HD Cable Converter Box & Frozen Video

[DerbyDad03]

Background: In an attempt to solve a problem I've been having with my standard cable TV converter, TWC sent me an HD converter - Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250 HDC. They think my problems stemmed from a memory problem in their standard converter. There's 8Mb in a standard box, 16Mb in an HD box. I do not have HD service or an HDTV.

Curent Issue: The first thing I noticed is that when I tune to any station, the video is frozen for a split second and then movement begins. It lasts just long enough to be noticable. This did not occur with my standard box. Due to my ongoing problems, I've been given a telephone number that takes me directly into Level 3 support. I called the rep/tech and asked if this was normal for an HD converter. He said it was, as long as it was for a split second and did not increase.

Can anyone verify that this is normal for an HD converter?

Thanks!

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Tried different TV set?

[Meat Plow]

Yes it is normal. My girlfriend has HD via TWC and I notice the same anomaly.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, My Panasonic plasma set does it. New Sharp LCD 45" does not do that.

[Art Todesco]

Your "standard" box was probably analog. The new, so called HD box, is digital. It's probably not HD, but probably digital. What you describe is pretty common in the digital world.

[Uncle Monster]

It's probably just a processing delay in the digital to analog conversion. Many types of equipment that process D/A or A/D signals can have a noticeable delay in output. A potable "no skip" CD player is a good example. It will buffer the data from the laser disk reader into memory so it can reread the disk and correct for errors before it can output a smooth analog signal. If you have ever noticed digital artifacts on your TV screen, the odd stops and strange rectangles breaking up the picture, you're seeing what the processor is trying to prevent. You also have to consider delay caused by decoding scrambled signals.

Another thing to consider is the quality of your incoming signal. A low signal, bad or noisy cable connection can also cause problems. Has a cable company tech ever come to your home and checked the signal level and quality?

[8~{} Uncle Monster

[EXT]

I mostly notice the delay effect when our family room TV, fed by a HD box, is playing the same channel as my computer in the next room, which does not have an HD box. It is like an echo, the delay is a fraction of a second.

Also be aware that Scientific Atlanta cable boxes are some of the cheapest boxes available. This is what our cable company supplies, they are full of bugs and certa>> Background: In an attempt to solve a problem I've been having with my

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks, but the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250 HDC is HD. My old "standard" box was digital but the new box is HD. Look here:

[DerbyDad03]

- It is like an echo, the delay is a fraction of a second.

That is not the "delay" I am asking about. The one you are speaking of is the normal delay between sets attached directly to the cable vs.those going through a settop box.

I am talking about an actual freezeing of the video as soon as a channel appears on the TV. Essentially a still picture is displayed first and then very quickly becomes active.