check the Pid statistic (Menu -> Analysis -> Pid Statistics).
Particularly, check the amount of CEs (Continuity Errors) in video/audio pids.
If you see no errors, pixelation is probably NOT due to the hardware problems.
You have to look for software configuration conflicts/problems.
Have you tried to record (in renderless mode), and then play back recorded file in a player like MPC? Do you see the same problems?
PS: you are talking about FTA channels, right? cause if you are talking about encrypted channels, DD or hardware have nothing to do with your artifacts!!!
I checked and both tuners do not have the CEs incrementing on any of the listed PIDs.
I mostly use rederless mode as I send the video and audio to Media Center. I check to make sure the issue was happening on the DD video and it was. The other issue is jerky video at times.
My friend has the same issue and it was worse then my issue but after I had him update to the latest version his has subsided quite a bit. To me it might be an issue with DD. I have played around with the settings and the only thing that helped was increasing the buffer size.
Any recommendation as to what setting I should try?