STB changing channels on its own

[Rillington]

Three times this week the dammed piece of rubbish commonly known as the Pace STB which ntl palms off as a working wonderous peace of technology has changed channel on its own and on all three occasions I was trying to record the athletics. I duely telephoned to say there weas a problem but ntl threatened to charge me for the fault saying it was my VCR which was to blame. I then told them that if they did I would immediately cancel. They then said they would check and call me back but this is ntl and got no call back.

This happened again today at 4.13pm, to be precise. The box changed fronm BBc1 to the Front Row preview channel completely at random (chanign to the FR channel has happened on all occasions except for Wednesday when it changed to Paramount 2).

What should I do becuase ntl seems to think that it is either my VCR which is causing it to change channel or the low energy lightblub which apparently changes frwquency as it warms up but the STB changed channel at times when the light was switched off.

I am paying £1.50 oper day or £45.50 per week and obviously this isn;t going to happen but ntl seems unwilling to assist me with the problem which is of their making.

Any help/thoughts appreciated.

[Paul K]

Have you checked the batteries in the remote control to see if it might be that? Drained or nearly dead batteries can play havoc sometimes.

[Roy MM]

What he said^^^^ i found that out some time ago, freaky

[Rillington]

Not thought of that. Have not changed the batteries since the ntl was installed 18 months ago.

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by Rillington

Not thought of that. Have not changed the batteries since the ntl was installed 18 months ago.

Might be a cheap and easy fix to the problem, will also help rule out the remote control if you remove the batteries completely at some point and the STB carries on misbehaving.
18 months? Good going that

[marky]

dont sound like the remote

the remote will do silly things but only when you press a button
i think
faulty stb or
cloned stb

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Rillington

Any help/thoughts appreciated.

It's a software problem, currently under investigation.

Meanwhile, if you want to record something, I suggest setting a reminder so it'll change to the correct channel just before your recording starts.

[Rillington]

Thank you for that info spiderplant. I assume other people's STB's also change channels at random?

Yes, the reminder thing would seem sensible but when I have tried to sue it in the past all I taped was a blank screen or the screen went blank shortly after the programme started.

Thankfully, I have a DTT box from the days of On Digital and that box works just fine and I will use that from now on as clearly the ntl boxes can't be trusted and I resent paying £1.50 per DAY for a box which doesn't work properly.

[Rillington]

Have spoken to a very helpful faults technician this morning who said that the signal strength isn't right which is why it keeps changing to the Front Row channel. An engineer will be dispatched on Wednesday.

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by markymoan

dont sound like the remote

the remote will do silly things but only when you press a button
i think
faulty stb or
cloned stb

On the contrary, this IS something the remote will do if the batteries are nearly dead.

[Rillington]

I changed the batteries overnight and it still changed channel on its own.

[marky]

Originally Posted by orangebird

On the contrary, this IS something the remote will do if the batteries are nearly dead.

what press its own buttons

tbh ive had problem with the remote when the batteries are almost flat
pressing channel up and getting mute etc
but only when ive pressed a button
mark goes to and climb in

[Stuart]

I haven't experienced it myself, but I have seen reports of NTL remotes doing all sorts of random stuff (including change channels) when the batteries are dying.

@Rillington: If you have changed the batteries and it is still happening, I suggest you phone NTL for a replacement remote.

[Chase]

My STB changes channel to front row on it's own as well - It did it on Saturday during a recording of the BTCC

It also constantly fires up the interactive stuff on it's own which is a right PITA. The remote is in a cupboard as I have a TiVo. I know it's not the TiVo as I've covered up the display/remote receiver on the Pace and it still does it!

Channels are going blank as well more often these days. A reboot restores things to normal for a time, but it really is starting to annoy me.

Seriously considering upgrading to a Samsung in the hope of getting rid of these problems (as well as getting the 2 Meg BB I'm paying for) but don't want to be left with more problems

Cheers

[claret]

same things happening to me...a few times lately, and the remote was the other side of the room and sudenly front row is on...pain in the ass, and as said previous, more and more now when changing channels, numerous don't appear(black screen), TV Guide, not working(i was told 18 months ago that there was an issue and that they were looking at it).....then to cap itoff today, come home from work turn pc on..nothing...half of the lights on the modem not working - ring service status - nothing....rebooted STB...nothing, rebooted an hour later....nothing eventuall, 3hrs later i reboot and it comes back on eventually, after flashing light on STB/Modem randomly flashing for about 3 mins....getting seriously ****ed off with NTL, and am considering more and more now to change to sky/another BB/BT, to get away from this very poor service