[Wirelezz]

Update:

Last night's Olympic's opening ceremonies on CH83 NBCW - While much better than Thursday night's terrible reception, I'm still seeing the periodic "black out" phenomena. I called D* tech support @ 866-678-6664 (direct line, no menu's to navigate through) and was very surprised to hear that they haven't heard any reports on this problem. It would be helpful if other's experiencing this problem would call that # to complain so D* can log this. The D* CSR told me they never investigate a problem until they have a sufficient # of complaints... go figure!

I've also observed that when this "blackout" phenomenon occures my AV receiver (Rotel RSX-965), switches from Dolby Digital to Pro Logic and back again every time the screen blacks out, so it's not just a video problem, and at this point I don't think this is an HDMI problem either.

BTW this is also being discussed at the 'DTV with Tivo' forum:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=286019

"good.deal" who started that thread posted a link to a video clip of this "blackout" problem... check it out:
http://www.camping.arvixe.com/good-deals/hr10-250.MPG

 

[avdiscolo]

I've complained and they are sending me another unit. My case was escalated since a technician came out to my house and said my first unit was defective. The second unit had the same problem.

I got my first two units from Best Buy, and now the third one is coming directly from DirecTV.

I agree with Wirelezz, everyone else needs to report this problem.

 

[kjohnson913]

I get the blackouts on all the LD network channels (West Coast Feeds) and occasionally on the Fox News Channel. I agree with the one poster who said that the blackouts had slowed down, but the past few days on CBS and NBC have really been bad.

What is frustrating is that D* claims that they are not aware of this as a widespread problem and they keep putting me through their useless tech support process run by the greenest of the green.

I think they have a design problem with the HR10. I have another, non Tivo HD receiver and never have any blackout problems with it. Same dish, multiswitch and the cabling to this one is old. The cabling to my HR10 is all brand new, clean high quality cable runs. It's gotta be the receiver. I'm gonna get it replaced and if it doesn't fix the prblem, I guess I'll just have to live with the problem until they come out with the new HR20 and hope for the best or switch to cable.

 

[RonH54]

Man was about to get HD from Directv with the 250 DVR unit but not so sure now. I live in Ky. and I receive NYC and LA Networks(STD) andI have confirmed that I can get the NYC HD feeds turned on for viewing. I presently have the Directv Tivo unit and my wife records stuff constantly so I am really learly now of making the jump to HD DVR.

 

[Wirelezz]

One more update:

OK, I did an experiment last (Sat.) night to resolve once and for all if this problem is related to the HDMI output (it's not!). I connected my HR10 to my old Sony 32" CRT via the S-video cable and left the HDMI cable unplugged. I watched the Olympics on CH83 NBCW for an hour this way (in 480i mode) and yes, the periodic blackouts were still there, it didn't make any difference that I was viewing the picture on my old Sony CRT via the S-video cable. I would think this experiment would eliminate the HDMI output as being the culprit causing this blackout issue once and for all.

On a high note member MvM has posted that he was told by D* that 'they were aware of the issue and, "Just need a couple more days" to resolve it.' If this is true then I guess the issue is with D* and not with the HR10. One can only hope that this is true...

 

[khark]

The Olympics coverage last night had many of the blanks. I would go for a long time with no problem and then it might have 5 or 6 in a short time. Some of these were different than I have seen before, the picture would first go blocky before the picture blanked out.

I also watched the drag races on espn2HD last night and it didn't have any problems at all with blanking out.

 

[Ragsy]

Somebody please come up with a valid theory as to why some of us have these drop outs and pixellation and stutters with the HR10-250 while others with the same machine have no issues. I just cannot figure out what is going on. Could it be the TVs involved? Is it possible that certain TVs are having a problem with the HR10-250?? It is not an HDMI problem. It is not a signal problem. Since it occurs on both OTA and Satellite HD, it is not a satellite issue. It is not a cabling issue. IF it was a broadcast issue, everyone should be having the problem, not just some of us with the HR10-250. If D* was the culprit, why wouldn't everyone be having the problem. What does that leave as the possible problem??? Problem with certain TVs and the HR10-250? I have a Sony 32 inch CRT. I don't see anyone on the Sony chat sites complaining about this problem with similar TV. This problem is incredibly annoying. I know some say that the technology is very new so there will always be some problems, but that doesn't explain why this is such a problem with some of the HR10-250 units, while others seem to have no issues. One thing seems consistent. Once you have the problem, getting a replacement HR10-250 seems to do nothing to solve the problem. Direct TV saying they are now aware of the problem and it will be fixed in a few days sounds like an incredible longshot. This problem has been going on for well over a year now with no end it sight.

 

[TC_Greek]

My unit is only a few months old so I'm considering a return. It seemed to run fine for a month or so but for the last severa weeks I've been getting the same problem as everyone else. I have 2 other non HD Direct Tivo units ( 1 stock R10 and a modded Hughes HDVR). On these 2 units the modded one seems to run better than the stock R10. Is there a software upgrade recommended for the HR10 250?

 

[khark]

Last night I kept track of the dropouts while watching 1 hour of the Olympics on NBC, there were 5. Next I watched the Winternational drag races for 3 hours on espn2 HD and there were none.
Later I watched the next block of Olympics for about 3 hours and there were a bunch more, so many that I gave up counting. I think the main problem is NBC.

 

[FlopShot]

I've had my hr10-250 for almost 2 years and never had any momentary blackout issues until about 1 month ago. So it's definitely not related to a type of dish, or a recent hack installed. Unless a new version of software came down in the last month (which I don't recall reading about), it also is not software related IMHO. The only other thing I can think of is maybe the hard drive is finally starting to go bad, and hence every once in a while the software can't write something to the drive. My drives do seem to make a bit more noise when spinning than when they were brand new. Has anyone with this problem tried putting their hard drives thru SpinRite or some other "defrag" or "optimizing" program?

 

[Saabster]

I'm in Orange County, CA and get my HD Locals via D* I've noticed the audio/Video blackouts on ABC and CBS (only HD Local's we watch). I have not noticed it on my SD channel recordings.

I've got the HR10-250 running into my 50" Samsung DLP via HDMI and the audio running into my HT 7.1 receiver via TOS cable.

I'm planning on Getting an OTA antenna and seeing if that helps the matter, but after readiing this thread I don't have any real hopes for it.

Craig

 

[Gambino1time]

I have been dealing with this ever since I switched to HD and got a hd10-250 one month ago. I even got it replaced with a brand new box in the first few weeks of ownership and have the same damn problem...... I kinda am trying to ignore it, which is extremely dificult as I am a videophile and an audiophile with a beatiful new 60" Sony SXRD. At first I thought it was my signal strength, but it wasnt. Then I put a line conditioner on my RF lines coming from the dish and a power conditioner on my electrical: no results either. Then I came to the conclusion it was my box, and after a tedious 3 hours on the phone and a ****ing replacement unit I realized it wasn't my last box or my new box. Then I thought to myself it's the feed and this is one of the reasons we are switching over to mpeg-4 in mid-June b/c mpeg-2 is too much for D* to handle and it causes interruptions!!!! This is still quite possible. But my new theory is rich and I have some support to back it up.... It's all of our phase III triple LNB dishes. They have built in multiswitches that suck. If you don't have a tripple LNB oval dish I would love to hear from you but if you do, then face it its either the dish or the feed. Welcome to DirectTV folks. Mid-June they will change our boxes and dishes to HD20-250s and 5 LNB ovals...until then were fuct... Unless someone wants to have their multiswitch changed out (which is free). My friend had it done at his last home and says it did the trick, but he doesnt live there anymore so i cannot give a sworn testimony here (furthermore he now has a new new triple LNB dish and the same problem that brought us all here: blackouts). I think it is a design flaw in the multiswitch and chances are a replacement will be just as bad (I give you a 30% chance of a fix, given the current design, just guessing though). At any rate someone try it b/c it would definately be the next thing for us to all try.... Please respond to this and kick my thoughts around. dont run off and replace your hd10-250 it aint worth the trouble.... Although if you kick and scream to either retainment or a customer service manager they can and will discount your bill thru June or give you a free upgrade to be redeemed in June.... Good luck and may the force be with us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


-Gambino

 

[gquiring]

I have a Phase III triple LNB with a built in multi-switch but I don't think thats the issue. I have been watching a good deal of NBC NY (82) and UHD. Lots of blackouts on NBC but zero on UHD. I also see no blackouts on HBO. I also have been watching 24 and American Idol on Fox NY (88) and see no blackouts. I am starting to think this is a source issue.

I am using component output on a 42" Panasonic Plasma.

 

[Ragsy]

I guess it could be the triple LNB dishes. I had the LNB replaced a few months ago and of course it made no difference. I didn't have the whole dish replaced though, just the triple LNB. But my question is still the same: Why do some of us have the video stuttering and blackouts while others do not, and why does it seem to be more prevelant with the HR10-250 than with other boxes? I have a bad feeling about the new HR20-250 , 5 LNB fixing this problem, but I guess we might as well be optimistic about that . . .Unfortunately, I have already read some people complaining about the 5 LNB and blackouts, etc.

 

[davahad]

Add me to the list. I've got an HR10-250 going to Pioneer Elite 50" via HDMI for almost a year now and have been seeing these blackouts for the past month or so. Mainly it was on ESPNHD but the NBC channel 83 Olympic broadcast has been horrible with blackouts every 5-10 minutes.

 

[avdiscolo]

Just an update on my saga. I received my third HD10-250 in the mail, this time directly from DirecTV--the one that is supposed to solve all my problems. And of course, it still has the blank out problem. I get on the phone with second tier support, and he says I have marginal signal strength on one of my satellites (~73). When I mention to him that it also happens on OTA HD where the signal strength is > 90, I get some lame answer to the effect that they can't control the OTA broadcasts.

Just curious, what is the HD satellite signal strength for those of you with this problem?

This is where I was two weeks ago with my first unit! They are coming back next week to adjust my dish.

This is really getting old.

 

[Ragsy]

I have the stuttering and blackouts on both OTA and Satellite, and very often at the very same moment if I have both tuners set to the same broadcast (one on OTA and the other on Satellite). My signal strength on 119 is around 90, but my signal strength on the 110 is closer to 80. Saying the problem is signal strength makes no sense. Why would the problem occur on both satellite and OTA at the same time if it was signal strength. I think they just don't know what else to say at D* so they blame it on signal strength.

 

[TheBigDogs]

With very serious blackouts on the opening ceremonies recording, I assumed I had a failing unit. However, I did decide to record both the KNBC satellite and local OTA NBC HD feed.

I reviewed the satellite feed and noted the time and activities of each blackout. I then matched up my OTA recording and began looking for the same problem. The result - 30 blackout issues over 7 hours of Friday and Saturday KNBC satellite recordings, none, 0, nada on the OTA recordings.

Now, this eliminated the NBC feed, the dish, the multiswitch and the HR10 since all 4 were common between the two recordings. The problem must be somewhere between the D* uplink and my dish.

I called D* on the matter and got the usual "we don't see that here" BS. I asked if I could talk to someone in technical support and got practically the same answer.

There was a similar problem in the Bay Area a number of years ago when they began broadcasting the SD locals. This time it was at their local uplink, but no one at D* would even consider the possibility that they had a problem.

In my case, I have a solution for the Olympic broadcasts, but my OTA environment is such that I have to adjust the antenna for each station. That means that I depend on the signal from D* for a typical weeks worth of recording because of the overall better quality. Right now, everything from NBC is being picked up on 11.1 while ABC and CBS are picked up from 81 and 87.

Like many on this thread, I have minimal problems with the HD feeds on the 70s channels, but the network feeds really do suck. From what I understand, the H20 LiL feed seems to have the same problem.

With the exception of football, I've never watched anything on FOX and didn't even bother with a waiver request. I don't seem to see the level of complaints about the FOX signal matching the other "big" 3. In the interest of stirring controversy, is it possible that this is done intentionally to drive people to FOX or, like me, does no one else have any interest in their programming and thus there are no complaints.

 

[Wirelezz]

But my new theory is rich and I have some support to back it up.... It's all of our phase III triple LNB dishes. They have built in multiswitches that suck. If you don't have a tripple LNB oval dish I would love to hear from you but if you do, then face it its either the dish or the feed.

I alluded to the multiswitch in the Phase III dish being the culprit in my first post on this thread (post #74, more details there).

I ran my new HR10-250 off of my pre existing SINGLE LNB dish for about 10 days before my Phase III dish arrived. I received HD CH81 CBSW on this single LNB dish with NO PROBLEMS during that time (CH81 is on the 101 Sat.). As soon as I installed the Phase III dish all my blackout problems began. The worst blackouts I've experienced to date were on last Thurs. evening (2/9) recording Survivor, CSI, etc. on CH81 having just installed the new Phase III dish that afternoon. I had not seen the blackouts until then. If it weren't such a PITA I would re-install my single LNB dish as a test (No way! That's not going to happen!). BTW the new Phase III dish is a KTI but the triple LNB it came with is a Channel Master and it says right on it that it's manufactured in China (go figure). Anyone know who manufactured the highest quality triple LNB?

I does seem as though the blackouts have gotten much better. My recording of the Olympics last night had virtually no blackouts. Very pixely during motion however. I'm wondering if they are experimenting with the amount of compression / bitrates to minimize this blackout problem (if it's even related)?

 

[doug25]

I also have these "black out problems" on occasion. I live in NH and get the NYC HD feeds where most of the problems occur. Just a theory, but could there be a problem in the station "uplink" to the satellite (either weather or equipment?