[truman]

I just got a Samsung 160 DirecTV/HDTV receiver. I live in Los Angeles. After going through the installation procedures, the receiver picked up all the local digital channels except Channel 7--the ABC affiliate. When I try to access Channel 7, the picture goes blank for that channel, and then remains blank when I try to tune to any other channel, whether it is OTA or DirecTV. The only way I can then get the picture back is to unplug the unit. I've tried rescanning the channels, downloading the local network, etc., but nothing seems to work.


Has anyone experienced a similar problem? If so, is there a fix? Or did I just get a lemon?

 

[cheridave]

So far no help.

Yep- Same Thing Here!


Dave

 

[Gary Swink]

The same for me and I heard from a friend with the same problem. It only happened on the HiDef box and not before yesterday. Has anyone had it happen before then?

 

[bsebi]

I had some similar problem regarding channel 7.

I found my receiver stuck (it will not power on) for 2 or 3 times.

I had to unplug it to make it power on again. After that it acquired the tv guide again and worked fine only that OTA channel 7 disappeared from the channel list (I had to add it back thru menus). I am not sure, but I think channel 2 and 5 disappeared too. Very weird.

And yes, first time it happened a week or two ago.

My tuner has fw version xx6


I am also very unhappy with the quality of the most SD channels on D*. Compression is outrageously high. Sometimes I wonder if analog would be better than this unbearable compression artifacts.


I use the TS160 with Toshiba 57HDX82 thru DVI connection and local channels OTA from a Zenith Silver Sensor.


Sebi

 

[Kir]

Quote:

Originally posted by truman I just got a Samsung 160 DirecTV/HDTV receiver. I live in Los Angeles. After going through the installation procedures, the receiver picked up all the local digital channels except Channel 7--the ABC affiliate. When I try to access Channel 7, the picture goes blank for that channel, and then remains blank when I try to tune to any other channel, whether it is OTA or DirecTV. The only way I can then get the picture back is to unplug the unit. I've tried rescanning the channels, downloading the local network, etc., but nothing seems to work. Has anyone experienced a similar problem? If so, is there a fix? Or did I just get a lemon?

The PSIP data for this channel is incorrect. TS-160 is very sensitive to the wrong data. The only remedy is to contact your local ABC station and get them to correct it if you want to be able to tune to this channel.


Kirill

 

[kymikes]

I agree with Kir's assessment but, for me, the 1.06 update "cured" the problem. I had this PSIP issue with two OTA channels quite frequently with 1.04 but it disappeared when 1.06 was installed.

 

[Hokyfan]

I first noticed this Friday night - but didn't trace it to the channel 7-1 problem till today.


I happen to have a second box that was sent to me as an exchange - and the exact same problem happens with it. To add to what has been said, the 160 works fine until you tune to 7-1 and then change the channel away from it.


I'm very glad this is documented because I have a phone appointment with the technician tomorrow - and now I know it's not only me


I've tested this with all 160 outputs on 3 different TV's including a Toshiba 50HDX82, a 30" Misubisihi tube set, and an old Zenith 20". Also interesting is that the all audio cuts out.


In my discussion with customer service today, I mentioned that it looks like the 160 does the normal picture/soud blanking - the way it does every time you change the channel - but it never switches out of that mode.


I'll post after I talk with the technicians tomorrow.

 

[kuroyama]

I have the same problem with my 160. And I only noticed it happening since yesterday (4/12) -- very annoying.

 

[turls]

Quote:

Originally posted by kymikes I agree with Kir's assessment but, for me, the 1.06 update "cured" the problem. I had this PSIP issue with two OTA channels quite frequently with 1.04 but it disappeared when 1.06 was installed.

They might have worked on the PSIP issue, but it is still as sensitive to bad data as ever as far as I can tell. Still a lot of work to do. I guess he was just talking about PSIP "wrong data" though.

 

[Hokyfan]

It appears - at least from what Samsung says, that I'm the only one that has called them with this problem. Anyway...


First - they say it is totally a PSID problem - either it's not PSID 2.0 format or it's just bad data - and it's from KABC.


Second - they say there is nothing wrong with the TS160, and they will do nothing to 'fix' it.


I mentioned that the box should not be as sensitive to bad data. (I write software - and if my programs bombed because of bad data - I'd be out of business!) They again put the blame on KABC.


They said they will contact KABC, but also suggested that I do the same - which I shall.


Also - the tech told me that starting today, a new service release will be downloaded - with all updates to be done in the next 2 weeks.


Stay tuned...

 

[Dylan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hokyfan Second - they say there is nothing wrong with the TS160, and they will do nothing to 'fix' it. I mentioned that the box should not be as sensitive to bad data. (I write software - and if my programs bombed because of bad data - I'd be out of business!) They again put the blame on KABC.

That is absurd. Any software professional knows that is an unacceptable answer. Data from external systems is always bad. It's up to the consumer of the data to handle it gracefully.


My 160 is locked up almost every time I go to use it (once every few days on average). One of the DC stations must be "bad" too.


-Dylan

 

[Kir]

I used to work as a programmer for many years, and the 1st rule was "validate the data".

Oh well, Microsoft seems to be on the same boat as Samsung


Kirill

 

[turls]

Gentlemen, welcome to Samsung's DirecTV world.

 

[Hokyfan]

I called KABC TV yesterday - and never got through to an engineer... I did leave a message for him.


I got a call from them today and they were having problems. They have fixed many of them, and are still working on some of them - but will make those changes after prime time.


I did get some good info from them -


** PSIP data is transmitted with the signal. WHen the PSIP stream stops - the box will lose the channel


** They did have a problem with the formatting - they've been having issues since the Oscars - and they are working on getting all those ironed out. They are changing equipment and programming.


** The engineer feels that the Samsung box should drop the channel - not lock up - when there is bad PSIP data.


I am going to contact Samsung again tomorrow and let their techs know what I've been told.

 

[cksultany]

I also started having this problem last Friday 4/11 after 7pm. I thought it was the box. Interestingly enough...if I reset the box (by unplugging it) during the daytime, all works well. As soon as the evening hits (6 or 7 or so) and I start surfing, I seem to have problems. I called Samsung on monday and the lady said that there was a firmware upgrade being sent down sometime this week (4/15), and that I should wait for it before calling back.

I never noticed this was tied to 7-1 until you mentioned it. I think that ABC is sending something that the Samsung can't understand.


Ken

 

[truman]

I just checked my unit, and it is picking up Channel 7 HDTV fine, and allowing me to switch channels back and forth. Hopefully, the issue is resolved, or close to being resolved.

 

[lilpenny01]

I noticed that the pic & audio was gone after changing channels. I thought it was something wrong w/the box. After I researched this for a minute I noticed it was happening when I would hit a digital channel. Then I figured it out that it was KABC's 7-1 channel. After I rebooted and deleted the channel everything was ok. This started on Fri. I tried Channel 7 today and it seems to be fine again.

 

[BK EH]

Well, I have a similar issue w/ my box... and it's the only issue I've ever noticed.


KERA/PBS here is constantly moving their HD channel mapping from 13-1 to 14-1, then back again, then back again... etc. Everytime they do that PSIP change, my box locks and I have to unplug.


I called Samsung tech support this morning and they told me that it will be addressed with the next s/w revision, which is "coming shortly."


I hope!