what do you do if the box locks up?

[shelly]

I keep reading over and over that the box locks up, frequently or infrequently, but locks are part of the package. Yet everyone seems to take this in stride.

So what is the procedure should this happen? Is it to just hold the power button for 5 seconds to reset everything?

Thanks.

Shelly

 

[StingyScotsman]

I keep reading over and over that the box locks up, frequently or infrequently, but locks are part of the package. Yet everyone seems to take this in stride.

So what is the procedure should this happen? Is it to just hold the power button for 5 seconds to reset everything?

Thanks.

Shelly

That worked for me!

My humble advise is, upon installation or reset, LEAVE IT ALONE FOR 15 minutes. Let it download unmolested.

I have found that it is my impatience that generally triggers a lockup.

 

[DarrellP]

My first impulse is to hit it with a hammer!

After 3 lockups in 4 days and resetting it via the power button, I am beginning to think this may not be the way to do it since I always lose the Guide and it doesn't come back for HOURS.

Is it better to just pull the plug? Will this fix the lockup and not lose the Guide data?

 

[rudolpht]

Read the read me first thread, take a deep breath, and drop the hammer (not on the box).

 

[Ilya]

I've been vooming since November. I am on my third STB, all three of them had lockup problems, including the "New" one I've got on Saturday. I can tell you about lockups!

First of all, it seems there are at least two different types of lockups.

Type One, I believe is caused by bugs in the software (firmware). This type of lockup usually happens when you switch channels, or navigate in the PG. The more often you switch channels, the more often you get locked up. It also seems to happen more frequently when reception is poor, but I am not positive. Almost everyone experienced this type of lockup. If this happens to you, just press the power button for a few seconds or unplug the STB. And yes, you will have to wait a few minutes for the PG to load. Until the new firmware is released, not much else you can do. STB exchange won't help. At least it didn't help me.

The Second type of lockup seems to be caused by some hardware problems. According to Wilt, some of the older STBs had an internal defect causing this problem. The symptoms are similar to the first one, except that the problem rapidly escalates to the point where you get lockups every few minutes, and even without touching the remote. This is what's happened to my first box. It worked ok for 3 months, but then it just started to die. It would lockup on its own, either getting stuck on a single channel, or with a black screen. Occasionally it would even lockup during the power-cycle reboot! The only cure for this "lockup disease" is the STB replacement. If your STB locks up every hour without you touching the remote, call VOOM and request a new box. No need to wait - it only gets worse!

 

[shelly]

I've been vooming since November. I am on my third STB, all three of them had lockup problems, including the "New" one I've got on Saturday. I can tell you about lockups!

First of all, it seems there are at least two different types of lockups.

Type One, I believe is caused by bugs in the software (firmware). This type of lockup usually happens when you switch channels, or navigate in the PG. The more often you switch channels, the more often you get locked up. It also seems to happen more frequently when reception is poor, but I am not positive. Almost everyone experienced this type of lockup. If this happens to you, just press the power button for a few seconds or unplug the STB. And yes, you will have to wait a few minutes for the PG to load. Until the new firmware is released, not much else you can do. STB exchange won't help. At least it didn't help me.

The Second type of lockup seems to be caused by some hardware problems. According to Wilt, some of the older STBs had an internal defect causing this problem. The symptoms are similar to the first one, except that the problem rapidly escalates to the point where you get lockups every few minutes, and even without touching the remote. This is what's happened to my first box. It worked ok for 3 months, but then it just started to die. It would lockup on its own, either getting stuck on a single channel, or with a black screen. Occasionally it would even lockup during the power-cycle reboot! The only cure for this "lockup disease" is the STB replacement. If your STB locks up every hour without you touching the remote, call VOOM and request a new box. No need to wait - it only gets worse!

This is frightening. How do you guys live with this or is it not so much a problem as the posts make it appear to be?

Doesn't it drive you crazy? I have my fingers crossed. My install is tomorrow morning.

Shelly

 

[Ilya]

Shelly,

Hardware-type lockups should not be an issue for you, since you are likely to get a newer box. All older boxes with this problem are now being recalled by VOOM.

Software lockups may happen to you, but hopefully not too often.

In my opinion, it is a small price to pay for the privilege of having 30+ HD channels! And hopefully this will be improved within a couple of weeks with the upcoming software update...

 

[Mr. Biggles]

This is frightening. How do you guys live with this or is it not so much a problem as the posts make it appear to be?

Doesn't it drive you crazy? I have my fingers crossed. My install is tomorrow morning.

Shelly

I celebrate my one week with V* today Shelly and I have not had one single lock-up in that time. Used everyday.

My only gripe to this point is the occassional audio drop-outs on some channels.

Bill

 

[desidoc]

First 2 days I had like 4-5 lockups, then I have not had one also. But I have been very carefull. I dont flip the channels that many times , I just browse the program guide using up down buttons and select the channel through that.

 

[shelly]

These last few posts are reassuring.

Does a reset work by holding down the power button on the remote or does it have to be done on the box itself?

All of my hd boxes are in another room and are connected into an Audio Authority component auto switchbox. I use repeaters on the remotes.

Shelly

 

[Sean Mota]

These last few posts are reassuring.

Does a reset work by holding down the power button on the remote or does it have to be done on the box itself?

All of my hd boxes are in another room and are connected into an Audio Authority component auto switchbox. I use repeaters on the remotes.

Shelly

It has to be done on the box itself.

 

[The Stone Man]

For Shelly--
I must be lucky. My installation was at the end of December 2003. I have not had the STB lock up even once. I've done a factory re-set a couple of times, but just to see what it would do. The only real problem I've had is my own impatience, when I didn't wait for the reset to do it's thing. We've had the sporadic reception problems that others have detailed, but Voom gets it rectified. My wife thinks I'm a genius (she is VERY kind) for getting us off of Dish and into Voom, where we have enjoyed free programming for nearly three months.

 

[DarrellP]

I've had mine since Saturday and I'm ready to throw it in the garbage can. If mine is better than the older ones, I feel sorry for you "old-timers". Mine has locked up 4 times in 5 days and I had to unplug it last night because the satellite symbol was red and could not lock on the signal. After unplugging it and powering up, it ran flawless for the rest of the evening. I sure hope the new software does, indeed, fix the channel changing speed as this is where mine always locks up, I get the grey screen and then nothing.

 

[rang1995]

These lock ups are strange, hit or miss.i had my box replaced and no lock ups ,others have had them..the way is to hold the power button in about 7-10 seconds release when the picture?sound comes back make sure you have the sTB in 1080i if your tv cannot handle 720p which the STB defaults to in native mode..I really would wait on this Problem for the code push which is due next week..that Should solve most of these problems before trashing these STB's but i understand how you and i feel..

 

[DarrellP]

If I do a power button reset, I lose my Guide every time and it doesn't come back for hours. If I unplug it and plug it back in, I have my guide and it works fine. Too weird.

 

[TimBob5259]

I've had the same problem with the signal light turning red and 0 signal two times so far. unplugging and plugging back in is how I fixed it. I have a feeling the reason its happening for me is because of the diplexer. I have two receivers and its only happened on the one that is using the diplexer.

 

[DarrellP]

Last night it was happening on both of mine and one does not use the diplexer.

 

[shelly]

For the past two days, I have been playing with the remote trying to learn all I can navigating the Voom system.

I have had absolutely NO problems at all. No lockups. Well, just one small problem of the guide popping up a few times but I turned off the screen saver and that seems to have solved that problem.

I had already cancelled Directv, and today called Dish to downsize from the Everything Package to just the basic 60 so my wife could still watch HGTV. I am keeping BEV for the E and W networks + PBS.

Now, if only Voom would add a last channel memory software upgrade so the screen and guide would start from the last channel watched.

And also I would like to see the timer function activated so I could tape sd programs.

And when HGTV is added to the programming, I will say my final goodbye to Dish.

Shelly

But I am sold on Voom for now. I still will keep all 6 of my dishes in place, however, just in case I have to return to one of the other sat services.

 

[DarrellP]

Good for you Shelly, but my experiences have been just the opposite. When in my Favorites list, the box doesn't seem to know which way to scroll. When I hit the Page button, sometimes it scrolls forward and sometimes backwards and it doesn't show all of the channels all of the time. Too weird. Another weirdo: I hit Favorites and scroll down through the locals from lower channel number to higher channel number, then all of a sudden, it goes from my uppermost channel (49) to 999 and goes backwards from there! VOOM, please make some rhyme or reason to your guide, it's driving me to drink (after 3 beers, who cares?).

 

[DarrellP]

Good for you Shelly, but my experiences have been just the opposite. When in my Favorites list, the box doesn't seem to know which way to scroll. When I hit the Page button, sometimes it scrolls forward and sometimes backwards and it doesn't show all of the channels all of the time. Too weird. Another weirdo: I hit Favorites and scroll down through the locals from lower channel number to higher channel number, then all of a sudden, it goes from my uppermost channel (49) to 999 and goes backwards from there! VOOM, please make some rhyme or reason to your guide, it's driving me to drink (after 3 beers, who cares?).