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miogpsrocks
join:2016-01-11

miogpsrocks

Member

Why is the X1 box so much slower to load channels then DTA?

Why is the X1 box so much slower to load channels then DTA?

I think the older DTA was maybe 1/2 second whereas the new X1 box is like 3+ seconds to load a channel after switching.

How come the older and smaller box has such a quick ability to load channels ?

I got the X1 box to replace the DTA however from what I have seen, they appear to be a step down unless there is some kind of setting to adjustment that can fix this.

I am curious to hear your experiences with both these boxes and the speed it load channels after switching.

The X1 box makes it impractical to surf channels to see if anything is good on. Its like they expect you to just find what you want in the guide and go directly there vs exploring the channels to see if anything appealing is on.

Is comcast basically just doing something stupid to account for how slow this X1 box is or is there some underlying tech problem behind it?

Thanks.
psuPete
join:2010-08-09
Lemont, PA

psuPete

Member

In terms of surfing, I like the older non-X1 rmt ctl better. They had additional channel keys that could scroll through your guide's view e.g., all HD, Favorites that you had selected.

Pete

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

3 recommendations

andyross to miogpsrocks

MVM

to miogpsrocks
X1 is a fully two-way system. EVERY button press appears to be processed through the Comcast servers. DTA's are one-way and totally independent. Legacy boxes were two-way, but the upstream was mainly only used for OnDemand and some interactive features.

What model X1 box do you have? I have an XG1v4, and it takes maybe 1-2 seconds to change channels. It can also depend if you are moving between QAM or IPTV channels. IPTV can be a bit slower to tune as it has to buffer a bit, especially the first time you go to an IPTV channel.

Also, on X1, in settings, you can change the default guide view so you don't always have to change it. That is something the legacy guide didn't have (I always had to hit FAV after going into the guide.)

mixdup
join:2003-06-28
Alpharetta, GA

1 recommendation

mixdup to miogpsrocks

Member

to miogpsrocks
The DTA is just a simple QAM tuner. It's no different than the tuner in your TV. You press a button, the DTA tells its tuner give me frequency XYZ and that's it

The X1 boxes are...much more complicated. They have a DVR with a buffer, they have a ton more guide data, they have recommendation engines, they have telemetry to record the actions you take on the box in terms of button presses and what channel you watch and how long and if you skip commercials. They have local insertion commercials *on the box itself*

All of this adds latency and tasks that have to be done before you're shown video. I would imagine the bulk of it is probably just getting the DVR buffer going, but all of the added "features" of X1 just pile on more and more for the box to do while you're channel surfing, and while the X1 definitely has a better processor than the DTA, it's not a PC or iPad
lesmikesell
join:2013-06-10
Mount Prospect, IL

2 recommendations

lesmikesell

Member

There are 2 things. One is that the X1 remotes send their commands to an xfinity server to be processed before having their effect on your local box. Bad connectivity can cause delays. The other is that there are many different X1 boxes with different processor speed and you can see the effect in displaying and moving around in the guide and menus. The xg1v4 is the best of the bunch where everything is fast enough to 'feel' instant.
miogpsrocks
join:2016-01-11

miogpsrocks to psuPete

Member

to psuPete
The DTA that surfing channels is almost instant is a older non-X1 one from many years ago. Perhaps we are referring to the same one.

When you say it had additional channel keys meaning it could decrypt the channels quicker. So comcast has the ability to make changing the channels quicker but decides to make it slow to save money on these cable boxes which they force on people to leave them every month?

If so, this is very disappointing. I may end up returning this X1 box to them and keeping my old DTA if that is the case.
miogpsrocks

miogpsrocks to andyross

Member

to andyross
XG2V2-P over here. I have not done any scientific measurement but just can tell that this X1 box is much more sluggish then the DTA box .

Also on another forum, someone did a test and said
"I have an X1 box, I just tried switching between 804 & 805 (CBS & ABC) 10 times (up / down channel) using the stopwatch on my phone and averaged about 2.7 second between hitting the button and getting both video and audio. I then did the same on 1004 & 1005 (also CBS & ABC) and got 2.6 seconds. I then tried 4 and 5 (CBS & ABC in SD) and for some reason got 4.3 seconds."

You are saying its slow not because of not having enough encryption keys but rather because it has to communicate upstream to a comcast server which then will authorize a channel to be sent back down like ONDEMAND system but for regular channels?

I know even the comcast website is super slow when you login to see your bill or something. So maybe they don't take load time into consideration when designing these boxes.

In regards to the guide view, are you saying that you can change it to just show your favorite channels without having everything which makes navigating easier?

Thanks.
lesmikesell
join:2013-06-10
Mount Prospect, IL

lesmikesell to miogpsrocks

Member

to miogpsrocks
said by miogpsrocks:

If so, this is very disappointing. I may end up returning this X1 box to them and keeping my old DTA if that is the case.

There is a better approach possible but it may take a while to learn to like it.

Instead of channel surfing all the time, tell your X1 box to record everything you are likely to want to watch. This is easy with the voice remote and you can set series recordings to only save one or two shows so you don't run out of space. Then (a) you don't have to catch the show at the right time and (b) you can skip the commercials, and (c) you don't have to wade through the guide and the 400 things you don't want to watch all the time.

Also, when you do want to explore the guide, it is much easier if you have phone or tablet and the xfinity remote app where you can quickly scroll any direction instead of having to click the remote for each move.

SoJersySteve
join:2013-07-25
Mount Laurel, NJ

SoJersySteve to miogpsrocks

Member

to miogpsrocks
When you hit the Guide button, it shows all channels. Press the Guide button a second time, you can then choose how to display your Guide. If you arrow left to the Network name, you can make that network a Favorite Channel. Check it out and experiment with what you want to set as the Guide.

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er to lesmikesell

Member

to lesmikesell
Most everything is going to be on demand, no need for a DVR.
lesmikesell
join:2013-06-10
Mount Prospect, IL

3 recommendations

lesmikesell

Member

said by gar187er:

Most everything is going to be on demand, no need for a DVR.

You generally can't skip the commercials in the on demand version. And you have to wait until the next day after the episode to watch. Still OK if you forgot to record or the show was preempted, though.
psuPete
join:2010-08-09
Lemont, PA

psuPete to gar187er

Member

to gar187er
Yes: I removed DVR service last spring having had it for 13 years.

For series, I made them FAVORITES so I could keep track of them.
jm101
join:2011-07-17
Oakland, CA

jm101 to lesmikesell

Member

to lesmikesell
The RNG150 (I think) was a nightmare when we first got X1. I thought it was the software at first but after we finally replaced the box, was shocked to learned the hardware was to blame.

Mark12547
Premium Member
join:2015-10-06
Salem, OR
Cisco DPC3941

1 recommendation

Mark12547 to gar187er

Premium Member

to gar187er
said by gar187er:

Most everything is going to be on demand, no need for a DVR.

That's fine for prime time of major networks. But video-on-demand lacks much of the content of multicast networks, local programming, and non-prime shows.
kdex86
join:2016-06-10
Norton, MA

kdex86

Member

said by Mark12547:

said by gar187er:

Most everything is going to be on demand, no need for a DVR.

That's fine for prime time of major networks. But video-on-demand lacks much of the content of multicast networks, local programming, and non-prime shows.

In the Boston area you can watch local news from NECN or WCVB on demand, as well as the WCVB lifestyle show "Chronicle". You can also watch Bruins and Red Sox games that air on NESN, as well as Celtics games from NBC Sports Boston. You can even restart all these shows from the beginning when they are "in progress"!

But you still can't watch Jeopardy on demand. You still need DVR service for that.
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse to miogpsrocks

Member

to miogpsrocks
if its taking 3 seconds are you sure it's not using the data network version of the channel not the QAM? When I had one if you went to an IP channel it was drastically slower to switch then to a QAM channel