# Quality issues Streaming 1080/MPEG-4 Content



## sminhd (Apr 5, 2014)

Searched and searched and can't find anyone else discussing this. I have tested numerous MPEG 2 channels (720 and 1080) and also MPEG-4 720P channels, and I never see this issue. However, for 1080 MPEG-4, and while streaming to both iOS devices, as well as TIVO Online via PC, I am seeing occasional stuttering. In addition, every 2 to 4 minutes, an area of the screen will develop a pink on light backgrounds and kind of grey on black backgrounds. Comes in and goes away in about 2 to 3 seconds. 

TIVO Roamio Plus is hardwired, streaming devices are on a 5 GHz band. 1080 over Netflix, Plex, etc is fantastic. 

Anyone else seeing this with MPEG-4 and 1080 content?


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## bedelman (Feb 26, 2001)

I'm seeing the same thing exactly as you've described. My son has been complaining about this for a while now with his Roamio -- and I just confirmed it on mine as well. I have a separate TiVo Stream and the same thing happens when I'm using it as well (rather than what's built into the Roamio)

The recording I most recently have seen this with is an episode of Suits (USAHD)

A sample clip I took (holding my phone above the iPad) that shows this

- Bob


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## JWhites (May 15, 2013)

Very trippy watching a video on an iPad on an iPad. 
It seems like there is some bandwidth issue going on that's causing this behavior, either on the wireless side to the mobile device, or on the Ethernet side between the TiVo, the stream, and the wireless router. Have you tried other wireless channels, different wireless frequencies (5GHz vs. 2.4GHz), and checking that the network is free from someone downloading large files or gaming?


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## sminhd (Apr 5, 2014)

Thanks, but my wireless network is a best. Getting my full Extreme 300 speeds with Comcast over my dual band AC router. No issues there. 

Actually, I have found this is only happening with MPEG-4 channels. MPEG 2 is fine. Happens whether I'm streaming to iphone, ipad or S7 Edge. Thinking back, this started when Comcast starting moving to MPEG-4 on some channels. Streaming was fine on all channels before that. Just made that connection in last day or two.


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## tivoyahoo (Sep 4, 2003)

oh, it's comcast h.264 ? that could be the issue right there. they are transcoding some channels from 1080i to h.264/720p. and went from [email protected] to L3.2 encoding. apparently for compatibility with other devices. what market are you in? because the problem channels were well documented on TCF because they broke on roamio for buffer/record. but I don't recall USA being one of the affected networks. but you may have the reverse of the problem - because it's not being transcoded to a more ipad friendly 720p you're getting an issue.

are you in any of these cities: nashville, atl, chi, SF, sacramento, portland, tuscon by chance ?
are you getting the issue on all your h.264/1080i channels?

I can get you some links.


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## sminhd (Apr 5, 2014)

tivoyahoo said:


> oh, it's comcast h.264 ? that could be the issue right there. they are transcoding some channels from 1080i to h.264/720p. and went from [email protected] to L3.2 encoding. apparently for compatibility with other devices. what market are you in? because the problem channels were well documented on TCF because they broke on roamio for buffer/record. but I don't recall USA being one of the affected networks. but you may have the reverse of the problem - because it's not being transcoded to a more ipad friendly 720p you're getting an issue.
> 
> are you in any of these cities: nashville, atl, chi, SF, sacramento, portland, tuscon by chance ?
> are you getting the issue on all your h.264/1080i channels?
> ...


Thanks. I've been following that as I am in Nashville. I have the fix that resolved the recording/buffering. Unfortunately, this started long before the update that caused that issue to rear it's ugly head.


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## tivoyahoo (Sep 4, 2003)

Your ipad issue is on channels that have not been converted 1080i => 720p correct?
all h.264/1080i ? in other words, sort of the reverse of the prior roamio situation.

http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Non-X1...hanged-to-720p60-channels/m-p/2783308#M183323



> In regards to 720p delivery, some of your HD channels have transitioned from 1080i to 720p60. As part of our ongoing work to improve and modernize the way we deliver HD channels, we are transitioning all of our HD streams to progressive format. We are making this change in conjunction with the transition to MPEG-4. This means that some channels that were delivered in 1080i will now be delivered in 720p60.
> 
> The progressive format offers a number of advantages, and is an important component of the transition to IP video delivery.
> 
> ...


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## tivoyahoo (Sep 4, 2003)

there is a thread regarding Slingboxes but it's more geared for remote (outside of home) viewing:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10977750

but something you might want to consider if you are also looking to do remote viewing. might also solve your ipad issue. And the boxes are under $50.

I think I might have seen a couple other threads describing your issue or similar. I'll keep my eyes open. but you may want to post in roamio thread. it might be a roamio pro specific issue because it seems that chipset has issues with the comcast stream, hence the "robust workaround" that tivo had to do in order to get the roamio to work with comcast h.264.


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## drtdiver83 (Sep 8, 2015)

I have a roamio basic with stand alone stream. And have been having this problem since Comcast in my area changed most channels to h264. I'm in the Chicago area. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## drtdiver83 (Sep 8, 2015)

I'm curious if the bolt exhibits the same behavior with these channels. Or if the chip in the bolt handles the stream any better. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tivoyahoo (Sep 4, 2003)

some good info on this topic as far as devices handling interlaced at this post:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10984284#post10984284


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## bedelman (Feb 26, 2001)

I personally don't do that much streaming when I'm at home -- it's my 31 year old son who does on a nightly basis. He finds that it's simply unwatchable as it is and he's not too happy about it.

The really odd thing is that it's not a problem when watching something that's "live".

We are in the Comcast/Chicago market -- and were affected by their H.264 conversion.

- Bob


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## steinbch (Nov 23, 2007)

You can add me to the list of people that have had this issue. I've got a Roamio Plus on Comcast in Chicago. Notice it happening on Comedy Central and AMC for sure.


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## drtdiver83 (Sep 8, 2015)

Looks like my stream received an update recently. Was on a build from April of 2015 and now it has a build from may of 2016. Hope this solves the h264 issues. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dulanic (Dec 15, 2015)

Same issues here, worked fine for the past 6+ months and then it went crazy once I got the Roamio OTA box update. 

I just got off the phone /w support and there is a update that is needed for the stream, so who knows when that will come out.


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## JWhites (May 15, 2013)

Well that update is already out, so I guess the answer to "who knows?" is "me".


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## Series3Sub (Mar 14, 2010)

I have resorted to Slingbox for OOH streaming. Very reliable and better PQ. In home streaming with TiVo Stream works well enough, but it has annoyances and the Stream has not gone to completly useless for OOH streaming.


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## Series3Sub (Mar 14, 2010)

Slingbox!


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## Dulanic (Dec 15, 2015)

JWhites said:


> Well that update is already out, so I guess the answer to "who knows?" is "me".


Disagree, there is still a problem out there for some. The issue doesn't effect all, but my stream is still busted. Supposedly from what I've been told by Tivo is the issue is that SOME boxes aren't updating as they should.


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

I called TIVO and they told me it's a known issue now for about a month, which matches up for me. My house is wired up with Cat6 cable. So I'm all wired up. Yet Tivo freezes, shudders, etc now when trying to watch on my Windows 10 PC. Yet watching on my iPad or iPhone and it plays just fine!!! So I've been watching on my iPad which the screen is a lot smaller then my 24" computer monitor.

You can either wait around until who knows when, or do as I just did, Buy a Slingbox M2. The priced has dropped down to $99. You of course still need a Tivo Mini to plug into using special cables. So you need a set of these!
TiVo Accessories| Breakout Cable Kit for BOLT and Mini

Just leave the Yellow RCA Composite lose, Plug in the Red/White for Audio, That takes care of one cable set, the Yellow Mini Pin plug. Then there's the HD Component cable with the Green Mini Plug, the Red, Green and Blue RC plugs for the HD Video. These 5 RCA plugs plug into the SlingBox. The IR blaser goes pointing at the front of the Tivo Mini, Front right side of the Mini. Plug in power and Ethernet and away you go. I think in general you'll have a better picture, especially away from home with more limited bandwidth. This is really Slingbox's thing. Since you also have a virtual Tivo Remote, it also means you can click on the green button for Commercial Skip. Something you can't do using the Tivo Stream where all you have is a 30 second skip.

I know I'm still having a problem with my Tivo Stream, I tried using it again today and it's just as bad as ever. It's clearly not fixed. It has nothing to do with your Network. It's something with the hardware/software?!?! Is it a Windows 10 thing and works fine with Windows 7? It works fine with my iOS devices, so this is my thinking. Something with Windows 10 changed during one of MS updates a month ago and it's screwed up the Tivo Stream. That's my best guess.


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