Cloud DVR Playback Issues (recordings are freezing) - UPDATED 4/18/24 with a message from Spectrum

Dadaven

I can do that on the ipad but what about the tv?

DCB55

This does not work either.

Please delete the app, restart the device and reinstall the app, then try testing a recording again and let us know if the issue continues

William_M

@Dadaven, you can do the same thing with the TV but you can just try one device first. Do you have any devices you can connect with an ethernet cable? If you are only getting half your speed, an internet connection/WiFi issue is most likely.

@DCB55, welcome to our community! Will you run a speed test?

jdinny

Same problem here. Getting worse actually.

Thinking about trying Hulu

If my cloud dvr won't work, I don't want spectrum.

Pauses, goes black screen, skips back and forth and blurry picture as well.

Does it on our Apple TV4K, Roku Ultra and yes, even on spectrum's own Xumo box.

And yes, I have Spectrum 1G internet. Waste of money it appears

Very very frustrating

jdinny

Same issues on my Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra and yes, Spectrum's own Xumo box. Running on 1G Spectrum internet on Spectrum modem with TP-Link AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router

This morning was the absolute worse yet. Watching active program from dvr, stuttering, pausing, backing up 10 seconds, blurry picture and finally black screen. Restart equiment, same crap. Finally gave up. Gonna have to try Hulu if this doesn't get sorted out. When making the switch from a competitor, the agent told me cloud DVR worked?

jdinny

Same issues on my Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra and yes, Spectrum's own Xumo box. Running on 1G Spectrum internet on Spectrum modem with TP-Link AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router

This morning was the absolute worse yet. Watching active program from dvr, stuttering, pausing, backing up 10 seconds, blurry picture and finally black screen. Restart equiment, same crap. Finally gave up. Gonna have to try Hulu if this doesn't get sorted out. When making the switch from a competitor, the agent told me cloud DVR worked?

No, cloud DVR is not reliable. Thinking about trying Hulu

St3v3_S

My Cloud DVR will not allow me to replay any recordings. Gives message: Reference Error XSTRP-4001. Spectrum says ongoing problem and engineers are working to resolve. That sounds lame. If everyone's cloud dvr wasn't working I would think there would be tremendous complaints.

WE are using XUMO. Should we get Spectrum receiver?

Olibarat

We’re still having cloud dvr freezing as well.

we’ve rebooted the system a variety of times. Doesn’t help. Continues to freeze and sometimes completely lock up the system

this service is really lacking and NOT reliable.

Frlassit

I am having the same issue. I can’t view any cloud dvr recordings on my xumo I received from Spectrum. I get the following error: program unavailable. We’re sorry, program name is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Reference Code: XSTRP-4001. The only way I can view my cloud dvr recordings is to switch my xumo box to my backup connection through Fybe. Then it will start playing in 5 seconds but then I can’t view my local channels.

Don_Berryann

Same problem here. Cloud DVR on the App with Apple TV does not work properly. Constant Freezing, jumping backward, bombing completely out of the recording. Everyone should get the $9.99/month Cloud DVR fee credited every month until this is fixed.

Mike113

I’m also having the same problem on my Samsung TV recordings freeze up about half way through or towards the end. For the amount of money Spectrum is making they should be able to address this. I noticed the Spectrum response that they were working on this was dated February 27 your customers deserve an update and a fix

WTHR

We have tried everything that Spectrum has recommended. Our TVs have direct Internet connections and our Internet speed is over 500 Mbps. Spectrum blamed it on her Apple TVs, which are the latest models and have updated software, or Apple TVs have no problems with any other streaming services. In spite of this recontacted Apple, and revised to reset our Apple TVs. This did not help. We were told by Spectrum when we signed up for streaming that the cloud DVR would be the same as our cable boxes. Not only do we have all these problems but we can’t pause a live show a live show or rewind a live show. Another problem is we record a show sometimes it doesn’t show up as a recording until 25 minutes after the show has started.

WTHR

Sorry for the typos in the above question. I am trying to watch a recorded show right now and I was in a hurry to get this question sent.

Satch

Welcome @WTHR!

If you are having non-stop problems with cloud DVR, get a tech out to do three things:

1.) Check out your signal levels and drop lines.

2.) Get a regular DVR box.

3.) Take Cloud DVR off the account, add box DVR to the new account.

You should be able to do everything in the same visit. The test that you want to request in the service call is refereed to as "a signal and drop line test." You will need good signals, (the tech will replace the line drop if needed.) If you don't have good signals, you will have the same problems with a conventional DVR box.

You will have more control over DVR functionality with a traditional DVR box.

Satch

notgoodattech

Yep, same issue. Starting a few weeks or month ago or so the cloud dvr playback is non functional. I did my best to trouble shoot it with different roku players, making sure the roku app was up to date, deleting it and reinstalling. Finally using the spectrum tv app on iphone, still same issue. 500Mb+ consistent internet connection. Tried using wifi on the iphone, same issue.

Spectrum did something on their cloud dvr side that is causing these glitches in playback that make it not usable most of the time. I opened up a ticket with them over the phone, no resolution. They don't seem that bothered by it. We were really on the fence about dumping spectrum tv and just going to individual services, I think this puts us over the hump on that. Just a couple news shows my wife likes to watch daily after they air, can't do that now.

Bake0620

My spectrum app frequently freezes and then cuts out saying the program is not available. This occurs while I am watching playback of recorded shows on the cloud dvr. Also does it if I switch to same show on demand. Basically makes show impossible to watch. I have reported this to Spectrum technology with no resolution. Awful service.

WTHR

We had 2 Spectrum cable boxes before switching to cloud DVR and never had any of these these problems. We have had a consistent signal greater than 500 mbps for internet and have had no problem streaming with any app other than Spectrum. I believe the problem is with Spectrum Cloud DVR and not with the signal, but we will contact spectrum.

Satch

https://community.spectrum.net/discussion/comment/187544#Comment_187544

Yea,

I would go back to a traditional DVR. Don't get an XUMO streaming box. Cloud DVR seems to be hit and miss. Probably about 70% miss and 30% hit. Reliability, or lack of it seems to vary by area.

Satch

HJH

Hello @kcw1996, I am having the same problem. What I have found out in my case is that if you are connected to your home network with Spectrum, it will not playback any recordings. If I disconnect from my home network, I have no issues. For example...I can use my cell phone using my home network and it will not play. If I use cell data from Verizon, I have no issues. Another example is I use my tv in my RV on the campsite wifi, I have no issues. Connect at home and it doesn't play. I had a Spectrum technician come out and he stated that it was a known issue and there was no solution for it at this time.

Hopeless

We are also experiencing the same problems on cloud DVR, recordings freezing up often. Have to fast forward momentarily and play button to reset the playback. We have the ROKU devices in this house, turned on both TVs and watched the same recording and both recordings froze at the same time. Spent 45 minutes on the phone with Spectrum service tech rep and after going through the standard unplug everything and reboot, recordings still freeze.

Thinking about switching to Direct TV app.

HJC404

Using Spectrum's Cloud DVR with Roku and find the playback on some shows sputters out or comes to a full stop. Was more reliable months ago, now pretty annoying. Also have done the unplug, reboot routine, nothing helps. Tried to use Apple TV and the Spectrum app on that service, same thing. Spectrum, when are you going to fix this? I have the 1GIG internet by the way.

Rdm999

I’m totally frustrated with Spectrum Cloud DVR. It continually freezes and fails on my Roku and yes I even bought the user unfriendly and difficult to set up XUMO streamer thinking it would help. It’s worse. I have to ensure my remote is exactly pointed at it or it doesn’t respond. At least Roku freezes screen. XUMO gives a blue screen of death, which I have to get out of. Until Spectrum loses the “customer must reboot” and fixes this, it’s not gonna work.

Rdm999

I have many years in communications, with lots of experience in trouble shooting problems. Usually there is a similar problem(s) experienced by many which helps narrow down possible causes. In this thread(s) there is a common problem experienced by many, using different hardware and software/internet access into some (unknown) source in the cloud. I’ve read the Spectrum responses that they/you are working on it (Feb 27). My guess is this probably requires a monetary investment to fix.

Leadfoot

I have been using Spectrum Cloud DVR for four years and this freezing issue has been happening all four years. It happens at exactly the same spot in the recording when trying to play back again. This points to issues at the source where the recordings are made, not at the local equipment.

Recently (since the beginning of the new season) there have been at least three programs I wanted recorded that only captured about 40 minutes of the program.

If Verizon fios was available at my house I would jump back to that system in a heartbeat.

Spectrum Cloud DVR has me swearing at the TV at least three times every evening while watching, and causes me to abandon programs in frustration.

johnbryantmassey

I just switched to cloud dvr and the xumo box over the weekend and both are awful. Just lacking basic capabilities that have been around for years. And watching shows on cloud dvr end up taking longer with all the glitches than if I watched it live. Turning my xumo box back in and seriously just thinking about calling it quits with Spectrum. Just awful awful reliability.

a_greene48

I have a Xumo Streaming Box setup and am not able to use the Cloud DVR I'm paying extra for. I can record shows, but playing them back gives error code XSTRP-4001 Program Not Available. I also cannot use On Demand to see those shows unless I delete the recording. Cloud DVR works fine for a week or so and then this same problem comes up again. I've rebooted my fiber modem, router, and Xumo boxes, then "refreshed" my apps, and the problem persists. Tech Support has noted this behavior and says there is a known issue that the "engineers are working on". I'm a retired IT consulting engineer and it doesn't seem like whoever is working on this has any idea how to fix it. If this is a 3rd-party technology from some other organization, Spectrum should abandon it and get something that works 24/7 52 weeks a year.

a_greene48

I have the same problem - XSTRP-4001 error code, after a few weeks of normal operation. Seems like this problem keeps popping back up in one form or another. There is also a secondary effect with On Demand - unless I delete the recording, I can't watch the same show from On Demand. That they're asking $10 a month for this "service" seems unreasonable, and they should not charge us until the problem is permanently resolved. As a retired IT engineer, if a problem I was supposed to solve went on for weeks at a time, I'd have been FIRED!

Avander_17

I agree until enough people switch services they won’t do anything

I will give it one more month then I’m switching and I just switched from AT&T 2 months ago

a_greene48

I was happy with DirectTV Stream, although I was paying $85 a month (taxes included), and I am now living in a "Spectrum Community" where we get Spectrum internet and TV as part of our HOA dues. We pay the same amount whether we use Spectrum or not. I had Fire TV sticks (which Spectrum doesn't support) and everything worked as it should. $85 a month is not that bad, but I'm retired and would rather not have to spend that extra amount, but I'm considering going back to that mode if Spectrum can't get their shit together. This is absurd!

I checked the "native" Spectrum app on my Samsung TV and I get the same no-playback/no on-demand until recording deleted situation as I do on Xumo. So it's definitely on their end, and that it's taking nearly a week to figure out what the problem is and fix it is also absurd.

a_greene48

I have a work-around: add all your favorite shows to your "watch list". When you select a show from the watch list, you can then select "episodes" and find the one you want to watch and select and play it. If you recorded the episode via Cloud DVR, you'll need to delete it first. You may still have to watch a few "ads", but until they get the playback problem fixed, this is the best way to view shows you weren't able to watch "live".