Chuck4788's profile

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5 Messages

Sunday, January 1st, 2012 5:10 PM

Intermittent Popping from DVR

I have a Scientific Atlanta IPN4320  that recently starting intermittent "events" from the DVR.  The "event"  is a second or two of loud popping similar to the popping that you would get by plugging a microphone into a PA system that is on with the volume up high.  This is followed by a brief black and white speckled screen folloewed a short message that  there is a HDM1 error and it just as quickly resets itself. Besides being annoying I am worried about blowing the speakers on my sound system.

 

The U-Verse has been working spledidly without human intervention for the last year. 

 

To attempt to correct I have powered down and disconnected/reconnected all cables and the SA4320. this made no difference.   I also noticed discussions about power surges and I installed a 300 joule (APC PR08T2 )  surge protector at the outlet that services the settop, tv, and receiver.  Again last night I experienced an "event."  

 

Has anyone else on this forum had experience with (or more importantly been able to resolve) issues like this?

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Official Solution

Tutor

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5 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks all for input on resolving my problem with the popping.  The resolution was a new STB from AT&T. I With the suggestions I had from the forum I was able to do a lot of the preliminary work "reboot,etc." and cut my time on the phone with them.  

Official Solution

Tutor

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5 Messages

12 years ago

I am feeding the sound though the TV via the HDM! because the optical output on the SA4320 that I was using stopped working shortly after the 4320 was installed two years ago. (Too bad I did have a Dolby signal thought the optical while it was working.) The tech who came out said that the optical had a high rate of failure on the 4320. I guess I have just been "livin with it"


I could swap out the STB but the other boxes I have in the house are SA 330HD boxes. I was under the impression that the 4320 box contained the DVR for the system so I do not understand how I might switch it out.with the SA 330 boxes.

Do you think that if I temporarily fed the audio output directly to the sound system that it might determine whether the problem is in the HDMI feed or elsewhere?

Thanks for your suggestions.

Expert

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10.1K Messages

12 years ago

Do you need the HDMI for surround? If not you could use component cables until the problem is resolved.

Another temporary workaround would be to swap it with another STB.

Expert

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20.4K Messages

12 years ago

Does your TV have an optical out port you could send the surround back to the sound system as a workaround? 

 

Then just feed the TV directly on HDMI. There have been reports of problems when you feed the signal on HDMI thru a sound system receiver. 😉

 

Chris


Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
1-800-288-2020, After he gets acct info, press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

 

 

Expert

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10.1K Messages

12 years ago

Chuck4788

 

Re: 

 

I am feeding the sound though the TV via the HDM! because the optical output on the SA4320 that I was using stopped working shortly after the 4320 was installed two years ago. (Too bad I did have a Dolby signal thought the optical while it was working.) The tech who came out said that the optical had a high rate of failure on the 4320. I guess I have just been "livin with it"

 

Seems like this failure should gain you a replacement STB. If you called they should ship you one & you would swap.


I could swap out the STB but the other boxes I have in the house are SA 330HD boxes. I was under the impression that the 4320 box contained the DVR for the system so I do not understand how I might switch it out.with the SA 330 boxes.

 

Any STB can be at any location. I believe the best location from a stability perspective is to have the DVR adjacent to the RG & wired cat5. Although distant coax can work fine.

 

Before total home DVR came out everyone placed the DVR at the main watch location to have trick play on live TV. Now trick play is available on every STB. The DVR is best placed at the least watched location because watching it counts as a recording stream. If you are not watching the DVR you can record up to four streams. Although the fourth must be SD.

Do you think that if I temporarily fed the audio output directly to the sound system that it might determine whether the problem is in the HDMI feed or elsewhere?

 

Swapping/eliminating are two good troubleshooting techniques, so try different ideas. I think the HDMI interface is difficult to pin down due to the interactive nature. A connection either works or does not work. There is nothing to find & fix. So, if it does not work the only answer (while waiting for an upgrade) is to find an alternative that does work for your situation.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Tutor

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5 Messages

12 years ago

  I will try switching STBs around and see if that does anything.  I have one STB that is used infrequently and if I can switch it (a SA 330HD)  with the SA4320 that may tell me more about where the issue is.  I may end up going back to ATT, but it will be good to have tried the easy things first.

 

Thanks for the help.  

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

Tutor

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5 Messages

12 years ago

If I were to compare the pop in mine to  pop in the clip I would say the pop in the clip was just a "click"  and the pops that I am experiencing were more like bangs.  (something like the Rambocat's weapon might make!)  although not regular like a fully automatic weapon.   

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

Smiley Very Happy

 

This was the first time we'd heard any kind of noise, and it was all boxes, just that one channel.

 

Hope you get yours figured out, or it just goes away.

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

Glad it was an easy fix, with little effort. Smiley LOL

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