STB stuck on "starting"
 

Hi All

This morning my STB (ancient Pace one) was stuck on channel 400 - the movie previews. Apparently the channel update was applied overnight. The box couldn't change channel, though, so I restarted it.

This evening, still no improvement. I've rebooted the box again - it says "please wait", then the cable modem flickers into life (broadband is currently working fine). The blue box with "Starting" appears, but it can't get any further.

NTL's phone line has confirmed that this was a problem with the update last night - and there's an enormous (even by NTL standards) wait on the phones. They say to wait for an update. Is anyone else in the same situation? I'm in London SE13 (Bromley area) - recently had the "purple" STB update, which is slow and tends to crash the box.

Thanks in advance

Tom

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Hi,there is a known issue with some Pace set top boxes stuck with the starting message in the corner,NTL are aware of the problem.

This can cause the stb to be stuck with no picture,or stuck on 1 channel with a viewable picture and the starting message.

They are working the problem and hope to get this fixed by 10 am tomorrow.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Thanks Maverick - I'll reboot tomorrow morning and see if it's fixed.

Much appreciated

Tom

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

PersonaIly I do feel a sense of achievment when a well planned and carefully executed scheme goes like clockwork.

Sadly this has not been one of those schemes.
I have had the box frozen on Channel 400, the program guide continually "searching" to no avail, complete loss of picture etc.
Well done NTL, the last time I heard of chaos like this was when the lookout on the Titanic reported the weather clear and no sign of ice ! Whoever the project manager for this fiasco is should be sent to a call centre, preferably the one in India. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Seen this quite alot since channel upgrade mainly phase 3 pace boxes 4010 :td:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I have the same problem strange was mine had the channel update last night and I have been watching tv at various times today

The issue I had the menu bar was locked on UKTV food which was the last channel I watched and the picture was channel 5 this was about 7pm this evening and since then only the starting box in right hand corner.

mine is a pace 2000

see what happens in the morning????:mad:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

We've got the same problem here, but its a 4000 thats gone kaput since we tried switching it on at lunchtime yesterday - no amount of rebooting does any good. Our newer Samsung 2100 is running toot sweet after the change though.

Which does beg two questions - why didn't anyone spot this rather big problem in the software before we ended up with kaput boxes and hoping ntl can produce a fix by 10am, especially as it happened on Langley rollout as well? And why do customers have to keep putting up with elderly Pace boxes (2000/4000 etc) that should have been pensioned off by now?

I'd agree with the comment about a fiasco - maybe the said project manager should be thinking of issuing an apology to affected customers.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Both the tv and the bb went last night at 9.30 exactly.

Was stuck on 0 until I got up and removed the plug and then re-insertred it.

Now working fine both of them.When I tried to report it the CS was closed and the BB tech advised me to wait and talk to the TV people..now I know it was a wide area issue I shan't

Can I ask if there is a similar status service offered for TV as there is for Broadband?Because if not, there damned well ought to be one.

Oh and does anyone know when/if Eureka is repeated?I was peeved to have only got half the story to say the least.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

UPDATE::

Fix time for this issue now moved to 16:00

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

"purple"? Your EPG should be Blue now... If you change channels to bring up the miniguide, what colour is the background?

EDIT: Just realised you can't do that if it's stuck on Starting... What colour is the background to the Starting message?

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

:td:
Still not working here in Norwich.

Useless upgrade!!!!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Sorry - brain not working. We've just upgraded to Bromley 3.2 - blue mini guide, on-demand not enabled yet.

Tom

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Phew - you had me worried there! ;)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Are they going to offer any compensation for the loss of services? :rolleyes:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Hahahaha maybe not ;)

Welcome to the forum :waving:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

The only compensation I would like to see is a copy of the Project Managers P45 :mad: :mad:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Just spoken to the call centre (after a 30 minute wait) - claim the fault will be fixed by Oct 1st at the latest - i.e Sunday!

Apparently, compensation will be offered but they didn't say what.:mad:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Hi folks, Neewbie in town.....

ws hoping somone could give us some advice about this situation with ntl coz my stb is down too.:mad: :mad:

I have a pace Di4000-N and it wont even turn on after reboot.

this is what happens:

1)when i reboot it just loads
2)then a black screen with white writing saying "bla bla bla digital is starting" flashes up for about 1 micro second.
3)And the stb puts itself into standby.
4)when i turn it back on its on chnl-400 ???? and the screen is blank as if stb is stil in standby. DAMN:mad: :mad: :mad:

is ntl really gonna fix this prob soon.:confused:

replys would be appreciated thanks.

---------- Post added at 18:43 ---------- Previous post was at 18:40 ----------

oh yeah duh... my location would help right?

i'm in the london-se area: deptford. if this helps.

peace.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

apparently ntl "engineers" are going to send a signal to affected stb's this ev......as long as the stb's are kept on it should sort itself out

unless it doesn't in which case no cable till sunday.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Cheers Guys !..................... and Good Luck!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I would nip out and buy a thick book to read for the weekend !!!!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

All the same problems down here in Brighton... Told estimated fix day would be Sunday!!! Do you reckon we will get a discount?

There should be an announcement on the net about this problem. It doesnt show up anywhere under their web page: http://help.business.ntl.com/service_status.php ...so whats the point in having page then! Would have saved me 30 mins on the phone just now:dozey:

Thinking of climbing onto the roof to re-fix the old aerial... hope I dont do a "Hull" ;)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Still nothing here in SE13 - what a drag.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

My digibox is stuck on the menu. I called NTL and a recorded message came on. It said "if you've already reported it, do nothing, if you haven't, press 3 and report it". Fair enough, they must know about it, so I try to report it and a patronising Geordie voice comes on and says "Oh dear, we're very busy, why not try again later?" "Oh dear"????? Is that it? Oh bloody dear????

NTL are incapable of getting ANYTHING right it would seem, whether it's broadband upgrades, TV upgrades or basic customer service.

I don't know about you but I'm bloody angry.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I wonder if Richard Branson knows exactly what NTL are doing to the Virgin brand image ?

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

The problem your reporting is not the one reported in this thread,are you able to change channel at all?
Note your channels will have changed try going to 101.
You could also try resetting the channels list back to default from the settings menu.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

yes the stb channel does change but the 'AV' channel on my tv does not pick up any 'AV 'signal from the stb except when I reboot and i get that crumy message digital starting shortly (same as every body else)for a split second then the stb goes into standby....... when i turn it back on the channels do change but you dont see them change on the tv screen just the number on the stb and tv picks up no 'AV' signal from stb

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

This might sound a bit random but worth a go...

with your remote try
- guide
- up arrow once
- right arrow 3 times
- select
- 2
- down arrow twice
- right arrow once
- blue button
- tv

Might get the pictures back if your av is set to off on the stb.

HTH

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

:mad: Nice to see it might take until Sunday to fix a problem that shouldn't have happened in the first place - just checked our affected Pace 4000 and its still kaput.

At this rate it'd be faster to get an engineer to do a box swap for a Samsung than wait for the code writers to do another patch that may cause another issue down the line.

In terms of announcements - something should have been put up on the main ntl site by now to ease pressure to call centres, or on Channel 999 for those that can access the DTV side from a second unaffected STB.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Do you reckon they have paid their bills... just a thought.. trying to start a conspiracy theory.. :)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Thanks for the instuctions ws certainly a long shot...

i hope they were sound since i cant see wt um doing lol but it didnt do anything anyway. i guess since my problem has occurd around the same time as everybody elses and i've had my box for a while now and probly seen every technical issue NTL has presented except on this occasion, i will assume i'm in the same boat and rowing till sunday like everybody else bt it ws a good suggestion.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

does this error need to be logged with CS if we want the repair or will everyone get it

i dont fancy spending hours on the phone!!!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Hi everyone

We have been working very hard to investigate this, and believe we have discovered the cause of the problem and engineered a solution. However, as this problem is only affecting around 1% of STBs you must call and log a fault with our Fault Management Centre on 151 from an ntl phone line (0845 454 0000 from other providers), as the fix will only be sent to those customers who have told us they are affected. If you have already reported this as a fault, please do not call again.

Just as a warning, as part of this fix, your PIN will be reset and you will lose your favourites (if you managed to set them up again after the renumbering and before you experienced this issue). It is also very important that your STB is left ON at all times until this issue is resolved.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Good info, lets hope its been properly relayed around the FMR's.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Thanks for the info. NTL's phone line now reports a (presumbly seperate) complete loss of service in SE13 and SE3 - so even if I can get my box past starting there may be nothing to watch :(

Tom

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Hmm - well, the box just got updated. It went dead, then displayed "pdld / errs / LA1t / errs" a few times. Then another restart, and a few minutes stuck on channel 400 while the cable modem came up. Finally, a message saying that the software was being updated.

So, it's no longer stuck on "starting", and I can select any channel I like via the new numbers. Unfortunately, they're all blank and there's no schedule information. Anyone else having better luck?#

Edit - NTL support says that the update "might not be finished" and that when it has, the channels "should start to reappear gradually", so to give it a few hours. Sounds unlikely, but there you go.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

All working now.. took a while to settle down. Damn! that means XFactor on Saturday :(

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Last night i phoned them and they said should be sorted by Sunday, good news is it's sorted now...(Friday t-time)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

This is an expected part of the process. Your STB should restart again later, go through the download process again and be back to normal (as experienced by Andy).

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Edit - Spoken to NTL. Again. Apparently the box will sit like this until Sunday, wherupon it should stagger slowly back to life.

Knowing my luck, it'll show "8888" on Monday and need replacing again.. ;)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

The time between updates can vary. You should be put back on the standard software by tomorrow.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

We're a bit annoyed here, especially without even the basic 5 channels (no aerial) I called ntl about my stalled PACE 4000 on Wednesday, and assumed therefore i had logged a fault, even though I was told in a very short manner that it was "an area fault".

I foolishly assumed that this meant I would be logged as having an issue. Therefore I took the advice above and didn't call back in an attempt to avoid 45 minues with that APALLING hold music.. well today STILL with no TV, even though i see reports here of some restoration of service, my wife called & apparently no log was taken of my fault... SO if you were told on Wednesday by any of their rather rude operators that you were a victim an area fault, then you really probably SHOULD call again so that someone is aware of your problem, as complaints on Wednesday appear not to have been properly logged..

I guess at least this got me fired up enough to join & start posting in the forum..

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I just called and after a wait of half an hour I was told that my STB will be fixed on Sunday and was given credit for the time I have not been able to use the service.

That's fair enough as long as NTL do what they say they will do and it's a step up from yesterday when all I got was a pre recorded Geordie voice telling me "Oh dear, there seems to be a lot of people waiting, why not try again later?" followed by the engaged tone!!! Frankly though, very little surprises me with NTL anymore. They just dont seem able to cope with providing their customers with the service they are paying for.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

That's interesting. I was told that they couldn't arrange any compensation until after the service had been fully restored.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Have just put the phone down,( 45 mins with those messages ) ntl faults in asia says area fault wait until sunday as there fault diagnose ( or similar) system says not fixed yet.

discussed with suppervisor what has happened earlier today with previous posts and have asked for the signal to be re-sent.

i was led to believe it is being fixed area by area but the latest fix download may not fix at all

to claim my 1.50 compensation I will need to call when it is fixed. (monthly fee/ days lost)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Has anything changed this evening? Has the box taken a second download? If not, try a reboot and then give it half an hour an see if anything happens...

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

everything seems to be working ok now with my pace box in west london

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Still no pictures here in York. MiniGuide shows 'searching ...' and Favourites has Channel 4 & E4 greyed out (but E4+1 isn't). Am going to ring again this morning to see what the situation is.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I can't believe the problems people are having with this. Fingers crossed no problems for me so far. Is this something to do with customers re-arranging their channels when the update of channel numbers was done? I have had to re-boot twice since Weds for other errors (sticking pictures) with no STARTING errors. Perhaps just lucky. Hope you all get sorted soon!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Must have got the first call this morning as the phone was answered immediately. Very helpful person on the Help Desk, sent a signal to the box but this didn't work - advised to wait for up to 2 hours to see if it is fixed. Also booked a technician to come and see it, but no-one available until next Wednesday (unless there's a cancellation)! :mad: :mad:

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Nothing so far. I don't really want to reboot just in case I miss the mythical second download, but if nothing's happened by tommorrow I might give it a try.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Still nothing here in East London and although we phoned on Thursday and managed to get through (after an infuriating wait) I'm wondering if I should phone again as others seem to have had some attempt at fixing the problem. My STB is and has been doing nothing. Is anyone else in the same position? Should I reboot or just leave it?

In terms of compensation - what are we likely to get? Not only have I not had TV for 4 days now there's also the matter of the football matches that I've not been able to watch despite paying extra for this service. Will that all be taken into account?

Got to say that this whole episode has left me questionning whether a move to Sky might be a better idea (but that means going back to BT for my phone who were even more infuriating than NTL!)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I know it's horrible without any TV, as mentioned before I'm one of the lucky ones not affected, but try and be patient with ntl. Hopefully the problems you are all having with be sorted soon. However, a work colleague of mine cancelled his ntl on Friday and as gone back to SKY due to this fiasco. He had the same thing as you all have STARTING sticking and that was the last straw for him, also no RED button facility on SKY SPORTS was another reason for him leaving, when asked by a Customer Service Operator why he was leaving ntl.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Full functionality back in York - after nothing for 2 hours I switched off and rebooted and this caused everything to return to normal, also got the 2 MB BB upgrade at the same time.

Amazing ...:)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

..at last, we have TV here just outside east London too, no extra boots required, it was on 400 when we got up & it changed to all the other channels i've tried so far.. even after the upgrade the menus still don't change if you try to navigate the channel info without changing channel, and who the hell wants Living TV just above the terrestrial channels?? As soon as this whole mess gets sorted that's the first channel on the move!

Ah the relief...

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Still nothing in SE13. We had a short power cut earlier on - when the power returned the box went through another upgrade, but it's still in the same state (starts on 400 with no picture or sound, can change channels but they're all blank). Nuts.

NTL support now has an automated message saying that it you leave the box tuned to 400 it should be resolved within the hour.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I think I must have a different STB then as mine is still just stuck on 'starting'. I can't tune to any channels at all and the front of the box is still blank except the two green lights on the right.
Maybe I'll give them another call...
I've got a new Samsung box on it's way on the 11th October - I wonder if I'll be without TV until then?!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Mine's a Pace 1000 series. Can I ask how you arranged to get a Samsung? I've had in the region of 6 PACE boxes (1000,2000,4000 series) over the last year, and would really like to change to one that isn't so prone to overheating / crashing / incompatible remote control codes / general uselessness :)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

If you have a fault and an engineer is booked you can request a Samsung, if he has one on the van you get it, if he doesn't you don't. Easy as.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I've upgraded to 10 meg broadband and so I had to have one. When I upgraded I actually managed to bag myself a few discounts on my TV and total package so that it's not actually costing me anymore than my current i MB! Worth a try - apparently there's discounts that you can have all the time -you've just got to ask.
Obviously, it would be better if they could get the basics right too - i.e. a TV service that actually works, upgrades that rather than improving the service cause it to crash and a customer service line you could actually get through to.....

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Thanks. NTL are now saying that the "fixed within one hour" thing is incorrect, and there is now no ETA for a fix - it's a case of wait and see. They also claim that a new Samsung box would not fix the problem, but I'm not entirely convinced. Wait time on the phones is up to 45 minutes again.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I've just wating 55 minutes to speak to someone at customer services. Apparently things now won't be resolved until Monday, not tomorrow as originally promised. I asked about compensation and he said that they don't offer compensation in cases of 'outage'. When I told him that I thought this was appalling he said that he'd make a note of this in the case notes and that something would be reflected in my next bill, he wouldn't commit to how much and sounded like he wanted to get me off the phone as soon as he possibly could.
I would advise anyone else who thinks they deserve some compensation to get in touch with them as it sounds as if unless you specifially ask, you're not going to get anything back at all...

I can feel a strongly worded letter of complaint coming on here!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I'm in York too but still stuck on "starting". I've now been without cable TV for 3 days, it's just pathetic. If it's not back by Sunday night I will be ringing them at 8 AM on Monday and if they can't fix it then, they can take the whole lot away. I'm not putting up with this.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

ARRGGHHHHHH!!! After waking up to discover we had TV again this morning (cue total junk TV fix) suddenly during Futurama the box rebooted & announced another flash upgrade.. and now we're stuck on channel 400.... 3 days of no TV & now trailers only.. my agitation with these f***ers is getting beyond a joke

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

We're in the same boat of our Pace still being jammed on "starting" - only now we have a permanent feed of smash hits channel in video only and the blue box, and no response from kaput stb.

We've given up on rebooting, and I guess Faults are getting a call from us to swap the box out as we can't be doing with "fixes" that don't get things back to normal. Time to say goodbye to the Pace and put a Samsung in. That may just sort the problem if ntl have any left to issue.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Mine's a Samsung too, so I don't know if it will help you at all. To be honest, with Sky offering the packages they do, there's getting to be less and less reason to stay with NTL. Why stay with a company that consistantly screws up, charges customers for a service they aren't getting and makes them wait over half an hour in a call queue to try and FAIL to get it rectified??? I've given NTL chance after chance but this really is the final straw.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

my samsung box doesnt freeze but yh it freezes an odd time but everyones will knowin ntl but no mine dont freeze like that

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Well I've just given up for now, have reattached an arial from my portable TV to my main one and have settled down to a night of terrestrial TV. Going to use the time that I might have spent on the phone to customer services trying to get an update on the situation to investigate the option of moving to Sky. Having read through some of the other messages on this forum I have to say that I'm less and less inclined to stay with NTL.
(I've just realised the first difficulty in getting away from NTL though, to get Sky Broadband I'm going to need a BT phone number...not as simple as I first thought...)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Anyone who has reported this fault to NTL, and it still hasn't been fixed, please PM me the 12-digit number that's printed on your smartcard, and I'll investigate. Don't forget to replace the card properly afterwards, and leave your STB switched on. Please also tell me when you reported the fault, and the current state of the box (e.g. stuck on "starting", on channel 400 but with no video, stuck on channel 0, etc).

If you have the fault and haven't yet reported it to the Faults department, you must do so. They are open tomorrow (9 to 5, I think)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Interesting to see some people hoping a Samsung 2110 box will help the situation because I don't think it will.

I'm an NTL phone and broadband customer in NE London who took advantage of the free basic TV channels offer and had the installation on Friday morning.

A stunningly good introduction to NTL's TV experience sees the box sitting here for the second night in a row with 2110 on the display and the TV screen showing nothing but a dark green screen.

A call to customer services yesterday took 30 minutes to establish "there's a problem - please leave your set-top box powered on" and on Saturday morning it took 40 minutes to be told "there's a local fault, which we expect will be fixed by Monday 2 October, maybe earlier".

Absolutely crazy but I'm glad I'm discovering this while still a Sky customer (the free channels are for a third room), so I can put any thoughts of moving over to NTL for all services straight out of my mind.

However, given that I've needed to speak to Sky about a routine issue this weekend and yet can't get through to anyone because of heavy call volumes, those of us hacked off with NTL's customer services can't hope to find much better with Sky...

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I suspect the high volume of calls to SKY are disenchanted NTL users changing to SKY !!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

tv channels back here in se13. Downside is there's now no broadband, and i'm not sure if i want to chance rebooting the box. Cable modem light is on, but no websites work.

Edit - pulled a new WAN address from the STB, and it's up :)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

The will sort them out soon but dont know when sorry

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Still nothing here in E11. Can't face phoning again for an update so am just sitting tight and hoping that the 'fixed by Monday' estimate is accurate.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I was promised that it would be fixed by Sunday. Is it? Surprise, surprise...no! Completely predictable. Fortunately I have the name and extension number of the chap I spoke to.

So on Monday morning it will be a call to tech support and they can either fix it then and there or send an engineer. The thing is, it's easy for me to call at 8AM and avoid the call queue as I'm not working tomorrow. What about those that do have to work? They don't need the hassle of having to do a full days's work and then have to come home and face a half hour wait and that infuriating hold music.

The usual crap from NTL, an overstretched, understaffed, outsourced company with outdated equipment that isn't up to the job.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Pass your details to SpiderPlant (see his post above) I can vouch that he works for NTL as can the team members here

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Right... I've (half) fixed pigsick's box. Anyone else???

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Yes - many thanks to spiderplant. There is now life in the Samsung! And within minutes of my mail to him too. Faith restored in cable TV ;-)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Crikey, they've infiltrated well :p:

Never knew we had so many staff members here. Well done Spiderplant!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Still nothing here in E11. Customer services are busy and I'm getting cut off which is more than a little frustrating. I'm hoping spiderplant can help me out too!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

My public thanks to Spiderplant who has managed to get something done.
My box has updated from the annoying starting 0 to channel 400 (which my previous box never had) No pictures or sound yet but I think that I hopefully am in position that others were yesterday, waiting several hours for them to trickle through.

Progress is being made, will leave on 400 and be patient.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

SpiderPlant got mine into the queue as well (old Pace box) - rather than the engineer visit that NTL telephone support booked.

So I am now past the "starting" problem but only a few of the channels have sprung back into life
e.g. 101 - 104 - EPG but no picture/sound
105 - works fine.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

He is a good un isn't he :)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

:blush:


Those of you who have got the box in the state where you can tune channel 400, can you see whether any other channels work (maybe Five?). If they do, please leave the box tuned to one of those channel instead. Thanks.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

no sound or pictures on any of the channels on my east london box.
mini guides show channel name and searching for programmes. Radio channels have the little squiggle that letters its way across the screen. Radio without sound a novel concept.

thats where i am, hope by sharing above lets others know they are not alone. previous messages on this forum have been helpfull to me. Thanks to those that posted

S

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Made the fatal mistake of pressing the red button on BBC tonight. :(

My Samsung 2100 (second one I've had within six weeks due to other apparent fault) froze completely. Did the usual and whipped out the mains cord. But instead of the normal re-boot, it came back showing a zero in the channel window and flashed a message on screen saying I wasn't subscribed to any channels. Attempts to change channel failed, thus proving what it was saying was true.

As per usual, I pulled out the card from the set-top box, gave it a wipe and re-booted again. Same thing happened. Whipped out the mains again and left it half an hour. Surely that would clear it? No such luck. This time it's come on, showing zero in the window, but offering only a totally blue screen - and ignoring all attempts to change channel. Good job I didn't want to watch cable TV or anything. :(

Annoyingly, it's also degraded the signal on my terrestrial channels, which I guess I must receive through the box. Sigh. Back on to Customer Services tomorrow. I'll have to get them on a speed-dial soon.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Spiderman is observing my ntl failure. try try and try again was Robert the Bruce with his involvement with a spider. Please keep trying spiderplant.

BUT I got to be brutally honest.

NTL has not provided a service for a week
it failed it's oldest customers. dread and me have old boxes coz ntl has not replaced. they worked until new ntl decided lets have new numbers.
new ntl probably assumed cable and wireless customers now brown bread.
does ntl realise what it is has done and to who. ?

they want us to sign up for phone, tv, broadband,moble. i will remember the old adage, buy a freeview box, don't keep all eggs in same basket.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Update - mine is now working fine (I am in Ealing area). Spiderplant (and/or colleagues) did some more work on it from remote while I left it on 105 .. and I now have the other channels working as well.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

My service is now back in East London. I had left it on a channel, overnight, that was giving a we have ceased broadcasting tonight message. That failed. Went back to 400, that worked.

Spiders are lucky, thanks spiderplant

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

OK spiderplant gets one of these...

[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Just to add my thanks to Spiderplant as well. Finally got my TV back after 6 days and many calls to the 'customer service' centre. I'm sure without Spider getting me in the queue this would have taken even longer.

Cheers!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Thank you!! https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2006/10/12.gif

ps Why is it called Monkeybreath.jpg?

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Because Monkeybreath was the first ever recipient. :)

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

and bar if he gets ntl to play greenslaves when an ad appears for endowment claims, life assurance, loans for u, and hey u just tripped

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

So, has anyone still got a box stuck on starting? Even if you've PMed me before and I said I couldn't fix it, please PM again.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Just wanted to add my thanks to Spiderplant - had arranged for a callout on Friday but he has come up trumps. Won't have to take the day off work now - top man!

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I've posted this on another forum but I hope you guys don't mind me telling you as well how awful NTL really are....

After 10 days without cable TV because NTL failed every time to fix it, I waited in from 12 to 6 PM for NTL's engineer. He didn't show. I spent 45 minutes on hold to Tech Support to be told, "he's on his way". He turned up at just before 7PM!!!! He replaced the box and an hour later I got Error Messages and had to reboot. Even that didn't help though because everything keeps freezing. I am now permanently stuck on channel 120, I can't change channels, adjust the volume, quit out of it...nothing works. Rebooting again only repeats the problem 10 minutes later.

Apparently the "Indian gentleman" I had spoken to at Tech Support earlier this week had booked it in as an "after hours call", despite telling me that it was booked in for between 12 and 6 PM as I had asked for, so I have waited in all this time for nothing, lets face it, I'm not much better off am I?!

I give up, I just GIVE UP!!! You can't get through to them in less than 45 minutes and even when they do reply they can't send people at the right time and the equipment they fit doesn't work.

This lot just don't give a sh*t about us. Can anybody think of a reason why I shouldn't go to Sky? Can anybody think of a possible excuse for this level of service? I would very much like to hear from you if you can.

Regards to you all
Alan

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

All this hassle because NTL wanted to change numbers.
My box froze twice today and now it says ERR3, which I believe is finality for the box.

Another weekend with just terrestial tv. More hassles to no doubt come.
New look digital tv they call it. The old look worked fine. I am not a happy bunny.

Stephen

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Regarding previous two posts - its not about ntl just wanting to change channel numbers - its about bringing a previously 'backward' platform into alignment with the rest of ntl.

Unfortunately you will have had a lot of problems recently regarding the services. All I would say is that it will all be worth it in the long run - tvod, logical channel listings, more user friendly tv service (albeight slightly slower - but then it'll still be worth it).

BTW, when I say backward platform, all I mean is that compared to other ntl customers, you've had a substandard tv service all this time - and you've got the same people to thank for this who also brought you Bulldog broadband. Need I say more?

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

How can STILL not having a functional cable TV service after a 10 day wait, having to spend nearly an hour in a call queue and having an engineer turn up at 7PM to fit equipment that doesn't work be be an improvement???

If this isn't fixed tomorrow there won't be any more chances for NTL, I'm going to Sky. I've been patient but my patience is exhausted now.