DVR Stuttering issue during playback

Stuttering during playback when live is fine...  Questions:

1. Is this playback on the DVR itself, or playback from another STB (set top box)?
2. Do you record a lot of things at the same time?
3. How are your DVR and any STBs connected to the RG (i.e. what kind of cabling?  diplexors/switches?)

This could be an issue with the DVR itself (hard drive, etc.).  It could be an issue with the connection to the DVR (bad cables, bad connections at cable ends, etc.)

Thanks for the reply.

1) Only have one set-top box/DVR.

2) No more than two things recording at once, most of the time only one.

3) The DVR is connected directly to the RG via an ethernet cable with nothing in between

I have had Uverse service for about 3 years and this issue has only started popping up in the last week. Essentially, the picture will freeze and pixelate at various times during playback. I have tried to reboot both the STB and RG, and the issue doesn't resolve itself. The problem occurs even when I try and play things recorded prior to the problem first happening (i.e. older show recorded a few weeks ago).

Since you have only one unit, and your live play is fine and only playback is at issue, it sounds like a DVR problem.  The steps I'd suggest are:

1. Get caught up on all your recordings
2. A power-off reboot (unplug, wait 30 seconds, plug back in).  See if that helps, if not...
3. Non-destructive disaster recovery. (see below for instructions).  See if that helps, if not...
4. Full disaster recovery.  This wipes out all recordings, and is the last gasp before...
5. Call in to have your DVR replaced with a new one.  This also will cause you to lose all recordings.

Instructions:

Non-destructive disaster recovery (this doesn't wipe recordings unless the DVR has a hardware problem, which means you're going to lose them anyway):

1. Unplug DVR for 30 seconds.  Plug back in.
2. Wait until the screen with three large gray dots (or circles if you prefer) appear
3. As soon as they appear, Repeat step 1, followed by step 2 for a total of 3 times.
4. When the dots appear the 3rd time, unplug it one last time.  Wait 30 seconds, plug it back in
5. This time gears should appear, with a progress bar.  This progress bar can take a long time (especially if you have a lot of recordings)
6. DVR should resume normal operations after this process.

Full Disaster Recovery (always removes all programs on the DVR):

1. Unplug the DVR.  Wait 30 seconds.
2. Plug the DVR back in while holding OK and Down. (1 gear will show, then a second, and the DVR should restart normal operations, with no recordings).