Upgraded(?) to Arris Multi-Room - Picture Quality Downgrade

Feedback for Verizon. I have been a customer since the first day it was offered.

During contract renewal upgraded from Single Room DVR to the multiroom "Quantum" Arris model.

The picture quality is downgraded - this is no longer HD. It is a highly compressed 480p IP stream upscaled to 1080p. I have a 4k LG OLED, and the picture used to look magnificent - the reason I chose FIOS over traditional cable.

Just go to Youtube and search for "FIOS smear", and it's not my setup. I have top notch video hardware and cables. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWmGdSCiDN4

I understand the goal is to save bandwidth compared to QAM tuning - but the picture is dull, lacks fine detail, and sports smear across the screen.

Very disappointed, and now it costs a higher monthly fee to go back to the older model.

Accepted answers

jltbravo

LOL, is your STB set to 1080p?

For those experiencing these issues on high end equipment that show the flaws, like a LG 4k OLED, here's a tip:

To mitigate the poor bitrates, change the STB to the sharper (4) setting, use the BUI menu (turn STB off, hold the green button for 5 seconds and let go). Change HDMI color output space from 4:4:4 to RGB. on my OLED TV, turn off deep color, use normal color space, enable medium digital noise reduction, turn on medium dynamic contrast, and turn on smooth motion to offset frame drops. Now it at least looks like a decent Youtube stream.

I invite all members to get educated on the new delivery mechanism of IP streaming versus QAM. Had I read this article, I would have kept the older QAM based STB, to which I have to pay a monthly increase to go "backwards".

https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/15/11441680/verizon-fios-internet-cable-set-top-box-overhaul

Just search for "fios quantum picture quality smearing" and become overwhelmed with the results. FIOS is trying to save bandwidth, so they are sending lower bitrates.

Other hardware like Chromecast, have better decoders, codecs, and compression algorithms.

It is what it is, but what used to set FIOS apart was it's uncompressed picture quality. However, I am enjoying the increased Quantum internet bandwidth, so I can stream 4K HDR from all the competitor's services.

All comments

CRobGauth

No difference in the data feeding STB (old vs new).

Have you checked the setup of your STB to make sure it is set to output 1080p?

jltbravo

LOL, is your STB set to 1080p?

For those experiencing these issues on high end equipment that show the flaws, like a LG 4k OLED, here's a tip:

https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/15/11441680/verizon-fios-internet-cable-set-top-box-overhaul

Just search for "fios quantum picture quality smearing" and become overwhelmed with the results. FIOS is trying to save bandwidth, so they are sending lower bitrates.

Other hardware like Chromecast, have better decoders, codecs, and compression algorithms.

CRobGauth

If you are refering to VMS, it is still QAM.

The only devices that use IP are the IPCs.

The article you referenced is for a new STB that is not currently on the market.
Some rumors of beta testing.

Rajakswany

I have the same experience, lg65c6

i had Motorola 7116 which was beautiful 7232 was worse arris is horrible I see a constant layer of pixel on foreground.connected cable direct to tv a lot better. Look like the video processing is not doing a good job.i have tried all out put formats no luck. One example of this is I can see a layer of color from grey or light colored suits move

airscapes1

Inteseing as this is a complaint I have and it has been going on for at least a year and getting worse. However I have check a neighbors house who has no DRV and see the same type of issues.. I too have been a customer since the day they hit my street back in 2009 and service is worse now than ever.. stations being removed and over compressed NO deffinition TV.. May need to bail out after forking over $17,000 to Verizon over the past 8 years. Obviouly they don't care!

airscapes1

Tried to set color space to RGB, box will not let me save that setting or I am doing something wrong.. after exiting and turning on the box and going back to check it is no longer set to RGB

@jltbravo wrote:
LOL, is your STB set to 1080p?
For those experiencing these issues on high end equipment that show the flaws, like a LG 4k OLED, here's a tip:
To mitigate the poor bitrates, change the STB to the sharper (4) setting, use the BUI menu (turn STB off, hold the green button for 5 seconds and let go). Change HDMI color output space from 4:4:4 to RGB. on my OLED TV, turn off deep color, use normal color space, enable medium digital noise reduction, turn on medium dynamic contrast, and turn on smooth motion to offset frame drops. Now it at least looks like a decent Youtube stream.
I invite all members to get educated on the new delivery mechanism of IP streaming versus QAM. Had I read this article, I would have kept the older QAM based STB, to which I have to pay a monthly increase to go "backwards".
https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/15/11441680/verizon-fios-internet-cable-set-top-box-overhaul
Just search for "fios quantum picture quality smearing" and become overwhelmed with the results. FIOS is trying to save bandwidth, so they are sending lower bitrates.
Other hardware like Chromecast, have better decoders, codecs, and compression algorithms.
It is what it is, but what used to set FIOS apart was it's uncompressed picture quality. However, I am enjoying the increased Quantum internet bandwidth, so I can stream 4K HDR from all the competitor's services.