DISH DVR 622 OTA Recordings breaking up

[Midwestern]

DISH DVR 622:

Since last summer we have had trouble with the recording of the OTA channels. Anything that is recorded on these channels is impossible to watch. Constant breakup of video and audio.

It had worked great for several years - but the trouble started this summer. I thought maybe it was the tree canopy blocking the antenna, but there is no cover now (and the trees have been trimmed back)

Signal strength says 100%

This is for all the OTA - ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS - all of them.

We are about 150 miles from Des Moines, where the stations originate, but get great reception with our pole mounted antenna and we are at a higher elevation.

It just seems odd that we could previously get such great recording off those channels. Could it be the DVR itself or the antenna?

I can watch the exact channel I am recording and it is perfect...go back and watch the recording and it is terrible.

I appreciate any input!

Thanks for now.

 

[TheKrell]

I can watch the exact channel I am recording and it is perfect...go back and watch the recording and it is terrible.

Let me see if I understand this correctly. You have a pole-mounted antenna that can receive OTA stations from 150mi away? Impressive! And furthermore you can still watch those same channels live, from 150 miles away, via the 622's ATSC tuner?

If the only issue is the recordings (and presumably trick play), then I'd say your internal disk is about to fail. OTA HD channels take approx twice the bandwidth of sat HD channels, so recording this stream may be pushing your tired old disk faster than it wants to go.

 

[Midwestern]

I have a new receiver on the way - hopefully it fixes it.

I checked my signal strength. PBS was the strongest at 100%. I found that I could record that (during the day) and have a good recording. NBC was 98%, and it was un-watchable. The ABC affiliate was at 77% - I didn't even bother trying that one. I could record them in the past though, with no issues. That is the channel we are most likely to loose signal on - either through the receiver or just OTA - direct from the antenna on our other TV's.

We were also having issues with pausing or "rewinding" live TV. It would pop back immediately to live TV, we couldn't watch what we had backed up to. This was on all DISH channels - not the just OTA channels.

Have to say how great (that's sarcasm) the digital TV switch over was for those of us in more rural locations. We lose both OTA and DISH signals when we need them the most in bad weather. Also stuck with sat. internet, so that is out also in bad weather. When I questioned an official about this - his recommendation was to listen to the radio!

 

[garys]

It is possible it is the ota tuner going on the receiver. I have a 622 and a 612 with the ota line split and going to both receivers, the 612 will drop for no reason while the 622 will not, switched line inputs for both receivers, changed coax and the problem stays with the 612.

 

[whatchel1]

It is possible it is the ota tuner going on the receiver. I have a 622 and a 612 with the ota line split and going to both receivers, the 612 will drop for no reason while the 622 will not, switched line inputs for both receivers, changed coax and the problem stays with the 612.

If the OTA tuner were going out he would be getting the yellow screen pop up of loosing signal from the channel number listing signal loss as the problem. If it's only in play back and not in live then it is most likely the HDD is going bad.

 

[dare2be]

Not meaning to derail this thread, but it reminded me of a question I've had regarding OTA signal levels. Most of my OTA channels come in at the mid-70s to mid-80s range, and when a signal level drops down to just below 70, I start getting the yellow signal loss message. Is around 70 a normal threshold for receiving a solid signal, or is something else going on here? I have the 722 with built-in OTA and just an indoor antenna on a shelf about 8 feet from the floor.

 

[eacalhoun]

Not meaning to derail this thread, but it reminded me of a question I've had regarding OTA signal levels. Most of my OTA channels come in at the mid-70s to mid-80s range, and when a signal level drops down to just below 70, I start getting the yellow signal loss message. Is around 70 a normal threshold for receiving a solid signal, or is something else going on here? I have the 722 with built-in OTA and just an indoor antenna on a shelf about 8 feet from the floor.

OTA signal on my 722k doesn't start going south until it drops to just under 60 - but there could be some sensitivity difference in the 722 with a built-in OTA module and the 722k where the module can be optionally added.

 

[old corps]

Gotta say that I had no idea a consumer could receive a digital OTA signal from 150 miles away with ANY antenna! WOW!

Ed

 

[whatchel1]

Gotta say that I had no idea a consumer could receive a digital OTA signal from 150 miles away with ANY antenna! WOW!

Ed

You have to have a really high mounted antenna to do it. But it sound like he has tall tower plus lives above the stations.

 

[whatchel1]

OTA signal on my 722k doesn't start going south until it drops to just under 60 - but there could be some sensitivity difference in the 722 with a built-in OTA module and the 722k where the module can be optionally added.

around 70 is a common drop off point w/ the tuners.

 

[Midwestern]

Gotta say that I had no idea a consumer could receive a digital OTA signal from 150 miles away with ANY antenna! WOW!

Ed

I can even pick up several with rabbit ears in the house - not all of them, but quite a few. Geography is our friend here. Used to be able to get some of the stations out of Omaha and Sioux City also, depending on weather, but not since the switch.

 

[dwarren2]

You said the recordings. What type of reception are you getting watching live TV through your receiver?

 

[videonex]

Just to add a little extra mystery to the thread. I have ONE channel, delivering a main and 2 subs, signal strength typically lives between 89 and 95. Once in a while when initially tuning in any of the 3 channels associated with this one channel, the signal strength will pop up at the usual 90 or so, then suddenly drop like a rock. I get the yellow screen and just wait it out, usually about 10 seconds and it pops back in clear as a bell. Same antenna that was installed for local analog TV when the house was built in 1977. Seems to be only the one signal, but random about when it happens. I have had the same channel on in another room when it happens, with no effect there. Same antenna.

 

[eacalhoun]

Same antenna that was installed for local analog TV when the house was built in 1977.

A "vintage" 1977 antenna? I would've replaced that by at least the mid or late 90s. I feel that regardless of how much of an expensive high-grade antenna one has, the outside elements will have taken its toll on the integrity of any antenna by the 20-year mark. The various connecting parts of the antenna will have suffered a certain amount of corrosion and just won't be making the connections it did when it was new.

 

[Midwestern]

You said the recordings. What type of reception are you getting watching live TV through your receiver?

I can watch the channels fine - no signal disruption. I can watch the channel while it is taping and know it was perfect - but the recording is unwatchable. My replacement arrived today - Now to transfer everything to the external hard drive before disconnecting. I wish I could do that with the timers also!!!

 

[dwarren2]

I can watch the channels fine - no signal disruption. I can watch the channel while it is taping and know it was perfect - but the recording is unwatchable. My replacement arrived today - Now to transfer everything to the external hard drive before disconnecting. I wish I could do that with the timers also!!!

I had a similar problem with my 722 several years ago. The HD was going south. Replaced the dvr. Don't know if you will be able to salvage the records on the internal HD. They may be corrupt. Good luck.