FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
polroppsit
Newbie

Greetings all, I'm hoping someone can help here;

I have a Motorola HD DVR 72161 (Verizon supplied) connected via HDMI to my Sharp Aquos LC-46D65U. Over the last few weeks, something odd is happening: after watching TV for a while, my picture will change to snow (no video input all of the sudden). I have to turn the TV and the set-top box (STB) off. When the STB goes off, it flashed the "du1" on the display. After about 10 or 15 seconds, the (turned off) TV makes a click sound. At this point I can power everything back on and it is working fine. 

There is no pattern to this, though it sometimes happens more often (every 10 or 15 minutes) when watching a recorded program. It happens both day and night.

Tech support reinitialized my STB yesterday, and it didn't seem to fix the problem. I changed the HDMI port on the TV this afternoon (moved the cable to a new port) and this didn't help either.

Any ideas or help or suggestions would be very much appreciated! Thanks.  

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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
CapnTrips
Contributor - Level 3
I don't know how to fix your problem, but in the interest of having you not waste your time chasing things that are NOT your problem, the "click" that you hear about 10-15 seconds after powering off your TV is normal.  I have the same TV and after turning it off, it takes a few seconds (I think that 10-15 is an exaggeration) it makes a final "click".  It's just part of the normal power-down sequence.
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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
GnuGuy
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have the same problem and have been through the same troubleshooting with FIOS support.  Unfortunately, I also have a Sharp Aquos (46D85U).  I was hoping this was a FIOS issue rather than an Aquos issue, but after reading your post, I'm not sure.  Perhaps it's a combination of FIOS and Aquos.  I did not have this problem when I had Cox cable.  It started as soon as I switched to FIOS.  

Additional discoveries:  You can turn off just the TV, wait a few seconds for the relay to click, then turn the TV back on and the picture comes back.  Also, I just recently switched to the composite video output (Red, Blue, Green connectors) and the problem appears to have gone away.  The drawback is picture quality noticeably degrades.

Sorry, I don't have an answer.  Any ideas from the smart folks out there?

Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
VZ_Erik
Enthusiast - Level 3
Sounds like a HDMI handshake issue. The temporary fix is exactly what GnuGuy did, change the HDMI cable to component cabling. Component supports 1080i picture, it just comes through as a analog format which will not cause the digital handshake issue that comes over HDMI. Your picture quality for switching to component? Well I feel it really comes down to your display, they are all different, a debate can be started whether HDMI, Component or DVI is better, but how your display renders that particular signal has a lot to do with picture quality, considering black levels and color levels. Either way, the IMG 1.7 update, which is tentatively due to be released to all areas by the end of next month, is said to resolve the HDMI issues the Motorola boxes were having with certain televisions.
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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
GnuGuy
Enthusiast - Level 1

Problem solved ... I hope.  I found a firmware update for Aquos TVs on the Sharp website, downloaded it, and installed it.  TV has worked flawlessly for a week now. 

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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
polaroppsit
Newbie

I forgot my creds and had to create a new account (hence the new name):

GNUGuy: I tried this, but failed. I found the firmware update on the Sharp website, downloaded it, put it in the root of a blank USB drive...but the TV tells me that there is no update software on the drive. The file is: tel_soft_D65_D85_S55_U09008040.zip...which unzips to LAKEA310.uvp (this is on a Mac). Is this the same file you used? Any ideas?

VZ_Erik: did the update ever go out? Obviously this message chain was last year...and I am still having the problems. If the update went out, either I didn't get it or it didn't work. According to my box, I am on release 1.6.2, though I don't know if "IMG 1.7" is the update. Please help?

Thanks!

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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
thiswateredone

Unfortuantely, you are still on img 1.6.2.  If you had received the updated img you would be on 1.7.

However, I have had some HDMI issues as well and the 1.7 update has not fixed it completely.  While I use to get the dropout every 6 weeks or so, I do get the same dropout with 1.7 and need to reboot the STB every so often.  Even using component cables I get the dropouts of the signal.

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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
polaroppsit
Newbie

thiswateredone: thanks for the message. You were correct, I am still at img 1.6.2 

So I've called Verizon many, many times about this HDMI hand-shake issue, as it happens all the time and makes it very difficult to watch TV (forcing me to turn off the TV and STB repeatedly). Both users here and a Verizon enginneer said that 1.7 would likely fix the problem.

So I called Verizon today (1100 EST on a Saturday). FiOS tech support tried to manually push the 1.7 update to my box...but it didn't work. He said that the "central office has not yet released the signal for my part of Virginia." There was nothing he could do. 

So I then called accounts and billing: I am pretty tired of paying a full monthly bill for seriously degraded and more or less broken service. So I explained to the guy in accounts and billing about my issue, and he kept telling me to call "central orders" to ask about the signal/update. I kept telling him that I know the deal with the upgrade, at this point I am looking to get something fixed for my account: less money per month, credits, etc. I am sick of paying full bills for seriously degraded service, especially when Verizon has the potential fix but just won't release it to me yet. 

So the new guy tells me that there is nothing he can do, that I also need to call "central orders" to get anything done on my account. So in all of Verizon, there is no one that can actually do anything for me (this should be a pretty basic procedure here) on Saturday at noon? I have to call back on Monday now. 

These guys are ridiculous. Luckily, both Cox and DirectTV sent me flyers yesterday, and they both offer cheaper rates. Calling them now. 

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Re: FiOS TV cutting out to snow, resetting TV and set-top box?
dangott
Newbie

We are having the same issue during this last week.  And we almost never watch TV.  the Olympics have made TV watchers of us.   This issue has caused great frustration!!!!  After reading the above  I am not optimistic that Verizon can fix it.  I have sent an email a repair request after being fed up with the dead end paths of the phone support (lack of support) .  I have heard that with Comcast you call and get a human right away.   Maybe an antenna will be the best choice. 

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