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noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
 ·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | VOD problems
This past weekend, I tried running VOD content and the picture and audio quality was terrible - random blocking and stuttering with the image every few seconds, audio constantly dropping out. Also, this occurs (though not as frequent) with some random "normal TV" channels - HBO, Cartoon Network, MSNBC, Discovery, etc. The same picture/audio issues occur on either of my standard STBs. Any clues as to what might be causing this?
As I've come to understand, VOD content comes through a router -> NIM100 combo. I've tried rebooting both and already had a tech reboot the ONT/STBs remotely (also made sure sure the coax is securely fastened) but the problem remains - person over the phone couldn't explain it either.
It's been a little over a week since I got FiOS TV installed, and it's been nothing but trouble so far. Can't say that I'm particularly happy with the service itself - the people working the call centers are more than helpful to try to fix things - but random things going wrong (STB crashing, unresponsive remotes) makes me think that I should've held off signing up a little while longer. | |
JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| If you are seeing these issues, there's definitely some type of either signal level issue / STB issue / MOCA over the router issue.
Definitely need a tech out. You should see any blocking or stuttering at all.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" | |
matcarl
@optonline.net
| reply to noping
I had similar problems after 2 weeks with the service and had 12 techs to my house over 2 months. They changed the boxes, the router, the splitter and couldn't figure it out. Then one guy changed the ONT and it's been fine since, cross my fingers. It does get very frustrating especially when the techs come in and actually say to you, "we know how to install them but we were not trained to troubleshoot problems" | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
4 edits | reply to JeepMatt
Jeep - They have me scheduled for this Saturday from 8AM-5PM, was just wondering if there was anything else I could try to troubleshoot further before then. Oddly enough, the problem was worse on Sunday than it was this morning when I rechecked (though there is still random glitching).
Pretty sure it's not a router issue, I tried throwing my Gentoo Linux box in front and still had the same problem. Couldn't be a "MoCA over the router" issue since I'm stuck with a 610 ONT (Cat5e only) and they didn't give me an Actiontec. Not sure about whether or not it's a signal level issue, they day that I got installed the installers said that it was "acceptable." | |
JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE | No Ping-
I'd ask for a new Actiontec - while some folks here hate them, I'm really happy with it.
It could be the NIM box causing issues, but hey, not sure.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" | |
KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
 ·Cricket Broadband
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to noping
The 610 and 611 ONT's both have known video problems(the 610 especially), but not as bad as you are talking about. You said you are using a NIM. Are you using the Verizon supplied router, or did you swap it for your own? Are you experiencing any problems with your phone or Internet service as well?
My Actiontec was acting up last week, similar to the problem you described, and I even lost Internet service too. Power cycling the router, and re-booting PC's made no difference. I have a 612 ONT, which reportedly does not have the video issues of the 610 and 611. The 612 connects to the router over Cat5, NOT coax. Even though coax is an option, I specifically asked them to enable the RJ-45 port on the ONT.
The FSC was going to send a tech out, but I declined, as no one would be here to let them in.
My radical fix idea was to unplug the ONT power supply, remove the battery, wait 5 minutes, plug the power supply back in, then re-connect the battery. Sort of like doing a Ctrl-Alt-Del on the ONT.
That solved all the problems I was having. The ONT just needed a re-boot.
If you do this, you could also make matters worse, so I don't recommend it, but since a tech is coming out anyway, it might not hurt to try.
Expect a phone call from the FSC shortly after doing so, as when they see an ONT "go missing", they want to follow up to see if you had an extended power failure, equipment failure, or if the "replace battery" light on the BBU is lit. | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
2 edits | Curious, in what part of WC are you located? I'm in West Goshen, right near Exton-ish. Any links to other forum posts about the "known video problems (610 especially)"?
Not using the Verizon supplied router. The DI-604 that Verizon gave me nearly two years ago died six months after my initial installation. Currently using a WRT54G 2.0 +Tomato firmware since they didn't give me an Actiontec. Still wondering why they didn't. Not as if I would use it, though, it's just that I wasn't offered one.
No problems with phone or internet, unless you consider not having the promised 20/5 upgrades yet.
said by KA3SGM  :My radical fix idea was to unplug the ONT power supply, remove the battery, wait 5 minutes, plug the power supply back in, then re-connect the battery. Sort of like doing a Ctrl-Alt-Del on the ONT. That solved all the problems I was having. The ONT just needed a re-boot. First thing that I did was kill the power/restart the ONT, router, NIM, STBs, then I ended up calling in to the FSC. They also tried remotely restarting the ONT. Nothing. Didn't get a phone call from the FSC after rebooting the ONT. | |
KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Cricket Broadband
·Verizon FIOS
| noping, I don't think anyone here has mentioned a known video problem with the 610, but at least 4 techs that have been here said that the 610 has issues with video, and are usually the first thing to be replaced if video problems creep up. My 610 became a doorstop, as did the 611 that followed it, I now have a 612.
I would hope they would upgrade your router to an Actiontec first, as it seems to provide a degree of QOS for the VOD data. If I open up 4 VOD streams on 4 separate boxes, the VOD degrades the Internet connection, but, if I hammer the hell out of the Internet connection, it doesn't affect the VOD.
I am surprised they would add a NIM to your existing Linksys router, as it is not a supported device. Not sure if the WAN port on your Linksys WRT54G is 10 or 10/100, I know the older ones were 10Mbps only, that could be causing a problem, as Verizon throttles the Internet connection up to around 30Mbps to accommodate VOD, without affecting the Internet service.
Tell them you want the Actiontec, shut the WIFi off on the Actiontec, then hang your Linksys off one of the Actiontec's LAN ports.
I am in West Goshen too, other side of town off of Westtown Road, East of Rt. 202, right near Westtown-ish, so I doubt we share a common PON card at the CO that is causing the problem.
Do you have a West Chester or Exton exchange phone number? Problem could be related to Exton CO, or West Chester CO. The Exton CO last I heard was still being set up for video, but they are not yet selling it to West Whiteland, East Caln, or Uwchlan Twp's yet. If you have an Exton phone#, you may be a beta tester on the Exton video plant, since you can get the video service because you live in West Goshen. That could explain the problem too.
Lot's of variables. | |
KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Cricket Broadband
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to noping
Oh yea, noping, when you killed the power to the ONT, did you pull the battery too? You want a cold restart, NOT a warm reset like the FSC does.
Disconnect battery, pull AC plug, wait a few, plug AC back in, then re-connect the battery last.
Just know what worked for me. | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
2 edits | reply to noping
WRT54G is 10/100 on WAN (but really more like ~32, according to this). Fairly sure it's not a router issue since (like I said in my first post) I threw my Gentoo Linux box in front temporarily, let the NIM hang off that and had the same problems with VOD/some normal TV.
West Chester CO. 692-xxxx. And yes, I pulled the battery as well. | |
KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Cricket Broadband
·Verizon FIOS
| When they set up the TV, did they do much re-wiring, connector replacement, fish out multiple splitters, home run coax to TV's ?, ect.. Comcast's original wiring typically leaves alot to be desired. I hope they didn't re-use any Comcast splitters too. 
Not that the router is the problem, but the fact they did not offer you an Actiontec on a new video install is most unusual.
They typically don't carry NIM's anymore, and if they do, they were just wrong to connect the NIM to a non-supported router. Verizon only supports the VDI-604, VDI-624, and Actiontec MI424WR, routers.
Did they install any attenuators in the line between the ONT and splitter? If so, what attenuation value are they? Should be marked on the attenuator label. You might try removing at least 3 db of attenuation, or all of it, and see if it makes a difference. How many ports are on the splitter? Less than 6, and you should find a -3 or -6db attenuator, more than 6 ports, you should only have -3db, or none at all. This might point you in the direction of whether or not you have to much, or to little signal.
While you have your trusty 7/16 box wrench in hand, check to see if all the connectors are snug, 20" Lbs is the typical spec, and I have a special torque wrench that sets that perfectly, but you should be able to verify by hand that the connectors are at least snug. DON't use the wrench on the connectors on the boxes, just confirm they are all hand tight.
Look inside each connector to see if possibly a fleck of the braid, or foil, is shorting to the center conductor. Make sure the center conductor insulation is up flush with the bottom inside of the connector. Make sure the compression connectors were properly crimped. Did they install new ones, or reuse Comcast's existing connectors? Check the connector at the ONT too, if it was not tightened correctly in the first place, the recent change in the weather may have allowed moisture to seep in. Just some things to try before next Saturday's tech visit.
It sounds to me like you got the "express" install job. They could have paid a little more attention to detail. If everything checks out OK, I would strongly suspect the 610 ONT is the culprit. | |
stray
join:2000-01-16
Warren, NJ
| reply to noping
FWIW, I had the same VOD problem. It took VZ about 2 weeks to sort it out; several service calls, new ActionTec, new ONT, lots of cable testing and rebooting.
Turns out it was a PON card at the CO. It was very difficult to convince VZ that the problem was not at my home, inasmuch as one hand doesn't know what the other is doing.
You can look at the signal levels for the COAX feeding each set-top box by going to the hardware diagnostics (Power, then Select.) Another thing would be to check your internet speed and packet loss with a speed test and QOS tests here at DSLR. In general, if your set-tops have a good signal and your computer can download consistently at full speed without packet loss, chances are good that the problem is upstream of your home, probably back on the network where VOD is routed onto the IP channel of your fiber, i.e. the PON card. Yes, it could also be one of the many things the other posters have suggested, but that's how things got tracked down on my VOD problem.
Go ahead and get your ticket escalated at FSC. It'll take some on-hold time and some very firm language. Don't take no for an answer. Best of luck! | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
4 edits | reply to noping
>When they set up the TV, did they do much re-wiring
Unless you count connecting a single coax cable from each STB to each TV as "much," no. Coax from the basement -> TVs looked like the old stuff I had with Comcast.
>connector replacement
Not sure.
>fish out multiple splitters
See above, but I'm leaning towards "no."
>home run coax to TV's ?
If by this you mean, "did they run new coax from the basement to the TVs?": nein.
>I hope they didn't re-use any Comcast splitters too.
New splitter.
>VDI-604
Got one with my internet service two years ago. Had it hooked up to the WRT54G a crappy m0n0wall box for a few months for the extra ports until it (the D-Link) suddenly stopped working and I swapped in the WRT54G. I'll check the rest of the stuff you mentioned tomorrow. Thanks for that.
said by stray :You can look at the signal levels for the COAX feeding each set-top box by going to the hardware diagnostics What's funny is that I called the FSC hours after the installers left to complain about the audio cutting out on one normal TV channel. Coming from Comcast's analog service, I didn't know whether or not it was normal behavior with digital service. I read off the signal level and was told (if I remember correctly) that "it is perfectly within limits, albeit just a little on the high side" or something to that effect.
Speed is normally fine (15+/~1.8) and I don't recall ever running into any really terrible packet loss in over two years of having the service. Only problem I've ever had is some weird random latency issues that happens from to time to time that makes a online game unplayable, but that's nothing to do with the VOD issue I'm assuming.
I did manage to call Encore earlier today, the person that I spoke with said he'd credit me for this week, and he even got my wireless bill moved over (finally). Really wanted to watch some of the HBO VOD content before it expires this weekend, too. Bleh. | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | reply to noping
Quick update: tech is still scheduled to come out tomorrow.
Still having some sporadic VOD "blocking," but not as bad as last weekend. Could the weather have something to do with this? (It was terrible last weekend, with the excess wind and ice.)
I don't know what/where to check for some items that KA3SGM mentioned ("connector replacement," "fish out multiple splitters," "attenuators."). This is the first time I've ever paid any attention to how cable service is wired, so it'd be nice if someone could explain a bit or point me to an external link with explanations.
And in response to stray's post: I suppose I'll end up calling the FSC and asking them escalate the ticket if the ONT gets replaced this weekend and things are still messed up. | |
KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Cricket Broadband
·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | noping, weather should not affect fiber, unless somewhere there is a fiber patch cord that was not seated correctly, and moisture has crept in, but if your phone and Internet are working OK, that is unlikely.
Check to see that the door on the ONT is snapped shut, and the screw holding the lid closed is tight, to ensure water has not invaded the ONT itself. While you are at it, make sure the TV connector on the ONT looks new(chrome/silver nut and back, with a black center band)is tight.
Is any of the original coax routed outside? Comcast would not fish walls, and commonly would use siding clips outside to hold the coax, then drill a hole in wherever needed. Years of exposure to sunlight usually deteriorates the coax to the point of being unusable. Where it is important that all indoor connectors be compression type. Any outdoor connectors ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE compression fittings, or water will seep in and ruin them. Any sharp bends or kinks in the cable can cause a problem also. Just a few things to check for. FiOS cabling pretty much has to be wired in a star topology, where each coax run goes straight from the TV to the splitter.
Comcast would install a 2-way, go 30 feet and run a 4 way then run to several other rooms with a few more 2 ways. This kind of setup will not work with FiOS. Alot of those older Comcast splitters were only rated for 500-600MHz. Where FiOS needs splitters good to at least 1000MHZ (1GHz).
Hope you find something to fix the problem, at least you will be more vigilant about what the tech is repairing, how the wiring is supposed to be done, and what they might be missing. | |
Jon Purkey
join:2006-09-29
Washington, DC
| reply to noping
We lost service (tv, phone and internet) this winter when ice broke a connector at the node. Only thing that was working (barely) was the analog channels. But if ice caused a similar problem for you I would assume that it would affect everything and not just VOD. | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to noping
So, a guy came out today and replaced my 610 ONT with a 611. First 611 he installed was bad (data and video service would turn on, then off, then on, then off), so he replaced that with another 611. He gave me the requested Actiontec and I'm planning to fiddle around with it later today.
It's interesting - he confirmed what KA3SGM was saying about random 610 ONTs having problems with the video service but couldn't give an exact reason why (if I recall correctly).
Signal levels to the STBs are "just right" now, apparently. I haven't checked VOD yet, but I noticed some "tiling" a few minutes ago while watching Serenity on HBO2W. I'll give it a little while longer before calling the FSC.
>But if ice caused a similar problem for you I would assume that it would affect everything and not just VOD.
Yeah, I was just throwing that out as an idea - I didn't have any issues with the data or voice services, though. | |
JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE | Noping-
I just opened a separate thread - but i noticed tiling just now on HBO HD as well. Maybe there's an issue with HBO out of the Philly headend???
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" | |
noping
no route to host
Premium
join:2007-01-09
·Verizon FIOS
2 edits | reply to noping
Right, so I just tested some random VOD stuff (Batman Begins) - looks good so far. No audio problems, no tiling. Wonderful. The HBO issue from earlier seems to be just a fluke.
I'm curious as to why new TV users won't automatically get their 610 ONTs replaced on the day of installation if there have been documented cases of problems in the past...laziness? "If it's not broken, don't fix it?" perhaps?
Also, I tried using the Actiontec - wow, the interface sure is painful to use and ugly when compared to DD-WRT or Tomato. I ended up putting my WRT54G +NIM100 back in front, but at least now I'll have the Actiontec for troubleshooting (calls to FSC since they "don't support non-standard equipment").
Thanks to those that threw out suggestions earlier in this thread.  | |
FXSTC
join:2007-03-02
| said by noping :I'm curious as to why new TV users won't automatically get their 610 ONTs replaced on the day of installation if there have been documented cases of problems in the past...laziness? "If it's not broken, don't fix it?" perhaps? Installed Video on a 610 yest.(inside) no problems at all. One factor turning up on the ont's crapping out is having them outside (-Neg. temps)(no official word). Few months ago (Dec.) installed video on a 610 and sig. at the f-connector was NG. Optical reading was ok. Swapped it w/611,perfect. Not sure of exact cause of failure. No way for techs to troubleshoot components in the ont. | |
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