Video On Demand

[Saul_Goodman]

i go to 'on demand' to watch 'breaking bad' in HD, and it shows up in SD quality, not HD quality, as it should!  can you please correct this issue asap?  and yes, i know what i am doing.  i navigate to HD on demand, and tv series in HD.  and it says 'breaking bad season 5 episode 1 in HD' but it shows up in blurry SD quality!  so i am doing everything right, but something is obviously messed up on your end.  i am located in indianapolis, indiana.  btw, there are a couple other 5 minute clips under the breaking bad HD on demand that do show up correctly and show up in HD as they should, but the season 5 episode 1 shows up in SD, not HD.  so yes, i am doing everything right and i am sure that this is an issue on your end that needs to be corrected.  please fix this asap.  thank you kindly.

[ComcastEric]

Thank you for reporting this.  We've checked it out and see the issue.  Our Video Ops team is working on replacing the HD asset.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Eric

[Saul_Goodman]

thanks!

[Saul_Goodman]

Hi, i watched the second episode of season 5 today on demand hoping that this issue was fixed, but it showed up in blurry SD, not HD.  so this issue has not been fixed.. can you please fix this issue? 

[Saul_Goodman]

hello???  is anyone out there???  this issue still needs to be fixed!  it is still showing up in SD, instead of HD!  why hasnt this been fixed yet?  what is the problem??  can someone at least communicate here and say something please!  hello?

[ComcastJoe]

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Saul_Goodman wrote:

hello???  is anyone out there???  this issue still needs to be fixed!  it is still showing up in SD, instead of HD!  why hasnt this been fixed yet?  what is the problem??  can someone at least communicate here and say something please!  hello?

---

I will look into this and update when I learn more.

Thanks,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[Saul_Goodman]

any news??

[Saul_Goodman]

hello??? any updates???  still same problem!  i went on demand to see episode 3 in HD and it shows up blurry!  i noticed that the other episodes were in HD quality, so it seems that it takes some time before it corrects itself to the HD quality.  but i dont want to have to wait a week before i can see it in the right quality.  i never had this problem last season when i would see bb on demand in HD.  it would always show up in HD right away, without any problems.  so what is going on?  what is the problem?  can this be fixed?  hello?  please help. 

[ComcastEric]

Our video team reviewed the quality and analyzed the file and also compared the feed tape to the mpeg, but have found no issues with the file.  I also checked the video since I watch the show and it appeared fine for me.  I'll ask them to take another look at ep3 though.

thanks,

Eric

[Saul_Goodman]

well something is going on.  i watch episodes on monday, the day after the episodes first air, and they have appeared blurry, then i would check back a few days later and then they would be fine.  for all i know, they may be fine by tuesday.  but i should not have to wait, i should be able to see it in HD on monday, like i have always been able to before.  something is definitely going on, this issue definitely needs to be fixed.  maybe it does eventually fix itself into HD, but i should be able to see it in HD on monday, like i always have been before.  that is the situation, that is what is going on.  so maybe it looks fine to those analyzing it, because they are looking at it when somehow the HD is working, but on mondays, the most recent episodes that aired the previous sundays are in SD quality.  that is a fact.  yes, when i attempted to watch ep3 on monday, all of the other episodes were in HD, so they got fixed, but ep 3 was was blurry.  so i anticipate that this will happen next monday, as it has been for the last 3 weeks.  i will attempt to watch ep4 and it will appear in SD, and i will check the other episodes and they will be in HD.  i feel like i am not getting through, like maybe you dont appreciate what is going on here, but this is a problem that needs to be fixed!  yes it seems to somehow fix itself eventually, but i dont want eventually, i want to watch it in HD on monday.  i dont know how else to explain it.  i feel like im taking crazy pills.... maybe you dont have an issue with the HD, but there is DEFINITELY an issue with the episodes not getting HD in time, there is some kind of delay going on.  there is an issue with HD being delayed on latest episodes of breaking bad.  THIS IS A FACT, I AM NOT WRONG ABOUT THIS.  I AM NOT CRAZY AND I DO NOT TAKE DRUGS, I DONT EVEN SMOKE OR DRINK.  ALTHOUGH I AM CONSIDERING TAKING A TRANQUILIZER AT THIS POINT. lol  

[Saul_Goodman]

btw, i am talking about on demand on television, not on the computer or internet or video on demand that you can watch online.  i am talking about the TV. 

[Saul_Goodman]

so i attempted to watch episode 3 on demand today, tuesday, hoping it would be fixed by now, and it is still in blurry SD quality, not HD.    PLEASE FIX THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Saul_Goodman]

oy vay.. it is like someone is poking me in the eye with a hot needle... am i the only one experiencing this issue?... anyone else out there feel my pain?  its like no one cares... i feel so alone...

i need a hug...

[ComcastEric]

We're continuing to look into this but have nothing new to report.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Eric

[Saul_Goodman]

it is now wednesday, i went in to on demand, hoping to see ep3 in HD, and much to my dismay, it is still in SD quality...  can you please tell me, are you working on fixing this issue?  do you think this issue will be fixed?  is there a timeline of when one may expect this issue to be resolved?  i would appreciate more specific communication, thank you kindly....

[ComcastEric]

I've followed up with our video team but don't have any more information.  Thanks for your patience.

[ComcastEric]

Hi, our video team has checked the file and confirmed that it is HD encoded.  They also viewed the video and found no issues.  Since it sounds like you definitely have an HD TV and have no problems viewing other HD assets, my only suggestion at this point is to call 1-800-COMCAST and schedule a tech visit so a tech can assess the issue in person.  I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Eric

[Saul_Goodman]

the reason your video team found everything to be working is because it is thursday and the HD finally got to working!  if your video team had checked on wednesday, they would have found it to be not working!  the issue isnt the HD, the issue is the long delay before the HD finally gets to working!  as i said, the HD works after waiting a few days, but i dont want to have to wait, i want to be able to see it in HD on monday! 

check out episode 4 on monday and you will see what i am talking about.  there is an issue with the HD not setting in right away.  i always have to wait a few days before it finally sets!  and it has nothing to do with my tv.  this is a problem on your end that needs fixing.  so please do me a favor and check out episode 4 on monday on demand, and then when you see what i am talking about, PLEASE FIX THIS ISSUE!!!!!!!!!!!   thanks

[Saul_Goodman]

well i checked episode 4 today expecting what i had been experiencing for the last 3 episodes, and to my astonishment, the HD is FINALLY working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

the actual problem was the DELAY in getting HD.  everytime i would watch on monday, the HD was not set, i would have to wait a few days, but this time the HD set in right away with no delay!!!

yay!!!!!  hallelujah!!!!  LET'S HOPE WE CAN KEEP IT THIS WAY!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS.

[LiquidSmoke]

Saul I'm glad it's working for you but unfortunately this seems to be a bigger problem. 

I have the exact same issues as you do except on my Xbox. 

And not just with breaking bad. It seems that any new shows randomly show up as SD when they should be HD. Currently looking at my Xbox and it shows 4 episodes for breaking bad and the newest one is the only one not in HD. 

Every week its like this until  the end of the week when it magically turns to HD.   

Im seeing the same thing with all the Olympic videos. Some are in HD and some are randomly in SD. 

Whatever the issue is someone needs to fix it permanently. 

Why are SD versions even a choice?  

[Saul_Goodman]

yes, exactly, thank you so much for saying that liquid, so we can see that i am not the only one experiencing this issue.  the HD actually did work right away this week for me with no delay, but for the last 3 weeks, i would have to wait a few days before the HD would set in.  but so far for me, it seems to be fixed, so far...

i dont know anything about xbox, i just use 'on demand'... so i dont know if they are related or whatever...

thanks for chiming in liquid, i appreciate that, hopefully they can take this issue seriously ...unless they happened to have already fixed the issue ...but if the issue needs to still be fixed, then hopefully they will fix it, permanently...

[LiquidSmoke]

Yea it's pretty much the same as the on demand on the tv, only with a slightly better interface and it's good for moving to another TV that may not have a box. But the problem isn't isolated to just the TV or breaking bad. 

The on demand is pretty crappy as it is, all the issues like not getting HD or shows not available in HD just make u want to switch to another cable co. 

Im actually surprised there aren't more people complaining about this. I guess most just take it and deal with the issues. 

[LiquidSmoke]

And like clock work! Breaking bad S5 Ep6 "Buyout" is NOT in HD. Same thing for the current episode of Falling Skies which stays at SD resolution until the next episode is released. 

Is this some kind of sick joke?

[ComcastEric]

I've asked the VOD team to take another look, but they've looked in the past and could not find any issues with the assets you mentioned.  You might need to call 1-800-COMCAST and have a tech come out and take a look.  Could be an issue with your box.

Eric

[ComcastEric]

Also, please post your zip code.  Sometimes issues like this can be local.

thanks,

Eric

[LiquidSmoke]

This is on my Xbox 360, not my cable box. 

[ComcastEric]

Just got word that there was a technical issue with that episode.  Its been reposted and verified that its now streaming in HD.  Please try again and let me know if there's still an issue.

Eric