Virgin Media Remote for PACE 4001 will not turn over if you have an LCD or Plasma TV

CaptainJack · 24-09-2007, 21:54

Hi, I have been with Virgin Media Tv for about 4 weeks remote worked fine (althought box kept going to tune for a while and having to re-boot) then I bought a Plasma tv...now my remote doesn't work unless I have it tilted at certain angles.....even then you try typing in a number and you end up somewhere completely different.....does anyone else have this problem ?

Called customer services they said a problem with LCD's and Plasma's and told me to try turning off the tv and try turning over..wow it worked a treat as it should. Then I turned my TV back on and the remote started playing up again...if i turn my tv off everytime i wish to turn over my tv will explode...

Viring Customer services suggestion is to change the angle of my TV and My Box...done that and angles the box upwards in a hideaway and it still giving me a headache....

Surley if most of the TV's being sold in the shops are LCD or Plasma these day's the boxes hired to us should be updated so that the Virgin TV experience is a good one...this is the only thing letting it down.... Please tell me if there is a simple fix for this one....

Helllllppppppp

Jade · 24-09-2007, 22:05

Never heard of this problem. I have a Samsung LCD and its no problem at all! Hope you can get it sorted asap ...

piggy · 24-09-2007, 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainJack

Hi, I have been with Virgin Media Tv for about 4 weeks remote worked fine (althought box kept going to tune for a while and having to re-boot) then I bought a Plasma tv...now my remote doesn't work unless I have it tilted at certain angles.....even then you try typing in a number and you end up somewhere completely different.....does anyone else have this problem ?

Called customer services they said a problem with LCD's and Plasma's and told me to try turning off the tv and try turning over..wow it worked a treat as it should. Then I turned my TV back on and the remote started playing up again...if i turn my tv off everytime i wish to turn over my tv will explode...

Viring Customer services suggestion is to change the angle of my TV and My Box...done that and angles the box upwards in a hideaway and it still giving me a headache....

Surley if most of the TV's being sold in the shops are LCD or Plasma these day's the boxes hired to us should be updated so that the Virgin TV experience is a good one...this is the only thing letting it down.... Please tell me if there is a simple fix for this one....

Helllllppppppp

no simple fix sorry ..... it should get better when the tv warms up as its caused by the backlight frequency similar problems can occur with low energy bulbs in my experience the samsung stb is more tolerant to this problem so a swop out would be worth a try

CaptainJack · 24-09-2007, 22:15

Cheers .. Ok I try calling Virgin Again and see if they will swap it....hold this space......... (Do you think they will swap it ????? ....probably not) I'll let you guys know how i get on..
thanks though....

Mick Fisher · 24-09-2007, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainJack

Cheers .. Ok I try calling Virgin Again and see if they will swap it....hold this space......... (Do you think they will swap it ????? ....probably not) I'll let you guys know how i get on..
thanks though....

Sound's stupid I know but I heard that sticking a cardboard tube, like from a toilet roll, over the end of the remote as you change channels might help.

I haven't got a Plasma and so have no first hand experience although my Sammie used to fall asleep for minutes on end. Maybe it was the same problem but I have an LCD. Changing the batteries on the remote (although it was a new one) seemed to help a bit and booting the STB every day helped too but in the end I got Sky+ and all the problems went away.

SOSAGES · 24-09-2007, 22:51

can someone explain to me what the TV has to do with changing channels on the ntl box?

CaptainJack · 24-09-2007, 23:09

I Totally agree with you if it doesn't work it doesn't work........regardless of what you have ...

The interesting thing was it was the first question the guy asked me when I said my remote didn't work...(Other than did you change the batteries - Which of course I did)

Oh well .... I'll see how I get on tommorow ....... ( i might get lucky and they may swap the pace box for a new samsung set top box which apparantly has far less problems...)

Cheers for your comments guys....

I'll keep you updated

piggy · 25-09-2007, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOSAGES

can someone explain to me what the TV has to do with changing channels on the ntl box?

modern plasma/lcd tvs have a backlight that interferes with the remote signal on certain stbs

Radio Deadon · 25-09-2007, 18:37

I'm having this exact problem, the Pace box won't respond to the Virgin remote unless my plasma tv is switched off! I have contacted Customer Services and was sent a new remote but the problem persists. I have just got off the phone again after a lengthy call to Customer Services and basically they don't care.

"It's just something that happens with Plasma and LCD TV's and we can't do anything about it."

I ended up in a circular argument about the fact that this was going to effect everyone in the very near future and its a problem that needs to be sorted out. They still didn't seem bothered. I came off the call absolutely fuming but what do you do? I don't want the hassle of changing over to Sky just at the minute so I'm looking around for a solution. Is there an all in one remote that can solve this problem, anybody know?

dev · 25-09-2007, 18:46

not all lcds/plasmas interfere, my lcd interferes after it is just turned on, after 10-15seconds its fine.

i dont see why everyone blames VM, why not get a TV that doesnt interfere with other equipment?

Radio Deadon · 25-09-2007, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by dev

not all lcds/plasmas interfere, my lcd interferes after it is just turned on, after 10-15seconds its fine.

i dont see why everyone blames VM, why not get a TV that doesnt interfere with other equipment?

I hear your point Dev but no one mentions the fact that the tv and the remote for the cable box might be compatible when you go to buy your tv ( whether its from a shop or off the internet). If I had have come across some manufacturers information to that effect I would have checked into it further. I think Virgin AND the TV manufacturers need to sort this out between them.

But in the meantime........

dev · 25-09-2007, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio Deadon

I hear your point Dev but no one mentions the fact that the tv and the remote for the cable box might be compatible when you go to buy your tv ( whether its from a shop or off the internet). If I had have come across some manufacturers information to that effect I would have checked into it further. I think Virgin AND the TV manufacturers need to sort this out between them.

But in the meantime........

thats what i mean, this isn't a VM problem and it isn't a TV problem, it's both. if i hit my STB with a hammer i can't complain to VM that it didn't withstand the impact as it wasn't designed to be hit by a hammer. At least the tech support know of it and can tell people who come across it

CaptainJack · 25-09-2007, 23:11

Right ok I think I have found a really quick fix ... the problem seems to be the light from the plasma screen glaring ever so slightly over the lcd receiver on the set top box (the bit with the yellow digital numbers) It kind of blocks the signal from the remote.

So here goes I have the plasma wall mounted... the set top box is in a unit set back as far from the front as possible but not quite far enough into the unit to stop the glare shining from the plasma.....

Then I tried putting an empty dvd cover ontop the set top box protruding over the top of the ldc receiver as much as possible...enough so it blockes the glare from the plasma or lcd screen (As if set way way back into a deep cabinet) ... you may need to experiment a bit because your's maybe set up differently. MINE WORKS NOW..... which is a relief because I like the Virgin Package...

If Richard Branson is out there.... here's a little tip, So the current pace boxes are not wasted and to save and keep all those customers happy. all Virgin need to do with all their marketing tools is to create a very small attatchment that clips to the top of the unit and makes the receiver recessed as much as possible...

The cool thing is now i point the remote at the receiver... and it turns over ..... without pressing the numbers about 30 times and ending up on a freaky channel...

It worked for me..... obviously if you try it you need to do it in such a way so as to now cover up the vents at the top....

I hope this helps....

CaptainJack · 26-09-2007, 07:57

Sorry about the spelling....... "IT worked for me......obviously if you try it out you need to do it in such a way so as to 'NOT' cover the air vents at the top...' It was late when i posted.... That's my excuse anyway...

Cheers

brdevine · 03-11-2007, 11:42

I've got the exact same problem. Bought a Samsung LE37R87 and it seemed to be okay for the first week (maybe we didn't change channels enough to not notice) but for the past week it's been hell to try changing the channels. Invariably we get stuck on the damned pay-per-view channel 0 and have to physically change the channel back using the buttons on the Pace box.