Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Hello, im new so go easy on me if this has been reported before!!

I just got NTL digital TV, 600k broadband and phone line last Friday and things were going fine for the first few days until watchin the footie and the screen just blacked out for about 5 seconds and then came back on as normal. I thought it was a problem at their end but over the next few days it started to get more frequent. As well as this, a box keeps appearing quite often on the left hand side of the screen sayin 'Com error A002', and this freezes up the screen and stays for a few minutes. Its starting to get very annoying so i thought i would ask on here first to see whether anyone else has had this happen with them.

One more thing before i go, what is the common download speed for a 600k broadband connection??

Thanks for your time, please help if you can!!

Cheers Jon Platt.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Not knowning much (anything!) about NTL digital TV cant really help, but that doesn't sound good, probably have to call for an engineer.

For your download speeds, go here for a speed test:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d...speedtest.html
Should be around the 600 kbits/sec mark (according to my tests).
The one I just done ranged from 587 to 602

Cheers
Mikey

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

What does this download speed thing do, ive just done it and it listed some 128k speed thing but mine is 600k broadband?

Anyway it came up as 59 kbits/sec, 69, 107, 69!! Doesnt sound good compared to yours!!

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

The "1st 128K" "2nd 128K" just refer to the blocks of data it is downloading for the speed test.

It simply times how long each 128K block of data takes to download, and works out your speed.

Here is what I get on 600K:
Fri, 6 Feb 2004 21:56:32 UTC
1st 128K took 1860 ms = 70469 Bytes/sec = approx 586 kbits/sec
2nd 128K took 1812 ms = 72336 Bytes/sec = approx 602 kbits/sec
3rd 128K took 1828 ms = 71702 Bytes/sec = approx 597 kbits/sec
4th 128K took 1875 ms = 69905 Bytes/sec = approx 582 kbits/sec

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

So basically mines really bad and somethings wrong?

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

First of all welcome to NTHW

Not necessarily.

The speed test simply measures the time to send 128k of data and calculates the transmission speed from that.

The results should be in the range 580 plus I think so take another look at the results so use copy and paste to post back a copy if they show much lower than that.

EDIT: A common problem is confusing the download speed in terms of bytes and bits as a 600k connection will usually downlaod data at about 70K Bytes max which equates to 600K bits. (approx)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Thanks for the welcome, dont know whether im glad to be here or not!!;)

Results as follows: (just rebooted my machine aswell, just to make sure)

Fri, 6 Feb 2004 22:22:55 UTC
1st 128K took 7300 ms = 17955 Bytes/sec = approx 149 kbits/sec
2nd 128K took 7140 ms = 18357 Bytes/sec = approx 153 kbits/sec
3rd 128K took 15270 ms = 8584 Bytes/sec = approx 71 kbits/sec
4th 128K took 15660 ms = 8370 Bytes/sec = approx 70 kbits/sec

Help!!

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

If thats right, then there's something seriously wrong !! If you're broadband is through your set top box, then if you press the page up key, followed by the page down key, then the blue button, this will give you some info across 3 or 4 pages - the thing you're lookin for is QOS : (quality of service) - this should be silver for 600Kbps (gold for 1Mbps, and bronze for 150 Kbps)

EDIT - just seen your results, and just to check, you're not running any file sharing apps (kazaa, bittorrent winmx etc) are ya ?

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

OK thats way way bad for a 600k

Sadly from the other problems you are having it would appear the problem is down to the quality of your cable connection as both TV and Internet are playing up. :(

So looks like your first port of call will be Tech Support to check the connection and probably send out an engineer.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Incase you need the number... ntl:home STB Broadband support Number: 0845 650 0125 if your connecting from an ntl STB. ntl:home SACM support number: 0845 650 0121 if your connecting through a SACM (Stand alone cable modem). Reporting a fault with the STB itself... Call faults on 0800 052 2000.

HTH. :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

No, not running any of those. Did have Kazaa but got rid of it last week.

Thanks for your help everyone, ill have to try the Page up, page down, blue button thing and get back to you.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Thanks Dr P didn't have that info to hand.

Memo to self: Set up some txt files with useful info for posts. :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Sorry to raise an alarming thought but I hope you are running a very good firewall and have Anti Virus up-to-date as the slow connection could be down to nasties having found their way on to your system via kazaa.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

I have a firewall set-up, and downloaded some programs that check the system and it is fine. My thoughts are that it is a dodgy set top box and seeing as though my broadband is through my set-top box this could be causing it. Do you think that could be an explaination?

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Yes as we said earlier the fact you are also having problems with TV reception could well indicate this is the problem give Customer Service a ring using the numbers given by Dr P above and let us know how it goes.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Just done this Page up, Page down, blue button test and it says QOS copper?? But i have a 600k broadband?? It goes from bad to worse!!!:spin:

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

OK you deffinately need to call Customer Service and get them to correct your service level and don't forget to ask them to credit your account for the time the service has been set at the wrong level as well.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

copper is / was the 64k service , definitely not right , i am pretty sure it is not registered properly , time to phone em :(

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Just have rang them and they said we were connected with the 128k broadband!! The've just upgraded it now an it seems a lot faster. Just going to do a new test now.

p.s. An engineer is coming on Monday to sort the Digital box out. Very good service actually, they wanted to come this afternoon but they cant becuase im out at the footie!

Ill post my new results here in a minute.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

you may also want to try this speed test for more detailed info :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Just done the test, it came back as 360 which is better, a lot better but it says it should be better than that. Im not sure whether it is to do with the set-top box but i suppose i'll have to wait until monday to find out.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

try my link in post #20 and post back the results :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Hi Jon! :wavey: Glad you found this site and that you're getting the help that I thought might be available. Thanks for helping peeps. :angel:

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Our pleasure Bizarre that is what we are here for and thank you for pointing him here. :tu:

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Keep a copy of those speed tests handy so the engineer can see what you mean by degraded service and maybe get him to run the test again after he makes any changes to "test" the line has actually improved. :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

have you checked to see if you have changed in the box's menu , did you reboot it :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Yes it changed to silver. I dont know whether im expecting to much though, becuase my network card is only a 56k speed so that might be hampering the download speed. Anyway its a lot better now than it was, its downloading a lot faster.

Thanks for your help everyone, you've sorted me right good and proper!!:)

Cheers for the site ref Bizarre, great site with lots of helpful peeps.

I'll let you know what the engineer says on Monday.

Jon

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

i think you might be a little confused there my mate , your dial up modem would have been 56k , your ethernet card will most likely be a 10/100 mb card , more than enough for broadband , sorry for asking again , but have you done the test i linked to in post #20 :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Paul, just found out that i dont have an ethernet card. At the moment im using a USB port, is ethernet a much better connection?

Ive tried that test a few times and the results vary every time. Some times its above average and the next its below and should be better.

p.s. What type of ethernet card would you recommend and how do you set them up?

Cheers

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

a 10/100 pci ethernet card is what you want , dont spend more than a tenner on one , i must admit i am not sure which type of cable you need though , either straight through or crossover :confused: , this is not guaranteed to make a difference though , although generally it is percieved to be a better solution to usb :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

The cable required will be the normal straight through one. (NTL supply both usb and this cat5 cable when installing SACM but i'm not sure if same applies with Set Top Box installs.)

The crossover patch cable is a special one used for connections between two PC's when running a simple two PC lan to share the Internet with ICS.

If you do not already have an ethernet cable you can buy one same place as the Ethernet card and if you describe what you are going to use it for they will make sure you get the correct cable which should only be a few £'s.

If you do go down this route post back as there is a process to go through to register this change on the Set Top Box so it is able to recognise the change in connection.

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Certain models of the STB need a crossover cable, rather than a straight through - the 1000+ model that I have uses crossover, whereas the 4000 box i previously had uses straight through. As his connection is through the STB, there will already be the correct sort of cable coming out of the back of the box, but this will plug into a converter, which takes the ethernet cable in one end, and has a USB cable coming out of the other end :)

Re: Com error A002 and Blackouts!
 

Cool thanks for the heads up on that kneebs.