KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Continuing Picture Quality Degredation In Philadelphia
Well I'm still here, and still experiencing poor SD and HD picture quality on Fios TV in the Philadelphia area. They sent a tech out, and they confirmed that the equipment at my home, and the relative RF signal, and Fiber light levels are operating properly, and exactly where they should be, and they agree that there is a network related video problem that can be seen at my home.
They actually saw it on my 40" Samsung LCD, 27" Sony CRT, 20" Panasonic CRT, and 20" Sony CRT.
This upcomming Wednesday, June 20, will mark 1 month with an unacceptable FiosTV picture.
IF you are not served from the Philly headend, this is not your problem. Please 'brainfilter' my post.
Suggestions that a $2500 1080p set be hooked up via S-video cables(480i) instead of component or HDMI to alleviate the obvious problem, is an unacceptable answer, at any level of conscious thought.
Hmmm, the idea that if they downscan it, re-interlace it, then they won't see it, is complete BS!!!!
Of course HD at 480i won't show any negative picture problems, because you are not looking at HD anymore.
Would you expect to have to hook up an expensive NEW HDTV using S-Video cables, just to get a watchable picture????
I bought a JVC S-VHS VCR in 1991, S-Video is easily a 16 YEAR OLD 'analog' TECHNOLOGY PEOPLE!!! So WHY IS VERIZON SUGGESTING USING IT FOR 'digital' HDTV????
I constantly am told by Verizon that they are taking this seriously, that their top level video engineers are working hard at troubleshooting the issue.
These same 'tier 3' engineers are still guessing, nearly a full month later, and unless someone keeps this topic open, I fear they will NEVER figure out what is going on.
Whether it is only affecting one, three, five, or everyone, it is still a problem.
A problem that they can't comprehend, or perhaps they don't want to.
I just today received the first actually 'correct' bill in the past 3 months(an F'ing Christmas Miracle), which reiterates the cruel reality that I am still PAYING for this crappy picture quality. I ask a simple question to anyone, If you have seen the same issue at your home, why do you continue to pay for this??
I see the problem, their techs sees the problem, they acknowledge they are actively troubleshooting a problem, but nothing ever changes, and they are still billing me for this!!!
I beg anyone that has seen this issue in the Philadelphia area to call and complain.
Whether you saw it once for a few minutes, every few days, only on weekends, only on a few channels, only on one channel, or experiencing a constantly blurred, artifacted, pixelated, fuzzy, cloudy, downscanned, washed-out picture, please call this in.
If they can't comprehend the problem, they will never be able to fix it.
They sent one of their top video engineers to JeepMatt's place, but I have asked the same person to check on the problem at my home, and Verizon does not seem interested in pursuing this any further.
So, I stand at a point that I absolutely L-O-A-T-H-E Comcast, and Dish Network is hopelessly overcompressed, in their relentless pursuit of providing local channels to every possible 'postage stamp' of a DMA.
Both DirecTV and Dish Network are also conveniently 'randomly obstructed' by large trees in a neighbors yard. Even my old C-Band 9' dish has fallen prey to my neighbors ever growing tree foliage over the past 12 years.
So Verizon is my only hope for reliable cable TV programming, and they apparently can't make it happen anymore.
My Fios POTS and Internet are now performing flawlessly since late February, and I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Fios Internet and POTS to anyone that has it available to them.
Really, go for it, it's awesome!!! Verizon's techs are great people, really busting their A$$ to keep the customers happy.
But it seems that they can't get the TV service back to what it was prior to 5/20/2007, and it really sucks.
WTF Verizon??? Just fix the damn thing !!!! |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY
| Keep us posted. You are getting unacceptable answers and even if you hate Comcast, their picture has to be better than what you are getting now. If you get nowhere after a few more weeks I would switch. What's the sense in keeping an unacceptable picture quality?? Good luck, let us know. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
 ·Comcast
edit:
June 18th, @06:05PM
| reply to KA3SGM
Well KA, if it's not fixed soon based on the analysis WE provided them Thursday, then who knows. I know we're on an "advanced fiber-optic system", but 4 weeks already? I can't wait to get that $118 credit on my account. 
As they said in a Dilbert comic a few months back, it's like 10 drunken monkeys trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle.
If you know Point A is the source, which is then sent to Points B, C, and D.
And Points B and D are fine but not C, you'd think it would explain some things - maybe like hmmmm...there's an issue in between A and C? Hmmmm.
But i'm hittin' the shore this weekend, so I could care less how crappy the pic is the next 2 days.
Matcarl-
You'd be surprised how bad the Comcast pic is around this area as well. I just saw it again Thursday night. Blech.  |
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JPL
Premium
join:2007-04-04
West Chester, PA
edit:
June 16th, @07:40AM
| said by JeepMatt  :You'd be surprised how bad the Comcast pic is around this area as well. I just saw it again Thursday night. Blech. With that I'll agree wholeheartedly. Comcast around here really is crap.
And Matt, I'll continue to keep an eye out for the problem on my TV, and I can't believe they told you to use the S-video connection. |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | reply to JeepMatt
I'll be in PA for a couple days next week in the Strasburg/Lancaster area. I'll check out the Comcast analog channels at the hotel |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
edit:
June 16th, @11:20AM
| reply to JPL
said by JPL : and I can't believe they told you to use the S-video connection. Oops...VZ's secret to good television quality is out.
I mean, if this was a high priority - based on the info we gave them around lunch time Thursday - this should've been corrected even by today.
The funny thing is, i'm now getting IM's that truck rolls are now being done in DE b/c people are seeing "lousy SD quality". SO maybe now that they're losing more money b/c of this by tying up technicians, they'll get the point.
Yeah, use your S-Video cables folks. |
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JPL
Premium
join:2007-04-04
West Chester, PA
| reply to matcarl
First off, my apologies - I confused Matt with K. Second matcarl, yeah, you'll see just how good it can be. Verizon would have to get mighty crappy for me to even consider switching to Comcast. A couple years ago, I went to help a neighbor with a computer issue. He had the Eagles game on in his den, and I swear I thought he was watching it with an antenna - static and snow all over the place. It seems that they reserve the "best" for their own backyard. |
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KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
| JPL, at least Verizon's boxes and DVR's keep sync.
My neighborhood is a product of the wildly popular suburban sprawl, and what was then Suburban(or Sub-Human)Cable decided NOT to run new TV lines in my part of the development. My yard abuts a wooded area between me and the neighbors behind me. They decided to just run longer drop lines through the woods, and back to their original tap, and for me that cable run is almost 350 feet. Even using RG11 coax, I could only get around -10db of signal at the house.
Comcast's subsequent rebuild from a 450MHz to an 870MHz system, and still keeping the same distance from the tap really finished them off.
They said they would move the tap closer, but it would cost me over $2000 to do so, and even then, it would take almost 6 months to get the work order pushed through, because it would involve re-engineering the entire cable plant around me, not just simply burying the new hardline and moving a tap
Sure a 15db amplifier at the house brings me back to an acceptable level, but it also adds 3-5db of noise at the same time. I used to experience lots of freeze ups and video drop outs. My cable modem(cable mayhem)would see the signal dive from +5db at night, to -15 during the day, just due to the warming up of the cables and electronics between my home and the 'node'.
Comcast always said that they could not guarantee me any Quality of Service beyond 300 feet from the tap, so I moved to Dish network. Dish itself is quite over compressed, and I don't have many mounting options to get a clear aim with it, so I could not wait to get FiosTV installed.
As was the data service, I was the first video install in my neighborhood. When they installed the Fios data in Sept. 2005, the tech made a big deal that I was on the 1st port of the 1st splitter in the FDH serving the area of several hundred homes around me, so call me an early adopter, or beta tester if you will.
Believe me, I have gone through all the growing pains that Verizon has, to get to where I am now, and with every passing day, this grows ever more frustrating.
Other than the service problems that I experienced in February, and some annoying billing errors, which it looks like they have finally fixed, the FiosTv service has been great, up until the equipment failure at the Philly headend during the weekend of May 19-20.
Since then the picture quality has not been the same as it used to be.
I still don't understand why some people around Philly see the problem and some do not.
I do understand that not everyone has a decent sized HDTV set to look at, so the PQ problem is likely not so evident, but in 4:3 mode, my 40" set yields a 32" picture(measured diagonally), and the decrease in picture quality is quite obvious.
It's not like I'm trying to watch SD video on a 102" screen or anything.
I have seen the picture quality vary from almost perfect, to worse than ever, so this is a variable problem, and I intend to keep after them until a resolution can be found. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
edit:
June 17th, @06:44AM
| Well-
I'm now convinced I have shit luck with companies ending in "izon".
Right as I was about to leave for the shore today (with friends' housesitting the dog the next 2 days) - I noticed the Central air wasn't turning on.
Turns out my compressor blew (after only 2 years of a brand new $4500 Trane AC) from Horizon.
So, now my AC from "Hor-izon" is f'd, as is my TV from "Ver-izon" - and i'll be out $1100 - and w/o air conditioning (with 4 days of 90+ degree weather coming) until the part gets in and they install it.
The joys of being a home owner. 
So, I sat and watched a DVR'd episode of Top Chef w/ my friends - the Bravo picture from the other night was so bad it jumped all over the screen. My friends were like, what's wrong with your TV? Exactly...
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" |
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KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
| WOW Jeep, don't they provide a better warranty??
I had a new Carrier system installed last fall, Heater and A/C. The heater has a 20 year heat exchanger warranty, the A/C coil and compressor a 10 year warranty.
That was the standard warranty. I didn't pay for an additional one. The optional service contract is something like $180/year.
I looked at other systems from other manufacturers and the warranties were similar.
Sorry to say, it sounds like you really got a bad deal. 
Can you trace it back to a power surge? Lightning?
Your homeowners policy might even cover it. Less of course whatever your deductible is.
OK, I've taken my own thread off topic now, PM me when you get the A/C running again. |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | Compressors are guaranteed for 5-10 years. Trane is a good brand too. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
edit:
June 16th, @07:00PM
| If anyone wants an idea of HOW BAD our TV actually is.
Right now, on USA - Sweet Home Alabama is on.
You can't even make out Reece Witherspoon's face. It's like an Atari 2600 video game.
This is the SHIT we've dealt with for 4 weeks now. And VZ supposedly can't find the problem. And you wonder why KA and me are pulling our hair out???
No wonder i'm drinking so much!
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | I just put USA on now and it looks like it's in HD it's so clear.  |
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CeeZee
join:2007-04-11
Wynnewood, PA | reply to JeepMatt
Clear as a bell here too. But when I checked USA at 7:00, exactly when you posted JeepMatt, and Sweet Home Alabama isn't on. Had you recorded it? |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | I found that odd too that he said that. That wasn't what was showing. Maybe that hot temperature in his house with the broken A/C has him seeing things on his broken TV. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE | It was on UP TO 7:00pm. |
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KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to matcarl
said by matcarl : "Maybe that hot temperature in his house with the broken A/C has him seeing things on his broken TV" matcarl, I don't think Jeepmatt has a broken TV, as the video problems are more widespread than you might think.
But he obviously has a broken Air Conditioner.
I can't seem to find AirConditionerReports.Com, so he has a right to bitch about it somewhere.
Tomorrow and into the next week, we are looking at +90 temperatures. So no A/C sucks.
Jeep, Trane(cheap version of American Standard), has a 10 year compressor warranty on their A/C systems.
They have offered that for many years. So it looks like you are covered!!!
Please don't let some 3rd rate Trane distributor shove the cost of a compressor failure down your throat.
Unfortunately, the parts are covered for 10 years, but the Labor is NOT. The labor cost should not kill you though.
4 bolts and some copper tube brazing should not = $1000+
They can still reclaim the refrigerant, be it R-22 or R-410, so they should not have to charge you for that either.
Just consider an annual maintenance contract going forward.
It offers a little piece of mind.
Sorry, but in the end, the *.*-IZON companies have you.
You have been assimilated.
Thank you for choosing the BORG!!! |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | KA,
I'm well aware of the problems both you and Jeep are experiencing. I know it's not his TV, I was joking with him. I have IM'd both of you with my support of your problem and hope it gets resolved soon. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
edit:
June 17th, @07:28AM
| You guys crack me up!
Yeah KA - the parts are covered by my warranty - apparently the labor is that much! No worries, i'll be negotiating that estimate...
At least my TV pic still looks the same this morning...
Every morning I wake up and see they've made no attempt at late-night maintenance, it sickens me more and more.
I think the only engineers looking into this are the ones that drive Septa trains. |
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JPL
Premium
join:2007-04-04
West Chester, PA
edit:
June 17th, @07:45AM
| reply to JeepMatt
said by JeepMatt :If anyone wants an idea of HOW BAD our TV actually is. Right now, on USA - Sweet Home Alabama is on. You can't even make out Reece Witherspoon's face. It's like an Atari 2600 video game. This is the SHIT we've dealt with for 4 weeks now. And VZ supposedly can't find the problem. And you wonder why KA and me are pulling our hair out??? No wonder i'm drinking so much! Ok, now I know we're definitely not seeing the problem you are. I watched a chunk of that movie at the same time yesterday, and it looked fine to me. As good as a movie on USA can look.
Edit - wait a sec... maybe it wasn't that showing I was watching... they've been showing that movie so much lately that I lost track - I remember seeing it on the guide yesterday, but I think I watched it on Friday night... not yesterday. Still everything I watched yesterday looked great. We went to a friend's house last night for a graduation party. They have Comcast with a 50+" HD TV. He had the Phillies game on CSN HD, and it looked dull - if it wasn't in widescreen I would never have known it was in HD. I came home and just started flipping around - my SD looked sharper and clearer than his HD. |
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