No Picture on certain channels

[jpaul1972]

Hello, I am a FIOS TV subscriber in the Philly suburbs and for some reason over the past few days I am no longer getting any picture on certain channels.  Channels affected are 754 (Nick Jr.), 757 (Cartoon Network), 770 (BET) & 771.  I can get sound perfectly but the picture is black.  Haven't had this problem before a couple of days ago, and I haven't noticed it happening on other channels.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[CRobGauth]

DOes it happen on all boxes or just one?

Have you tried resetting the box(es)?

Depending on if it is one or all, check the coax connections.

If all, start at ONT and work up to splitter.

If only one, start the the splitter that feeds it.

If you have more than one and it is only on one, can try swapping boxes around to see if problem follows.

[jpaul1972]

I only have the one box.  I've tried resetting the DVR box and the ONT with no luck.  All coax cables look good connection wise.

[jpaul1972]

Also, it only seems to be affecting the HD channels, the same channels in SD are working fine.

[CRobGauth]

The SD and HD channels use different frequencies.

I would still retighten all of the conenctions.

Could also try to swap ports on the splitter.

[ddarko]

jpaul1972,

I have the same problem as you AND I'm also in the suburban Philly area.  There are some slight differences - you still have sound but I have a complete loss of sound and picture on those same channels.  These channels were working Monday or Tuesday and went out on Wednesday.  In addition to the channels you listed, I also can no longer view Disney XD HD (781).

A couple questions:

1) Are you a Cablecard/Tivo user?  I use a Cablecard/Tivo and discovered when I first saw the channels were out that my Cablecard wasn't paired anymore with my Tivo.  After much effort, my Cablecard as been re-paired with my Tivo HD but the channels are still out.

2) Can anyone say whether the channels listed above are now being encoded as MPEG4?  My Tivo is an older model that doesn't support MPEG4.  If these channels are now MPEG4, then my Tivo HD wouldn't be able to display them.  Tivo is rolling out a software update to enable MPEG4 support on my older Tivo HD (current and more recent Tivo already support MPEG4) but my Tivo has not yet received the update.

I have asked Verizon tech support whether these channels are MPEG4 encoded and they told me they are not.  I am not sure whether the rep I spoke to is accurate, however.  Can anyone at Verizon please check to see if the channels we list in this thread are MPEG4? 

[CRobGauth]

I just read on another forum that Verizon has upgraded these channels to MPEG4.

So if you have a 6XXX series STB or other box that doesn't do MPEG4, then you will not be able to see these channels.

If you have a Verizon box, you should be able to get a free upgrade to a 7XXX series box.

Keep in mind that if you have a DVR, none of your recorded shows will migrate to new box.

[jcd148]

I have a Moto QIP6416 and the on screen guide tells me I am eligible for a free upgrade when I try to tune to certain channels like FS2. 

[_dot]

WE GOT OUR FREE UPGRADED BOXES oops caps off with no problems.....the new boxes are small black and lightweight and have no clock on front.....save copies of the tracking slips / address labels and get a receipt from the ups store that should include the weight of package. that shows  that you sent them back their boxes...also check your bill closely after, cuz we had been getting billed for "two tv equipment package" at $19.98/month and it mysteriously changed to "two set-top boxes" at $11.99/each/month, but we got it changed back eventually.....if you are getting a dvr upgraded, i've read that you can continue watching your previously recorded  stuff thru your old dvr  after you  get your new one AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT DISCONNECT POWER TO THE OLD ONE. you just connect the output from old dvr to a different input on your tv (since you'll prob have your new one connected where the old one was) and use the old dvr menu to watch what u can before you return  the old box to verizon. i can't confirm  that this works because we don't have the dvr, just regular boxes. good luck! i think i used the "my verizon/ my services/ tv/ equipment/" path to get to the "upgrades are available" interface on the internet to get the new boxes sent to me, but it may have been through the "in home agent"  on  computer...i know that  when i would try to tune to a channel that old box couldn't handle , i would get pic and sound for about 4 seconds and then sound would stop and picture would change to an onscreen notification that this channel was not available and to press ok to upgrade box...then pressing ok  would tell me i am currently subscribed to this channel...lol... "DVR" is misspelled? "watch" isn't in spellchecker dictionary? gotta go make a couple more posts, good luck all