NTL Digital Cable TV locking up constantly

licnuoc64 · 12-08-2004, 21:50

Hello
I wonder if any information is available on this fault- Pace unit used.
The TV constantly locks up, unable to change channels- unable to access teletext function. Fault happens daily. Only way to free system, is to disconnect the mains supply to the pace unit.
Would like to get advice from NTL- but can never get them to answer the damn phone.

Thanks for any advice

**Paul** · 12-08-2004, 22:21

Do you have another tv to try ?

Wolf · 12-08-2004, 22:25

mine does is from time to time. I'm afraid i have to do the same thing too. Mine also just go black screen for several seconds then turns back on but on a different channel then if i tryto change channel back it turns back to the right channel and then jumps back or forward the amount i pressed. Is it NTL or is it the pace box? Can we demand a new box not made by pace or if it's NTL what can they do to hell. So far i have had "engineers" out. I have a booster on the wall now. Whereas before they did there usual and put an attenuator inline with the box ( I thought that was funny ). I still have to report it cos this time they said they will dig up my garden and replace all the cabe from my house to the box in the street ( As i was using the old cable from a few years ago ).

I don't think you'll get an proper answer from NTL but i'm curious too cos my pace box is doing my box in too.

MovedGoalPosts · 13-08-2004, 09:09

This sounds to me very similar to issues I was haveing with my PACE STB a 1000 series. It's been swapped out now for a Samsung, which I think are getting rolled out now as the replacement of choice, certainly that the only thing they are offerring in my area, Addlestone, Surrey.

On the other hand it appears all STBs are only as good as the signal they get from the cable. A poor cable with lots of "noise" will degrade the signal so the STB looses it's ability to decode, and thus freezes. That they try and fit boosters, attenuators and stuff is all a con to imporve a signal that isn't there in the first place. If you have broadband through STB this increases the strain on the STB, increasing the freezes if the signal isn't there. It's an ntl issue and it should be for them to resolve, but a new cable from the street CAB to your house is a lot of money and I suspect they are unwilling to lay out on that.

sherer · 13-08-2004, 09:21

seems like a typical NTL problem. It's all part of the "service" yout get.

Think they really should take a look at upgrading the STBs as a matter of course not just when they go wrong. Look at the number of people that leave because of these issues and go over to SKy

altis · 13-08-2004, 09:22

It's difficult to imagine how the STB can cause the TV to lock up.

Anyway, you need to determine whether it's the STB or the TV that's at fault. If you can't swap the TV with a known working one then try disconnecting the STB completely and operating the TV on it's own. Does the fault go away?

But before we too involved in rigourous fault finding I would stab a guess and put new batteries in both remotes.

sherer · 13-08-2004, 09:26

does he mean the TV locks up or that the STB locks and is unresponsive to the TSB remote to changing channels. Surely if you use the TV remote you should be able to change volumne.. go to AV channels etc

MovedGoalPosts · 13-08-2004, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherer

does he mean the TV locks up or that the STB locks and is unresponsive to the TSB remote to changing channels. Surely if you use the TV remote you should be able to change volumne.. go to AV channels etc

Well with my PACE STB, it was the STB that locked up, or was unresponsive, not the TV. i.e. using the ntl remote changing channels could take 10 seconds, it didn't even want to go into standby mode. Even pressing buttons on the front of the STB took forever for something to happen.

licnuoc64 · 15-08-2004, 16:04

Hi

Thanks for all the information regarding the fault that i have- just to up date you all (if it's any help). I managed to get through to NTL on Friday, and to my surprise they were able to send an engineer out that day.

I result was that i have a very poor signal to the house, and the cable needs to be replaced, and the garden will need digging up.

That seems positive in regard to over coming the fault with the locking up(which was with the Pace unit, rather than the tv- sorry if i wasn't too clear on my original question- also the TV is a brand new Sony).

I now wait in antisipation as to when NTL, will arrive to correct the problem- i only hope that they are as efficient as they were on Friday- here's hoping!)
Thanks for the help

licnuoc64 · 27-08-2004, 22:24

Final Update

NTL installed new cable from the street to the house (RG11 cable)- whatever that means.
All seems working and fine- at the moment.
Thanks for advice

Elysium · 04-09-2004, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

Well with my PACE STB, it was the STB that locked up, or was unresponsive, not the TV. i.e. using the ntl remote changing channels could take 10 seconds, it didn't even want to go into standby mode. Even pressing buttons on the front of the STB took forever for something to happen.

Only 10 seconds?

Sheesh, you should have been here earlier. It took almost 1 hour to "flick" to channel 120 (Sky News), incrementing channels; the *only* way to reach it due to the fact that the unit was so unresponsive.

My father was going ape, "wait till monday.." [think he intends to give them a call] .. this is all due to the fact that the unit suffers when your downloading at 125ks.

Fortunately the STB is being replaced with a Samsung box soon. I just hope it sorts the problem out.. its winding ppl up -)

Wolf · 06-09-2004, 17:41

My Pace box gives black screen for 5 - 10 seconds. Box crashes and has to be reset. I was getting a little bored of phoning tech to have my stb restarted over the phone. Luckly i only have to pull the plug and put it back in. But i still have to do it regular and put up with the black outs (evening black outs )

sherer · 07-09-2004, 09:21

this all seems failrly standard service and now they are doing the broadband upgrades we will have more bandwidth going thrrough the box

i've changed my bittorrent client from shadow's the azereus and since i've made that change no lock ups yet. There is another thread that talks about this.

07-09-2004, 10:32

Mine freezes almost daily. Funnily enough it works fine if im not using broadband which suggests to me that the BB is overloading the box.

I've got to the point where im sick of phoning NTL, initially they sent an engineer out who took all the suppression out of the line and said if that doesnt fix it we will swap the box next time. All they do now is remotely reset my box which does nothing that i couldnt have done myself.

I got to the point of cancelling on Sunday, but to find out that the faults number is closed sunday now!!!