Pixilation, sound interruption

[ponderer]

Lately we have been experiencing severe pixelation and sound breakup especially between 8:00 and 10:00 pm, on on both PVRs, for both live broadcast and recordings made during that time period.  Shaw instructions suggest it could be a problem with the PVR, but one is new from Shaw (i.e., rebuilt) and the other is a couple of years old.  Both show the same problems at the same time, so it is not the PVRs. Second suggestion on the Shaw site is that it could be the signal splitter.  There is a simple splitter in the "OpenHouse" box in the garage which is the terminus for the smart cabling that connects to the media centre and to the office and receives the signal from the Shaw modem(?) at the end of the infeed cable.  I assume there is also a splitter built into the terminal connector of the smart cable for the two cable connections and the two "Phone-jack" type connectors.  Some of this hardware could be issues, but that would not explain why the signal is so bad at peak viewing hours and Ok during the day.  That leads me to suspect a problem with the signal being received from Shaw.  I have not tried running 40' of cable to connect the PVR directly to the feed from the modem (or whatever it is) in the garage, and wonder if I should.

Is there something going on with the Shaw system in the southeast corner of Vancouver (V5S area code)?  Perhaps too much drain on the signal at that time of night? - Tonight is not too bad, but last night the entire picture would break up if the the image was changing much and the sound would break up with it.  It took a week for Shaw to manage to connect the new PVR as it could not get an IP connection, and with these signal issues, perhaps it is time to look at alternative carriers.

[rstra]

Which cable boxes do you have?

[ponderer]

Both boxes are DCX 3510-M's. The older one is an Arris, about 2-3 years old. The other is a Motorola, supplied and linked up by Shaw about a week ago. A week before that, a Shaw technician had brought another Motorola but they could not get it to link to the Shaw system so they figured it was the machine and another technician brought the second one. Turned out the problem was a screw-up in getting it on-line and the problem was solved at Shaw's end, not at my device.

[rstra]

I agree, both boxes pixelating would indicate a signal issue. The line comes in to a smart panel in the garage and in to a three way splitter with one line going to the internet modem and one each going to the cable boxes?

The fact that it is happening in the racing could be because you are just watching more in the evening or could be a bad connection on the drop outside.

[ponderer]

Reception is better at 6:00-7:00 pm when 3 programs are being recorded and live TV sometimes being watched than at 8:00 - 10:00 pm when one recording is being played and sometimes another recorded.  Reception was also worst during the US election coverage and on the initial count reporting (Tuesday-/Wednesday) and improved on Thursday. I am reasonably confident that it is weak signal strength to the house or in the neighbourhood because it has been an issue previously, just not as catastrophic as over the past week.  Extra-heavy use in the area may have put the system over its limits, but it was crappy before that too, but I thought it was sporadic broadcast problems at the broadcast network, instead of transmission problems locally.

[ponderer]

At 8:30 pm when the situation is probably at its worst, it is clear that the problem is not my cnnections but the Shaw signal at source.  Moving up and down through the channels, Ch 13 fr example is perfect; Ch 14 is moderately badly broken up.  Switching back and forth repeatedly between the two is consistent: the signal on CH 13 is good, that for Ch 14 is weak.  Ch 17 is so badly broken up you cannot know what is being broadcast, and so on, up and down the list. How do I get Shaw to address its failings, or do I look for a new carrier?  Is Shaw even aware that it has a problem?

[rstra]

You will need to book a service call with Shaw and get them to look at the cable. 

[ponderer · Accepted solution]

Thanks,

When your advice came in I was waiting on the phone for a live person at Shaw (on line chat showed "not available") so I now have a service call appointment for next week

[rstra]

Good, let us know how it goes. 

[pennyandrusty]

We have the same issue.   CTV HD is paticularly bad in the evenings.  Also in the same area and suspect that it is a Shaw signal issue as it is fine during the day.  Have not called Shaw yet to resolve.