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Verizon unable to resolve issue with pixelated picture

I began having issues about two months ago with my FIOS TV picture. At first it was just intermittent pixels in the screen during live TV. It became worse to the point that shows are not able to play back from DVR. The show records but it is too pixelated to play back and either stops completely freezing rendering the remote useless or the picture simply jumps and the sound crackles and pops to the extent you cannot watch. Using the chapters feature shows the show recorded but it will not play back.

Multiple calls to Verizon support have been useless. The first six weeks I was told to reboot and reconnect the connections. I have done this several times each weekend. I have replaced the cables and the piece the FIOS goes through without improvement.

Fortunately most of the shows I follow are available online. Which leads me question why I am paying for HD FIOS service to watch shows online. Before I cancel my Verizon service I thought I would see if anyone here has a solution.

Comments

roaddogg1

Funny you mention it started 2 months ago. Thats when I started seeing large amounts of macroblocking with fios on my end.

Pixelating and macroblocking are 2 different issues though.

KaShiDC1

Thanks for the post roaddog. I was not familiar with the term macroblocking so I researched it.

While the issue begins with blocks of missing picture it quickly escalates to skewing the entire screen which then becomes no picture at all while the audio skips, clicks, pops, and eventually stops. As this happens, functionality seems to delay and eventually freeze as the picture goes away until the remote delays and finally stops working completely. I typically have to completely reboot the STB to restore functionality.

Your reference to the time line is interesting because it was also at the time when Verizon began requiring a response to an ad when I start my TV.

BrittaniS999

I've actually had the same issue which resulted with them redoing my outside wiring..... Ultimately, because I didn't "follow up" with them every 24-48 hours, I have a $1300 bill. Please take heed.

LAKings1

35 hours in to FIOS and been on with tech support most of that time. Issues with video and audio break starting with the same thing you are describing. So far this guy is saying a splitter problem. Imagine that. Their installer took care of the entire thing so looks like I may be visited soon again and again.

Airwalk

I would say in the last week, i have nothing but HD channel problems. SD works completely fine. and it's only HD channels. It seems more and more fios is having problems.

bwh1

I also started getting a lot of pixelation in the past 2 months (about the time of the last update)

Airwalk

I called support finally because HD channels dropped completely.

Tech had me check the inbound signal. Which needs to be in the mid 30's. My was at 25.

Tech explain it was the cabling inside the house, and splitter problem.

As a test, I ran the coax direct to the ONT box. I got the same poor inbound.

I called back the tech power cycled the ONT. And now no tv at all!! 🙂

Sending a tech out...

FrustratedUser22

My guess is your hard drive in the DVR is failing. I had the same problems on a brand new 2 month old DVR a while back. Going into the Menu and running the "Fix Common DVR/STB Issues" would solve the problem for a bit, but it would keep coming back quicker & quicker and worse each time.

Your Verizon DVR is constantly recording even if nothing is currently scheduled and it is placed in Screensaver mode. If the above "reset" worked for a little bit at one point, the hard drive is likely the cause. I've seen a bunch of Verizon DVR hard drive failures personally and you describe the symptoms exactly.

If you are technically inclined or know someone who is technical, the hard drive can easily be replaced in most DVRs, but you must be careful. Verizon will not like this option. Your only other option is to exchange your DVR with Verizon for a replacement.

Pappydsp

FWIW: My TV had been plagued by pixelation for several months. I called Verizon and they sent out a serviceman who replaced the insides of the ONT located on the side of my home. At first I thought the problem was fixed but several days later I was seeing pixelation on some of the HD channels such as History and the Smithsonian channels. With the help of an intercom (cordless phones) and my wife I located the problem at the 4 way splitter which had beel placed outside the house by Comcast 16 years ago. I found a replacement 4 way splitter at Radio Shack and replaced the old one and haven't had a recourrence since. In fact, the quality of the picture has improved greatly.

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