# ESPN HD Freeze and Stutter ONLY



## Mags (Nov 20, 2003)

Does anyone have any insight into this? I've seen numerous threads regarding the HD TIVO having stuttering problems.

However, my problem seems to be only on ESPN HD - all the locals I get through the antenna, along with all other D* channels seem to be fine.

Any idea why I'm having this problem ONLY with ESPN HD? And to top it off, it only happens during regular programming, and for some reason, never during commercials.

It is pretty regular - it happens approximately every 2 minutes or so. Very annoying. Live broadcasts and if I have it taped on Tivo. ESPN HD only.

Help?!?


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## David Scavo (Dec 14, 1999)

> Any idea why I'm having this problem ONLY with ESPN HD? And to top it off, it only happens during regular programming, and for some reason, never during commercials.
> 
> It is pretty regular - it happens approximately every 2 minutes or so. Very annoying. Live broadcasts and if I have it taped on Tivo. ESPN HD only.


I am seeing this exact same problem as well. No such stutters on OTA (all my locals) or any other DirecTV HD channels.

It is very regular and quite annoying...


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## Mags (Nov 20, 2003)

I'm actually glad someone else is having the same problem (no bad luck intended)...

That means someone may have found a solution to this problem?? Anybody else out there know how to fix this???


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## jmsaurer (May 28, 2004)

Have same problem...


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

HBOHD was also doing this yesterday (Sunday Apr. 24). 

My local HD channels were fine and some other DirecTV HD channels seemed fine. (I didn't check ESPN.) 

Seems to have cleared up by mid evening. 

I'm chalking this one up to a problem on DirecTV's end... for now.


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## Cheep (Nov 18, 2001)

Yup same problem, only with ESPN HD.


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## mpar1 (Feb 14, 2005)

Cheep said:


> Yup same problem, only with ESPN HD.


Ditto. Only ESPN.


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## TimGoodwin (Jun 20, 2003)

Me Too!!


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## TrainWreck (Nov 9, 2003)

Been having this on Local NBC station (Channel 11 here in San Jose) Tonight it migrated to CBS and ABC locals and nationals.

TWreck


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

TrainWreck said:


> Been having this on Local NBC station (Channel 11 here in San Jose) Tonight it migrated to CBS and ABC locals and nationals.
> 
> TWreck


On a local channel (received via an OTA antenna) the cause is almost always multipath.

What causes "ghosts" on an analog signal will cause a DT signal to cut in and out.

I was getting this really bad on my CBS affiliate one evening (and not on any other local). A line of thunderstorms was moving through the area at the time. I suspect the thunderclouds were causing atypical multipath characteristics at the time and perhaps lightning strikes were putting "pops" of interference into the signal as well. Under clear conditions, the signal from this CBS station is solid.


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## altan (Jan 5, 2003)

I'm having this problem on ESPN-HD tonight ("South Carolina @ Georgia").

The video will occationally "block up" or, less frequently, go black. Audio mostly seems fine.

Anybody else see this tonight?

Rewinding and playing the same part over always causes the problem to occur again.

... Altan


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## rs808 (Apr 20, 2004)

altan said:


> I'm having this problem on ESPN-HD tonight ("South Carolina @ Georgia").
> 
> The video will occationally "block up" or, less frequently, go black. Audio mostly seems fine.
> 
> ...


It's been happening to me for about a week on ESPN. I'm not getting it as often as some but my screen goes black for a second about 4 times an hour.


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## IOTP (Aug 7, 2001)

Did notice the ESPN2-HD though today in the channel listings. Channel #72.


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## Ragsy (Aug 15, 2005)

I noticed the video stuttering on ESPN also. It also happened repeatedly on CBS high def during the US Open on both satellite and OTA. Not on SD channel however.


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## robn77 (Oct 26, 2001)

Check the signal strength when you notice the problem. I think I was getting the same problem with ESPN yesterday and when I checked the signal strength, it was showing that transponder bouncing between 0 and 80... with it mainly around 65-70. 

I'm going to check out the strength today and see if it is a one time thing or not.


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## rs808 (Apr 20, 2004)

The problem has to be on DTVs end because all my birds are coming in the mid 90's.


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## taterheart (Mar 13, 2006)

Has anybody figured out this problem? I am seeing it on ESPN-HD, every 2.5 minutes. It's pretty regular, I've timed it.


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## Ragsy (Aug 15, 2005)

ESPN HD is the worst channel I have for video stuttering. The problem is constant, every few minutes. While I have video stuttering from time to time on almost all the HD channels, ESPN is by far the worst. No ides what the problem is. I suspect part of the issue is on ESPNs end.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

This is happening with all my HR10's also on ESPNHD and I think ESPN2HD. I'm convinced it's something in the data stream that the HR10 isn't handling correctly. 

Has anyone else noticed that each time that the stutter occurs the live buffer pauses and over a few of these the pause time accumulates and you can be several minutes behind live viewing?


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## taterheart (Mar 13, 2006)

Hiker,

I was just trying to confirm your observation on the delay to see if it fell behind, but it isn't stuttering now (I've been watching for 10 minutes). Maybe it's because it isn't broadcasting a HD program at this time. It's the World Baseball Classic (Venezuela/Puerto Rico) and it's showing in standard def.


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## davahad (Dec 1, 2002)

I see the stuttering on a lot of HD Channels including OTA, but not very often. However, on ESPNHD it happens quite frequently. 

My HR10-250 was about a year old and I've been wanting another one so I bought a new one and it does the same thing.

Guess we should all be reporting this to DTV and see what they say.........but based on past experience with reporting probs to them it's probably not worth the frustration of trying to convince them it's not a problem with my dish or box. I'm guessing they know about the problem but don't have a fix and are working on one?


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## JayDog08 (Oct 21, 2003)

Getting the same thing on ESPNHD only.


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## wmschultz (May 26, 2004)

Mine doesn't only stutter, but it will actually get behind in time. Only on the ESPN Family of
networks in HD.


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