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

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

Are you saying I'm a nit-picker, Uni, LOL!  Thanks for the vote of confidence. Smiley Wink 

 

Have been watching Premiums now for over an hour, CC has been staying in place.

Master

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5.7K Messages

12 years ago

Matter of fact, yes! LOL, but you also have an attention to detail/errors. Smiley Wink

 

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago


@slobeavis wrote:

I'm experiencing the same problem.  Started right after the last software update. 

 

I have the Motorola VIP1216/297, Bootstrap ROM version: 1.1027, TV2 Client version: 2.1.2295.10 (RELEASE).

 

In my opinion, it's not  a hardware problem.  It's too much of a coincidence that as soon as they update the software problem, we start to see this CC problem.  Also, as PHOnos mentioned, if you back it up 7 seconds and replay the show where the CC froze, the closed caption will start working.  It's like the CC decoder freezes once in awhile and you either have to back up and replay or channel up/channel down to reset it.

 

Also, I at first thought it was a channel problem.  I kept seeing it on only one channel (KCOP 1013).  Then last night it happen on another channel but not as frequent as the 1013.  Most channels I never see this problem either.  Maybe it's a signal quality thing.


Hmmmmm!   Maybe the problem only exists in the L.A.-Orange County, CA service area.  I'm glad you saw it on "My" KCOP HD 1013 which transmits in 720p.  I was beginning to think it had something to do with signals originating as 1040i (Disney owned, ie ABC).  Although I've seen it quite often on KNXT HD 1002 CBS (720p) for this SoCal area.

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

I'm getting senile; CBS-2 in LA hasn't been KNXT in several years. It's KCBS-2.

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

But that's still a Network channel, right?   Networks are where I see the problem here (not to mention they're the ones that freeze up the most).

 

A while back, there was the same deal with CC on VoD; I don't know if that has been resolved since I don't do that much VoD.

Master

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5.7K Messages

12 years ago


@spd2demun wrote:

 

A while back, there was the same deal with CC on VoD; I don't know if that has been resolved since I don't do that much VoD.


 

Yes, that CC issue on VoD was resolved. As a matter of fact that thread was just updated today. Smiley Wink

 

http://forums.att.com/t5/Features-and-How-To/CC-on-VOD-after-1-HR/m-p/2992501#M21134

 

Expert

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24.3K Messages

12 years ago

Thanks for the update. Smiley Happy

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

Since I have the DVR now connected to the SD TV using component cables, I decided to turn off the CC on the ATT receiver and turn it on on the TV.  I also tried it with both running on SD CC.  Not only does the CC fail after 10-20 minutes on HD channels (10xx) and not pick up, it also fails to send the CC to the TV at the same time and does not pick up until channel is changed or back step 7 seconds.  Changing channels on the TV turner, of course, has no effect.

 

So . . . . . ?.

 

-PHOnos

Master

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5.7K Messages

12 years ago


@PHOnos wrote:

Since I have the DVR now connected to the SD TV using component cables, I decided to turn off the CC on the ATT receiver and turn it on on the TV.  I also tried it with both running on SD CC.  Not only does the CC fail after 10-20 minutes on HD channels (10xx) and not pick up, it also fails to send the CC to the TV at the same time and does not pick up until channel is changed or back step 7 seconds.  Changing channels on the TV turner, of course, has no effect.

 

So . . . . . ?.

 

-PHOnos



So you are using component cables (Red, Green, Blue) for video rather than composite cables (Yellow for video, Red & White for audio)?

 

CC's are not supported in using component cables for pass-through (CC on box turned to off) with HD programming. Read the 3rd post by SomeJoe in the below thread from UU.

 

http://www.uverseusers.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=2&topic=17078.0

 

I'm not quite sure why you are getting closed captions for a while and then they are shut down. I wouldn't think you would be getting them at all with using component cables for CC pass-through on the HD channels.

 

Scholar

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95 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks UB --

 

Senility kicked in again, using red, white, yellow composite video and audio cables.

 

-P

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