Samsung Set top box
 

Does anyone know if my Samsung box will support the new upgrade from 2mb to 10 mb or will I need a new modem?

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Broadband via Set Top Box is now very old hat and unavailable for new services. Few STBs will work reliably at much more than 4meg. You really should contact VM and request an upgrade to a separate modem.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Thanks
Are the new modems free?
I believe the best time to call is after 0800 on a tuesday to avoid speaking to an Indian call centre ( nearly ended up with an upgrade a didn't want) and speak to someone in the UK. Is this true?

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

The modems are free and any day after 0800 except Sunday for Tech Support any other acciount queries maybe after the bank holiday.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

This may be a dumb question but on a STB, what is the ethernet port used for? I know its internet but what is it used for with a STB?

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

For some customers (such as the poster MACH2) it is used to provide their broadband connection instead of having a separate modem. But the modems built into the STBs are not fast enough for 10Mbps upwards, so this usage is now being phased out.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

I went through this a month or so ago ... It was sorted for free in the end.

Ask for a Quick Start pack and you 'should' be able to sort it yourself.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12...wed-since.html

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Was this in response to my question?

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Yes. Didn't it make sense?

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Mach2: I will be interested in the respose you get from VM it took me 3 days to get it sorted with no charge and I am having an engineer install for free as they told me there is no way to do a self install. I have a samsung box like you and am IN RM12 an ex NTL customer. Many people have sad they just go sent a quick setup pack but they would not do this for me.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Yea it did make sense but is that the main reason the ethernet was builit into the STB?

Are you saying that you can use a set top box as a modem but it will be slow because the modem is dire?

Were or are there features that digital TV can have using internet from the ethernet port?

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

There currently no features that use the ethernet port. It was built in purely to provide an easy way to access the internet without additional equipment

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

I received a reply from VM quite quickly (just after the Bank Holiday). Here's the email, and it seems helpful and to the point. I'll be calling customer services and requesting my modem ready for the upgrade. I suppose if they install it FOC no point in trying to do a DIY job, although I am quite handy with computers etc. Hope this helps.


"Thanks for getting in touch with the Virgin Media Support team.

Thanks for your patience waiting for us to reply to your email and please accept our sincere apologies for the delay. Rest assured that we are working very hard to answer every customer enquiry, and to ensure that our reply times reduce back to normal as soon as possible.

Thankyou for your enquiry about upgrading from 2 to10 meg. The best option would be to get a stand alone modem installed if you wish to upgrade to 10 meg. This can be arranged free of charge by calling Customer Services dept. Once this is done, you can register for the upgrade by going to http://www.virginmedia.com/gofaster/ the upgrade will be taking place between May and September, depending on which area you live in."

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

I did say earlier in the thread to call up.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Also if you get the modem installed (and it is done correctly) you should be upgraded immediately - you shouldn't have to register

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

It's best to get a free modem from Virgin (if they are nice) as with the samsung STB, you will get lag. The Motorola Surfboard SB5100 supports up to 20mb.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Motorola modems are no longer supplied by Virgin you will get an Ambit 256.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Wife rang up - free modem and installation but would cost £2 a month extra for 10mb.
I rang later - free modem and installation but would cost £5 a month extra for 10mb. What's going on with these differing prices. Where's the free upgrade? Maybe the equipment is free but the 10mb service isn't a free speed increase!

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

The £2 price is what all 2Mb to 10Mb customers on the size M tier will be paying and it sounds like the person you spoke to who said a £5 increase was talking about the 10Mb L tier which is the one above yours with lower traffic management levels.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

Remember, Virgin do not buy custom designed boxes. They buy customised versions of existing boxes.

These boxes are designed for use by multiple companies, some of whom do use the Ethernet port for other things. For instance, the most common V+ is a rebadged Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300. This has an ethernet port that Virgin do not use. In other countries, the port is used to stream the contents of the hard drive to a home network. They may also allow users to control the box via the web (although Virgin could implement this through the current cable network if they wanted to)

Vigin/NTL/Telewest have only ever used the port to provide broadband via STB.

Digital TV (as implement on Virgin) would gain no advantage from being able to connect to Ethernet, as it already can connect to the network direct through the cable. I'll admit, it *would* be nice if they would allow users to control the box through the web, and it *would* also be nice if they allowed users to download/stream programmes from their V+ to their PC/Mac, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

No so sure on that one in regards to the Samsung V+

This lists all the 'standard' Samsung cable STBs - not of which match the Samsung V+ in either design or specification

Specifically, none of them have 3 tuners (and they seem to be a fair bit bigger too I think)

http://www.samsung.com/global/busine...&ctgry_type=30

Re: Samsung Set top box
 

It may just be that Samsung aren't planning an official launch until the box has been tested thoroughly. It's also possible they have launched it, but haven't updated the site.