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HD channel pixelated

RS1906
Tuning in

Have had constant issues with pictures pixelated have restarted the box numerous times problems still persists 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

japitts
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Pixellation and picture breakup are symptoms of a problem with your incoming signal. If you've rebooted the box once and live TV channels are still breaking up, then there's a problem either with your box tuners or your cabling somewhere.

If you can identify specific channels that are affected, then that may pinpoint "groups" of channels which may be carried over the same part of VM's broadcast network. But ultimately you need to call VM TV Faults to report your problem. 150 from a VM landline, or 0345 4541111 from any other phone, and follow the option for "I have a fault with my TV service".

Just be quite firm (if necessary) that you have already rebooted your box and it hasn't resolved - that you need either an engineer visit or a box swap. Only Virgin can decide which is appropriate, but endless reboots and "sending signals" (as some agents have been known to try) will not solve this fault.

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6 REPLIES 6

japitts
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Pixellation and picture breakup are symptoms of a problem with your incoming signal. If you've rebooted the box once and live TV channels are still breaking up, then there's a problem either with your box tuners or your cabling somewhere.

If you can identify specific channels that are affected, then that may pinpoint "groups" of channels which may be carried over the same part of VM's broadcast network. But ultimately you need to call VM TV Faults to report your problem. 150 from a VM landline, or 0345 4541111 from any other phone, and follow the option for "I have a fault with my TV service".

Just be quite firm (if necessary) that you have already rebooted your box and it hasn't resolved - that you need either an engineer visit or a box swap. Only Virgin can decide which is appropriate, but endless reboots and "sending signals" (as some agents have been known to try) will not solve this fault.

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It is very interesting - I spent from 2005 to 2012 with Sky TV and never once did I have to ever contact Sky and complain about picture pixelation. The only time picture pixelated on Sky TV was when there was heavy rain or a thunderstorm.  Even during the heavy snowfalls of December 2010, our signal never once pixelated. 

Now when I joined Virgin Media, because I thought it would mean a better picture quality, I have always had problems with picture quality. 

The common response is that you might need an engineer to visit, or signal levels are wrong - Why is this all part of the Virgin Media experience, whereas I never ever had to call out a Sky engineer?  Why was the basic Sky Plus box and satellite more stronger than Virgin Media? 

Today I have Freesat basic recording box, and it works brilliantly. I can check the signal quality and strength and they are always at 100%, except in poor weather. I have had NO pixelation at all on Freesat - It is always Virgin Media. Why? 

japitts
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

@JKDerry85 

Virgin Media is a cable operator, and so has a physical network, Sky & Freeview operate "over the air". In all the years I've had Virgin TV, I don't recall ever losing service during heavy rain, snow, thunderstorms or any severe weather - yet you seem to accept this as part & parcel of Sky?

You say about always having problems with picture quality, is this because your video output settings are sub-optimal perhaps? Or because you have a fault with your equipment/cabling somewhere that you're just putting up with rather than getting resolved?

You say about Freeview being great "except in poor weather". I don't know why anyone would put up with poor weather affecting their TV service, because my Virgin service has never been affected in this way. I have always suspected some customers of being willing to "suffer in silence" with poor service and then loudly complain when their faults go unresolved.

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Let me explain - In all the years I have been with Virgin Media, I have experienced the following:

Picture quality being very poor at times, even though I have a fantastic HD television, and all the connections were put in place by the Virgin Media engineer who installed my Tivo originally.  When I say picture quality, I do not mean pixelation - I mean the quality of the picture compared to Freesat.  A case in point. I can flick between my cable TV and Freesat TV easily, and I put on Sky News. On Freesat the quality of the SD picture is brilliant, crystal clear. On Virgin Media, the quality drops slightly, and looks like I am watching Sky News online, through a web stream rather than a TV channel. This is what I mean about picture quality. 

I have shown this to other friends of mine, some are TV engineers including a close friend who installs satellite and he said, there is nothing can be done, as that is the picture quality of Virgin, due to it being delivered to you via cable and not through the air. 

Pixelation - This happens on and off during the year. There will be weeks go by when no pixelation happens. Then suddenly on a channel it can happen. Why do we have to always contact the Virgin engineers about this? My Freesat box, never has any problems at all and no one has to come out and fix the signal. It was explained to me yesterday that again it is because cable tv has to pump the signal to your box via cable from the nearest cabinet in the street, and it is this here the signal strength falls at times.  Also, I do notice that in times of very hot weather like this weekend, pixelation can occur on some channels at infrequent occasions.  During the winter cold months, usually there is less than 5% chance of pixelation. 

I hope you understand now where I am coming from. I say again. In all my time with Sky TV from 2005 to 2012, and with Freesat from 2012 to present day, I never ever had to complain about pixelation or drop in picture quality on the satellite service.  Also, let me explain, it is only when there is a massive thunderstorm that my signal on satellite would go for a bit, and that is to be expected. However, I never had to call an engineer out to fix signals. Now you explain the answer, satellite signal seems to be more stronger and consistent than cable signals in terms of television. 

 

Gareth_L
Forum Team
Forum Team

Hello RS1906

Sorry to hear about the pixellation

Does this happen on all HD channels or just a few 

I can see that you have a Tivo box has a few issues with the signal strength

Which would require an engineer visit to fix 

To get this booked in 

I will need to send you a private message to pass security 
If you can check the purple envelope top right of your screen that would be great 
Regards     
Gareth_L

 

japitts
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

@JKDerry85 wrote:

Let me explain - In all the years I have been with Virgin Media, I have experienced the following:

[snip]

I have shown this to other friends of mine, some are TV engineers including a close friend who installs satellite and he said, there is nothing can be done, as that is the picture quality of Virgin, due to it being delivered to you via cable and not through the air. 

 


If that were true, then it logically follows that mobile phones would always be superior to landline phones, simply because their signal is carried through the air.

My point being, the method of transmission is completely immaterial. The bitrates used to transmit, i.e. how much bandwidth is allocated to a particular channel, has far more bearing on your picture than whether it comes down a wire or OTA. If any "engineer" is saying the opposite, I would question their technical competence, frankly.

If @Gareth_L has picked up that there is a problem on your VM install and suggests an engineer is required to correct that, I would recommend you take that option.

Also, if you post details of your TV setup and what your box has setup under Home > Help & Settings > Settings > Video, I'm sure we may be able to lend suggestions of whether the settings can be improved. Apart from some of the low-bitrate music ones, if channels look like webstreams then there is something wrong with your settings somewhere, as that certainly isn't my experience.

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