Red Flourescent Pixelation on ABC/NBC/CBS

[WalksInDarkness]

After shelling out $300 to upgrade to D* HD (HR-20 DVR), I am thrilled to find that the major networks (ABC/NBC/CBS) sporadically look like crap. My biggest problem is that any HD content has varying amount of large (maybe 1/4" square) Bright flourescent red pixels dancing about peoples faces. On a similar note I was especially happy that the first half of the SuperBowl looked like it was filmed at the bottom of a swimming pool (at least it wasn't tormented by the mythical red pixels), but that seemed to get better somewhere around halftime.
I know for a fact this is not my TV, it did not do it with D* "SD" and it does not happen with my DVD player. It does not happen with D* HD lineup channels (HD Discovery etc.). It does not even happen on my Fox network local HD stuff (although some weird audio stuff). The chief offender seems to be ABC, sometimes so bad the pixels turn into huge bands.

Is this normal? Is there something I can do to remedy the situation?

TIA!

 

[Questioner]

Yes, this has been going on recently in several markets with mpeg 4 locals, including Boston. It ruined my superbowl plans too.

The boston channels suffered from similiar issues since their launch quite a while ago, they finally fixed some issues and things were decent for a few months, but its really gone downhill again the past few weeks.

Its really unacceptable I have had to put up with this for so long. You can call and complain but it won't do any good.

 

[WalksInDarkness]

T

Yes, this has been going on recently in several markets with mpeg 4 locals, including Boston. It ruined my superbowl plans too.

The boston channels suffered from similiar issues since their launch quite a while ago, they finally fixed some issues and things were decent for a few months, but its really gone downhill again the past few weeks.

Its really unacceptable I have had to put up with this for so long. You can call and complain but it won't do any good.

Thanks for the honest and straightforward answer. Before I upgraded to HD I was seriously considering going back to Cable because of the whole D* "HD Lite" controversy, but I prefer the content available on D*. I am guessing they will not let me return the new DVR and 5 LNB dish, and even if they do I will probably have to go to the supreme court to get my $300 back? It is too bad, because other than a VERY bad initial install job I have been extremely happy with D* for the past 2 years. Shame on me for not researching the "locals issue" first, but I was in a rush to get it set up on my new 50" before the Pats went into the playoffs. Ugh...

 

[tandias]

I had never seen this until last night NBC Pittsburgh. 3 hours of brodcast was virtually unwatchable. I thought it was my DVR because I had recorded it. Is this a fault of the DVR or the brodcast?

 

[bcherry]

I had never seen this until last night NBC Pittsburgh. 3 hours of brodcast was virtually unwatchable. I thought it was my DVR because I had recorded it. Is this a fault of the DVR or the brodcast?

I also was watching NBC Pittsburgh last night and noticed the same thing. I hope it was a one night thing.