One Channel Freezing Up

[seanpb2]

Just wondering if anyone ever found the answer to this?  I have the same problem - that went away for a long time, but these last couple of weeks it's been happening at least once a day.  It's always the same channel (#504 - CBS in the Boston area) - all other channels work just fine and this particular one keeps freezing up.  I have to reboot the STB each time.   It happens to also be the same channel we watch most frequently/record things on.  Thanks!

[Gweagraff]

I know it’s frustrating but you have to realize there’s a lot going on in the world right now. They are very short staffed right now and probably don’t have enough people to work on the issue. 

[Cloudyplusplus]

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@Gweagraff wrote:

I know it’s frustrating but you have to realize there’s a lot going on in the world right now. They are very short staffed right now and probably don’t have enough people to work on the issue. 

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I think we all agree with your statement (I certainly do). But, what this situation has shown is that their services are not luxuries any longer, but essential. 

That said, the most critical service is network access, which has been solid for me over the past couple months. I have a neighbor on Comcast, who's been having problems with their network access, which is the primary reason I'm not considering a change at this point.

Regarding the offending channel: What's frustrating is that they've not been able to address such a critical channel (after all, its one of the 4 big local channels) after more than a month. Also, when we try to deal with service, we get: "It will be fixed by ___" messages.

I'd prefer they say, "We are working it and though we don't know when we will fix it, we will update the ticket periodically and text you when it's fixed."

Then give us a credit until it's fixed. It doesn't have to be large, but a few bucks monthly would show good faith.

[Scooter31]

Agreed.  While we all certainly understand the priority here is to keep us connected, VZ has ignored or been unable to resolve the situation.  Recognition of the issue and its length and at least a gesture is certain called a step VZ should consider.  This outage has been around quite a bit longer than the Covid pandemic.

"Good Faith" are the prefect words to how VZ needs to respond.  Hoping you all stay safe and healthy.

[lola14]

same problem , I wound up buying an inexpensive hd antenna and hooked it up to tv . went into input on tv and changed tv from cable to antenna . works great for the time being until they fix the problem and you won't have to subscribe to anything else. the antenna brings in quite a few channels , good luck

[ray01031]

channel 504 freezing up even after reboot. only this channel.

[seanpb2]

Ok so I posted my question originally in this issue back in March I think! And it seems like this is a major issue for WBZ channel only still and thanks to you all for trying and pushing with VZ tech support! I ran out of patience and my wife and had just kept on rebooting the stb each time - swearing about it each time also. Not very effective I know!  
I spent some time in the thread and can confirm I tried everything so far.
- The settings/system info thing showed no errors and what seems low (I have no idea) SNR value of 40.8 DB.  

- Also auto tune didn’t work.

- Also I changed the splitter out with the new one that came in the box of the new super fast router they talked me in to when I called about this.  Not the splitter.  

- I also checked and rechecked every coax connection - unscrewing blowing out any dust that wasn’t there and put back nice and tight. 

I can also confirm I have the newer Fios one system I upgraded to maybe 6+ mos ago - and this has been going on ever since. Though to be fair for a while this channel was only freezing once every few weeks to a month. Now it’s constant. 
- as of 7am this morning on 4/28 - it’s now 8:05am - I woke up to the frozen #504 and have rebooted the stb twice. And it’s currently frozen again and I give up. I need to get the kids ready for remote school now.    
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[clem21]

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@seanpb2 wrote:

Ok so I posted my question originally in this issue back in March I think! And it seems like this is a major issue for WBZ channel only still and thanks to you all for trying and pushing with VZ tech support! I ran out of patience and my wife and had just kept on rebooting the stb each time - swearing about it each time also. Not very effective I know!  
I spent some time in the thread and can confirm I tried everything so far.
- The settings/system info thing showed no errors and what seems low (I have no idea) SNR value of 40.8 DB.  

- Also auto tune didn’t work.

- Also I changed the splitter out with the new one that came in the box of the new super fast router they talked me in to when I called about this.  Not the splitter.  

- I also checked and rechecked every coax connection - unscrewing blowing out any dust that wasn’t there and put back nice and tight. 

I can also confirm I have the newer Fios one system I upgraded to maybe 6+ mos ago - and this has been going on ever since. Though to be fair for a while this channel was only freezing once every few weeks to a month. Now it’s constant. 
- as of 7am this morning on 4/28 - it’s now 8:05am - I woke up to the frozen #504 and have rebooted the stb twice. And it’s currently frozen again and I give up. I need to get the kids ready for remote school now.    
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Ok, if the SNR and errror count are good, then odds are the issue is outside your house, and a bad feed from the broadcaster, or the central switching station. I've had boxes go bad on 1 or two channels, but they were all on the same frequency, and replacing the box fixed it. Also nobody else in the area was having the issue, which is a big clue it is the main feed, not anything you can fix in your house. Just keep reporting the issue to Verizon Support by calling, Twitter or DSL reports:https://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzdirect and hopefully they'll figure it out and fix it.

[Scooter31]

I have changed my box. It does not help. Contact VZ SUpport via phone and twitter DM. The visibility of this long term issue needs to be raised. 

[Cloudyplusplus]

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@clem53 wrote:

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@seanpb2 wrote:

Ok so I posted my question originally in this issue back in March I think! And it seems like this is a major issue for WBZ channel only still and thanks to you all for trying and pushing with VZ tech support! I ran out of patience and my wife and had just kept on rebooting the stb each time - swearing about it each time also. Not very effective I know!  
I spent some time in the thread and can confirm I tried everything so far.
- The settings/system info thing showed no errors and what seems low (I have no idea) SNR value of 40.8 DB.  

- Also auto tune didn’t work.

- Also I changed the splitter out with the new one that came in the box of the new super fast router they talked me in to when I called about this.  Not the splitter.  

- I also checked and rechecked every coax connection - unscrewing blowing out any dust that wasn’t there and put back nice and tight. 

I can also confirm I have the newer Fios one system I upgraded to maybe 6+ mos ago - and this has been going on ever since. Though to be fair for a while this channel was only freezing once every few weeks to a month. Now it’s constant. 
- as of 7am this morning on 4/28 - it’s now 8:05am - I woke up to the frozen #504 and have rebooted the stb twice. And it’s currently frozen again and I give up. I need to get the kids ready for remote school now.    
- 

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Ok, if the SNR and errror count are good, then odds are the issue is outside your house, and a bad feed from the broadcaster, or the central switching station. I've had boxes go bad on 1 or two channels, but they were all on the same frequency, and replacing the box fixed it. Also nobody else in the area was having the issue, which is a big clue it is the main feed, not anything you can fix in your house. Just keep reporting the issue to Verizon Support by calling, Twitter or DSL reports:https://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzdirect and hopefully they'll figure it out and fix it.

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I too believe this is outside our homes, given the number of folks experiencing the problem and we seem to experiencing it with similar frequencies. 

The other problem that hinders diagnosis is metrics like SNR are impossible for the average user to capture at the time the issue occurs. Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) is a central metric that indicates whether there is enough signal that contains data vs. background noise on the line. A drop in signal certainly can cause this problem. If SNR does indicate a problem, in this case, it would be a very quick reduction of signal which returns to normal just as quickly. The only method to detect it would be to put a scope on the line that captures SNR and records it on a timeline. If we could also capture when the problem occurs, we would compare them. 

I think at this point, we simply need to keep pushing on Verizon to address the issue. I don't know where their engineering development organization is located. They would have the ability to instrument the channel to capture meaningful diagnostics. However, if they are not in this market, then they'd need to have someone from development come to their headend (which I think is out near Gardner, MA) which likely will not happen until the current C19 emergency abates.

I used to work at GTE Labs on digital cable research in Waltham, MA (At the time, they were attempting to move into the TV cable business with operations in FL and CA.) Though GTE merged with Bell Atlantic in 2000 to become Verizon, I don't know whether they are doing FiOS development at the Labs. I suspect not.

[Hemlock2020]

We also have this problem and it occurs VERY regularly. Tech support never acknowledges the issue and does nothing other than reboot the box thinking they fix it. Has been an issue for many many months and Verizon just does nothing whatsoever to address it. If you don’t pay your bill 100% they penalize you but when they don’t resolve a major issue like this we are the ones that suffer. Obviously someone from Verizon needs to see these posts and address THEIR issue with some sense of urgency.

[Scooter31]

Make sure you tell tech support to look up the channel 504 issue in the Boston area. It is well documentedf

[petesza1]

It would be nice if someone from VZ monitored their FiOS Customer Forums!  I don't see one Verizon response.....

[petesza1]

I just hung up with FiOS Support (800) 837-4966 and spoke with Louis.  I had called about this issue last week when I got tired of rebooting our set top box with the My FiOS app.  He looked up my ticket and went to the Master ticket and said that techs are definitely working it.  Lots of comments with timestamps from today (4.28).  He said that they are also working with CBS Boston to be sure they are sending over a clean signal and looking at different hardware components between VZ and CBS.  

When I called in today the Verizon ACD recognized my number and said that the 'new' ETA is today, 4.28, at 6pm.  After hearing that I hit Zero and got in queue for a tech.  Lewis picked up and said that was the ETA he saw too, but noted that this could take as long as 10 days to fix.

So, it sounds like we have some more time watching the SD channel 4 for Boston CBS feed.  Fingers crossed that it will be fixed soon!  Stay well....

[seanpb2]

Thank you! That sounds like some solid progress! I called yet again also and was told they are aware and working on it. Hopefully fixed soon! 

[Eydes]

830 pm.  Has frozen twice in 30 minutes.   Not fixed yet.  Have a callback appointment with Verizon tomorrow.   Comcast any better because I am starting to look around?

[Scooter31]

Ok. Here is a recent finding on this issue. 

Please forward this to the techs working on Boston 504 outage.  Was watching 504. It was working. (NCIS). Moved away from 504 to 505 for a moment. Returned to 504 it was frozen with the previous wheel of Fortune which I had watched an hour before. It's as if it recorded wheel and was stuck. Could go back on wheell but not past the spot it was stuck. Some serious bugs going on here. Hopes this helps trooubleshoot. 

As happens this time and on occasion I was able to fix the freeze by flipping the channels a bit. This workaround only works if no client boxes are on 504 this is a huge mess. Please Verizon spend some time on this and let's get it resolved. 

[HelplessTV1]

Yes, same issue...just concerned with my playing with it too much and messing it up more, and losing Channel #505 TOO!!  Seems to be a rewinding issue, as channel 5 has the same red rewind line going as channel 4---so I'm afraid one of these times, channel 5 will freeze too!!!!!!!!!! AND I am not doing any rewinding or recording!!!

I supposedly have a call back today from Verizon but I don't think the tech will be able to solve this. I think this is much more complicated.  How can we get this ever fixed without losing more services. Already I cannot get other stations that we used to get. (certainly don't want to lose internet too!!!)

[Cloudyplusplus]

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@HelplessTV1 wrote:

Yes, same issue...just concerned with my playing with it too much and messing it up more, and losing Channel #505 TOO!!  Seems to be a rewinding issue, as channel 5 has the same red rewind line going as channel 4---so I'm afraid one of these times, channel 5 will freeze too!!!!!!!!!! AND I am not doing any rewinding or recording!!!

I supposedly have a call back today from Verizon but I don't think the tech will be able to solve this. I think this is much more complicated.  How can we get this ever fixed without losing more services. Already I cannot get other stations that we used to get. (certainly don't want to lose internet too!!!)

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There is no evidence that this particular issue will impact 505 or other channels. It happens on 504 regardless of how one uses the channel (e.g. rewind, record, sitting with idle, watching.)   In fact, I've not been using it at all, yet 504 keeps hanging (I check and reboot a couple times daily.)

Everything else seems pretty solid (except I saw WMUR 509 reported, which might be an anomaly or some other issue, time will tell.) It also shouldn't impact Internet or phone service. Those have been very solid since I updated over a month ago.

It really seems to be isolated to a single channel, in a single market (greater Boston) and though you're correct it's complicated, I can't believe it's not resolvable. VZ and WBZ need to commit to working the problem until resolved and it seems that's what is happening.

Until it's resolved, I'd be comfortable using all other channels normally, as well as the SD channel 4. I've switched my CBS recordings to channel 4 for the time being.

[Scooter31]

Thank you everyone for keeping up the visibility. I also wrote a letter today to the general manager and president of WBZ today so he would be aware. 

[Gweagraff]

I just noticed the same thing happened on WMUR HD (509). It must be on the same frequency. 

[Scooter31]

3 more 504 freeze ups last night.  3 box reboots.