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4 Messages
DVR playback pixelating badly
I realize this topic has many many threads already, but I was asked by support to post a new message so they can ask me to DM them. Sorry for the repetition.
I have a 4K X1 DVR, and I got it early last year and all has been fine- until about a month ago. Now when I try to watch some recorded shows, the pixelation is so bad that it is unwatchable. Sometimes the program set to record only gets 18-20 minutes recorded (out of a 2 hour scheduled) and playback will freeze, then jumps to live TV with a generic "something went wrong..." message. Sometimes the delay between me pushing a button on the remote to said command happening could be 20 or more seconds. To be fair, in the last 3 weeks or so, and especially since the Olympics started, I have been recording ALOT of programs, but my DVR capacity only says 55-60%. Sometimes I notice that a certain recording won't playback past a certain point, and if I delete that recording, the situation improves. It is like that recording "goes rogue" and needs to be put down. Of course this defeats the purpose of a DVR to record shows to watch later. I am technically inclined, and know enough to be dangerous. That said, I have rebooted the box (it's now multiple times per day), refreshed the system twice, rebooted my Gateway, disconnected and reconnected all coax and ethernet cables- so I've covered the basics. I also get the shaded upper 25% of the screen sometimes and a reboot fixes that, but it sucks rebooting the box - sometimes multiple times during a recording playback. My HDMI cables and TV are fine as I can switch to multiple other sources (XBOX, BluRay player, laptop) and they all work fine. I'm no expert, but I think I need to have my 4K X1 box swapped out. It has the feel of a hard drive dying. Not dead yet, but has issues that can't be resolved, and it is degrading more each day.
Accepted Solution
Vandal21891
Visitor
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4 Messages
3 years ago
Well folks, no worries. No one from Comcast ever did contact me, and my 4K DVR died a slow painful death and finally expired at 3pm on Superbowl Sunday. Great. It could have turned out badly, but the Xfinity Stream app came through like a champion! I really wish I would have discovered that little nugget about a month ago when all my problems started. And what a joy it was to watch the programs on my DVR streaming without pixelating or skipping!
Takeaways- If your DVR playback is horribly pixelated and/or other problems with skipping or remote commands responding slowly, try watching your programs with the Stream app (either on your PC/laptop or mobile device). If all goes well and 98% of the pixelation is gone, then at your next convenience, take the old DVR to your nearest Xfinity store and have them swap it out. I did, and all my problems are gone. Another note- I exchanged my 4K box for a regular HD 1080p60 box. For me, I won't miss the 4K part too much. One thing Comcast does not make clear is that you cannot record anything in 4K- it's live or bust- so when you take that part away, all you can watch in 4K on X1 are live sports and movies and other internet apps which I could connect to on my own. But if I want to see 4K movies, I can fire up those apps (Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon) through my TV and get all my 4K glory without having to watch everything else pixelated. The rep at the Xfinity store told me in the most unofficial way that they get the 4K boxes returned at 3 to 1 pace of the regular HD 1080p boxes. Hmm... I wonder if a pattern is developing here. Anyways- thanks Comcast for responding to this message so promptly and making sure you take care of the customer!! Appreciate it.
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