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lludvig's avatar
lludvig
New Contributor
2 months ago

TV buffering issues

I have had Cox for +22 years now. I am bundled and have never really had issues with service. About 3 mos ago, my TV equipment was replaced by Contour on 2 TVs. The non-smart TV in MBR has no issues. HOWEVER, my living room TV goes out frequently with black screen and buffering. I've had 2 techs out in 2 weeks. One installed ethernet cable. It continued to buffer, but more frequently. The other tech came out yesterday and replaced the equipment. It is still doing it. Very frustrating. Can I get my old equipment back or figure out what the heck is going on.

  • ChrisJ2's avatar
    ChrisJ2
    Moderator
    2 months ago

    Hi, there. I'm really sorry for the issues with your TV service. I would like to help. It doesn't make sense that switching from wireless to wired caused your issue to worsen. If you could, please email us at cox.help@cox.com with your full name, complete street address  and a link to this post. I really want to help you get this fixed. 

    • lludvig's avatar
      lludvig
      New Contributor
      2 months ago

      After all the frustration of a couple weeks with buffering, I swapped out the HDMI cable and it has been working just fine. NO BUFFERING ISSUE!

      • DannyS's avatar
        DannyS
        Moderator
        2 months ago

        Although it's rare to see an HDMI cable go bad, they indeed do at times.  Glad to hear you were able to get to the root cause of the buffering issue.  If we can be of assistance in the future, reach out anytime.  We are always happy to help. 

  • ldrue1228314's avatar
    ldrue1228314
    New Contributor
    2 months ago

    It sounds like you're dealing with a frustrating issue, and it’s understandable to want a resolution quickly, especially since you've been a loyal Cox customer for over 22 years. Here’s how you can address this problem and potentially escalate it to get better service:

    1. Root Cause Analysis

    • Signal Strength or Interference: Frequent buffering and black screens could indicate a weak signal or interference, particularly if your living room TV is farther from the router.
    • Equipment Compatibility: The new Contour system may not be fully compatible with your setup, especially if the TV in the living room is older or uses different technology compared to your bedroom TV.
    • Network Congestion: If your household has many devices using the internet, this could lead to bandwidth issues affecting streaming on the living room TV.
    • Ethernet Connection Issue: Even with an ethernet cable, if the connection to the modem or router isn't stable, buffering will persist.

    2. Steps to Resolve

    1. Test Your Internet Connection:
      • Run a speed test from the living room TV to check download speeds. Use a website like Speedtest or a built-in TV app, if available.
      • Compare the results to the speeds you're paying for. If they are significantly lower, this might point to a service or hardware issue.
    2. Check Signal Strength:
      • Navigate to the settings menu on your Cox Contour box to check signal diagnostics. Weak signal strength might be the culprit.
    3. Switch to Your Old Equipment:
      • Request your old equipment back from Cox. Although it’s unlikely they’ll have your exact equipment in stock, they may be able to provide a comparable replacement that works better with your setup.
    4. Consider Upgrading to a Mesh Network:
      • If the issue is related to Wi-Fi coverage, a mesh network could help ensure a strong and stable connection in the living room.
    5. Request a Senior Technician:
      • Contact Cox again and request a senior or advanced technician. Explain that you've already had two visits, but the issue persists. They may run more comprehensive diagnostics or escalate the issue.

    3. Escalation Options

    If the issue isn't resolved after these steps:

    • Call Cox Customer Retention or Loyalty Department:
      • Mention your loyalty and long-standing service, and explain the recurring problem. These departments often have
    • WiderMouthOpen's avatar
      WiderMouthOpen
      Esteemed Contributor II
      2 months ago

      I agree with most of what you said except the last part. How could Retention help with a technical issue? That's even assuming it's a Cox related issued. The most retention could do is give you a discount on your service. They are basically like Sale Support, which is like Sales except different metric requirements. 

      Also, why did you go through the effort of posting when OP has already said the issue is resolved by replacing the HDMI?