Problem with Di2000T and Remote

[ectotropic]

Hi guys

Useful site †“ pity it took for me to have a problem for me to find it. Ah well.

So, I have a problem with my parents set top box and remote †“ out of the blue the other day the remote just stopped working. No warning, no indication it was damaged in any way, it just worked one evening then was not working the next morning. (Happened just after unlocking a new channel theyââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢d just paid for; not sure if thatââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s relevant.) It just seems to be completely busted, even trying a second remote fails to work (purchased mighty cheap from eBay †“ branded Cable & Wireless but I understand that should not be an issue †“ it certainly looks identical). Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢ve changed batteries in each remote a million and one times, not to mention reset (i.e. unplugged) the box a couple of times (left it off for well over an hour at least once) †“ and no joy.

Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m a bit reluctant to call Telewest if I can at all avoid it †“ the £75 call out fee seems rather a lot especially if thereââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s the chance it can be fixed by us (plus, if I understand correctly even if the fault is not ours we pay the charge). So I thought Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢d try you guys first †“ on the off chance you could provide some insight.

Is there anything else I can do? Any reset switch or buttons (or combinations thereof) I can press on anything? Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m fairly technical (which is why I got landed with dealing with this; Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m always fixing their electronics) so Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m happy to play with wires till the cows come home if it will help!

I doubt it matters, but to complete the picture as it were: my parents have the 3 in 1 deal with Telewest, but recently they have been experiencing many issues with both the broadband and the TV (continued loss of service of each without loss in local area, the TV listings seem to be broken more than they are working, and the digital interactive features almost always crash the box).

Apologies for the long post †“ wanted to make sure I gave as much info as possible though!

Cheers in advance for any help, much appreciated.

[MovedGoalPosts]

to Cable Forum

If you've replaced the batteries (and know the batteries are good ones) in the remote, yet the remote won't work., something else is wrong.

Presumably there is nothing in the way that could be causing interference (including heat sources).

I'd contact TW, you have a genuine fault, explain the action you have taken with regard to the remote. As a customer you can't be expected to do any more. Something has died on the remote or STB. That's not something you should have to expect to, or be expected to, prod around and fix

[Tristan]

Just one thing to check: does the bottom LED light up when you press a button on the remote (even if the box doesn't do anything)?

There is a front-panel button combination which enables and disables the IR sensor in the box. Quite why you'd want to use this I don't know, but it exists! Unfortunately I can't remember what it is, although I suspect that okay-down-tv or okay-up-tv (holding down each button after you press) might work. Having a search on this site might also give the combo -- NTL and Telewest 2000s are the same, so any button combinations on one will work on the other.

If it's not that, then it's most probably a broken IR receiver in the box. Give Telewest a bell and they'll come and change the box for you. In fact, you could have done this in the first place -- you shouldn't have had to buy a new remote!

[spiderplant]

It's OK+Up+TV. It's intended for use by people who have two STBs in the same room - one connected to their VCR. [However Tristan, someone was claiming that the Set RF Channel combination doesn't work on TW boxes]

[ectotropic]

Cheers for the help people †“ ended up calling them today. After a few rather interesting suggestions as to what might be the cause they tried a remote reset of the unitâ₠¬Ã‚¦..which crashed it. So now we have a technician on the way.

For the record:

does the bottom LED light up when you press a button on the remote

Nope

you shouldn't have had to buy a new remote

Only cost a couple quid on eBay (with postage), not a huge deal really †“ better than the price of either a replacement remote from them or a call out fee. Besides it was first thing to try †“ remote doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t work, so try a new remote. (After a few rather pricy strings with similar companies, Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m a little cynical about them and rather sceptical about calling - at least before I've exhausted solutions I can try)

enables and disables the IR sensor in the box

That sure is, uh, interesting functionality! I tried a few combinations, but still no difference †“ I figure the box must be a bit fuggered really, itââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s pretty old, gets a heck of a lot of use, and was never the most stable well behaved gadget Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢ve seen in the first place †“ wouldnââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t surprise me if itââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s just decided itââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s had enough.

Anyway †“ should be sorted some time today †“ I just hope it aint gonna cost me an arm and a leg

[ectotropic]

As expected we got a new box, so all's well now.

Cheers again for the help all!

[Peter Litler]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

It's OK+Up+TV. It's intended for use by people who have two STBs in the same room - one connected to their VCR. [However Tristan, someone was claiming that the Set RF Channel combination doesn't work on TW boxes]

It's known as "headend mode". Although it could be used in the home most customers wont even know about it, as these type of STB button functions are not mentioned in any instruction manual they may have received.

It's really used to prevent the large number of STB's situated together at the headend from changing their channels if someone should use a remote control. Some satellite STBs have this capability, also useful for dealers.

I know that the Telewest Di4000-T, at least, is capable of RF remodulator channel change by using the STB front panel buttons.