Strange STB Behaviour
 

Hi,
My Pace STB has recently started to change channels by itself occasionally. The wierd thing about it it though, is that the channel number display on the box stays the same :confused:

For example, this morning I turned the TV on and the box displayed the number for Discovery Real Time, but it was actually playing Living TV!

This never happens when I'm watching, but it has happened several times when I've set the video to record a programme while I'm out. I set up to record Corrie (yes I know it's sad, but I enjoy it :) ) before I left for work today, and it was definately tuned to 103 and showed the right programme. When I wound the tape back to watch it, it had recorded Motors TV, but to change over to BBC1 I only had to go down two channels - so the box must have thought it was tuned to 103:banghead:

Has anyone else experienced this, or can anyone offer any theories as to what might be happening?

I've had the STB about 3 years, and this has only started recently. In fact, it seemed to start soon after the channel numbers were changed, could this more than a coincidence?

Edit: Oops, sorry I've just noticed that I posted this in the wrong forum - I meant it to go in the NTL one - don't know how that happened...

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

When was the last time you changed the batteries in the remote? Low batteries can cause this sort of behaviour - and believe it or not, so can those energy saving liughtbulbs....

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

But that wouldn't cause the STB to display one channel number but actually output a totally different channel would it? Surely the channel number would change along with the channel itself?

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

I have moved the thread.

Richard P, :welcome: to the forum. It sounds like your STB is on the way out. I'd suggest calling faults.

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

Thanks for moving the thread, not a great start really, putting my first post into the wrong forum :doh:

If I call faults and get an engineer round, will he have to see the fault before doing anything or would he just change the STB anyway? This only happens every now and then, and i just know that it will work perfectly when watched :)

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

That's funny, exactly the same thing has happened to my STB. And it coincides with the recent chanel reordering. Also have a 2 year old PACE STB (my 3rd in a 4 years).

Also, when you get home and turn it on, there's sound but no pictures. You turn to another channel and it's fine. You go back to the same channel and it's fine again.

Sounds like yet another generic PACE problem.

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

:) After the channel reshuffle i found that phase 3 pace boxes were having trouble.But i have not seen it this week yet ?:)

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

used to be a bug in the software but was told that it was fixed maybe it has come back? ushally i found this to happen first thing in the morning like u say shows ch xxx and on the screen is something different i.e sky one channel 30 showing livingTV ??

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

Yes, I get this too - I have a 4010. Seems to happen overnight but very randomly. My box is never switched off, not even at nighttime.

Is there a fix planned for this or is the box toast ?

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

The bug was on the Bromley platform boxes. I wonder if they have accidentally introduced it to Langley!

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

I've been seeing similar problems. I've got a 2 year old (approx) Samsung set top box though. In the evenings, when I turn the set top box on from standby to watch a programme or two and switch channels, the set top box will often throw a wobbly, switching to a couple of other channels and even switching on/off before behaving correctly. There is certainly no sign of any activity on the remote while this is going on (i.e. the red LED isn't lit up to indicate that a signal is being transmitted). I've logged this behaviour with NTL and have an engineer due out tomorrow. Will post any updates tomorrow.

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

NTL engineer has just been. He said that there is a known problem with the NTL remote acting up when an LCD or plasma screen is turned on. This is due to some form of interference. He was able to demonstrate this. Whenever my LCD TV was turned off, I had no problem changing channels. Once the TV was turned on, there were delays and freezes when I tried to change channels. At present, NTL are not working on a solution to this. The only workaround is to get one of the cable-compatible combo remotes from the likes of Argos.

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

The TV doesn't interfere with the remote, it interferes with the STB's reception of the remote control signals. A new remote will not fix the issue. You need to try and shield the STB from the light coming from the LCD. Some times adjusting the background light on the LCD can be enough. Just try to move the STB so that light from the screen (including reflected light) doesn't get to it.
It is a well known issue, Plasmas are also affected. Low energy light bulbs can also cause the same issue.

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

No disrespect to kevin66 intended, but this solution doesn't really explain the behaviour which Richard P or myself (and others) have reported here - why the box switches to another channel, overnight, without any remote control button pushes, yet reads one channel on the LED, and displays another on the TV.

Or does it ? :erm:

I rarely use my ntl remote anyway as I have king of the PVRs, Tivo :angel:

Re: Strange STB Behaviour
 

Two Tivo's here. Ones a spare, but both lifetime subs!

I think ntl have the same issue that was mentioned above, it used to affect Bromley. I think the latest code has introduced the same issue onto Langley.