Video uploads via Comcast... Update since April

[Michael Dunn]

Back in April I posted about having massive problems uploading video to my clients serviers.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=119858

Many of you helped me with the problem and over the last few months all the problems have been solved. Almost all of them had nothing to do with the way I was doing it, my software, or computer(s).

The major culprit was Comcast.

First it was the revilation that Comcast was systematically choking off large files. Several people sent me links to articles about the problem. For a while I was having to mail or Fed Ex DVD's to the clients. Comcast assured me that the hardware that was choking off files was being removed from the system and by late June I was having success with files in the 120MB to 200MB size going through.

Comcast made two visits and added an inline amplifier (the runs are very long in the area I live in) and cleaned up a couple of splitter mistakes that a previous Comcast Tech had made.

By the 4th of July weekend everything seemed to be working well; so I upped my Comcast speed from the standard with "Power Boost" to the 8 Meg service. Again everything was good and the new speed cut upload time in 1/2.

Then last Thursday everything turned to crap again and nothing worked. In fact most of my internet went away. E-mail took several attempts, downloads took forever or just plain failed.

I called Comcast and they determined that my packet rate was 48 out of 100. Hey at least the TV worked!

Yesterday a Comcast Tech worked for 3 hours and when he was through all the cable hookup inside (between the point where it enters the house and the modem) was all rebuilt with new cable, splitters, inline amplifier and a new modem.

I am happy to report that the system is now working flawlessly. The packet rate is between 98 and 100 all the time. I monitor the upoads with the performance screen contained in Windows XP and the page rate is a virtual flat line. I have yet to have a failure of a file to completely upload.

Finally 3 months later all is well.

Again, Thanks to all who got me pointed in the right direction on this.