Comcast Corporation Complaint - Set Top cable box burnt out TV's PCB - Premium HD Set top box for cable TV

Posted by Anonymous on 2007-01-17:

The HD box cannot change the channels on the TV by itself. Usually they give out component cables which input video and audio only to the TV. One way the PCB could burn out would be an electrical surge or spike. If your power cords were not connected to a good surge/spike protector it's entirely possible your main electric line got 'hit'.

Some of the boxes Comcast uses do have defects but I have never read of any causing damage to a TV. The problems tend to be just like what you describe including changing channels. If you were using the component cables there are no TV channels to change other than what channel you set the box to receive. The tech who told you to keep the box on 24/7 was full of it. Even if you turn it off it actually remains on in order to download new Guide data and messages.

I think you need an electrician to check your wiring.

Posted by Slimjim on 2007-01-18:

Did the TV repair tech diagnose this over the phone prior to even looking at it? It kinda sounds that way since if he was there, he wouldn't be asking about what's hooked up to what because he could see the entire rig. It's a strange diagnosis, which very well may be right, but I'm thinking Comcast doesn't buy it and believes your TV has a defective part as well.

Posted by Derek on 2007-02-10:

We had this exact same thing happen with Comcast cable boxes to 2 of our televisions. In November, we were smelling a burnt plastic smell coming from the Comcast cable box. The next day, our TV was fried - it would turn on, but there was no picture whatsoever. Comcast came out, claimed the box was defective, apologized and gave us a new box. The TV was older (about 7 years), so we thought that it just broke. We replaced it with a smaller television we had in storage.

Just last night, the cable box on our main TV was making a funny sound - nothing too concerning, just something we noticed. We turned the box off thinking it just needed a rest. Today, while my wife was watching television, the picture went out and the burnt smell came out of the cable box once again.

We tried removing the cable from the back of the TV and hooking it directly into a DVD player to see if the problem was the cable box. No dice - the picture is shot on a TV we just bought two years ago.

We called Comcast, who had "never heard of this problem before." They are sending a tech out tomorrow right during the middle of the day to determine whether the issue was the cable box or the electrical.

We cannot afford to just go out and replace two TVs, nor do we want to buy a new TV and hook it up to these boxes and hope the same thing doesn't happen. It seems too much of a coincidence that the same EXACT problem occured on two different electrical jacks (the first TV burnt out in the bedroom, the second in the living room). At this point, we are at a loss as to how to approach the situation. I'm convinced that it is the cable box ruining our televisions, but I highly doubt that Comcast will ever own up to it...

Thoughts?

Posted by Trudijane on 2007-02-11:

Migaloti,
As I read what happened with you I became so frustrated. There have been countless times that when COMCAST cannot solve the problem, they blame YOUR problems on something to do with your TV. Now, I recently bought a new plasma TV, and there has been so many times when I called COMCAST to ask for technical help, and couldn't solve the problem - they told me it was MY TV (their standard copout). The person that sold me the TV told me to call him if that ever happens as every time they commented that my TV should be on Channel 3, that's not the way this particular TV is wired and when COMCAST is ignorant about that, they insist that it's a result of my TV not being on Channel TV. The salesman at the store that knows these TVs well technically has always managed to solve small problems and major problems WHICH WERE COMCAST related (not TV related) and he explained to me why. One time he actually called COMCAST so he could explain why it is as a result of their problem. I find that their technical service sucks, for the most part, and if they cannot fix it, they find somebody else to blame. It absolutely infuriates me and I imagine you must have felt the same.

Just recently, I lost my dial tone for the 2nd time for 72 hours. It was because of a box that I receive my classical phone service from (NOT digital) that the tech told me that within 6 months, these boxes will be obsolete; that everyone will have to have digital phone service. I really fear that whatever COMCAST does, will affect my TV reception and my High Speed Internet, which I get elsewhere for a minimal amount. And here because my dial tone went out, I was being coerced to get the new digital phone service as I will eventually have to anyway, and get the package of digital phone, high speed internet and cable ($33 each). It sounds good, but I really don't trust them at all. And it bothers me that they are phasing out my phone service which averages $30/month anyway. I fear they will do damage to my TV, etc.

Well, I finally got my dial tone back and refurbished box that the tech didn't think would work - but it did.

Good luck!
Trudi

Posted by traceylynnprincess on 2008-03-08:

Comcast does not train its employees on other companies equ., only there own.They can not tell you how to run your tv/vcr/dvr ect. there also is not a electrical charge that runs thru the cable lines inside the house.

Posted by scot1759 on 2008-03-08:

O'brother please!!!! Some of what you state is true. Motorola firmware and the TV Guide Software do clash. This causes the uncontrollable channel surfing. The pixelating in your picture is signal deprevation. The correct signal needed for HD is no less than a -12DBMV. Less than that and you will see picture break up. As for the DVR burning your power supply out in your TV hardly truthfull. We been accussed many times of the same thing so we offer everytime. To allow a third party to fully check the DVR that was in the customer home to the service idiot that told them that. The offer goes whoever is right pays for the entire cost of repair to the customer TV. Guess what not been taken up on the offer yet. The truth is the power supply unit in your TV beside the tuner board is always the weakest and first to go out. Our DVR on or off does nothing to your TV but modulate an RF signal to a channel freq. I dont know where some these TV repair retards come from but a 6 week course at IVY Tech and their at your door telling you anything that pops in their heads.

Posted by Marcus on 2012-02-20:

Well, I just had 2 TV's go out within 2 weeks and they both were connected to a DVR Comcast box. Possible power issue, but I've had the same setup for almost 2 years. Why now? Why 2 different TV's.. Strange for sure

Posted by Janice on 2012-07-02:

We must all have the same retart of a repair man coming to our home. Because in one weeks time I have had 2 of my TV's also go out as well. I have had the same symptoms and experiences as the other customers. Will check into with the BBB and FTC. This has to be a Comcast issue.

Posted by jerseyboy1944 on 2012-09-27:

One possible way the cable box could damage the power supply board in your TV would be a failure in the cable box that put a very high voltage on the shield of the component or RF cable. Invest in a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) equipped outlet for the TV & cable box. If you get any unusual voltages on the shields it will kill power instantly. If it happens then unplug the TV, leave the cable box plugged in and turned on and see if it happens again.

Posted by COMCAST KNOWS EXACTLY WHY THIS HAPPENS!!! on 2013-03-09:

I HAVE ALSO HAD 2 TV'S GO OUT IN THE PAST 30 DAYS. MOST DEFINETLY NOT A COINCIDENCE!! 1 TV WAS 2 YEARS OLD THE OTHER BRAND SPANKING NEW! IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE HDM1 CABLE THAT OUR SWEET FRIENDS AT COMCAST GIVE US TO USE WITH THEIR CABLE BOX. THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE AND INSTEAD OF UPGRADING THEIR CABLES TO A GROUNDED 3 PRONG THEY SEND US OUT THE DOOR WITH A 2 PRONG CABLE THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY KNOW HAS THE POTENTIAL OF FRYING OUT YOUR TV. TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR PLUG. IS IT 2 PRONGS? IS YOUR TV 3 PRONGS? THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. WHEN YOU PLUG THE HDM1 CABLE INTO YOUR TV AND THEN INTO THE BACK OF THE CABLE BOX WHICH IN TURN PLUGS INTO A WALL OUTLET OR SURGE PROTECTING POWER STRIP, THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT SHOOTS BACK A NEGATIVE CURRENT WHICH FRIES YOUR TV. IT CAN HAPPEN OVER TIME OR ALL OF A SUDDEN. OUR 2 YEAR OLD TV WAS FINE WITH THE OLD BOX, GOT THIS NEW CISCO UPGRADED BOX (WHICH IS NOT AN UPGRADE BY ANY MEANS) AND WITHIN 45 DAYS TV FRIED. SECOND TV WORKED ONLY 1 DAY AND THEN FRIED. COMCAST IS RESPONSIBLE AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FAULTY EQUIPMENT THEY PROVIDE THEIR CUSTOMERS. IF THE CABLE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEW HD TV'S THEN THEY NEED TO UPGRADE THEM, NOT US!!! YOUR EQUIPMENT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. THEY ARE HOPING THE CUSTOMER'S THAT EXPERIENCE A FRIED TV WILL BLAME IT ON IT BEING AN OLD TV, BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS TO THE SECOND TV, I DON'T THINK SO... ITS NOT THE TV ITS THE CABLE THAT COMCAST SUPPLIES!!! I HOPE EVERYONE OUT THERE READING THIS POINTS THEIR FINGER AT COMCAST AND STARTS TAKING ACTION AGAINST THIS ISSUE THAT COMCAST NEEDS TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY!!!! I HOPE THE DEAL THEY GOT WITH CISCO AND THESE UPGRADED CABLE BOXES WAS WORTH IT FOR THEM!!! THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY SAVED NEEDS TO GO TO THE CONSUMERS THAT HAVE HAD TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THEIR NEW TV's THAT COMCAST CABLE BOX AND HDM1 CABLE HAVE FRIED!!!

Posted by Juana on 2013-06-07:

My sister and I live on opposites sides of Houston. Soon after I got the cable box, I thought I needed a new t.v. My television would turn off and on by itself periodically. I went to my sister's last weekend and saw her t.v. do the same thing. We have totally different t.v's. Does anyone have this problem?

Posted by RonH on 2013-06-13:

Sorry dreamers, your TV is not damaged by Comcast. I was in the TV repair business for 34yrs and the chance of a Comcast box damaging any board is zero. You buy Chinese TVs, you get Chinese TVs is the bottom line. Comcast is an evil company to put it mildly, but even with this they do not damage your Chinese TV.