Can No Longer Record four HD Programs at a Time. Why?

Is it possible that, in all of your previous attempts to record four HD recordings at once, all of your TV boxes were off, but there is one box that is currently turned on and tuned to an HD channel that you are not recording, but you don't realize it (because the TV itself is turned off)?

Suggestion: turn off all but one of your TV boxes, then start recording a program in HD, then change the channel on that box to a different HD channel, then turn on your other two TVs and tune those to two other HD channels (besides the one being recorded and the one being shown on the first box) as well.  This way, you can tell if you can get four HD streams into your house at once.

If this works, then, one at a time, press the red Record button on the remote for each TV to start recording that show, and see if this works.

Check your "profile":

 Menu button > Options > System > System Info > System Resources

What is the info on that page?  If your bandwidth is anything less than 319747200 (32m), 4 HD is not possible.  The question is if that info ever indicated 0SD/4HD.

Another sub posted awhile back with the same issue (4HD down to 3 HD) and I believe a call to CS remedied the situation.

It's not OSD, it 0SD, as on 0 SD / 4 HD (other options being 1 SD / 3 HD, 2 SD / 2 HD, and the obsolete 3 SD / 1 HD).

Your DVR is reporting that the connection profile between your home and the neighborhood VRAD is currently 25 Mbps.  That bandwidth only allows 1 SD / 3 HD, wherein lies your issue that only 3 HD programs can be recorded/viewed at once.  The $64,000 question is why is your profile now 25 Mbps when it apparently used to be 32 Mbps (the next one up, and required for 4 HD).

Take your browser to http://192.168.1.254/ , click on the Broadband tab and root around for the table of data that includes sync rates, attenuation, SNR, and error counts.  Take a capture of that table and post it in a reply so that we can look at it.

Jeffer MC: I found the Broadband section but I see nothing under the status, link configuration, or multi-cast headings that contain such items that you mentioned: sync rates, attenuation, SNR and error count. Should I just call U-Verse CS with the info you have already provided?

You can.  I was just trying to help you be better equipped to deal with the person on the phone.  If you know your stats are good, you can argue that you want your profile bumped from a position of authority, otherwise, a lazy CSR may tell you that your line can't handle 32M, even if that's not true.

But if you don't see what I'm looking for, then you don't see it.  What brand/model U-verse Gateway do you have?

It's a Pace, 5268AC. I really appreciate your expertise Jeffer, and I certainly agree that the more info I have, the better prepared I'll be to deal with CS. I certainly have little knowledge in these matters. Bottom line is that for several years I was able to record four HD channels, now I can't. And, this is probably a stupid question but, a U-Verse customer can't buy additional bandwidth, can they?

Well... sort of.  Your High Speed Internet (HSI) and U-verse TV share the bandwidth available in the connection.  If a higher connection speed is technically available (there's a few ifs, ands and buts) you can buy a higher HSI package, and they'll upgrade you to the higher connection speed.  Then you have more room for TV bandwidth.

I no longer have a PACE router (it died after 7 years), and now I have an ARRIS and don't remember how to tell you where the table is.

I can tell you that the 5268ac is pretty much the newest router on the block and should be able to do better than the one you started out with.  Hmmm... how did you come to get the 5268ac instead of whatever you used to have?  There may be some answers in that story.

Only because a tech came to the house and said it needed to be replaced. I have had techs here several times for various problems--frankly don't remember the reason for the latest visit which, fortunately, has been quite awhile ago. That reminds me--would a tech need to come again to make sure I get the bandwidth that is required or is that something that can be done remotely?

It is very heartening to me to find a current AT&T employee so interested in his work that he takes the time to post on this site. THank yhou!

Sorry about the typo "thank you" to "employee contributor."

If you had calls for intermittent issues (macroblocking, disconnects, etc.), then part of what a technician may have done (in addition to replacing the gateway) was change your profile from 32M to 25M in order to reduce the signaling rate to increase the SNR and reduce errors and thus the symptoms you were seeing.

If they did that prior to the gateway replacement, or some other substantive change in your line, it may no longer be necessary.