Lockups with the new software version

Ilya

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Feb 16, 2004
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Since the latest STB software push (00.05.5C) some of us have experienced an increased number of lockups. At this point I cannot say for sure whether the increase is caused by the new software itself, or simply by the fact that we are "clicking" much more frequently after the update while exploring the new features of the software. In any case, it seems the lockup pattern has changed (for me, anyway), and it might be worth documenting. I hope this detailed description will help engineers at VOOM and Motorola.

Since I received the software update yesterday morning, I had 8 lockups. All of them happened when I was pressing buttons on the remote (and yes, I was pressing them a lot!) So, this doesn't look like a hardware-type lockup of a dying box, but rather like a software bug. The number of lockups is unusually high. In the past, I would see only 1-2 lockups a week on average.

Symptoms

At least half of my recent lockups resulted in a black screen with a small window in the upper-right corner showing the latest tuned channel. This is the same window that you see when you press the VOOM button, except that the rest of the screen is black. And as far as I remember, in all these cases this problem was caused by me pressing either the VOOM button or the Help button. Both of these buttons are indeed supposed to bring a small window in the corner, but then they are supposed to show the menu. It looks like the program dies just before showing that menu.

In some other cases the lockup happened when I was navigating with the Surf Bar. In these cases, I didn't get the small window, instead, the current channel simply stayed on.

Once the STB is locked, buttons stop responding (buttons on the remote and buttons on the STB too). If I press any button, I can see the amber dot on the STB blink as usual (single blink for some buttons, double-blink for others), though nothing changes on the screen. With one exception. If I press the power button on my remote - the screen goes black, as if the STB goes standby, but the green icon stays on. If I press the power button again - the picture re-appears (the same small window in the corner), while the icon turns red (!). If I press again the screen turns black and the icon turns green (!) And so on. I was able to repeat this cycle several times.

The symptoms seem to be slightly different from those I experienced in the past with the old software. For example, I don't remember seeing this small window in the corner (but then again, I didn't use the VOOM button too often in the past). Also, I don't remember being able to turn off the screen by pressing the power button after a lockup. Lockups in the past would freeze my STB completely, so that only a 6-second front-button reset or a power cycle would make any effect.

I might be wrong, but it seems to me the more often I use the remote (PG, Surf Bar, etc.) the more often I get the lockups. This morning VOOM was on for 3 hours or so, but I didn't play with the PG too much, and I didn't have any lockups. It's hard for me to establish any pattern at this point, but intensive channel-surfing might have preceded every lockup. Another factor that may or may not have any importance here: I have turned off the screen saver yesterday, and didn't have any lockups since then. It is probably a coincidence, but you never know...

If you are experiencing similar lockups since the software update, please post your observations. Also it would be interesting to know if someone has experienced the exact same symptoms as I described above (including the small window in the corner and the STB responding to the Power button on the remote) in the older versions of the software.

So, what should you do if your STB has locked up?
Either press and hold the power button on the front panel of the STB for 6 seconds, or unplug the STB for a few seconds.
 
Last night I had the exact same problem's!

Exactly the same, except, I had turned off the screen saver prior to the problems so don't think that has anything to do with it.
 
Seanb61 said:
I had turned off the screen saver prior to the problems so don't think that has anything to do with it.
That's what I thought, but decided to mention it anyway.
 
I have also been experiencing these exact problems (in addition to my FX, History, and Comedy Central channels disappearing).

Last night I had at least 5 crashes within 3 hours.
 
I must be one of the few lucky ones. Although I have experienced the "black Screen" problem. I haven't had any lock ups (knock on wood). I have my stb set to 720p through DVI.
 
Sean Mota said:
I must be one of the few lucky ones. Although I have experienced the "black Screen" problem. I haven't had any lock ups (knock on wood). I have my stb set to 720p through DVI.
Which is strange, because I am sure you did a lot of PG and Surf Bar navigation yesterday, didn't you?

Mine is always set to 1080i (DVI). I wonder if this makes any difference. I will try switching to 720p...

By the way, now I understand why you haven't noticed the dramatic improvement in the channel-surfing speed. The 720p mode was always much faster!
 
Grey Screens Pop Up

Anyone else getting those grey static screens that just pop up every now and then....it has done it on OTA ans sat. channels.....not any particular ones though.....it does it without touching the remote.........last about a sec. then back to channel.......I never noticed this before.

Also I can't get any info to load for any of my OTA channels...does this on both boxes.
 
I use component with 1080i. Although I guess I should see how DVI looks after the update. It looked washed out on my Sony prior to the update.
 
My DVI now supports 720p and I have not had a single crash and I drove it pretty hard last night.
 
kirkdj said:
Anyone else getting those grey static screens that just pop up every now and then....it has done it on OTA ans sat. channels.....not any particular ones though.....it does it without touching the remote.........last about a sec. then back to channel.......I never noticed this before.
Yes, many of us do. This is another problem in the new software. It is discussed here.

Also I can't get any info to load for any of my OTA channels...does this on both boxes.
Wilt wrote the following about the OTA issue:

Yeah, we've been chasing the guide data thing for a few hours now; it's not just you there is, or was, a problem with either the data supplier or Moto.
It will be fixed, worst case, tonight. (that's the plan anyway) Thanks, Wilt
 
>"At least half of my recent lockups resulted in a black screen with a small window in the upper-right corner showing the latest tuned channel. This is the same window that you see when you press the VOOM button, except that the rest of the screen is black. And as far as I remember, in all these cases this problem was caused by me pressing either the VOOM button or the Help button. Both of these buttons are indeed supposed to bring a small window in the corner, but then they are supposed to show the menu. It looks like the program dies just before showing that menu."<

This is continually happening to me.

And I do not play much with the remote. I never know if pressing the Voom button will or will not lock up the box. Usually the pattern is that everything if fine the first 2-3 times, but then pressing
Voom button again gets me locked with the small picture. It takes 10 minutes for my program info to return, although the picture returns to every channel withing a couple of minutes.

I have posted this on the Yahoo forum as have others, but have not seen Wilt address it specifically yet.

1080i. Component cable connection. 90's signal strength

Shelly
 
Just curious: has anyone running 720p mode experienced a similar lockup in the new version?
Or is it only happening in 1080i mode?
Just trying to establish a pattern.
 
Ilya, I now leave mine in Autodetect and switched quite a few times between SD, 1080i & 720p sources and did not have an issue. I left my pj's menu onscreen that shows what resolution it's syncing too and all was well.
 
only one crash with the new software. happend the morning after the update.
 
Ilya

I am having more lockups since the update as well. Almost identical to the ones you have mentioned. It definitely seems a little less stable ever since. Funny thing as well, I only got the update on 1 of the 2 boxes I have. I've had Voom for roughly 2 months now. I love the service, I just hope they get all the glitches worked out.

DVI 720P to Hitachi 50v500

Seth
 
Lockups

I had one lockup after I got the new software on Tuesday-rebooted and haven't had a lockup since. Only thing I have noticed that if I am watching a satellite channel for a while and tune to an OTA channel I get the "No signal found" message that lasts for 3-5 seconds before the picture pops in- this has been very random.
 
My Turn

Well it looks like I must join the party. I have had my recievers for 2 weeks now with never a lock up.

well I just went to watch in my family room and checked the firmware version. Yesterday 5.08 today 5.5C. Well after I left the installation setting I scrolled down to channel 107 and pressed enter. The screen went black all the was on the screen was at the botton that said channel 107 in yellow and thats all she wrote. I had to hold in the power button to unlock the box.

Bill
 
Just One Time

Mine locked up as you mentioned with the window only 1 time on 1 box....hasn't happened since........I have done a factory reboot since the first time.
 
Another issue I noticed was I used to have problems with no picture when changing channels. If I changed the channel to the next channel and back, then the picture appeared. After the upgrade, I now have issues with no sound instead of no picture. Anyone else notice this?

Seth
 
1 Channel

I was scrolling thru the OTA channels from 60 backward. When I got to 9-2 which was showing Smallville in HD I got no sound.

bill
 
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