Issues with ABC HD

[duanej79]

The last three weeks I've been getting un-watchable pink screens and severe macroblocking (sp?) during ABC shows like Lost, Greys Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. It only does it on my dish channel, when I switch to the OTA HD feed of ABC I do not encounter the same issues. It doesn't happen over the entire program, but sometimes it lasts for up to five minutes. I called tech support and they treated me like I was crazy, apparently I'm the only one having issues. No other channels are giving me problems, just ABC HD. I've included some pics for examples. Anyone know what is going on? I live in the Seattle area, btw.

 

[cummingsje]

Not from your area so I don't know if your ABC station is the culprit, but from the looks of the 2nd attachment your signal levels are very low. You can check by going into the menu. Not sure which receiver you have but on mine you just go to setup / installation / point dish (make sure you're tuned into the ABC channel). You should be at 40 or above.

 

[jpmarto]

You are not the only one. There are 2 or 3 recent threads on the same subject, so far most reporting locations are Portland/Seattle. Signal strength has zero to do with it, I have very strong readings get the pixelization and six macroblocks.

The images you snapped are exactly what I've been seeing/experiencing on the same ABC channels for the last three weeks. I live in a marginal OTA area, but I've switched my recordings off Dish and to OTA this week. I'm shocked, SHOCKED, the CSRs didn't know about it.

 

[ctjr]

Same problem here— on the East coast. I live in Richmond, Va, where the locals were just turned on a few weeks back.

LOST was absolutely unwatchable last week-- VERY annoying. All the stuff the OP mentioned, plus, at one point, the screen turned SOLID yellow for several seconds. Freaky.

Luckily, I still had my OTA feed, which was flawless, but I do hope someone takes notice and fixes this.

 

[caleth]

I have had the same issue I live in the Inland Empire area, mostly with ABC and KTTV. I spoke once with tech support they had no answer for the problem and that I should call when it happens, the problem there is that by the time they are on the line the problem has ceased.

 

[8bitbytes]

...Signal strength has zero to do with it,...

Please post all of your transponder readings, not just an overall impression.

Your signal strength can look maxed out on one transponder and be nearly dead on another.

 

[duanej79]

Thanks for the replies. I'm so glad I'm not crazy like the CSR was treating me.

 

[MikeD-C05]

ABC seems to be the lone hd channel that gives problems to everyone across the country. Even on Directv I see the terrible green/pink screens and the audio reverbs are ridiculous. It is like you are watching/listening to a video game in progress.

"The killer is in this room and he is BBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDZZZZZZZZ."

This is normal several times a day on the Houston hd Abc channel through DISH. I have worked with the dishquality folks at dishquality@echostar.com since May 2005 when they first premiered the hd stations from that town and it has gotten better but the audio reverbs are still a nuiscience. ON Directv the same station is worse with more reverbs and pixelation etc. I don't know what ABC is doing as a network but it seems this one station gives both sat companies hell. THey are in 720p but so is Fox and I never see these symptoms on FOX. I wish they could either work a solution for ABC or ABC would just switch to 1080i . I would think by now that they would of found out what is causing it. I rarely see symptoms like this on my ota ABC. So it is definately something they are doing at the uplink or at the channel itself.

BUt either way write an email the dishquality@echostar.com and inform them what you are seeing on what shows , at what time etc. They will start to work on it. If everyone that is having problems with their ABC hd station on DISH in the country, would write an email to them each and every time they see this , DISH would have to work a solution to it.

 

[kstile]

Please post all of your transponder readings, not just an overall impression.

Your signal strength can look maxed out on one transponder and be nearly dead on another.

At least in Seattle (where I am, too) all of the local HD channels are on the same transponder and spotbeam (4, 45) which happens to be a different transponder than what KATU (29) - the local ABC station in Portland. This tells me that this is an ABC and Dish issue.

 

[8bitbytes]

At least in Seattle (where I am, too) all of the local HD channels are on the same transponder and spotbeam (4, 45) which happens to be a different transponder than what KATU (29) - the local ABC station in Portland. This tells me that this is an ABC and Dish issue.

From MikeD's comments above, I would have to agree.

 

[goldengoose]

From MikeD's comments above, I would have to agree.

Reported to Dishquality but no response.

Have seen numerous numerous complaints from Seattle, Portland, SLC Denver and VA so it is not a customer end issue-- its ABCHD

 

[kstile]

Has anyone tried recording non-primetime shows? Good Morning America and The View are in HD and come from ABC. Do those exhibit the same issues?

FWIW, I've been talking with someone at KOMO (ABC in Seattle) and she confirmed that it was a Dish issue but that KOMO was working with them to try to get it resolved. One thing she told me that I did not know was that when Dish gives us LiL stations, they're actually receiving the entire feed from the station and then rebroadcasting it to us. I always assumed Dish would have a single ABC feed that they'd merge together with the appropriate local feed and then send it to us. But she confirmed that Dish gets the entirety of the local's transmission and sends it onto us.

That said, she was willing to spread some interesting blame on Dish:

"Apparently Dish purchased rather inexpensive units to receive local market stations for retransmission and these are developing problems. Viewers in Seattle, Portland and California are experiencing the same problem."

 

[steve4810]

The last three weeks I've been getting un-watchable pink screens and severe macroblocking (sp?) during ABC shows like Lost, Greys Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. It only does it on my dish channel, when I switch to the OTA HD feed of ABC I do not encounter the same

I have had the exact same problem with the last two weeks of Lost. I started recording The View mornings and for two days I recorded sound and a pure pink screen. Never seen anything like that.

Shortly after seeing that I noticed the Dish had marked the local HD OTA feed guide information as "off air" and when I tried to tune it in the signal was zero but the non-HD Dish local ABC signal was five by five.

Something is going on with ABC west coast.

Lately the last few View shows were OK so I'm going to delete that timer. I don't watch much on ABC evenings so I'll have to wait for the next Lost

You're not crazy.

 

[sobonefnet]

I get the same thing... (although mine is a YELLOW screen). I think it has something to do with my lousy 129 signal

 

[kstile]

I get the same thing... (although mine is a YELLOW screen). I think it has something to do with my lousy 129 signal

Don't know if you're in Seattle, but KOMO (ABC in Seattle) and the other HD LiLs are on 110, not 129.

 

[heathriel]

Just got this:

Thank you for expressing your concerns and interest in DISH Network. Customer input is an important tool in our efforts to continuously improve the quality of the DISH Network service.
We are aware of the signal breakups on KGTV out of San Diego. In fact, there are several ABC stations that began displaying similar issues when they swapped out some equipment on or near April 24th. We are currently working with a few of those stations now, along with their equipment vendors, to help resolve the issue. Meanwhile, we are working on our KGTV-HD signal today and hope to have a temporary correction in place by prime time tonight. Would you mind sending us another email about any signal quality improvements that you may, or may not, detect with KGTV-HD, DISH channel 6407?
We appreciate the time DISH Network customers take to email their audio/video quality concerns. Thank you for your patience and for being a valued customer.

 

[steve4810]

Just got this:

Thank you for expressing your concerns and interest in DISH Network. Customer input is an important tool in our efforts to continuously improve the quality of the DISH Network service.
We are aware of the signal breakups on KGTV out of San Diego. In fact, there are several ABC stations that began displaying similar issues when they swapped out some equipment on or near April 24th. We are currently working with a few of those stations now, along with their equipment vendors, to help resolve the issue. Meanwhile, we are working on our KGTV-HD signal today and hope to have a temporary correction in place by prime time tonight. Would you mind sending us another email about any signal quality improvements that you may, or may not, detect with KGTV-HD, DISH channel 6407?
We appreciate the time DISH Network customers take to email their audio/video quality concerns. Thank you for your patience and for being a valued customer.

Hallelujah!

Score one for Dish or at least give 'em an A for effort.

We're not crazy (at least in regards this issue).

 

[MikeD-C05]

I told you that the dishquality folks would help you if you took the time to write an email to them. Now save the emails and when ever you see a positive or negative change in your channels , send them another one with an update and date in the heading. I 've done this for a few channels and as they get fixed I drop them old emails saved. I will be glad when ever they fix the reverbs on my local Houston hd abc. THat is one email I would love to trash once it is fixed.

 

[DishGuy1181]

The Hd feed for both Abc, Nbc, and Fox are acting up during prime time shows like Lost, Law & order, Family guy


I live in the Detroit area.

 

[kstile]

I didn't watch Lost or the others all the way through last night, but a quick fast-forward (x15) through them this morning it looks like everything was working just great - I didn't see any problems. Anyone else? (I'm in Seattle, WA.)