MoreHD channel blacks out

[DeanN]

Has anybody encountered MoreHD channel blacks out? (Ch 311 and Ch 536 in Ottawa.) Normal reception of HD Ch 310 and Ch 537.

[57]

Have you checked your signal strength on that channel?

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

[LeadFoot]

I lost 2 channels yesterday as well (513-CBCHD and 515-GlobalHD in Woodstock). When I checked my signal strength, I found it marginal (level -7 to -11, S/N 32 to 34). On the 2 channels I lost (which were on the same frequency, 103.000 Mhz) the S/N ratio had dropped to 26 to 27 when locked in but would not stay locked in (black screen). Since I live in an appartment, I had Rogers in today to check it out. The service guy confirmed the signal on the line to my appartment was low. Since I only use the 1 TV, I had him disconnect the 2 bedrooms which brought the signal up enough to solve the problem. I guess I could have asked him about an amp but since at this time I don't need it I didn't bother.

[otown47]

I checked MoreHD this afternoon and it was fine.

[Beef]

When certain channels black out like that, you should suspect low RF levels on your cable feed. Call Rogers to a service call.

B

[DeanN]

Thank you for your all responds and help. I did check the signal strength, then inserted a booster, channel 311 was back! However because I don't have another drop amplifier and my cable line shared with the internet, my internet stopped working! I'm looking for a second drop amplifier... Rogers already installed one when I switched to HDTV service. It worked well for a couples of months, but now it doesn't work any more. I don't know why although I haven't changed anything in my cable configurations...

[57]

You should split the internet first using a two way splitter and then put the amp downstream of that splitter for the TVs only. Broadband should not go through the amp. Make sure the amp is bi-directional and rated for 5-1000 MHz for the TVs, STBs.

Make sure you check all your connections by unscrewing and rescrewing, etc.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19694

[farr38]

I am having problems with CBC HD, RSN HD and sometimes Raptors HD. CBC and RSN grey out on one TV mostly. A second TV gets problems with HD channels intermittently. I swapped the HD PVR and the 3250 and get the same symtoms in reverse. I have called Rogers numberous times and they say they replaced the antenna (drop) to the pole but it does not look that way. When I call they say the signal was fine. Sometimes I feel like scrapping my 1000$ investment in receivers and switching to Bell. This has been going on since october.

[57]

Have you checked the signal strength yourself (post 2) when you have these problems? Sometimes the problems can be intermittent as you say and when you call, things could be fine, however, check the strength yourself and see.

[DeanN]

Thanks 57.
I called Rogers and they sent a technician to my house. He checked signal strength at the Rogers' inlet in the basement and my TVs in upstairs, and found the signal strenght was normal at the inlet and was weak in cable outlets in upstairs. So he made suggestion to hire an electrician to rewire all the in-house cable lines (sure with my pocket because he told me Rogers won't do that!) After the technician left, I decided to check cable lines point-by-point by myself. Finally I found the weak point and I replaced one segment of cable. Now all are working well. I would like to say I still keep the same configuration (High-speed internet and cable TV through one drop amp, that shouldn't be like that as you said)at the mean time until I plan to rewire in the summer.

[Widster]

These blank HD channels sound like the problem I am having. Most of my HD channels are OK, 5 or 6 are suddenly blank. I checked the QAM settings (pg5) to look at the signal strength and noticed that these blank channels are "unlocked". Rogers tech support tell me that this means that the STB (3250HD) is deffective and I have to send it back.

[raylee11]

i posted this in another thread this afternoon.

i had lost hd abc (527) and cbs (528) a couple of months ago. tech came and replaced old cable. he told me that rogers was messing around with the frequencies and problems showing up in old london. took a day or two, but corrected. now i've lost hd score (507) and pbs (530, 525) for the past week. finally got a chance to call rogers, and csr says she's "sending a note" to the techs. apparently others are having the same problem. she said to wait 24 to 48 hours for them to check things and i will receive a call. i noticed that the frequency for both lost channels is only 97 mHz and "unlocked"...just like before. i guess i'll wait to see what happens, or is my box defective too?

[raylee11]

does rogers deserve credit? 507, 525 and 530 back in service this afternoon. did someone really do something, or did it just come back? no phone call tho.

[raylee11]

no more credit, cause channels are gone again around dinner time. i did wonder if it possibly related to cold. this all started when london got its white easter. might be coincidental but channels worked this afternoon when it was finally warmern, and then failed again when it was cold. might indicate problems with outside connections?

[Widster]

The cable tech guy just left. First he replaced my RG59 with RG6. That helped me to get back HD CBC and HD Global. But I was still without HD PBS and HD SCORE. Next he checked my soggy backyard and discovered that my underground line was wet. He ran a new line from the tap in the neighbour's yard to my house and I now get all HD channels. Further, the signal at the tap is extremely low and someone needs to come back to work on it. A crew still has to come back to bury the line but I am getting the channels I should.

I am still bewildered at the response I got from the Rogers tech support guy on the phone when I first called with the problem. Repeating from my earlier post he said that when the channel is "unlocked" that means that the software in the STB is corrupt and needs to be returned. Brutal service on that end.