I went to HD digital settop box (SciAtl 4200HD), and started out with a lot of tiling in the high numbered channels. Still some tiling problems but now random channels just don't appear at all. Usually, they come back after a few minutes of channel surfing. It seems to be related to the hot weather. Cable company wants to send a service tech. Is there any chance for fixing this? What options does the tech have to work with?
There's a strong chance of fixing it, given the right tech comes out. Even if the wrong tech comes out they should be able to verify if it's a low signal problem that is contributing to your problem. Usually tiling/pixelating is caused by the QAM signal losing packets of information that are unable to reconstruct your picture properly, hence the break up. Options: Have him/her run a temp line from the tap to your STB and see if you still have the problem, if you do, it's something in the main plant that feeds your neighborhood, if you don't he/she needs to replace the wire from the tap to your house permanently. If the problem still exist after he/she has replaced the wires from the groundblock/splitters to your STB. There are no other options. It's either in the main line or your house wiring.
I've been dealing with a similar issue. Tiling AND audio drop outs. But not just high channels, and HD. All over the place, but randomly. COX cable, SciAtl 8300HD. Have had techs out way too much. They said is was low signal, then high, then the cables, yada yada. It only happens when the important critical parts of Alias, or House, or the StarzHS movie happen. So now they say I have an intermittent problem, and we should replace the STB. But we'll lose ALL the shows we recorded. I'm thinking it's signal, and this post seems to support. The DVR just records the lost signal, tiling, and/or audio burps. Righjt?