Major Pixelation Problems

[C-A-S]

Hey, what's up? Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm hoping someone could help me out here. I live in Brooklyn, NY and I currently have five digitial cable boxes with Cablevision. Two of those are HD with one of them having DVR. Now recently I've been having lots of pixelation but it wasn't to the point that it was happening every second. It was often enough that I called CV to send someone out.

They did and all they did was change the splitter from outside the house saying that sometimes water gets into it and 'causes problems. The guy who came also said as long as you get great picture on channel 15 (QVC) then that means you have a great signal. Supposedly that channel gives off the strongest signal. Okay, so everything was looking fine, the CV guy ran a test on my PC, printed something out, etc. I was hoping this did the trick but no such luck.

Last night I ordered a PPV (that I was lucky to get cancelled) and it was totally unwatchable. Major pixelation almost constantly. As I type this I have on QVC and there's just TON of problems. It can't be watched at all. The screen just keeps breaking up and freezing. It's horrible. What can I do about this? What can I say to CV to get someone here that actually knows what they are doing? They claim I had a good signal last time but clearly that can't be the case.

Do they need to adjust the levels some more outside my house or do you think it's something they need to work on at their offices? I don't know. I just hate all of this and I feel like I'm not getting my money's worth anymore. ANY help would be more than apperciated. I'm sorry for the long first post here but I needed to vent and hope to find some answers.

Thanks for your time.

 

[cforrest]

Hold down the pause button on the remote, by the VOD buttons. Wait for the mail icon to flash on the cable box. Then hit page up, go to page 19 and see if your signal levels are within specs of what a cable modem should be. Downstream btwn -15 to +15 dbmV and upstream btwn +30 to +55 dbmV. Then go to the channels are you having picture problems with while in the diagnostic mode, then toggle page up/page down button back to page 1, see if anything is in orange. Post your results.

 

[C-A-S]

Thanks for responding. Okay, I've done what you told me and for the life of me I can't find the signal levels for my cable modem. However I did goto a few channels that are giving me lots of trouble and wrote down anything that was in orange on page 1.

QVC: -9 dBmV 13665,13408,13317,13299,12480/Sec (avg) - (it keeps changing)

CBS HD: -10 dBmV 0/Sec (avg)

History: -11 dbmV 0/Sec (avg)

Now those I tested on my HD DVR box in my living room and I tested one digital box in another room and for example QVC gave me this: In white it was -5 dBmV and then in orange it changes with 10484, 10466, etc, etc/Sec (avg).

So what could this all mean? I just really hope I can get this fixed and soon. Thanks again.

 

[cforrest]

Looks like packet loss in your area from what I see. Would have to be referred to the Outside Plant people to check the poles in your area. Check your PM.

 

[Lucky]

How do you check the levels on the SA 8300HD box ? I just got one and do not know how to get my levels ?

Thanks for the help ?

 

[kevlard1]

To get there...hold the button in the middle of all the arrows on the front of the box and when the mailbox light lights up press the info button on the front of the box.

 

[RemyM]

There is no button in the middle of the arrows on the SA8300, just the SA4200. For the SA8300 hold select until the mail icon flashes, then press info.

 

[Lucky]

Thanks for the help. I'll try it.

 

[cablewithaview]

As I type this I have on QVC and there's just TON of problems. It can't be watched at all. The screen just keeps breaking up and freezing.

sounds like an ingress issue caused by a cracked shield, bad connector, loose tap or other passive device plates or bad cable.

 

[kevlard1]

There is no button in the middle of the arrows on the SA8300, just the SA4200. For the SA8300 hold select until the mail icon flashes, then press info.

Ah sorry...I didnt realize they mentioned the 8300.

 

[C-A-S]

I'm here just letting everyone know about what happend in case you were wondering about my problem. The high level tech's came to my house and gave me a new "drop". It seems everything is back in working order now.

Thanks again, cforrest

 

[cablewithaview]

Glad to hear that got your issue resolved. drops go bad from time to time.