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"Audio Only" on HD channnels

I have an lg smart tv with the cable going right into the tv. (No box - our box is on a different tv inthe house.). In the past few days the low-def versions of the local channels work but the hi-def channels are mostly black with a floating box that says “audio only.” i can hear the audio perfecly fine but no picture. Any thoughts as to what’s going on here? This is in Westford, MA. Thanks!

Comments

Edg1

There is another post about losing HD channel in MA. It is possible that Verizon is doing some sort of channel maintenance in your area. I would try a rescan for the next couple days to see if it fixes the issue.

HD channels are still working in PA area on my TV thst is connected to coax.

EHollick

I noticed the issue of no HD channels (via QAM tuner on TV - no set-top-box) on Tuesday, 07/16/19, in Hudson, MA.

After rescanning channels and Verizon FiOS tech support sending reset signal to netowrk interface (box in basement that converts fiber to coax) did not resolve, a tech was dispatched.

Tech arrived this morning (07/18/19) and foundn the network interface was not putting out a good quality signal. This probably explains intermittent internet lapses (that I often thought were just the servers being accessed).

So, even though I now have the most up-to-date network interface, I still don't have the HD channels. Tech found the signal coming thru on his test equipment, but did not have a solution why no HD channels display on the TV.

Both TV's show that the signal is there. One shows a black screen (would be blue if no signal for that channel) and other receives audio, but a blank picture.

Hope this is resolved soon.

MrsDeanWormer

Thanks. I called Verizon and was just told that from their pov the signal is fine, period. This has happened occasionally before, but only on one channel, and only for a day or so. I conferred with the folks at Best Buy and they think it's a FIOS issue, since I'm getting other channels, and streaming works fine in HD. (The TV is not under warranty, so they have no skin in the game.) We had lost internet at the same time that this started, I think related to some thunderstorms that we had just after July 4th so perhaps something happened then. The internet is back, but not the HD. Next step will be to get someone out from Verizon to look into this.

EHollick

Looking forward to hearing what the tech finds out.

The tech that visited today did see an issue with the old network interface (circa 2009 install) - but this just HD channels missing was beyond what he could troubleshoot - especially where his equipment showed those channels as having a signal.

Considering the geographic dispersement and different brands of TV's, doubtful it is something that suddenly stopped working in all of our TV sets.

clem21

You can basically verify what the tech saw if you go menu> settings> system information> info, you'll have a page with the signal info for the channel you are tuned to. SNR should say GOOD, short term error count should be 0, or very low. Also look at OOB data, again anything less than good in SNR says there is a signal issue. If not there is possibly a bad splitter or bad coax cable or connector or ONT issue.

EHollick

Received a call today from Verizon Service Managaement so they could understand what the issue was the tech that was here last week wasn’t able to resolve.

I made reference to this forum and others with similar circumstances over a diverse Burlington MA market area.

He agreed something must have happened at a system level. He said he would be talking to some folks in the technical areas.

Hopefully, we will see our HD channels (soon).

MrsDeanWormer

Oh, hopefully that will spur something. We've had both cars on the fritz so haven't been able to get back to Verizon on this yet. Heaven help me, I'm getting used to low-def again!!

EHollick

Follow-up to call from Verizon yesterday....

I had a voicemail from the Verizon Manager, with information I provided, he did make some calls and found out that Verizon has upgraded their transmission of HD with MPEG-4.

From the ressearch arch I did today (Google) it appears most TVs will not decode the MPEG-4. Again, my research is limited and my knowledge on this is limited.

I am evaluating options and I think I am going to try an HD antenna. I do not like the idea of paying for a set-top-box to watch a handful of channels.

i do plan to check this thread regularly to see if anyone else gets a better solution from Verizon.

Shutterbug01730

@EHollick wrote:
Follow-up to call from Verizon yesterday....
I had a voicemail from the Verizon Manager, with information I provided, he did make some calls and found out that Verizon has upgraded their transmission of HD with MPEG-4.
From the ressearch arch I did today (Google) it appears most TVs will not decode the MPEG-4.....
I am evaluating options and I think I am going to try an HD antenna. I do not like the idea of paying for a set-top-box to watch a handful of channels.

My opinion, as a cynical retired engineer, is that Verizon goes out of its way to screw people who don’t rent an “Extortion Box” for every set in the house. They’ve been intermittently messing with QAM-subchannels for years, and it’s worse than annoying. If they really have now switched everything in Massachusetts (initially) to a format/flavor that’s incompatible with all but the most recently manufactured TV sets and DVR’s, they’re unlikely to reverse it. Voting with our feet by switching providers is only an option in a few towns (including mine) but is a real pain. None of the other options is especially attractive either, although I’ll probably join the poster and revive my rooftop antenna and distribution amplifier. It’s unconscionable of Verizon not to warn people - including their own people - ahead of time. I think we’re stuck with no HD, and my DVD’s are now nearly worthless.

MrsDeanWormer

Very disappointing. I dumped Comcast when they did this to us (with the cable channels, like USA) several years ago. And, my Verizon contract is up in a few months, so maybe I'll look around, although it is a big **bleep** to switch. We do have an Apple TV attached, and you can stream several of the local HD channels live, so there's that. Agree with you about the cable boxes; I'm sure Verizon is working out a way to eliminate this (Apple TV) option as I type. Incidentally, our other 2 (newer) TVs do still get the HD channels, so it appears that this is a problem only for older models (2013 in my case.)

zztop1

I spend an evening and a morning with Verizon tech support on this "No HD video" on coax connection issue. They tried remotely to update my ONT, and STB. Both did not address the issue with TV connected to the coax (without STB) has no HD channel video, audio only. The other SD channels are all working correctly. Verizon send a Tech to my house the next day, verified the coax signal are good. They even replaced my old ONT with their latest box, but the problem still there. This issue has to be back at the Verizon headend. If they really transmitting mp4 instead of MP2 on their HD channels, this would explain why the TV would not able to tune in and decode the MP4 stream, but still able to hear the AC3 audio stream. Note that I have same issue on two fairly new TV models (LG, and Samsung). Local TV stations are all transmitting MP2 not MP4. Everyone must report this issue to version. Since most users do not connect their TV directly to the coax cable without the STB, Verizon head quater may not even aware or test this basic setup when they change their handend transmission. SInce all their support people I talk talk do not aware of this issue. There was no warning to their customers and their staffs. Verizon need to check with FCC if this change is compliant to the FCC standard. Remember, the basic cable service was originally created for customers who live outside of the city and dont want to install an antanna and paid the Operator to provide better reception on the customer's TV sets. All local HD channals was working last week. Verizon must continue to provide this basic working cable TV service to their customers. We should not need to buy a new TV, Antanna, or STB.

MrsDeanWormer

I'm impressed that you guys got Verizon to show that much interest! When I called them about a month ago now, they just said they could tell by whatever magic is in their office that my HD signal is fine and (in so many words) that this is my problem.

Shutterbug01730

@zztop1 wrote:

If they really transmitting mp4 instead of MP2 on their HD channels, this would explain why the TV would not able to tune in and decode the MP4 stream, but still able to hear the AC3 audio stream. Note that I have same issue on two fairly new TV models (LG, and Samsung). Local TV stations are all transmitting MP2 not MP4. Everyone must report this issue to version. ... all their support people I talk talk do not aware of this issue. There was no warning to their customers and their staffs. Verizon need to check with FCC if this change is compliant to the FCC standard. Remember, the basic cable service was originally created for customers who live outside of the city and dont want to install an antanna and paid the Operator to provide better reception on the customer's TV sets. .... Verizon must continue to provide this basic working cable TV service to their customers. We should not need to buy a new TV, Antanna, or STB....

Having just spent 19-minutes on the phone with Verizon "Support," I'm not at all hopeful that we're going to win this one. For me, the next step is to contact all Boston TV stations and tell them that a bunch of their customers (those without Verizon "Extortion Boxes" for every set) are about to stop watching their stations, particularly if they typically do so with DVR's instead of "live." I also plan to contact the various TV-ombudsmen like "Help Me Hank" since it's an issue that hurts both consumers and the TV stations themselves. Next, write to our Congress Critters, most of whom are hoping to run for President and therefore trying to make nice to their constituents. Third, we need to learn whether, in fact, this is in violation of the "local channel" provisions of cable-companies' original charters, or simply a guideline they can disregard by saying most sets can still receive local stations in SD, albeit in really crappy quality, and most DVR's are now worthless. If this actually IS borderline illegal, we should do our best to bring in the FCC and various AG's to hold Verizon's feet to the fire. Meanwhile, I'm about to return the brand new Vizio TV I received two hours ago; it does an even worse job than the Samsung TV it was to replace. BTW, the small-screen LG set my wife uses in the kitchen does pretty well with Verizon's downgrade. Ch-7 is only SD, and New Hampshire PTV is gone entirely, but RI-PTV-HD can be found on 36-1, and the other Boston channels can be viewed in HD. Go figure. If anybody makes any progress on this, please let the world know. Should we be looking into Comcast (ugh!) or satellite-dish services? I tried an "HD-antenna," but out here in the weeds it's simply too intermittent because of trees and aircraft.

budthixxx

I am getting this HD local channels video signal. Only audio signal. The coax is connected directly to the tv. I scan many times. It was working in the past. I have not used it for some time. can you please reset on your end and enable the local-channels-hd channels.

thank you

Edg1

There is nothing to reset or enable. Verizon has been upgrading channels from MPEG2 to MPEG4. Older HDTVs will not be able to view an MPEG4 channel which is why you only have audio.

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