Telewest stuttering picture problem

[Mkelly]

Hi all,
I've been with Telewest for several years now (over 7) and prior to now we've only had to call them out twice before: Once immediately after the Pace box was first installed as it crashed losing all channels almost as soon as the installers had left the building (called out engineer who replaced STB with a new box and all was well) and the second 2 years ago when we lost all TV services and an engineer fixed the problem with a simple phone call (why Customer services couldn't have done whatever the engineer did I don't know) so all in all I have no real complaints about Telewest so far, other than the time it can take for them to get an engineer out to you (4 days on the second occasion I cited above).

So this new problem is something I hope I can fix without having to wait ages for the engineer (especially if it's something the guy will waltz in and fix in 2 seconds flat): Basically, the picture on most of the satellite channels is now intermitantly stuttering/shuddering. Everything is still watchable, but this judder is still bloody annoying.

Anyways, at my end I've tried everything I can thing of: Unplugged for a reboot, new batteries in remote, reconnected every cable, disconnected and switched off everything else around the box like DVD player and VCR, swapped cables over, cleaned the (rather crispy looking) smartcard, etc. With all my efforts there does occasionally seem to be an improvement for a minute or so then I'm back to the juddering pictures every 5 seconds or so again (the interval between stutters isn't consistent btw- but it does happen every few seconds generally).

My own best guess is that the STB or burnt looking smartcard is simply knackered or is on the way out: We have had the same box & card for about 7 seven years now and I've rarely had electronic gear last that long without something giving out on them...but the last time we had the engineer round and I commented on the box's age (5 years at that time) he intimated that replacing STB's was very much a last resort, ie: they'd rather take your existing box and patch that one up than issue a new one....I hope he was over-stating the case as 7 years & counting with the same kit is pushing it I think.

Lastly, we have called out for an engineer after the helpline proved to be uselsss (I think that may be being routed through Asia atm so the strong accent of the operator I spoke to was a definite problem for both of us) but the engineer wont be arriving till Thursday.

So anyways, if anyone has ideas on how I might fix this before then my thanks in advance. I will still be asking the engineer for a replacement box as I do think the current one is well past it's sell-by date, but for future reference knowing how to sort a problem like this could come in handy.

[MovedGoalPosts]

to Cable Forum

Even though ntl:telewest do swap STBs if the visiting engineer decides that is the problem, the replacement may well still be an older box that has been "refurbished".

There can be many things causing your issues, nothing to do with the STB, but potentially the cabling and strengths of signal to you. If the faults operative says you need an engineer, you'll really need to wait and see what they say.

[Mkelly]

Originally Posted by Rob

to Cable Forum

Even though ntl:telewest do swap STBs if the visiting engineer decides that is the problem, the replacement may well still be an older box that has been "refurbished".

There can be many things causing your issues, nothing to do with the STB, but potentially the cabling and strengths of signal to you. If the faults operative says you need an engineer, you'll really need to wait and see what they say.

Thanks for the welcome and for replying

I don't mind getting an older re-furbished box at all as long as it works, though given how long we have had our current box I think they would be hard pressed to find an even older one (we got Broadband shortly after it first came out so our Box will date back to around that time anyway).

On the signal strength issue, is there anything at my end that could have changed this or would any new weakness be down to Telewest?

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Mkelly

On the signal strength issue, is there anything at my end that could have changed this or would any new weakness be down to Telewest?

It could be a loose connector. You could have damaged the cable, maybe by crushing it or bending it too tightly. It could be water getting in the cable. Or something else.

You won't know unless you get them out to look at it.

[surreyuser]

Hi, Whilst I am on the NTL network I have suffered this annoying stuttering every now and again.
Whenever I have called faults they have claimed no knowledge of the problem and I was told that unless at least 6 callers from the same area ring in they probably wont look into it. On checking with my neighbours it would seem as though they also had the same problem and was waiting for NTL to sort it out.
Problem is, apathy doesnt tell them there is a problem, so I got them to call in and low and behold, it was a network issue and rectified within a few days.
I wouls suggest that you check with your neighbours to see if this affecting them because if it is a tech visit will just waste your time.

[Mkelly]

Originally Posted by surreyuser

Hi, Whilst I am on the NTL network I have suffered this annoying stuttering every now and again.
Whenever I have called faults they have claimed no knowledge of the problem and I was told that unless at least 6 callers from the same area ring in they probably wont look into it. On checking with my neighbours it would seem as though they also had the same problem and was waiting for NTL to sort it out.
Problem is, apathy doesnt tell them there is a problem, so I got them to call in and low and behold, it was a network issue and rectified within a few days.
I wouls suggest that you check with your neighbours to see if this affecting them because if it is a tech visit will just waste your time.

I have asked my neighbours and they don't seem to have noticed it or are bothered by it if they have, but then there's only two I know nearby also have Telewest.

On the tech visit being a waste of time....Well if they don't or refuse to fix the fault we will politely give them notice to remove their faulty equipment as we promptly cancel our account and any standing direct payments we have to them: I've found with any service that potential cancellation of it usually gets a fast and satisfying response (we actually did this waaay back when the installers first put in a duff box: on the phone they wouldn't accept that a 'new' box could be wrong, telling us to do the same things over and over and pretty much accusing us of not doing it right (the old unplug/replug trick of all things) but as soon as we said enough's enough and to come and take the thing back an engineer was out that afternoon to replace it).

---------- Post added at 19:59 ---------- Previous post was at 19:51 ----------

Originally Posted by spiderplant

It could be a loose connector. You could have damaged the cable, maybe by crushing it or bending it too tightly. It could be water getting in the cable. Or something else.

You won't know unless you get them out to look at it.

If not the outright cause that may well have something to do with it as moving that semi-rigid screw ended cable (the one that goes from the internal wall-box to the STB) does seem to affect the frequency of the problem. ie: after moving it around a bit the stutter seems to stop...only thing though is once I've stopped 'adjusting' the cable the problem comes back after a few minutes anyway...

Oh well, will have to wait and see with the engineer then, but thanks to everyone who has replied anyways

[GaryS]

I get this problem a fair bit and even on one channel, ftn I think, I'll lose sound and/or picture but a channel change and return will correct it - Usually.

I've spoken to CS about it and they have been no help at all. Stuttering occurs frequently (once an evening) and recently it's been happening on BBC1 as well but CS just report no errors.

[Mkelly]

Well, the engineer came and had a brand new box under his arm even as he knocked on the door!!

Seems they have had a lot of this lately after sending some big updates down to various areas and ours was among them. He explained the older boxes have limited memory capacities and the various updates have just about killed a lot of them (he was also somewhat stunned that our own box was so old too). So without even checking anything on the old box he just swapped them over, put in a call to have the box registered or whatever it is they do and that was that.

Anways, we now have a new smaller box and no more stutters, so all is well. Only downside is there's no RF output on the new box so my existing 'watch upstairs' set-up has been limited now to getting it through the VCR's AV channel....Oh well, you take the good with the bad

[Rone]

Well the new high definition boxes are on test at Sharston [and elsewhere] and with some employees, maybe they will sort this out once and for all.
Or not.

[Rone]

Just had a new Pace box fitted, crunch time will be later on.
Evidently these new HD boxes will be about £10pm more, but have a large hard drive and you can record 2 channels while watching one, due to be released soon.
But nothing about the reliability yet.
And finally they have a RESET button on the front.