STB & Card association for subscription channels

[Dean Ashton]

Hi,

I just (well, around 4 hours ago) had a TVDrive installed, and as of the time of writing I still don't have my subscribed channels available.. just the basic ones. I tried phoning CS, but as seems to be the case all too often nowadays, they couldn't access my account details as their systems are screwed.

The engineer called in the STB number that's on the back of the TVDrive (it looks like a MAC address?), and also the number on the smartcard. It's these two numbers that I assume are associated, and that are 'hit' to enable access to the channels.

Before I try phoning again tomorrow evening, I thought I'd check in the Settings|Diagnostic menu, to make sure the numbers tie up with what's on the back of the box and on the card. Only to find that the number shown on screen when the diagnostic page is up is out by 1 digit. Label on the back has a serial that ends in FF6, while the one on screen is FF7..

So I don't go asking CS to do something that's wrong, can someone with a TV drive confirm that the number on the label should match the number in the diagnostic screen accessed via the 'Settings' menu item? Or is the one in the settings menu always the one on the back label + 1?

No idea how the two numbers are out of sync.. but this seemed like the best place to ask about this kind of thing.

In the meantime I guess I *won't* be watching the football on BBC HD tonight.. it appears that's only available for a properly married STB/card combination too..

Cheers,
Dean

[EssDee]

My TVDrive also has this 'anomaly' but is working fine.

HTH

[Paul]

More than likely just waiting for the box to be hit so that you get your packages enabled. May even happen before the end of the footie or at least before Newcastle equalise lol

[Dean Ashton]

Originally Posted by EssDee

My TVDrive also has this 'anomaly' but is working fine.

Thanks for that, EssDee!

If anyone else can confirm that this is just the way things are with TVDrive, then it'll be greatly appreciated.. if only because it'll reduce the chances of me looking like a complete idiot when I phone CS tomorrow to get a hit resent to my box. If I confused 'em with tales of mismatched serial numbers, I think I'd be onto a loser.

Now over 5 hours without my channels, so I'm assuming that I'm out of luck tonight..

Cheers,
Dean

[JD|]

Hello All!

I have the same problem got mine installed yesterday morning with the same problem as you but my STB and diag screen match. Only thing mine has is Pin Service Status value PinUninitialised.

Got them to resend signal this afternoon but when I phoned them earlier they said it was showing as Jammed.
They have now told me an engineer will need to come out and offcourse there systems are down again.

Can you let me know how they fix yours or if it just starts to work.

I'll post if I get anywhere

JD

[Mr_Burns]

Originally Posted by Dean Ashton

Hi,

snip....

Cheers,
Dean

Do you get a blank screen on the channels that aren't working, or do you get a pop-up saying that you're not subscribed?

I had a this problem when my TV drive was installed - I just got a blank screen on all channels apart from 1-5 and a few others. They couldn't work out what was wrong and I had to have another box installed.

Worryingly, this problem of no channels seems quite common - although colleagues at work have had it installed with no problem. I wonder if it's a training issue with the install contractor?

[Dean Ashton]

Originally Posted by Mr_Burns

Do you get a blank screen on the channels that aren't working, or do you get a pop-up saying that you're not subscribed?

It's a popup saying I'm not subscribed... when I go into the diagnostic mode on the box (which I just so happen to have seen the engineer do.. could be handy, I guess), it tells me that the card is not paired to the box.. and as such there's been no hit. When I power up the box and it goes to ch.999, after a little delay it has a pop-up there too that says something along the lines of that my access to the service isn't authorised - I expect this is due to the lack of pairing too.

I'm still baffled as to why the serial on the back of the TVDrive is one less than the serial in the diagnostic menu though.. I'm hoping someone familiar with these units (from NTL) would be able to offer an explanation.

The installer took the numbers from the back of the STB and the back of the card, and phoned them in.. either the numbers from the back of the STB is incorrect, or (more likely?) the guy he phoned them into never actually sent the hit. I guess time will tell.. although I'm annoyed that I'm losing out on service that I'm paying £55 a month for (well.. £70 a month now I'm paying £15 extra for the TVDrive and my 2nd Pace box)..

Cheers,
Dean

[Dean Ashton]

Meh.. so, it didn't magically start working overnight.. and CS (in Swansea, I think) said their systems were playing up. Apparently they'll call me back later... not sure I believe 'em though. I'm also not sure of the usefulness of a faults department who are either not able to access account details, or even just send a hit to a box.



Dean

[ShadowTD]

Reading all of these install issues is getting me worried. I've never had Cable TV before, but I'd be very reluctant to let the engineer leave unless the system was working! I've had Sky + installed twice and both times the engineer stayed until everything was hunkydory. However, I've also had a few cable modems installed and they've been fine as well. I'll keep my fingers crossed next Saturday...

[Nedkelly]

At the moment the systems are up and down .We get updates during the day telling us what the delay is .Would you like to have a tech in your house for 1 hour ? it is not possible to wait sometimes due to the system being slow .What the company should do is monitor those custmers whos package has not come down and see what the problem is .1st line fault can not look at the system which tells them if the hit has failed .If they did we would not get sent on stupid faults than can be corrected over the phone .It will be something stupid that is causing you not to get your package .

[JD|]

My update on same issue. Phoned faults this morning same again systems down. Then phoned customer services, was told that my account still had the installation on my account and thats why I wasn't getting all channels. Nice woman took my number and then 10 minutes later phoned back telling my installation department had removed this and channels would work when I got home.

Home now no more better off than before!

On hold to faults now

Just been told this is a national fault will be fixed for the end of jan

I give up just cancelled everything so unpluging the box !


JD

[quadplay]

Just for the record, it's normal for the MAC address on screen to be one above the one on the label. All cable STBs have two MAC addresses.

[Dean Ashton]

Just spent 10 mins on the phone with some guy in Swansea.. seemed to know exactly what to check for this kind of thing, and it turns out one of the card digits was wrong.. And the same kind of thing with the serial number of the box too. He's passed that on to the right department, and - fingers crossed - all will be good within 24 hours.

And thanks for confirming the MAC address numbering, quadplay.

Cheers,
Dean

[Jacquesb]

Hello JD

I was given this spiel about end of January as well but I insisted that they arrange for an engineer to call. They did and all is well now.

The faults desk is a total disaster - they have no idea at all what is required and either say their systems are down, or there is a national fault or things will be fixed in 24 hours or at the end of the month. It is all nonsense - just keep pushing and at worst a competent engineer will show up the next day and you will be OK.

I have been with NTL for ~ 10 years now - their field people are pretty competent and some of the helpdesk people are very good as well - they are very badly let down by some of the others.

Good luck JB