My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Been having problems with my tv for a couple of weeks we keep just constant clitches in tv programs, phoned ntl up they ran through the usual checks when they asked me to remove the smartcard from the pace box it looked like it had began to melt!!! :shocked: :Yikes:the card has gone a very dark brown all around the chip on it and it looks like the chip itself has gotten very hot, has anyone else experienced this? the box is just over 6 years old btw.

Gammo

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

That is usually normal. Doesn't usually cause any problems though.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

its only just been lately tho the freezes and glitches have become unbearable, we keep getting told to reset top box and everytime we do we are left with no channels at all so we have to leave it with the box saying tune over night. after doing it yeaterday whilst on the phone to ntl we ended up with about 5 channels working in total! :Yikes: ntl have booked an engineer to come out this wednesday to take a look.

Doing the Page up Page down blue button thing looking through the list of options it says 'Card Status- Waiting' is that normal? or is this my problem? I didnt know it was normal at all for the card to get that hot :shocked: is that even safe?

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Card Status of "Please Wait" is normal. It's also normal for the card to go brown. And yes it's safe.

I think your problems probably are caused by heat over a long period, but the damage is to the tuner not the smartcard. It's a very common failure.

In general, don't worry about the boxes getting hot. As long as you aren't blocking the ventilation holes they'll be fine.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Is it something easily fixed, or will it just be a replacement box?

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Probably a replacement box.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

thanks for your replies, nice to know its not going to go up in flames on me :D ill wait for the engineer to come out and let ya know what happens :tu:

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

It's been known to go up in flames! but not often.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

:shocked:

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

been having similar issues myself with both my boxes. Both smartcards look little brown... Dowstairs box starts glitching and freezing at the same time every night.... upstairs box still keeps turning its self over... I will call ntl again tomorrow, but they will tell me to do the same checks as they did last time, of which i was told it would stop the problems i was having..... LIES! Was fine for 2 days.... then started again.... Can i ask for 2 new stbs? or will i have to continue calling ntl and doing the same useless checks, and having them send a signal each time?

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

I've never known a smartcard actually burn, and I've tried pretty hard!

I have seen two STBs power supplies that have burnt out. In both cases the fire was contained within the case (as it's designed to do).

The second time you call they should send someone out. You might need a new box, but it's more likely just to need the signal levels adjusting. Slightly brown smartcards are not going to cause any problem.

Oh, and why not call today?

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Our old STB smartcard looked the same. Seemed to work ok though.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Mine to, but i did have 2 Pace STB's replaced also.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

When we moved in April, they came out and gave us a new STB. They didn't when we moved the time before that though.

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

the brown colour of the smart card is very normal buddy
its bcoz of the excessive heat produced by the stb
the freezing of pictures generally occurs coz of loose connectiona at the back of ur stb or signals issue
check ur connections at the back of the stb
try restarting it from the mains
if it doesnt work call faults on 151 from ur ntl phone(its the new free no ntl has introduced)

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

The smartcard in my old PACE box did that until the whole thing finally packed in due to overheating. The NTL engineer told me that this was a known problem with the PACE boxes. Got mine replaced with a nice new silver Samsung one and its MUCH faster. Menus respond much quicker now :)

Re: My smart card looks like its melting!!
 

Cant argue with the service ive received, engineer called to say they could make it today, they arrived at about 1ish was here for about 20 mins and left me with a nice shiny samsung box that works spot on!! :D


Cant grumble at that :tu: