PHOnos's profile

Scholar

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95 Messages

Thursday, December 8th, 2011 3:08 AM

Closed Captions freezing and then disappearing

Howdy all-- I am at wits end with my problem. I sent the following to ATT Closed Captioning e-mail and got an autobot reply to use the online tech service. I did so, and they walked me through a "disaster recovery" reset (not using the reset button, but dowloading and flashing the operating system software for the box) with them finally referring me to ATT ICU (what the heck is ICU, Intensive Care Unit?) Any Ideas from forum people appreciated greatly.

 

Hello: I am profoundly deaf and must use closed captioning on my televisions. I have had and currently have a serious and annoying problem with one of the set top boxes (Motorola HD DVR). The closed captioning begins and runs for any where from 1-10 minutes, then freezes (sometimes in mid-sentence) and does not pick up again. The Philips HD TV is connected to the set-top box by means of a HDMI cable. The only way to regain the closed captions are to either switch channels and then switch back to the channel I was watching; or do a quick (7-second) backspace of the program, then captions will be there for the part that was not captioned. It will then run captions for a while, then freeze again. I can record a few minutes of a program and then replay it. However, the recorded closed captions will eventually freeze and disappear even in recorded programs. As I said, I know the captions are being sent by the programmers and by the U-verse system because they are being recorded. I also checked some local channels using my antenna when the U-Verse captions disappear and they are being sent and read by the over-the-air television HDTV tuner.

 

The following have not solved the problem -- - turning on both digital (high definition) and analog (standard definition). - turning captioning to digital off and analog on and vice versa. - re-setting the set-top box. - restarting the set-top top box by disconnecting and reconnecting power. - resenting/restarting U-verse 3800HGV-8 modem. - calling ATT help line and re-performing the above steps several times. - having a service call by ATT U-verse technician, xxxxxx xxxx who again performed the above steps.

 

He then did the following -- - determined that there could be a low signal problem with the Time Warner Cable installation which was used when the system was installed over a year ago. - replaced the RG television cable connected the set top box that was having problems with a direct connection to the modem by means of an Ethernet CAT-5 cable ($55 service installation charge) and replaced the second set top box (Motorola) (which was not having problems) with a Cisco, wireless set top box (which works well) with the Cisco transmitter connected directly to the modem. - returned the next day, when notified that all his work on the system was for naught, and personally saw the problems for himself. He then obtained a new work order from his supervisor and replaced the Motorola HD DVR. We then watched and waited until the same freezing and drop out again. We check the over-the-air signal and found that the captions were being transmitted by the station and could be seen on the U-verse system if the program was re-wound 7-seconds. We both then agreed there was nothing more he could do to solve the problem and that he would report it to ATT. I said I would also report it, which I am doing in this e-mail.

 

I really know little about how the system works, but offer the follow information and suggestions -- - the problem appears to only occur on the one set top box (Motorola VIP1225/297; (Current Serial No. Mxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, bootstrap ROM 1.1027, TV2 Client Version 2.1.2295.10), not on the second SDTV installation using the Cisco box. - because the captioning signal is present on the U-Verse feed, the problem appears to be in the hardware software/firmware in the set top box that uses the signal and is probably present in all boxes of the same Motorola model available to ATT service in this area. With my very limited knowledge of digital electronics, hardware, software/firmware, programming, etc., I suggest it could be a glitch not allowing the used captioning to be dumped and thus loads up the buffer until it can store no more captioning data. I am very anxious to have this problem solved ASAP.

 

Please forward this e-mail to the appropriated department for resolution.

 

Thank you very much, in advance, for your prompt attention to this problem.

 

-PHOnos

 

Edited for easier reading

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks, Tex.. I'll do that.

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

They're shipping the equiptment from Texas to the "local field office" so it will be a couple or three weeks.

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks, UB --

 

Installation is set for PM June 11.

 

To recap --

 

It occurs only on the Motorla DVR (1225), not on the Cisco wireless.

 

The CC failure can occur on any channel more on HD.  Especially bad  on ABC (Good Morning America), but has occurred on CBS and FOX; FOOD; HGTV and others.

 

Also occurs on recordings.  We know the CC feed is coming into the DVR because it picks up again with the missing part following a step back in the recording or "live" program.   

 

Following a hard reset it may take 2-6 hours to first occur.  If the CC decoder in the STB is turned on (SD or HD or both), when the loss occurs, there will also be a failure to output the CC signal to the TV decoder.

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

I always have CC on, so if you need another person to help with feedback, just holler. Smiley Wink

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

Received this e-mail today, 6-4-2012.: "Mr. Oxxx, I have been working with my labs counterparts and found that your issue is a documented defect.  The defect is slated to be fixed in the IPTV Client 2.2, possibly quarter 1 of next year.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to give me a call. Thanks, Exxxxx Mxxxxxx Sr. Technical Engineer - UVerse Care Advanced Technical Support U-verse Care Operations AT&T Texas Rethink PossibleSM" So, TW(S), Direct-TV, or ??????????????????? -PHO edited for punctuation

Master

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5.7K Messages

12 years ago

Why is the world does it take them so long to fix any kind of problems with closed captioning?? Fixing this current problem with the CC's quitting/cutting off until next year is ridiculous! Sorry to say but it's evident they don't care about the deaf or hearing impaired who depend on the CC's for their communications. AT&T/U-verse is outright discrimination against people with hearing disabilities in not fixing closed captioning issues in a timely manner. This is outrageous and I bet they also don't realize how many U-verse users also use CC's who may not be deaf or hard of hearing.

 

I would bet they also don't fix the easier access to closed captions, namely 45 clicks of the remote for turning the CC's on/off, this year either. I've been following the new FCC regs/mandates concerning CC's and believe they aren't required to provide one-toggle remote control CC's until 2014. It would be nice if they came out with the new one-toggle remote this year, as AT&T/U-verse stated, but don't think they're willing to do anything for the deaf or hearing impaired until they're forced to do so. It's a sad state of affairs concerning closed captioning when it comes to AT&T/U-verse indeed.

 

Sorry PHOnos they are unwilling to fix the CC's and don't blame you for going to another provider. When I constantly complained about the very cumbersome process of accessing the CC's I was sent a letter from the Director of Regulatory, AT&T. She outright told me I should go to Directv if I didn't like the current closed captioning with AT&T/U-verse! What kind of business ethic is this??

 

New Member

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25.7K Messages

12 years ago


@Uniblurb3 wrote:

Why is the world does it take them so long to fix any kind of problems with closed captioning?? Fixing this current problem with the CC's quitting/cutting off until next year is ridiculous! Sorry to say but it's evident they don't care about the deaf or hearing impaired who depend on the CC's for their communications. AT&T/U-verse is outright discrimination against people with hearing disabilities in not fixing closed captioning issues in a timely manner. This is outrageous and I bet they also don't realize how many U-verse users also use CC's who may not be deaf or hard of hearing.

 

I would bet they also don't fix the easier access to closed captions, namely 45 clicks of the remote for turning the CC's on/off, this year either. I've been following the new FCC regs/mandates concerning CC's and believe they aren't required to provide one-toggle remote control CC's until 2014. It would be nice if they came out with the new one-toggle remote this year, as AT&T/U-verse stated, but don't think they're willing to do anything for the deaf or hearing impaired until they're forced to do so. It's a sad state of affairs concerning closed captioning when it comes to AT&T/U-verse indeed.

 

Sorry PHOnos they are unwilling to fix the CC's and don't blame you for going to another provider. When I constantly complained about the very cumbersome process of accessing the CC's I was sent a letter from the Director of Regulatory, AT&T. She outright told me I should go to Directv if I didn't like the current closed captioning with AT&T/U-verse! What kind of business ethic is this??

 


She said that so that way her problem (you) were gone and she didn't have to deal with it anymore.  Must have figured that loosing one customer was easier than putting up with you. Instead of doing the right thing and dealing with the issue she said that.  Some people take the easy way out like she did.Smiley Mad

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago


@Uniblurb3 wrote:

Why is the world does it take them so long to fix any kind of problems with closed captioning??  What kind of business ethic is this??

 


Why in the world does it take them so long to even admit they have a problem?  Why don't they communicate with each other (even David did not know about this) --  why don't they give customer service information the truth and instructions to tell the customer the truth.  I can live with the truth.  Why do they spend money sending out techs when they know they can't fix a problem?  (They could have used that money to help pay for the missing Angel games on FSW.)  Why did I get charged $55 for a CAT-5 cable run that didn't solve the problem?

 

As I've said before, this whole U-Verse system should have been further developed and tested in a local area (not the whole ATT countrywide system).  I worked for a company that did this same thing.  It failed very quickly and went bankrupt.  The President's answer to an engineer's question, " Why don't we tell the truth?", was, "What is truth."  Very philosophical, eh?

 

ATT will not go bankrupt as it has a monopoly on certain areas it serves, it is the only game in town.  In answer to your second question, this is the kind of business it is -- with no ethics -- they are not needed.

 

I replied to the e-mail I got from ATT Engineering in Texas (above), asking if they still needed or wanted to install the equipment on June 11 to help solve the problem.  So far the only reply I have received is that they will ask someone else as to what they want to do.

 

I would like to suggest to the moderators that the answer I received from ATT Engineering in Texas be posted and frozen at the top of any and all sub-forums where a similar thread has been started.  It will avoid causing a lot of hearing impaired and others from searching this whole forum.

 

 

Expert

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9.4K Messages

12 years ago

I feel you guys pain, but this is par for the course from AT&T for any problem.

Back in 2008, the HDMI black level problem was known about by us a full year before AT&T admitted to it, and it was another year after that before we got firmware to fix it.

So for AT&T, admitting to the CC problem now and schedule a fix for a year away seems just about right. Smiley Mad

 

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

Here be the latest poop --

 

"Hello Mr. Oxxx,

 

My name is Dxxxx, contacting you on behalf of Rxxxxx. Since it has been identified that the issue you are experiencing is part of a known defect we have a work around which will entail replacing your current equipment with newer equipment. The dispatch is currently set for 6/11.

 

Redacted

 

Thanks,

 

­­___

Dxxxx Dxxxxx 

AT&T U-verse

Rethink PossibleSM

 

U-verse Executive Support

2270 Lakeside Blvd

Richardson, TX 75082

 

att.com"

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