Quote:
Originally Posted by dmek25
i have alot of problems with the digital feed. almost like freeze frame. love the picture but the service itself needs work
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It sounds like you may be experiencing a low-signal problem. Digital converter boxes require strong signal to maintain video continuity, and unfortunately it's quite common that poorly installed broadband services such as digital video suffer from low-signal issues caused by poor splitter configuration between the line that feeds the house and the outlets that deliver the signal to your TV, particularly if you have more than 3 or 4 cable outlets in your house. This is a significant problem in apartment complexes, where multiple units draw their signal from the same feed. The signal winds up getting split so many times before it actually reaches your TV that there is barely enough signal to drive analog video, much less digital broadband services.
If you live in a house, you may want to check the splitters to verify that all the connections are tight, and there are no open ports (splitter legs with no cable connected to them, which are a cause of signal loss and interference, both of which would cause the problem you're experiencing). Splitters are usually located inside a box mounted near the power meter outside your house, or in the crawlspace somewhere near the crawlspace door.
Make sure the line feeding your digital box is connected to a splitter port with the maximum possible signal throughput. Most splitters used in houses have ports with either -3.5 dB or -7.0 dB loss, and the ports are usually marked to indicate how much loss occurs. If possible, move the affected line to a -3.5 dB port. Also, make sure the splitter is rated for 5 MHz to 1000 MHz throughput. This is also usually marked somewhere on the splitter.
If there are multiple splitters between the main feed and the affected outlet, try bypassing the other splitters, and connect the affected line to the splitter closest to the main feed. You may need extra cable to do this, so it's best to call your cable company and have a technician do the work. Most cable companies don't charge for these types of services calls, but you may want to check to make sure.
If you have more than 4 cable outlets in your house, you may need a signal amplifier to overcome the signal loss. Again, this is something that most cable companies will install free of charge, assuming it's what you actually need to solve the problem. Just tell them you're experiencing reception problems on a digital box, you think it's caused by a low signal, and you'd like a technician to check your splitter configuration and determine if you need a signal amplifier.
If you install an amplifier yourself, make sure you get a 2-way broadband signal amplifier, not the cheap 1-way amps that are really just intended for boosting rooftop antenna signals. Good ones usually cost about $40 to $50, and you can find them at Best Buy, Home Depot or Radio Shack. Install it as close to the main feed as possible, preferably replacing the first splitter closest to the main feed with the amplifier (assuming the amplifier has the same number of ports as the splitter). You never want to install the amplifier behind the TV, as you will only be amplifying a degraded signal, and an amplifier installed near the TV can also burn out the TV tuner.
It sounds like Matty was referring to a network or production issue the other night, but if you're experiencing freeze-framing or tiling on your digital box, it's likely a low-signal issue that can be easily fixed. Digital services cost too much to just let a problem like that go unaddressed, so call your cable company and get it fixed. Or, if you don't feel like waiting around all day for a technician, you can PM me and I'll try to help you troubleshoot it.