"For further listings press guide"

[ntlrocks]

for example , you dont see me setting a reminder on my phone for The Ring 2 , March 24th , 2005.

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

yes, but you cannot, watch anyprogram, While using the guide, was my point...( mini tv).... and if a program is sooo good, your hardly going to forget about it

yeah? i actually do have other things going on so if i see a film advertised for 5 days time, it would be very handy to set a reminder at that point

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

yes, but you cannot, watch anyprogram, While using the guide, was my point...( mini tv).... and if a program is sooo good, your hardly going to forget about it

What so you can actually choose to watch a channel on the mini screen in the NTL guide?

When I had NTL that just showed Ads for NTL.

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

for example , you dont see me setting a reminder on my phone for The Ring 2 , March 24th , 2005.

You must have a good memory then. I'll admit that my memory can be pretty bad at times, so I might see an ad for something and think must watch that but only to discover later I completely forgot about it.

Just because its pointless to you doesn't make it pointless to everyone else.

[ntlrocks]

What so you can actually choose to watch a channel on the mini screen in the NTL guide?

yup, any channel

[ntlrocks]

anyway...what is your pic about?

[gazzae]

http://www.ukgameshows.com/index.php/Bullseye

[seaneeboy]

Well, you can always get Digiguide?

http://www.digiguide.co.uk

Alternatively I would imagine the new version of the software addresses this problem, and it comes out in a couple of months...

If you have to reboot your box once a day, you could do two things - one is to get one of those timer plugs like you use for lights when you're on holiday, and set it to turn off for ten/fifteen minutes in the middle of the night when you're not watching or when you're at work...

The other option would be to ring CS, cos if it's freezing up that frequently it might point to something more serious... or at least annoying

[themelon]

Despite the lies that maybe 'preached' on these forums, Sky does lose Programme data on occassions and is far from the perfect system.

It says 'further information currently unavailable' and sometimes the reboot doesnt even fix it.
The real solution is to use something like digiguide or the gold old TV Times!

In fairness all EPGs are useless to me, the Sky one more useless on the principle it takes me away from the TV and plays really crap music I dont want to listen to!

I prefer ntls more functional Now and Next bar with the info button, I dont really care about 7 day functionality as I tend to plan viewing on the night, on Bromley I dont seem to lose programme data much anyway.

The ntl reminder is much better because it makes a noise, if you making a brew or washing up you might miss the Sky one.

There is also the midly dodgy will it wont it Sky Picture problem, during winter months, I remember being at my girlfriends last winter during the snow and Sky was off...........gold old analogue tv! I also remember numerous problems with ice, rain, cloud and fog when I had Sky.......I did have a dodgy install, with a good install you should get a stronger signal but even thats not perfect.

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by themelon

Despite the lies that maybe 'preached' on these forums, Sky does lose Programme data on occassions.

It says 'further information currently unavailable' and sometimes the reboot doesnt even fix it.

Lies

I've never had that problem on sky. I'm sure other people have, but those are probably people who lose their signal in the rain and would rather bitch about it than get Sky out to fix it.

[themelon]

Originally Posted by gazzae

Lies

I've never had that problem on sky. I'm sure other people have, but those are probably people who lose their signal in the rain and would rather bitch about it than get Sky out to fix it.

I lost my signal in 'heavy rain' called Sky on their rip of rate 'customer diservice number' they threatened to charge my £65, when I eventually got them to come for free they said it was tip top or made it worse on some occassions, I had about 7 engineers (refuse lid technicians or whatever they call themselves) because I wasnt happy with the disgraceful job they made of the install either, they seemed to treat me worse because I had the cheek to complain.

The only solution was to get a Independant in who did a proper job........but the picture still went in heavy rain (numerous factors can lead to a signal not being 100% even on a perfect install, namely the method of transmission), but at least it looked decent.

In the end I cut my losses with Sky and moved to ntl........much better as I dont really go for bells and whistles and countless special interest channels, I just wanted TV that was likely to be there when I wanted It.

I havent lost my ntl service on TV for over a year now, and its been a good 6 months since the Broadband went off. The biggest problem I had was getting it transferred to my new house, but I now have 3 months free tv and broadband for my troubles

[Jason1]

Originally Posted by themelon

I lost my signal in 'heavy rain' called Sky on their rip of rate 'customer diservice number' they threatened to charge my £65, when I eventually got them to come for free

LOL when you sign up to sky they couldnt make it any clearer after the 1st year you are laible for a fault call outs the equipment belongs to you there not gonna fix it free. If ntl charged prehaps they would get out of bankruptcy a little quicker.
since moving back to sky I have never had any missing data in the now next banner or any other problems and having been a a ntl customer the tv guide is very frustrating to use and takes so long i never bothered. ntl need the little tv screen preview because you would fall asleep whilst waiting for the data the screen in my day was so small it was bloody pointless anyway.

[ian@huth]

I do not miss the mini TV screen on NTL because I tend to plan my viewing (using digiguide) when I am not watching a program, not during one. The 7 day EPG on Sky plus enables me to set recordings for whilst I am away with series links enabling recordings during a lengthy holiday. I can also watch the programs that I want to at a time of my convenience in full broadcast quality.

I have only had to reboot the Sky+ box once in the year that I have had it.

What gets me about many electrical items these days is the lack of an on/off switch that is accessable at the front. You usually have to go scrambling about pulling power cords out or trying to get at the wall socket hidden deep behind the box.

[Alien]

Originally Posted by bontrager

and yeah i do the box when i go to brush my teeth but whenever i go see my parents their box is always the same and they get really peeved, old dear is getting too old to keep fiddling at the plug sockets.

You could get her what I've got - a set of remote [RF, not infra red] mains sockets. The plug for my STB is a bit hard to get to, so I use 1 of the remote sockets - it's a lot less hassle. Also, if she has a Pace 4xxx series box she should be able to reset it by pressing the Services button on the front panel, whilst holding the left & right buttons [also on front panel].

As for the EPG, mine's been slow enough to be annoying in the month & a half that I've had it, but these last 2 days it's been ridiculous - won't show any listings for anything more than maybe 3 or 4 hours ahead. I rang CS a few minutes ago & they said that they are aware of it & that whilst there won't be any major improvement until January [new software], it should be back to its normal crappy & slow, yet functional self in a couple of days.

I've had an idea that might be a nice solution [for the more technically minded]. I've found some Linux-based software that lets you use a PC as a DVR, & it has among other goodies, a 14 day programme guide that will show UK listings. The motherboard I intend to use has an infra-red header connection, so if I could find 1 of the thingies [official technical term ] that connects to it, *&* if I can get it to work in Linux it's possible that the PC would be able to change channels on the STB, thus eliminating the need to use NTL's EPG.