Verizon FiOS TV → [HD] Massive pixellation, distorted audio - Epix HD. Anyone else

I just started watching Transformers: Dark Of The Moon on Epix HD and had to switch to the SD channel because it was just awful.

All the other HD channels are fine.

I don't remember what channel it was, but I recorded the movie 'Three Kings' on Saturday night in HD and watched it on Sunday and there was a lot of pixellation.
I've also noticed that there's some pixellation and what I would describe as playback hiccups (it seems to freeze for a second and then continue) on random scheduled recordings in both SD and HD.
If it keeps up I'll be putting a call in to tech assistance to see what's up. The only issue that could be mine is that I have an external hard drive hooked up (it's one of the recommended ones).

Last night all of the HBO networks were unwatchable for me. I recorded Game of Thrones cleanly at 9 but later (after midnight) the picture was breaking up so bad you couldn't see a thing. Other networks seemed fine. Didn't check it this a.m. nor did I try any other boxes last night.

I had the exact same issue when I got up this AM, I'm in Ma. This is what I gave to online chat
"" All my HD channels are breaking up, poor picture quality and audio stuttering. internet is ok, SD ok, OnDemand HD ok.. Have already disco battery and reset ONT.. Recorder HD on DVR is OK, happens on both my HD/DVR and HD/STB.."" Halfway thru the online chat, problem disappeared!! I mentioned to the tech that I tested enough to feel it had to be an outage on their part, and possibly widespread. He said one of his colleagues had mentioned something like that a few minutes before""" That was @ 10 AM EST, and problem has not reoccured. It involved all HD channels, no SD channels, and got progressively worse if you left it on any HD channel, as if it had to "build up".. YMMV