on disc) enabled or disabled?
I always have LOD on.
Also, I hadn't had pixelation problems sense the last update....until the other night.
It's a problem with conflicts between the channels which SD is aware of.

LOD always off. Replacement 630 on its way to me. since this one (of 2) won't record/playback anymore.

I've noticed a lot of problems with parental controls and other odd lockup bugs since the last update. It frequently shows up as channels being locked out that should not be (I only use channel locks, not ratings.) The PVR becomes unresponsive and must be rebooted. That's a PITA if shows are being recorded. When this happens, recordings can end up being broken (zero length) as well.

I've seen the breakups caused by conflicting channels as well. Recordings were switched to different channels and times to avoid conflicts but they still occurred.

Our receiver has been fairly good as of late, but there were a few oddities. One of the CSI's recorded with short gaps... and the progress meter was always blank except for a few sets of bars where the gaps were in the recording. When we finished watching, it showed as a broken episode.
And last night at 6 the timer kicked in for Warehouse 13 on Showcase while my wife was watching one of her shows... and the pixilation on her show started almost immediately. No options to change channels there.

I do miss SD 630 support on these forums... at least we knew that SD was aware of the issues and working towards a solution. Here it feels like we've been hung out to dry....

Here it feels like we've been hung out to dry....
Considering SD's history, we probably are. Shaw Direct has a long record of ignoring customer problems with receivers and HDTV. I fully expect them to abandon the 630 and it's owners any day by announcing a new HD PVR and making customers upgrade at their own expense. You just need to look at their miniscule HDTV lineup, HDTV technical issues and inaction on MPEG4 migration to see that. At one time, there was a thread that went on for several years and several hundred pages that detailed the same technical problems over and over. Some of those problems, dating back 8 years, describe dropouts and poorly encoded signals that still plague Shaw Direct customers.