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For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 10:17 pm
by gary94080
I just wanted to check to see if this is just me or have others been experiencing this problem.

since the change to H.264 when viewing recordings WMC frequently locks up and it seems to happen when I skip forward or backwards. I am not sure if it is because I use the skip function too many times or too frequently. the only way out is to power off the Xbox and restart.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 7:23 am
by choliscott
Which channels are you seeing this happen on? I know when I watch live TV on a channel that's been converted, I haven't seem any issues, but will say that I have yet to watch a recording from a converted channel.

Let me know which channel, & I'll see if I have something already recorded, or I'll recorded some shows & see if I can duplicate what you're seeing

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 3:19 pm
by spanner
Yes i have had this happen 2 times in the last week. For me on channel 790 MSNBC (Comcast-win7 WMC). in the morning i pause the channel make a breakfast then watch so i can skip through. it seems when i skip forward then backward to fast or often it locks up. I then have to hit ctl alt delete and restart media center. This issue was on my mind when i checked in here this morning.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:54 pm
by gary94080
choliscott wrote:Which channels are you seeing this happen on? I know when I watch live TV on a channel that's been converted, I haven't seem any issues, but will say that I have yet to watch a recording from a converted channel.

Let me know which channel, & I'll see if I have something already recorded, or I'll recorded some shows & see if I can duplicate what you're seeing
I know there are others but Disney Channel and MSNBC are two that come to mind.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 5:03 pm
by gary94080
spanner wrote:Yes i have had this happen 2 times in the last week. For me on channel 790 MSNBC (Comcast-win7 WMC). in the morning i pause the channel make a breakfast then watch so i can skip through. it seems when i skip forward then backward to fast or often it locks up. I then have to hit ctl alt delete and restart media center. This issue was on my mind when i checked in here this morning.
for me it can be several times a day, sometimes a couple of times watching the same program.

I typically watch on Xbox so I was thinking it might be something happening there but it looks like it may be a problem on the computer as well.

I will have to be careful when I watch from the computer. I frequently watch one program as another one is being recorded.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:15 pm
by webminster
I haven't replicated this (yet) on my main screen, but was able to replicate the freeze skipping hard through a recording on my XBOX extender on a channel that's switched over (CNN). Playback froze about 23 minutes in skipping forward rapidly. Not so much if I only skipped a few times (e.g. commercial break) and let it sync.

After it froze, could not get XBOX to start playing anything else. Menus were still responsive, so was able to close MC from main menu and restart GUI, and resume playing items.

Death by paper cuts. Not sure how bad this problem will be... I watch mostly on main screen, but use the XBOX for bedtime.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 11:49 pm
by webminster
I see more of my premium channels have converted over to 720p MPEG4 - Cinemax, Showtime. On my main screen, they're massively pixelation/macroblocked. Other channels (HBO, Encore) aren't exhibiting this, nor are my non-DRMed channels, so not thinking this is the video card. The Prime tuner shows 100% for strength and quality.Anyone else seen something like this, shoul I bitch at Comcast?

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 4:24 am
by gary94080
there was an Xbox update this morning.

I have notice that skipping forward and back seems to be smoother. I tried moving back and forth quickly and so far I have not been able to get it to crash.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 3:26 pm
by webminster
I have a visit from Comcast scheduled today to verify signal, but I'm betting this will just degenerate to "your weird box is to blame, not our stuff." I get some random intermittent glitches (lines) in the top third of the display on a few channels, and SHOW and HBO HD often tile and block badly. ENCORE HD seems good. Not sure how I'm going to argue this, since I guess I can't be 100% it /isn't/ my card/drivers that aren't causing it (GTX750 with a couple of different driver revs).

I do get a Bolt+ and Mini's delivered today...

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 4:18 am
by gary94080
gary94080 wrote:there was an Xbox update this morning.

I have notice that skipping forward and back seems to be smoother. I tried moving back and forth quickly and so far I have not been able to get it to crash.
I spoke too soon, still experiencing crashes.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 12:30 pm
by Scallica
webminster wrote:I do get a Bolt+ and Mini's delivered today...
I hope you are aware of the guide data issues with Tivo.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/community/ ... as.545482/
http://www.tivocommunity.com/community/ ... in.545435/

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 7:40 pm
by webminster
Very aware, yes. Given the paper cuts death my WMC install is suffering, I was willing to suffer that. At least until I realized the other damage Comcast is inflicting, the lowered bitrate and 720p downgrades... now nothing looks like a good choice. Except satellite, which I really didn't want to do.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:57 pm
by mcewinter
webminster wrote:Very aware, yes. Given the paper cuts death my WMC install is suffering, I was willing to suffer that. At least until I realized the other damage Comcast is inflicting, the lowered bitrate and 720p downgrades... now nothing looks like a good choice. Except satellite, which I really didn't want to do.
I've been using Silicondust's DVR and haven't had PQ issues that I'm seeing in MC. I obviously can't speak for DRM encrusted channels.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 9:13 pm
by sjr
webminster wrote:I see more of my premium channels have converted over to 720p MPEG4 - Cinemax, Showtime. On my main screen, they're massively pixelation/macroblocked. Other channels (HBO, Encore) aren't exhibiting this, nor are my non-DRMed channels, so not thinking this is the video card. The Prime tuner shows 100% for strength and quality.Anyone else seen something like this, shoul I bark at Comcast?
Have you or anyone else gotten anywhere on this? As of around the first of the year my premium channels were converted and now my recordings for HBO, Showtime, etc are spotty at best for quality. And on these channels it is worse for 21x9 ratio video. For example I have been recording American Gods on Starz. For most of the playback it is okay (though bad if I x2 playback or faster) however there were a few parts that are in 21x9 (the part at the beginning where the Vikings are shown in the new world) are super pixilated and lots of green splotchy over parts. For all the non-copy-protected channels (ABC, TNT, Discovery, and so on) recordings and playback is the same as it always has been, which is non-pixilated, perfectly clear when x2 or faster fast forwarding.

I do have a Comcast box since with the package I have from them it is included in the cost whether I have it or not so I have it and when I look at these channels on it they work perfectly fine. I am using a HD Homerun Prime currently which is a new device about 3 months ago, I replaced a Ceton 4 tuner card that died on me but the Ceton card was doing the exact same thing in January and February, through when it died (somewhere in February). My computer is a i7 with a 1gb ssd for the os and apps, recording is going to a 7200rpm 3tb hard drive, using a ATI card (not at home but think it is the HD 7700).

This is rather annoying as this is happening only on the channels where I am already paying extra for while their dvr works as my htpc was working before this "update".

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 11:43 pm
by webminster
I haven't fixed the issue here or figured out how yet. You appear to see symptoms similar to what I observe:

* 16:9 format programming on HBO and other premium channels is generally "OK", e.g. watchable without serious artifacts - except for certain segments (for example lead-outs from programs with a black background and writing) where I see macroblocking, lines of speckles that look like decoding errors or the like.

* Wide-screen content (perhaps the 21:9 aspect you refer to), like "Deadpool" and other movies with top/bottom letterboxing - drives the machine crazy, with splotchiness and blocking. Unwatchable.

I have a TiVo Bolt+ I'm tending to use more,and the problems do not appear there. Nor on the Mini that's running the bedroom TV, the only way now to get HBO on remote TVs since extender playback on HBOHD etc is unworkable.

I haven't patched up my HTPC (Win7) in a couple of years, but have doubted MS has released anything to fix it - I might be wrong, but haven't wanted to chance it. I've considered trying a different video card (I have a GTX 750),but since you say you have an ATI, not sure that's worth trying either.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 3:04 pm
by sjr
Okay that is what I thought.

Seems this was a way for cable companies to save money on bandwidth and as a way to push one to use their dvr.

Re: For Comcast users that have H.264

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:14 am
by Nate
I'm also having the same problem everyone is describing. It's really annoying. I typically have the pixalation on only a few channels, and it's really bothering me because football season is starting very soon.

Just thought I would share some info to make it more complicated. I don't think the issue is related to WMC or Comcast. :(

The issue continues in KODI and the HD homerun software. I've tried two different KODI back ends and the problem persists. I can't blame WMC anymore.
I have two separate win 7 HTPCs that have this issue. So I can't relate it to a software or hardware issue on one of them. The issue continues on a Fire TV box running KODI as well.
I've replaced the router with a newer high end one.
I have two HD homerun tuners, one has the cablecard and one is OTA. Both of them have the same issue on the same channels. - That makes me rule out Comcast.
I've done the standard troubleshooting. Turning off other applications, disconnecting other network connected devices. Nothing yet.

I'm in Sacramento CA. Where else are these problems happening? Can anyone think of a common link for our issues?