88:88 The number of the beast ??

cloggy · 30-03-2005, 22:54

I am now convinced there is an update probelm involving PACE boxes in the Leicester / nottingham area. When my prevous box went 88:88 last week faults said it was dead and needed replacing. NO amount of re-booting or refreshing worked. Then 12 hours later tried again and it came back to life. However a tech visit was already booked so they came and replaced box with a new PACE (there do not seem to have been any Samsungs available in our area for last 11 weeks). Box set up and working perfectly. 4 hours later locked up, on reboot 88:88. NTL say box dead and needs replacing. Switched off for three hours, switched back on and it booted up and has been fine since then.

I now firmly believe there is some sort of update problem. Has anyone on the forum have any information on this issue as NTL are coming to fit another new box tommorow.

Regards
Alan

shredder · 30-03-2005, 23:07

we've always been told it's a stb problem a reboot may temporarily resolve the issue but ultimately a stb swap is the only long term cure, i think you've been unlucky getting two bad ones!, my last pace had 8888 on it and did come back to life but then died a day or so later a swap cured it once and for all
__________________

i was also told by my team leader that this is a hardware error code and is under investigation by pace, i've been there a yr now and i'm still told this!

**Derek S** · 30-03-2005, 23:31

It's a hardware problem.

From memory its a problem with the links between some of the internal components which is why sometimes when the box cools down it will work again.

Eventaully it will die completely and need to be replaced, if a tech visit is already arranged I'd just go for it. I once went through 5 boxes in 4 days and 4 of them had the 88:88 message.

shredder · 30-03-2005, 23:32

sounds about right dezzo! my pace stb drives me insane, only had it a month!

spiderplant · 31-03-2005, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by shredder

i was also told by my team leader that this is a hardware error code and is under investigation by pace

Your TL was misinformed. Pace aren't investigating it, because there's nothing to investigate. It's a hardware fault, and the box needs to be sent for repair.

Hom3r · 31-03-2005, 20:03

I had the dreaded 88:88, we phoned NTL they arranged a replacement with in 2 days.

shredder · 31-03-2005, 20:47

spiderplant you do answer in the most derogatory manner! i am sorry if what i posted was incorrect, i shall be following it up with my team leader as soon as he is back. cloggy my opolgies if what i posted was incorrect!

cloggy · 02-04-2005, 00:10

Well, I now have a new, new box. The last one that gave 88:88 carried on working until I re-booted it about an hour before the tech arrived, guess what? yes it went bak to 88:88. When he arrived he informed me the box was a recon not a new one. Maybe this is why the problem occurs so often i.e faulty box''s that are not fixed properly.

Anyway the new box is apparently brand new and of a later spec than my old new one ??. It has no audio phono sockets and has a seperate black box attached to the back. Apparently it runs cooler and lasts longer !!. All I can say is that the EPG operates a lot quicker. here's hoping.

As an aside I asked about samsungs whcih are still not avialable in our area. I was told that the tech had fitted one for a local NTL director that had been 'patched' to cure the picture shift problem ( the box not the director) and that if it worked the samsungs may be back out again soon.

Feenix · 03-04-2005, 03:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloggy

..... When he arrived he informed me the box was a recon not a new one. Maybe this is why the problem occurs so often i.e faulty box''s that are not fixed properly......

hit the Nail On The Head there matey

iadom · 03-04-2005, 12:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by shredder

spiderplant you do answer in the most derogatory manner! i am sorry if what i posted was incorrect, i shall be following it up with my team leader as soon as he is back. cloggy my opolgies if what i posted was incorrect!

Sorry, I cannot see anything "derogatory" in spiderplants post. Direct, to the point and without doubt 100% correct, but definately not derogatory.

ntl.wotcha · 04-04-2005, 15:10

As per my previous thread on the subject. I also suspect there is a software related fault which gives 88:88. My STB died during a software update. (12:05am when they usually do the epg update). The following day the box recovered and gave a software CRC error as the reason for the failure. The box was fine after that and no more errors, (although today I now have a samsung due to speed upgrade).

**Derek S** · 04-04-2005, 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntl.wotcha

I also suspect there is a software related fault which gives 88:88.

There isn't. 88:88 is a hardware fault. End of story.
Possibly your box died during an update but it isn't a software fault.

gooner4life · 04-04-2005, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntl.wotcha

As per my previous thread on the subject. I also suspect there is a software related fault which gives 88:88. My STB died during a software update. (12:05am when they usually do the epg update). The following day the box recovered and gave a software CRC error as the reason for the failure. The box was fine after that and no more errors, (although today I now have a samsung due to speed upgrade).

Well you suspect wrong, all the 8's means there is a Hardware fault with the STB.

This is hard coded into the STB as a way of displaying a fatal hardware failure, much like a PC will beep if some necessary component has failed and it cannot POST.

ikthius · 20-09-2005, 22:41

sorry to bring an old thread back to life.

My pace box, was giving me flickering pictures, so I rebooted.

and guess what I got, yes you got it an 88:88 and all threee lights to the right of that number light up.

it has not moved.

I wanted to search here to see what it is, so I guess you lot are saying that it is a dead box.

I take it a phone call to CS is warrented tomorrow.

ik

Marge · 20-09-2005, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikthius

sorry to bring an old thread back to life.

My pace box, was giving me flickering pictures, so I rebooted.

and guess what I got, yes you got it an 88:88 and all threee lights to the right of that number light up.

it has not moved.

I wanted to search here to see what it is, so I guess you lot are saying that it is a dead box.

I take it a phone call to CS is warrented tomorrow.

ik

Sounds like the box could be on it's last legs but make sure you choose the option for Faults if you need to ring through