Multiple Rogers HD Channels Black Because of Lobby Camera Channel Frequency

[NR4250]

Hey, guys. I live in a condo in Richmond Hill which includes Rogers digital cable service. Months ago when the OWNHD (590) channel launched, I noticed that it would show a black screen every time I tried to tune in. I didn't really care much for that channel so I decided to ignore the issue. Just recently, however, Rogers launched the HMUCH (592) channel and it's experiencing the same problem. According to the technical QAM information on page 5 of my Scientific Atlanta 4250's diagnostic screen, these two channels are failing to lock in but are on the 435.000 MHz frequency. I noticed that and called up Rogers technical support who booked a technician to visit my apartment earlier today. The technician didn't find any problems with the wiring in my apartment and actually thought that the problem was related to my box although he didn't have another HD box with him to test with. I had my doubts about his theory, however, and after he left I decided to tune in to my building's lobby watch channel (998) and I noticed that it too runs on the exact same frequency but in analog mode instead of digital. I'm now certain that this must be what's causing the problems with these new HD channels. The technician will make a return visit tomorrow evening with another HD box but is there a solution through which I can receive the lobby watch channel and the new new HD channels or am I going to have to settle for one or the other?

[alebowgm]

You can't even settle for one or the other, your stuck with the lobby channel.

[ruben308]

I live in a condo in Thornhill and have the exact same problem. I have a 4250HD box and a Cisco 4642HD box, therefor the your boxes are not at fault. Our lobby channel is inoperative so it may not be the cause in my case. If you remember we had a similar problem when Rogers introduced Global West and HistoryHD. Black screens, but were eventually corrected. The technician did the same tests when I complained about OWNHD back in March.

[NR4250]

The technician returned to my apartment a couple of days after his initial visit with a Cisco HD cable box but encountered the same problem with his receiver. He then made a visit to the building's cable room and tried it directly from there but it was the same result on channels 590 and 592. There wasn't anything he could do about this apparently lobby channel conflict so he contacted his manager to request that a maintenance technician look in to the matter. I'll update you guys if / when the problem ultimately gets resolved.

[Jaymeister]

This is an old issue, but apparently without resolution still. I was experiencing the same issues with 590 and 592, but it really became a problem when we got W HD on 596 and suddenly my wife became interested in getting this fixed. So I called Rogers, and despite my insistence that this had to do with lobby camera frequency, they sent a technician who spend over an hour checking signal strengths and the things they usually check for. He finally reached the conclusion that I might be right, but the issue was not in his knowledge base. A couple of days later, I heard from someone at Rogers acknowledging that this had to do with the lobby cam (which itself doesn't work on the 4642 and 8642), but it is something that has to be resolved literally building by building so it could take quite some time. I don't know if this has been resolved for NR4250 but I imagine there are a whole lot of other people affected who have just not bothered to complain about it.

[bigoranget]

The problem could be easily solved by Rogers not using the frequency that is occupied by lobby cams.

On my cable system, channel 75 is reserved for lobby cams. I live in a residential house. There is absolutely nothing on this frequency.

[alebowgm]

Except different units use different lobby cam stations...

[Humbar]

I've noticed some buildings at least where a relative of mine lives, Rogers has digitized the lobby cam and moved the frequency. It comes in on 988 in digital, i think the frequency was 99 mhz. Maybe they will resolve this eventually. maybe that building is a test case and they will offer it in other buildings. If you look in the IPG there are 4 Lobby cam test channels below 998.

[ruben308]

Add 596 to my "Black" channels!

[mr shady]

cisco boxes wont work with lobby channels ! neither will pace boxes 1840's or 940 none of these are anolgue capable !

[Jaymeister]

cisco boxes wont work with lobby channels ! neither will pace boxes 1840's or 940 none of these are anolgue capable !

Which is all the more reason why digital channels shouldn't be occupying the same frequency as the the analogue lobby camera signals. As mentioned by ruben308, this was an issue for some channels (History HD, etc.) a couple of years ago but Rogers somehow fixed it back then. Why they would make the same mistake again with these other channels is beyond me.

[Humbar]

This whole thing is kind of stupid. Could they not have placed those affected channels on their SDV platform instead of annoying customers like this, or is their a mis-communication going on inside Rogers. Is it possible that whomever is responsible for allocating bandwidth didn't realize their would be a problem using that frequency???

[m3repair]

I am just curious to know as if anyone has had this problem corrected yet, a few posts ago someone had mentioned that in a previous instance the issue was fixed, have Rogers worked to a solution at this time for those missing those HD channels that are allocated for the security camera?

[Jaymeister]

I've still got the black channels at my place. Yes, there was a time when the same problem existed on History HD and Global Vancouver HD, and that was corrected in a lot less time than the current problem is taking.

[ruben308]

Has anyone got an update to this anomaly? As of March 1st this condition still exists for me.