Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
blueribb
Contributor - Level 1

I called Verizon to complain about a billing error a few months ago and the agent apologized and offered to upgrade my service to Quantum for no extra charge. I received a new router and DVR (Media Server). There were many issues with the DVR and I had to call Verizon many times but the issues still continue. The worst of the problems is the DVR's response to remote commands. When the DVR is turned on, I have to wait almost a minute before pressing a button on the remote. The DVR either doesn't respond or enters the command incorrectly. I have to be very careful when pressing buttons because they either don't respond or create multiple entries by mistake.

The remote lag is pretty bad too. There is sometimes a couple seconds before a remote command is entered, especially in the DVR screen. It seems to be getting worse.

My old equipment was better than this.

In the meantime, my bill went up and when I called, they said that Quantum costs more than my previous service. I told them I was given this upgrade for no additional charge. I offered to send back the Quantum equipment and the agent said they would lower my bill to the previous amount and there would be no additional charges.

Now I notice that I cannot record more than 2 shows at once. They must have sent a remote command to cripple my DVR.

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

That is what they do.

There are basically 3 levels of service that include DVR:

2 Tuner

6 Tuner

12 Tuner

All can be done with Quantum hardware (12 tuner requires 2 VMSs).

BTW, no reason to turn VMS off. Just leave it on all the time. Doesn't use any more energy.

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
blueribb
Contributor - Level 1

I'm guessing there are 3 power states for this VMS / DVR or whatever they call it. Unplugging the box will draw zero watts of course. When the box is plugged in and turned off, it's in standby mode, drawing a few watts I'm guessing. Turned on, I would suspect the box draws even more power which increases with DVR usage. Why even have a standby mode if it creates issues ?

So you're suggesting I leave the DVR on all the time. OK, that will solve maybe the warm-up issue but it doesn't address the extreme remote lag, especially in the DVR screens.

Also, I was offered and given a 6-tuner Quantum box for no additional charge but they reneged on their offer and now took back it's functionality.

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
Justin46
Legend

@blueribb wrote:

I'm guessing there are 3 power states for this VMS / DVR or whatever they call it. Unplugging the box will draw zero watts of course. When the box is plugged in and turned off, it's in standby mode, drawing a few watts I'm guessing. Turned on, I would suspect the box draws even more power which increases with DVR usage. Why even have a standby mode if it creates issues ?

So you're suggesting I leave the DVR on all the time. OK, that will solve maybe the warm-up issue but it doesn't address the extreme remote lag, especially in the DVR screens.

Also, I was offered and given a 6-tuner Quantum box for no additional charge but they reneged on their offer and now took back it's functionality.


blueribb,

Stop and think for a minute. With Quantum TV you have a server (or two servers) and you probably have clients. ALL of the tuners are in the server(s), NONE are in the clients, so if you want to watch anything on a client, the server must be at a minimum plugged in. And if you turn the server(s) off, the tuners must still work or the clients wouldn't work, plus the hard drive in the server must be active so you can watch recordings on the client(s) or replay live TV. So there is effectively absolutely no power draw difference for the server whether it is turned on or off. But yes, of course it does draw power when plugged in, none when not plugged in.

Now if you have no clients, then I guess turning it off makes little difference, other than maybe having to wait longer to watch TV. FWIW, I leave my server and both of my clients turned on 24/7, no issues.

Re: sluggish remote response, etc. Are you on the latest software, APR-2.0, Build Number 04.28.2? Depending on where you are you might still be on an earlier level where delays were more common. But through the Menu you can reboot the server, and in the past at least that would generally improve the response to the remote for a while (or you can just pull the power plug for 10-20 seconds), maybe once a day, maybe a week, maybe two weeks, etc. I am on the most current software, there are still occasions where it interprets one key press as two, or ignores a key press, or some other occasional little glitches show up. I know Verizon is working to improve Quantum TV and address some or all of the issues you have mentioned; I have had mine since April 2014, and overall I am satisfied.

What specific "DVR screens" are you referring to that are so slow for you?

I have had FiOS TV since 2005, gone through a number of box upgrades, and while Quantum is apparently still a little behind the QIP7232 DVR I last had before Quantum, I really don't want to go back.As to number of tuners, Verizon has chosen to use the Quantum boxes now even if people don't want the 6 tuner Quantum service, so they disable 4 of the tuners. You will have to work that out with Verizon, we are just other customers out here trying to help.Good luck, I have you can become satisfied with both the Quantum TV product and cost.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV: Extreme HD, Internet: 50/50, Digital Voice
VMS Enhanced Service: 1 server, 2 clients
Keller, TX 76248 (VHO 1)

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
blueribb
Contributor - Level 1

APR-2.0

UI Version: 04.28.2

When I press the blue DVR button on the remote, the navigation inside becomes really slow and un-responsive. I have had FIOS since 2008 and my last box was also the 7232. The Quantum box is my third and least responsive to my remote control. I have no clients but I do use the DVR function every day. I will leave the box on all the time although it begs the question (again) - why have a power off state if the power consumption is the same ?

Thanks for your help

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

As a start make sure you disable a bunch of functions (unless you really like them).  Turn off or disable Interactive TV. Recomendations, Notifications/PopUp Alerts, Notifications/Recommendations, and Notifications/promotions.

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
Justin46
Legend

@blueribb wrote:

APR-2.0

UI Version: 04.28.2

When I press the blue DVR button on the remote, the navigation inside becomes really slow and un-responsive. I have had FIOS since 2008 and my last box was also the 7232. The Quantum box is my third and least responsive to my remote control. I have no clients but I do use the DVR function every day. I will leave the box on all the time although it begs the question (again) - why have a power off state if the power consumption is the same ?

Thanks for your help


OK, we know you are on the latest available software.

Now I am going to do a brief test on my VMS (I have two clients, one is actively being used by my wife, the other is powered on and thus tying up a tuner even though the TV is off).

1) Press DVR button: Maybe 1/2 second to display initial screen, takes maybe 1 second to display list of recordings (I have 25 recordings)

2) Down to Scheduled Recordings: Maybe 1/2 second to get list (I only have 7 scheduled right now)

3) Everything else seems to be 1/2 second to no more than 1 second. Even starting to play a recording is less than 1 second. 

I did reboot my box 4 or 5 days ago, and that has probably helped, it seems that these boxes are much more responsive after a reboot and gradually gets slower over time. On this current software level it seems to be much better than it was on earlier software levels, but it still seems to happen. And one thing that I dislike is the display of icons when I choose to search for a show, all the icon display takes time, I wish Verizon would give me an option to not display them (in the Guide also).

Power off state? I don't know, maybe just that most people expect a power button, so Arris put one on there?

How do you use the Guide, do you go out more than 6 or 7 days to find things to record? One thing that appears to still not be fixed is the incredibly slow response once you get out into the second week. This is probably the only area that really frustrates me.

At this point unfortunately I don't see anything I can do to help, other than suggest you reboot the box maybe every day for a while and see if things improve. I wish I had some other ideas, but I simply cannot replicate what you are describing using the DVR button - works great for me. Sorry.....but maybe someone else on here will chime in with some suggestions.

Edit: I see TNS_2 has posted some suggestions, I agree with him, make sure you check those settings.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV: Extreme HD, Internet: 50/50, Digital Voice
VMS Enhanced Service: 1 server, 2 clients
Keller, TX 76248 (VHO 1)

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
blueribb
Contributor - Level 1

Thanks for the replies. The only time I reboot the box is when we lose power but I'll give it a try and see if it helps. I sure hope a new firmware cures this. It's frustrating.

I had everything disabled except for Interactive TV (whatever that is). I also removed the power on/off macro from my Harmony 650 which allows the DVR to remain on all the time.

For comparison, in my man-cave I have an Intel i5 NUC running OpenELEC (Kodi), controlled by a wireless Logitech K400 Keyboard. The responsiveness is so much better than the Verizon box - there is zero lag.

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Turn off Interactive TV, since you don't even know what it is.  It definitely adds a lag to response.

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Re: Arris VMS1100 slow warming & remote lag
Justin46
Legend

@blueribb wrote:
....
I also removed the power on/off macro from my Harmony 650 which allows the DVR to remain on all the time.

.... 


Probably a very stupid question but I will ask it anyway, do you see the same lag when you use a Verizon remote? I have no experience with a Harmony remote, I am just wondering if there is any possibility that most or all of the lag is actually in the remote and not in the box?

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV: Extreme HD, Internet: 50/50, Digital Voice
VMS Enhanced Service: 1 server, 2 clients
Keller, TX 76248 (VHO 1)

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