AVS › AVS Forum › HDTV › Local HDTV Info and Reception › Portland, OR - Comcast
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Portland, OR - Comcast - Page 157

post #4681 of 4796
12/12/11 at 10:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjb101 View Post

I'm seeing something strange on channel 708 (NBC/KGW). Near the left edge of the screen, a couple inches up from the bottom, there's a lighter-colored spot. It's a box, an inch or two across; it almost looks like burn-in or IR (which is what I thought it was at first), but doesn't show up on any other channels or On Demand (including NBC shows). I see it when either viewing the channel directly or in DVR'ed shows. It's most noticeable when the scene is dark/black in this area.

Does anybody else notice the same thing? I'll try to get a picture that shows it...

Yes, don't worry. It is an artifact from the logo that KGW places near the bottom left corner of the screen. It goes away when the logo goes away. If you compare a DVR'd local broadcast to an ON DEMAND version of the same exact show (you can freeze the picture at the same exact spot) the logo will be gone and the spot will be gone with it. Nothing wrong with your TV.
Reply
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #4682 of 4796
12/12/11 at 6:07pm
According to a message from Comcast they will be moving some more HD channels from East coast feeds to West coast feeds on Dec 16th. These include SyFy, USA, Nat Geo, Bravo, and Oxygen.

While SyFY and USA are the only ones I regularly watch, I still hate when they do this.
It always creates some kind of scheduling conflict that causes me to stop watching something that I had been watching before they made the change.

I wonder if networks take that into consideration or if they just go with the status quo and schedule things in hopes of stealing viewers from something else.

In keeping with the season.... Bah!! Humbug!!
Reply
Reply
post #4683 of 4796
12/12/11 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by earletp View Post

According to a message from Comcast they will be moving some more HD channels from East coast feeds to West coast feeds on Dec 16th. These include SyFy, USA, Nat Geo, Bravo, and Oxygen.

While SyFY and USA are the only ones I regularly watch, I still hate when they do this.
It always creates some kind of scheduling conflict that causes me to stop watching something that I had been watching before they made the change.

I wonder if networks take that into consideration or if they just go with the status quo and schedule things in hopes of stealing viewers from something else.

In keeping with the season.... Bah!! Humbug!!

I agree. Hate the west coast feeds for these networks. If they kept the east coast feeds, we could avoid a lot of the conflicts.
Reply
Reply
post #4684 of 4796
12/12/11 at 9:07pm
Well I just got a HD Homerun Prime with a cable card and three tuners so the which do I record conflict is pretty much gone now. Not overly enthusiastic about having to use media center but it's working OK so far and I already have a few season passes worked out. I didn't like it when they dropped all the extra HD Stars channels that I was getting as part of my package deal when I upgraded to HD and phone but they are still there in SD, like I care.
Of course anything I record from Stars is fully crippled and I can only watch it here on the PC that captured it, but so far everything else has been open.
I did like suddenly getting BBC America in HD though, but I hope they keep the early feeds as you can watch or record your favorites a lot earlier.
Reply
Reply
post #4685 of 4796
12/12/11 at 10:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crossbeaux View Post

I agree. Hate the west coast feeds for these networks. If they kept the east coast feeds, we could avoid a lot of the conflicts.

I prefer the West Coast feeds because by the time I get around to reading my actual SD TV listings in the newspaper (yes a real newspaper made from a former tree), the East Coast HD feed has already aired.

Comcast has received lots of complaints about this from subscribers, and they smartly realize that their bread and butter is older subscribers w/o IPads who still read newsprint in this day and age.
Reply
Reply
post #4686 of 4796
12/12/11 at 11:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by George-O View Post

I prefer the West Coast feeds because by the time I get around to reading my actual SD TV listings in the newspaper (yes a real newspaper made from a former tree), the East Coast HD feed has already aired.

Comcast has received lots of complaints about this from subscribers, and they smartly realize that their bread and butter is older subscribers w/o IPads who still read newsprint in this day and age.

So what group do you rat hole me into?
I'm 59 w/o an IPad and get my TV listings from my Comcast HD-DVR.
I didn't have a reason to whine to Comcast though since I liked having the East coast feeds, maybe that was my problem?
Reply
Reply
post #4687 of 4796
12/12/11 at 11:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by earletp View Post

So what group do you rat hole me into?
I'm 59 w/o an IPad and get my TV listings from my Comcast HD-DVR.
I didn't have a reason to whine to Comcast though since I liked having the East coast feeds, maybe that was my problem?

Actually, it's folks like me who are stuck in a rat hole (sleeping into the late afternoon and then reading the paper while on the throne).
Reply
Reply
post #4688 of 4796
12/13/11 at 7:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by George-O View Post

I prefer the West Coast feeds because by the time I get around to reading my actual SD TV listings in the newspaper (yes a real newspaper made from a former tree), the East Coast HD feed has already aired.

Comcast has received lots of complaints about this from subscribers, and they smartly realize that their bread and butter is older subscribers w/o IPads who still read newsprint in this day and age.

With a DVR and the ability to do series recordings, I don't care what time programs I record air -- it could be 2:00AM -- as long as more than two of them don't air at the same. I preferred the East Coast feeds specifically because they time-shifted programs away from core prime time so that I had fewer recording conflicts. Luckily, with cable networks, the same episode is often shown multiple times during the week, so moving to west coast feeds isn't a big deal. But it involves more manual labor.
Reply
Reply
post #4689 of 4796
12/13/11 at 9:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crossbeaux View Post

With a DVR and the ability to do series recordings, I don't care what time programs I record air -- it could be 2:00AM -- as long as more than two of them don't air at the same. I preferred the East Coast feeds specifically because they time-shifted programs away from core prime time so that I had fewer recording conflicts. Luckily, with cable networks, the same episode is often shown multiple times during the week, so moving to west coast feeds isn't a big deal. But it involves more manual labor.

I fully understand .... I've just been whining.
Reply
Reply
post #4690 of 4796
12/19/11 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjb101 View Post

I'm seeing something strange on channel 708 (NBC/KGW). Near the left edge of the screen, a couple inches up from the bottom, there's a lighter-colored spot. It's a box, an inch or two across; it almost looks like burn-in or IR (which is what I thought it was at first), but doesn't show up on any other channels or On Demand (including NBC shows). I see it when either viewing the channel directly or in DVR'ed shows. It's most noticeable when the scene is dark/black in this area.

Does anybody else notice the same thing? I'll try to get a picture that shows it...

I looked intensely and don't see it.
Reply
Reply
post #4691 of 4796
12/21/11 at 8:22pm
I saw EARLTP's post above. It looks like Windows Media Center (guide data from Zap2It) does not reflect the recent Comcast changes regarding east coast vs. west coast feeds on some channels. USA for one is off by 3 hours. Guide data is "ahead" by 3 hours, so if you set a recording based on guide data, you'll be recording 3 hours too soon.

I posted a request for a fix at both Microsoft and Zap2It sites. Maybe someone listens...

Update 1/8/12: Looks like Zap2It has fixed the 3 hour problem! I got email response saying they fixed it, so I checked and it looks right; at least on USA channel.
Reply
Reply
post #4692 of 4796
12/29/11 at 9:16pm
What is with the 1 hertz, that is about 1 second cycle, Noise amplification on OPB channel 10 tonight? The audio seems to be amplified with like a sawtooth waveform, it is worse when they are playing loud theme music, low level conversation is trashed a little less.
Does not seem to be happening on other channels.
Reply
Reply
post #4693 of 4796
1/30/12 at 7:11pm
Hello? Is this thing still on? Everyone must be happy with Comcast.

Just to fan the flames, here's a topic for discussion. A few months ago, scowl linked to some images that showed lousy HD quality from Comcast compared to OTA. Any recurrence?

My FiOS contract is up in March. I'll probably stay with Frontier, but I like to keep up with what Comcast is up to.
Reply
Reply
post #4694 of 4796
2/2/12 at 4:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom Gremlin View Post

Hello? Is this thing still on? Everyone must be happy with Comcast.

Just to fan the flames, here's a topic for discussion. A few months ago, scowl linked to some images that showed lousy HD quality from Comcast compared to OTA. Any recurrence?

My FiOS contract is up in March. I'll probably stay with Frontier, but I like to keep up with what Comcast is up to.

In the last week the image on KGW has looked very, very soft to me. Maybe it's my imagination, dunno, but there have also been a lot of audio drop-outs. Generally I'm satisfied, but think it should be better for $100 a month. I'm actually thinking about totally pulling the plug and just going OTA. I'll have to wait for things like Southland on BluRay.
Reply
Reply
post #4695 of 4796
2/2/12 at 4:30pm
The only problem I've had with Comcast is that my cable went out for a day. They pinged other boxes in my neighborhood and determined it was just mine. They couldn't schedule a repair for four days! Naturally they wanted me to take a vacation day and wait for them but I was sure it wasn't anything in my house so I told them I wouldn't be there.

I got home the next day and everything was fine. My scheduled appointment had been canceled. Apparently they fixed something on their end in a matter of hours.
Reply
Reply
post #4696 of 4796
2/2/12 at 6:40pm
FWIW, I've noticed a lot more picture breakup and audio drop outs on SD channels (like KPTV 12, CNBC 46, and Bloomberg 129 in Beaverton ... those are about the only three SD channels that I ever watch or record in SD).

However, all my HD channels have been OK.

Anyone else seening this lately? .... the worst being KPTV 12 SD.
Reply
Reply
post #4697 of 4796
2/8/12 at 4:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goes to 11 View Post

In the last week the image on KGW has looked very, very soft to me.

Bah. It's probably not Comcast, it's probably KGW.

I recorded 5 hrs of the Super Bowl (3-8PM) from FiOS. However, the last half hour or so was some insipid reality show (but still in HD). The statistics are atrocious:

Video 11.6 Mbps
Audio 384 Kbps

As Ross Perot might say: "That's just sad!"
Reply
Reply
post #4698 of 4796
2/8/12 at 7:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom Gremlin View Post

Bah. It's probably not Comcast, it's probably KGW.

I recorded 5 hrs of the Super Bowl (3-8PM) from FiOS. However, the last half hour or so was some insipid reality show (but still in HD). The statistics are atrocious:

Video 11.6 Mbps
Audio 384 Kbps

As Ross Perot might say: "That's just sad!"

OTA was 12.6 Mbps. That is kinda low, isn't it.

KGW is sucking some bandwidth off for mobile ATSC.
Reply
Reply
post #4699 of 4796
2/9/12 at 3:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by George-O View Post

FWIW, I've noticed a lot more picture breakup and audio drop outs on SD channels (like KPTV 12, CNBC 46, and Bloomberg 129 in Beaverton ... those are about the only three SD channels that I ever watch or record in SD).

However, all my HD channels have been OK.

Anyone else seening this lately? .... the worst being KPTV 12 SD.

Anyone?
Reply
Reply
post #4700 of 4796
2/9/12 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by George-O View Post

Anyone?

Sorry, don't watch much SD. Just the Daily Show and some movies on TCM (to save disk space), and I haven't noticed any additional breakups.
Reply
Reply
post #4701 of 4796
2/9/12 at 12:21pm
I never even watch SD now that I have the full HD package so cant say either but I doubt they care much about SD now that they can encrypt almost everything and most customers have gone to HD packages.
They offered me a good enough deal to go HD preferred triple play and I get better phone and HDTV for less then I was paying for either service before without HD and free american long distance. They also gave me a nice non DVR Motorola box for no monthly rental that has every output known to man.
Price just went back up and still slightly cheaper then less service was before.
Reply
Reply
post #4702 of 4796
2/9/12 at 9:48pm
Yeah, I agree that most things I now watch in HD, however I'm concerned that my heavily used 18 month old DCX3400-M 500GB AnyRoom Host unit may be heading towards hard drive failure and I've still got 80% of it's capacity to catch up on viewing.

I would be very greatful, if someone in the SW Portland or Beaverton area could kindly record Portland KPTV 12 SD from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM for a few weekdays (TMZ) followed by Bloomberg 129 from midnight to 12:30 AM when the London stock market opens.

I'm hoping that it is the station or the Comcast feed and not my hard drive.

Thanks
Reply
Reply
post #4703 of 4796
3/9/12 at 1:22pm
Okay, it's been a month. Doesn't anyone have anything new to say about what used to be the most hated company in America, but that seems to have fallen? to #4 on a recent report?
Reply
Reply
post #4704 of 4796
3/9/12 at 5:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom Gremlin View Post

Okay, it's been a month. Doesn't anyone have anything new to say about what used to be the most hated company in America, but that seems to have fallen? to #4 on a recent report?

Sure, after claiming on one of these threads that I don't seem to have black screen problems any more with my DVR, I now regularly get black screen recordings again. I just can't believe a company could allow the most basic function of a DVR, recording a program, be so unreliable. It clearly colors my view of Comcast.
Reply
Reply
post #4705 of 4796
3/9/12 at 7:12pm
Well a couple of weeks ago I got a knock on my door on a Sunday afternoon and it was a Comcast tech in a official van and everything. He said he was driving around checking signal leakage and things and my wiring seemed bad when he used his RF checker so he wanted to make sure I was working OK and check the wiring. I'm figuring GREAT, all my splits and things are leaky and he's gonna freak when he sees my setup...
He asked to look inside real quick, the house is small and the modem and phone are right the where you can see them from the door so he came in and looked and checked a few things on that cable, then went outside and climbed a few poles trying to find my feed. I finally said well maybe it's all the splits and things as I have a lot of gear hooked up seeing how he was being very cool and easy to get along with. He said no, it's a problem with the outside wiring, inside will be OK and finally had to do a wire trace from my pole to find out my cable run has a defect 70 feet from the pole and barely has enough signal to work.
He said with all the new services and things they are adding and doing now they have decided to be proactive and fix issues before they become a major problem.
He said they have to get permission to run under the street/driveway and when they have that done they'll be back to run a new feed to my house.
He was very professional and answered all my questions and asked me what he needed to know without and problems so it was a surprise visit but turned out to be a good one. That does explain why my on demand will stop working when it rains a while and I told him about that which also made him certain my feed was bad. So I do think they are making a effort to do better from what I just saw.
Reply
Reply
post #4706 of 4796
3/9/12 at 9:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dartman View Post

Well a couple of weeks ago I got a knock on my door on a Sunday afternoon and it was a Comcast tech in a official van and everything. He said he was driving around checking signal leakage and things and my wiring seemed bad when he used his RF checker so he wanted to make sure I was working OK and check the wiring. I'm figuring GREAT, all my splits and things are leaky and he's gonna freak when he sees my setup...
He asked to look inside real quick, the house is small and the modem and phone are right the where you can see them from the door so he came in and looked and checked a few things on that cable, then went outside and climbed a few poles trying to find my feed. I finally said well maybe it's all the splits and things as I have a lot of gear hooked up seeing how he was being very cool and easy to get along with. He said no, it's a problem with the outside wiring, inside will be OK and finally had to do a wire trace from my pole to find out my cable run has a defect 70 feet from the pole and barely has enough signal to work.
He said with all the new services and things they are adding and doing now they have decided to be proactive and fix issues before they become a major problem.
He said they have to get permission to run under the street/driveway and when they have that done they'll be back to run a new feed to my house.
He was very professional and answered all my questions and asked me what he needed to know without and problems so it was a surprise visit but turned out to be a good one. That does explain why my on demand will stop working when it rains a while and I told him about that which also made him certain my feed was bad. So I do think they are making a effort to do better from what I just saw.

Wow! I was sure this was going to end with him blindfolding you and stealing your silverware.
Reply
Reply
post #4707 of 4796
3/9/12 at 11:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crossbeaux View Post

Wow! I was sure this was going to end with him blindfolding you and stealing your silverware.

Yeah, I was pretty worried too because I have all kinds of goodies hooked up, cables going everywhere feeding things, like that, but no problems at all and last time I redid my stuff I used satellite grade quad shielded cable that is rated way higher then the MHZ that they use so no problems on this end, just the feed and I bet the wire under the house which I may switch out when they are all done. They did use one really good cable for my net feed that was installed much later but the TV outlet is the OLD stuff from probably the early eighties when the house was built, it was good then, but not as good as the stuff now.
The guy that upgraded me to full HD/phone with a Motorola box was a contractor and he was cool too. He was late, it was hot outside and he had another big install to do that day. He looked at all my gear said wow you got this figured out and I said yep. He asked what box I wanted and decided to give me one of the big old Motorola DCH3200 because it has every output known to man. I told him just get the box activated and in place and I'll move it where I want later, as far as the phone part went I said it was fine to put it on the shelf next to the new modem so he didn't have to rewire or add a jack, we have cordless anyways so doesn't matter where the base sits. He asked if I needed any help with the remote or to set it up with my TV, I said nope, I'll use my Harmony 880 anyways and I can figure it out myself. He was a happy camper and spent slightly more then half an hour here and MIGHT have made his next appointment on time. He also said most times it takes him at least 2 hours to get a house and it's owner setup and running, I tipped him 10 bucks for being extra cool and quick.
Reply
Reply
post #4708 of 4796
3/11/12 at 9:37am
So I'm seriously considering dropping Comcast for a leads expensive option. Only reason I've held on is due to the Blazers and since they don't seem to be very interesting anymore...
My question is if anyone had experience coming from another type of cable service? How does HD compare? Any other examples of good and or bad or things I'd loose if I defected?
Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #4709 of 4796
3/11/12 at 11:06am
Have you called them and threatened to cancel, that almost always results in them offering some kind of promo price reductions to get you to stay on. when they expire call again and they'll do it again if you really would rather stay but for the high price. I have done it a few times and they always offer me a better deal to stay put, or just tell them straight up you think your paying too much, that has worked for me too. Live chat or a direct call works.
Reply
Reply
post #4710 of 4796
3/11/12 at 12:54pm
Yeah, and tea they do give me a "deal" but that doesn't lower my overall price, Just adds premium channels or faster internet for a few months at a time.
Then the sneaky part, when the deal is up they don't just raise to the regular price they add about a third of the extra cost on each month. U asked them why and they flat out said less people notice the increase when they do it that way! Smart for their business but as a consumer they've been raping for years it just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
Really I can get cable and internet for about half my current cost. Only problem is the stupid dish they mount to your house and I dint know anything about the quality of satellite versus cable?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Local HDTV Info and Reception

Gear mentioned in this thread:

AVS › AVS Forum › HDTV › Local HDTV Info and Reception › Portland, OR - Comcast