90981 is the Ticket or Incident number ('Incident' is the Shaw lingo for it and gets their attention) we should be quoting when calling Shaw to report/complain about the audio problems on their HD channels. Everyone having the HD audio drops should be asking to have their call added to this Incident #. By quoting this Incident number, you may eliminate a lot of misunderstanding by inexperienced CSRs and subsequently, reduce some stress for yourself. I thought it might be handy to have it's own thread as it can get lost in the original 'Sound drops' thread: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=73915

Out of curiosity, and to check my source inside Shaw, can everyone and anyone who has used this Incident number please post a short note saying so? Everyone could just copy and paste the following and just add your details:

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported:
Date(s): (approx. if you can't remember)
Location: (city or general region)


If you haven't used it yet, please do not post here. This thread is intended as info only rather than discussion. As people continue to report their problems quoting this number and reporting it here, this should stay active and be a handy reference for all.

Thanks.

Funny you mention it. Just yesterday I was browsing the other thread and looking for that incident number. Took me bloody 10 minutes to find it.

That was second time I called Shaw about this problem, just to keep them on their toes. First CSR just gave me their song&dance about signal being too low and wanted to send technician. He wouldn't accept that it's widespread problem, and yada, yada, yada.

That's when I went looking for this incident number and called immediately back. Got lady who knew about it, and she read aloud latest entries from that incident. Last entry was dated Feb 12, 2008 and indicates that they still don't know what's causing it. She "thinks" they are working with Motorola but wasn't sure.

Number of times reported: 1
Date(s): Feb 20, 2008
Location: Edmonton

I was told the issues on some of the HD channels have been resolved and that they are expecting another update by Feb 28 to (hopefullly) to fix the issue.

I also asked for a credit due to the audio drops and was given a 2 month credit for HD+.

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: 1
Date(s): Feb 20, 2008
Location: Calgary, AB

Have phoned in about the audio drops a number of times throughout 2007 and just last month but didn't know about the incident number.

So I phoned in, they took down my info with the incident number and asked where I got it from (digitalhome.ca). The lady just said thank you and they will escalate it to a high level. Forgot to ask for any sort of credit. I'll phone back in a week to report it again.

I would suggest all the people from the test group phone in and anyone and everyone else for that matter.

Just so everyone knows, this Incident # has been sent to Engineering several weeks ago. So, if you are told that it 'will be escalated', you can let the CSR know it is already an Engineering issue. That should surprise them. It would also mean they aren't looking at the actual Incident # on their screen so ask them to pull it up and see what it really says.

Let's hope it will be solved by the end of the month.

Be sure to ask for a Credit and thanks for reporting it here.

Number of times reported: 1
Date(s): Feb 22, 2008
Location: Kamloops, BC

Reported it this morning. Once she popped open the incident # she seemed to recognize it. Thanked me and added me to the incident.

But yes, you have to ask about a credit because they don't offer it unless you do. But they are pleasant about it after you do. :)

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: 1 so far
Date(s): Since January first, that is when i got the unit.
Location: Surrey, BC
This has been driving us nuts. We thought it was our receiver or tv both of which are new.
Lost 20 minutes of NCIS on Tuesday. Tonight it is HD 203, Fox West.
Dorothy (tech support ) told me that they are going to do something by the 25th of this month to try and solve the problem. Something to do with the signal from the "store".
No credit from tech support, next time I will call customer service.

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: 3 now
Date(s): Dec'07, 15Jan'08, 23Feb'08
Location: Calgary, AB

CSR today had never heard of this problem and said she had no access to 'tech support #s' (strange as other CSRs have looked at it). Asked for and received HD Plus credit as my account history has all the needed details.

Am I the only one that is still experiencing this on non HD as well?

I get the same problems, I don't record alot of those, but discovery (32) I have the issue as well as others.

I have seen some minor issues with the same type of sound drops on SD channels and it could be the fact that it is the same source and is converted at the head end, maybe.

But, as suggested in Post #1 of this thread, please keep comments here to specific ones about reporting this problem and post all other comments in the original Sound Drops on Shaw thread.

Thanks for everyone's understanding.

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: Once
Date(s): Mid-February, 2008
Location: Abbotsford, BC

This was after some horrendous dropouts and blackouts on at least three different HD channels. Lately I haven't noticed as much, but the weather has been spectacular and my TV intake is way down :cool:

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: Once
Date(s): February 25 2008
Location: Calgary, AB

I just phoned and reported the same thing was happening to me. I'm on hold right now. They say the problem is solved, but need to reset my dct. I doubt it will help but said go ahead. They are going to refund one week for each month its happened (or 1/4) * 3 months. Well I guess the call was worth it for 3 weeks of free cable. If the problem lasts another month, I'll phone for another 25% discount.

Well after holding for a few minutes, they came back and said they can't reset my dct as they are having a computer problem right now. They said maybe to call back tomorrow and they can reset it if the problem still reoccurs.

Has anybody else had the problem fixed by Shaw resetting (rebooting) their DCT?

Tried to edit previous post, but was past the hour limit.....

OK, now that didn't go so well. The 3 weeks of free cable maybe wasn't worth it. About 20 minutes after I hung up with the first call my PVR crashed. I think that maybe the reset they tried to do finally went through. Unfortunately it didn't come back up and I couldn't do anything with it. None of the channels were there, all of the PVR functions were disabled and I couldn't even watch recorded shows. I called them back to report this problem and was on hold for approx 15 minutes. In the mean time I tried unplugging the box. That didn't help. Talked to a guy at Shaw and he tried sending a couple more resets. First one gave an error quickly and then the second one just kind of hung up and he didn't get a response back until it timed out. He said it was a problem with their system and they would call me back tomorrow. I asked him to try and reset it once more before he went off shift at 1:00 AM (wonder if that is MST or PST or what). Hopefully its back up in the morning so my wifes soap opera get recorded. ;-)

So the moral of the story is that the sound drop outs aren't as bad as having no digital cable or PVR at all. It feels so primitive watching my old 32" analog JVC with no dvr functions or even the program guide. D'oh How did I manage 2 short years ago...........

Has anybody else had the problem fixed by Shaw resetting (rebooting) their DCT?

The PVR option takes at least 15-45 minutes to come back. The rest of your experience is something I know all too well.

Anyways, I phoned in tonight.

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: Once
Date(s): Feb 25, 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: 2
Date(s): 3 weeks ago, tried for 2 more complaints but gave up holding
Location: Vancouver

Im wondering if a class action suite could be in order. The way I look at it we are not getting the service we pay for. I have called many times, all I get is "Our engineers are working on the problem."

Reported same problem as Incident #90981
Number of times reported: 1
Date: March 1
Location: Calgary

Does the CRTC log complaints like this? If so, Shaw MUST respond to the complaint, and then you've also logged the issue with the CRTC. Just a thought.

Gord

There is a rather lengthy process to register complaints with the CRTC but it is something that is being looked at and the better the record of problems, the better chance we have of being taken seriously.

Please log your reports to Shaw here.

Thanks.