Audio Problems Continue....HDPVR

[weehaggis]

I changed my HDPVR this morning...again.
What I am experiencing is this sporadic audio buzz,glitch (the audio cuts out for a couple of seconds). The video sometimes slightly glitches and pixelizes as well.
It only seems to be with HD channels. I had a 8642 (twice) and now have an older 8300. They all do the same.
I starting thinking it was the cable itself (a direct line from the Rogers outside box) but i proved this not to be the problem by temporarily connecting my HD Box (not PVR that I normally have in the bedroom) and it works perfectly fine.
Any thoughts or suggestions ?
Thanks

[57]

Different boxes can require different signal strength. Have you measured your signal strength and S/N ratio? If it's marginal or too strong, there's your problem. It's highly unlikely that several PVRs would all be "bad". Check your various connections inside the home to make sure there's not an issue there or with splitters, etc. Temporarily remove any splitters inside the home.

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

[weehaggis]

Thanks 57.
I will go into diagnostic page and review.
Do you know what the minimum or average signal strength or S/N ratio should be for an 8300 ?
Thanks

[57]

Outlined in the FAQ.

[weehaggis]

i checked several 1080i stations and the level is -2 to -4 dBMV.
The S/N is either 35 or 36 dB.
Am I wrong in saying that these numbers seem OK ?
(-10 to +10 with zero being optimum............ 35dB or higher OK for S/N)
Thanks

[57]

Yes, those numbers seem OK. Were you getting the glitches with these signal strengths? Sometimes the signal can fall at night or when it's cold (or windy) - indicating a possible problem in the outside line on the street or to your home. Check your signal when you're encountering the problem and perhaps also call Rogers at the time it's happening.

[mr shady]

is it happing more on hd channels? or sd? lower or higher channels this is a common issue with high band channels if you have to book a tech out make sure the appt is booked for the time the issue happens all to often reps book a tech in the morning when it is a night issue techs cant do anything @ these time because they cant see the issue to fix it!

[weehaggis]

The problem is only with high band channels.
(eg: 522 ....which is subbed by 519 and 514 ).
I record a show every weekday at 3pm on 522 and at 6-30pm on 514).
Both of these shows experience the same issues.
Thx

[57]

514 is often one of the first channels with issues when there is a marginal signal problem. I checked the QAM of 519 and it's fairly low, so that shouldn't be an issue. Record/watch channel 527 instead of 522?

Good Luck. Perhaps if you record the problem and show it to a tech when he's there? See if the issue also happens on those channels earlier in the day and then set a recording and ask for an appointment around that time.

[weehaggis]

Something new I discovered.
I went down to the basement and looked at the entry point.
The previous house owner has installed a Nextech line amplifier on the line going to my main TV )and PVR).
I unplugged the cable and plugged it into a 1 into 3 splitter (that was also in the house when I moved). The main incoming cable is the input and my PVR and Internet cable are the two output cables (the third output is unused).
On checking the PVR and TV (after bypassing amp), the readings are -12dBMV (in orange) and S/N is 33......but some channels have a slight shuddering up and down. If I plug the amp back in the readings are -10 and 34 and the shuddering stops. I intentionally chose the 522 channel which was broadcasting in 1080i.

[57]

I asked you to do that in post 2... The amp only adds 2dB? Makes little sense. A 3-way splitter loses more than a 2 way - do you have a two way? Try a direct connection as a test using a barrel connector (almost no loss) and get rid of that Nextech - Have Rogers install a proper amp or wire it for no amp with proper splits, signal levels, etc.

[57]

The main incoming cable is the input and my PVR and Internet cable are the two output cables (the third output is unused).

Makes no sense since you say you have another STB - unless it's fed from elsewhere. The internet split may be upstream of that and should be and should certainly be upstream of any amp.

[weehaggis]

My mistake.
I now have all three outputs in use (PVR,Internet and Hd Box)
Thanks

You did mention in Post 2 about splitters etc....but its only tonight i discovered them above the electrical panel in the utility room.To be honest.I really thought the Rogers guys had run in a home run cable....but in fact it was not the case.
I have completely removed the amp from the wiring and tested on a show tonight on 514. It did happen two or three times during the one hour show.....but no where near the number of times this afternoon during the recording on 522.
I am going to try a direct connection with a barrel connector at the next opportunity as an experiment.

[57]

If you're running all three off the same splitter, this is the incorrect way to wire internet. The internet should be the first split with the other split off the 2-way splitter going to any TV connections - which could be other splitters as necessary. As I recommended earlier, you should have Rogers in to do this wiring properly and check all the signals (perhaps after your experiment)

[weehaggis]

Thanks again,
Today was even worse. Completely unwatchable.
It was freezing and glitching every 10 seconds.
Checked diagnostics. Orange numbers all over the place .
Since this is the same connections I had as last night, time of day definitely makes a difference. HD Box in bedroom is still rock solid.
the internet is also flawless (no matter where I hook up the coax).
The first thing I am going to is go back to the 8642 (even when I was having my original problems with it....it wasn;t anywhere as bad as what I'm experiencing with the 8300). I guess different boxes do run differently with the same dBMV and S/N coming in.

**UPDATE**
I finally found an 8642 available (3 other Rogers stores I called had none......and they didn't know when they were getting them).
It is a 500G model.
I hooked it up and it works perfect....at least for live TV.
I will be recording two shows tomorrow. Time will tell whether I was successful or not.