# UPC remote or set top box not working properly recently



## Complainer

Is anyone else having strange problems with their UPC box recently. All of a sudden, the remote control seems to work sporadically. Some of the time it works perfectly. Then other times, it seems to get into a huff, and either;

1) ignore pretty much everything I do on it, or
2) double-up, so that trying to arrow over by one position arrows over by two positions instead.

It seemed to happen all of a sudden 2-3 weeks ago, so I was suspecting a software update. I tried recharging the batteries just in case it was a problem with the remote, but to no effect.

Any ideas?


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## Sue Ellen

Did it possibly get a fall?  I'm terrible for letting ours fall on the wooden floor.

You could also try using ordinary Duracell batteries rather than rechargeable ones.  

You might be able to get a new one as mentioned in this thread about an ordinary remote.  They used to issue a new one FOC if you returned the old one.


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## AlbacoreA

Might be faulty. They are all a bit slow, in my experience.


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## vandriver

Do you have the PVR?I had similar problems to this .


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## Complainer

No PVR - just the standard box. It seems almost impossible to enter the 3-digit channel number within the time allowed. To switch to the 6xx kids channels, I have to enter '666' - the only number I can enter quick enough - and then use +/- to move to the desired channel.



Sue Ellen said:


> Did it possibly get a fall?  I'm terrible for letting ours fall on the wooden floor.
> 
> You could also try using ordinary Duracell batteries rather than rechargeable ones.


It only falls about once a day! But some of the time it seems to work perfectly, and other times, I don't get a peep out of it at all.


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## Sunny

I have noticed this as well and I know other people have the same problem. I was putting it down to my fat fingers!


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## TarfHead

Complainer said:


> Is anyone else having strange problems with their UPC box recently.


 
+1

I assumed, for me, it was low batteries and/or my sausage shaped  fingers. The kids have no problem but they're generally close to the box when using the remote.


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## truthseeker

Complainer said:


> It seems almost impossible to enter the 3-digit channel number within the time allowed.


 
Ive never been able to do this since I got UPC - I thought I was just slow and fumbly.


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## mark27

mine was like that to all the time because i never turned  the box off,once i knocked it off every day it worked fine but now with the new power setting that knocks the box off automatically my box when powered back on freezes and i have to unplug it ...it happened at least 4 times last week


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## Mixednuts

This remote problem is a massive issue with UPC which effects thousands of customers ,  but they fail to communicate it with their customers.

The problem lies with their Set Top Box and LCD & Plasma screens .

The set top box is getting flooded with IR signals from the Plasma and LCD type TV's.
This causes the remote commands to become "sticky" and then the STB receives a chain of commands at once .

Its a known issue now for months yet they still take no pro-active action .
A recent automatic software update to resolve this actually exasperated the problem , and brought the problem to more than it previously effected.

Personally i am on my secoond STB and remote and the only resolution they could offer was to give me a older type box (really small size -no digital display)   

Give them a call and tell them that youR remote is not working aND seems to be the known IR flooding issue .

They will tell you everything from :
-Cover the IR receiver on your TV with masking tape (i know! ) etc etc
-You need a Tech call etc etc

You dont need a tech call ...you need a new box or software update (which is not available yet) to resolve .

M


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## AlbacoreA

Complainer said:


> No PVR - just the standard box. It seems almost impossible to enter the 3-digit channel number within the time allowed. To switch to the 6xx kids channels, I have to enter '666' - the only number I can enter quick enough - and then use +/- to move to the desired channel....



Everyone seems to do this. Its a joke tbh.


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## chippengael

Aha! This rings a bell! This was driving me mad for weeks now. In the end I decided to go with a new HD bix with recorder. I can report it works fine, no 'sticky' response. Hooray.

However, the noise from the constantly spinning disc drive is more noticable than I would like. Anyone else think this is a pain?


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## Complainer

Thanks for all the feedback and particular thanks to MixedNuts for shining a big light on this. I'm amazed to find such obvious and prevelant faults with such a mainstream product. Do these people do no user testing? Do they ignore the problems being reported by their support team? Are our expectations really so low that we blame ourselves when things just don't work?

Anyway, I'll have a think about how to escalate this back to UPC. Clearly, ringing the helpdesk is going to be waste of time of Blue Peter style solutions, so I'll have to find a better way.


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## AlbacoreA

People need to vote with their feet and leave.


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## chippengael

Mixednuts said:


> The set top box is getting flooded with IR signals from the Plasma and LCD type TV's.
> This causes the remote commands to become "sticky" and then the STB receives a chain of commands at once .
> 
> M


 
I have re-read this and I still don't understand it. You are saying that the TVs are sending out IR signals which is confusing the STB. How is this possible? As far as I am aware, the TV should not be emitting IR in any form...why would it? Do you mean radio frequency interference? If so, it would mean contravening EU legislation on electromagnetic interference...

Just trying to understand the problem...


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## chippengael

By the way, if the TV is responsible, unplug it and see if the STB is still having problems. My guess is that it will.


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## Complainer

Some interesting developments on this issue. First of all, I've confirmed that it definitely is related to the TV. If I switch the TV to standby mode, the UPC remote works perfectly. The only snag is that I can't watch it. When I switch the TV back on again, the UPC remote stops working, or at best works inconsistently.

UPC are suggesting that they replace the remote, but I've little confidence that this will fix it.


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## SadBob

As Mixednuts mentions, try placing a small bit of masking tape over the infra-red (IR) receiver light on the UPC box. The control should work fine then. Some TVs emit a stronger IR signal than others and this seems to confuse the UPC control. With the masking tape, it prevents the IR from the TV getting to the UPC box but the IR from the remote control to the box is stronger and will get through the tape. 

Works perfect for me for me anyway and also prevented my remote from taking a jump through the sitting room window ! My remote was unusable when I got a new TV but works fine thanks to a small piece of masking tape!


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## Complainer

So the nice man from UPC called out today. The look on his face when I showed him how the remote worked perfectly with the TV off, but not with the TV on, was priceless.

Anyway, he gave us a new black remote instead of the old grey remote, and he did a factory reset on the STB. It all seems to be working fine now. After he left, we noticed that the TV on/off button on the new remote is not working, but that's a fairly minor issue. 

Let's hope this remote survives the next STB software upgrade.


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## tipping

SadBob said:


> As Mixednuts mentions, try placing a small bit of masking tape over the infra-red (IR) receiver light on the UPC box. The control should work fine then. Some TVs emit a stronger IR signal than others and this seems to confuse the UPC control. With the masking tape, it prevents the IR from the TV getting to the UPC box but the IR from the remote control to the box is stronger and will get through the tape.
> 
> Works perfect for me for me anyway and also prevented my remote from taking a jump through the sitting room window ! My remote was unusable when I got a new TV but works fine thanks to a small piece of masking tape!




Here's another recommendation for the masking tape solution. Worked a treat with my UPC remote. Can even input a channel number successfully now!!!


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