OK...hopefully I am in the right forum...I have searched and searched but can't find any answers. I find several things that are close to my problem, but nothing exactly. Anyways, I can't believe the amount of knowledge on this board, so I'm hoping for some help. Here goes:

I have a Samsung 50" 720p Plasma HDTV that is approx. 15 months old. I have it hooked up directly to a Comcast SA Explorer 8300HD cable box via hdmi. I believe the cables are called rocketfish? Not sure if that is even important...

At first, everything seemed OK when I moved here to Houston and got comcast. I had no issues with Direct TV at my old home. The problems were fairly gradual, and now, 8 months later, it is unwatchable. I am almost never home, so I am hoping to find something on here so I can fix it myself before taking time off to meet the comcast dude.

Here are my problems:

Right from the beginning (8 months ago), when I am watching a standard def channel (my box says 480 i think) and then change to an HD channel (1080 says the box) it takes a full 6 or 7 seconds to change channels. Same if I go back the other way.

Last month or so, complete and total stuttering, pixels, blackouts, sound cutoff on ESPN HD and nothing else.

Other HD channels occasional sound cut out and pixels. Very annoying, but not like ESPN HD. This started happening about 5 months ago, but has lately gotten worse.

The last month, even standard channels skip, stutter, sound cut out, etc. Terrible. Can barely watch TV. Regular ESPN is almost as bad as HD, but not quite. Some channels better than others. The locals always seem fine with no issues. Shouldn't standard TV be fine since there is not nearly as much data going through the HDMI?

DVR playback from an HD source usually bad, but sometimes fine. Mostly sound issues.

So...what do I do!! Is it my tv? Should I try unhooking HDMI and going with the standard (S video I think?) hookups that came with the box? Should I smash my tv? Sue comcast?

Sorry for my total lack of knowledge and general idiocy...thanks for reading the long post.

Does your Samsung have a digital tuner? Clear QAM tuner? Given the relative newness, I suspect it does. Run this quick test. Disconnect the coax cable from the back of the cable box and connect it directly to your tv. Scan the channels (see the set up directions for your tv). If you only have an analog tuner (NTSC), your tv will tune in the low number channels (<100). If you have a clear QAM tuner, your tv will tune in all the unencrypted digital channels.

If the tv image and audio quality is normal after this change, then the problem is a faulty comcast stb. If the tv image and or audio quality is still poor, there is likely a problem with the cable wiring to your house or a problem with the tv. Does you tv play DVD's without problems? If so, then it either a problem with the stb, cable wiring, or bad connections.

HTH

Thanks!!

I have no problem playing DVD's which is through HDMI also.

Here is a product description regarding my tv's tuner...

Natural True Color with 18 bit color processing NTSC/ATSC tuners with Clear QAM Sports/Game/Movie modes via hot key 10-watt per channel built-in audio amplifier Direct down-firing speaker system Auto pixel shift (user programmable) Signal pattern processing function Ports

Sounds like a great tv! You should be able to receive some HD clear QAM local programming and potentially other channels by connecting to the ATSC coax tuner. If they are normal, then there is a problem with the stb. I can't distinquish between my HD hooked up directly to my tv versus through the HDMI or component inputs. Always a good quick test to use (change inputs and compare results).

BTW, if the stb is the problem, you should be able to drop by the local cableco and exchange boxes. (Assuming the cableco is near where you work).

Best,

Rick

Last month or so, complete and total stuttering, pixels, blackouts, sound cutoff on ESPN HD and nothing else.
Call your provider and ask them to verify the Qam on which ESPN HD is sent out.
They will most definitively find a problem with the signal and send out a tech to fix the signal problem.

Marc,

Had a brain freeze earlier. Simply swap the HDMI inputs on the back of the tv between your DVD player and stb. Then play a dvd. If the DVD picture quality is worse than before, you have a bad HDMI port on your tv or a bad HDMI cable.

Then switch to your cable input. If the cable channels now come in properly, then you have isolated the problem to a bad HDMI port on your tv. If cable picture quality is still poor, there is a problem with your stb or a signal quality issue from Comcast.

Then move the coax connection from the back of dvr to the back of your tv. Scan the channels. If the picture quality is good using your tv tuner, then you've isolated the problem to the stb. If the picture quality is still poor, you have a problem with wiring from comcast (problem at the source, problem where enters your house, etc).

HTH,

Rick

Guys,

Thanks so much for all the help.

Last night, my wife reminded me that when the guy initially installed the cable for us, he mentioned we might need a "signal booster". What is that? I think we are expected to pay for it too....

Anyways, never thought much of it again because everything was fine for the first few months.

Rick- Thanks a lot....I did try the HDMI switch thing a week or so ago, and everything was fine with the DVD. I'm glad to hear it is most likely not my tv. I don't pretend to understand even a little of this, but it is just so strange that it would get worse over time...or some channels are worse than others...or SD channels would be bad too!!

I also forgot to mention that I have an SA Explorer HDC. I said HD earlier, which I believe a lot of folks on here said was a much better box.

Looks like I will have to face the dreaded tech "service window" after all....

By the way, what is the downside of switching back to dish? I see so many complaints about comcast, why not switch to dish? Is cable picture quality better or something? (when it works!)

I have been looking into dish network and thinking about making a switch.

Thanks again...

Your welcome Marc!

Some example amplifiers can be found at:

http://cabletvamps.com/drop%20amps.htm
http://www.channelplus.com/products_rf.html
http://www.solidsignal.tv/cat_display.asp?main_cat=13&CAT=Amplifiers

I have not used any of the above products but participate in other forums where they have been recommended. You should purchase a bi-directional amplifier and locate it above the first splitter in your distribution system. Inexpensive amplifiers from RS are not very good for this purpose. The appropriate amp for your situation depends on how many tvs are in the system and whether you use a cable modem.

In my case, a few years ago I asked my cableco to come over and add a distribution amp (we had 4 tvs operating + cable modem). The service tech came over, replace the line from the alley to the distribution point, thereby solving the problem without adding an amp. My local cableco made the service call for free and would have added the distribution amp for free as well. YMMV with Comcast.

Did you switch the coax input from the stb to the tv? Did picture quality improve? If so, you may simply need to replace the stb and can do this by dropping by the cableco office at your convienence rather than set up a tech visit. Should be no costs to you, other than your time driving over.

Satellite versus cable is a great question. Unfortunately, the answer depends on location and the company. In my town, I have been able to compare Directv versus Dish at a TV store marketing both satellite services. HD looked great on both. SD is variable, depending on the channel and programming. IMO, our cable HD competes very favorably with the satellite services. I am presently in the process of switching over to Directv. I can get more HD, more sports, and more movies through Directv at a lower cost than through my cableco. Dish would be the same price as my cableco but less HD and sports than Directv. I will need to install an outdoor antenna to get OTA locals but will not have a monthly fee for locals. I suggest you check out the dbstalk forums, lots of knowledgable folks there on both Dish and Direct. URL= www.dbstalk.com

HTH.

Rick

Wow...thanks Rick! Really...it was very cool of you to take all that time. I will definitely follow your recommendations! Thanks again!