Interactive - Page 2

smallclone · 16-01-2008, 09:16

Let me know how it goes Fratton.

chickendippers · 16-01-2008, 11:01

It could just be that they haven't actually added the interactive service to your account. When we got a V+ box they didn't add it, so we couldn't use any red button stuff.

If that's the problem, it doesn't need any of that "2nd level" bullpoo; 1st line faults can fix it in 5 minutes - just keep trying until you get an British person.

smallclone · 16-01-2008, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickendippers

It could just be that they haven't actually added the interactive service to your account. When we got a V+ box they didn't add it, so we couldn't use any red button stuff.

If that's the problem, it doesn't need any of that "2nd level" bullpoo; 1st line faults can fix it in 5 minutes - just keep trying until you get an British person.

The woman I got was scottish.

I can see the red button option, I press it, it says loading but never loads.

I can view interactive text - news etc when I manually go into the menu's. But never image content.

I'l try again tonight.

Web-Junkie · 16-01-2008, 15:35

I'm in the Notts NG17 area so we can see how widespread the problem is regards other posters!

I have a Samsung 2110C and I've spent hours trying to get BBCi to work! Yesterday all I got was the 'Please wait, Loading...' and the box disappears so you have to press the TV button and try again. A box reboot later and it took a further half an hour to actually get into the Snooker.

Today I got to the BBCi menu but it wouldn't load anything 'Please wait...' or 'Loading...' and that's how it stays, so another box reboot and a few minutes of waiting for the 'Press Red' logo to appear and I managed to get to the Snooker at last!

It's shocking how bad this situation is, constant box reboots and jumping through hoops to get the damn thing working is just unnacceptable. I used to go round to a mates who has SKY and the interactive simply WORKED, it just worked, so what's VM's problem?

smallclone · 16-01-2008, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

constant box reboots

Its really annoying as whenever you're recording something and you know interactive isn't working - if you reboot - then you lose what you are recording.

bloody infuriating.

frattonstation · 16-01-2008, 17:10

Well I have just spoken to VM.
Instructed to do the usual reboot, then (a new one on me) go up 10 channels and then down 10 channels to ch119.
Still nothing.
Informed my call will be put forward to the Tech Team who will be in contact in 2 days time.

Then on the off chance after putting the phone down, I tried the same reboot procedure again...and low and behold it worked !!!
I am happily watching Sharapova

at the Aussie Open on BBC interactive!

Wonder how long it will work for?

smallclone · 16-01-2008, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by frattonstation

Well I have just spoken to VM.
Instructed to do the usual reboot, then (a new one on me) go up 10 channels and then down 10 channels to ch119.
Still nothing.
Informed my call will be put forward to the Tech Team who will be in contact in 2 days time.

Then on the off chance after putting the phone down, I tried the same reboot procedure again...and low and behold it worked !!!
I am happily watching Sharapova

at the Aussie Open on BBC interactive!

Wonder how long it will work for?

I had exactly the same phone call but they said I'd be contacted within 3 working days.

DVD Cinema · 17-01-2008, 10:28

Could it be that the network just isn't up to the job, or is it a software issue somewhere.

Anyone at Virgin care to comment?

stanno · 17-01-2008, 14:23

I've just had a VM engineer round who tested the signal strength - said it was a bit high so added an attenuator. Made bugger-all difference. It was actually loading after about 8 seconds today anyway (a record!), but for the last few weeks has been taking up to 1 minute or, sometimes, locking the whole system up requiring a reboot.

Add this to the "known" problems with V+ (i.e. audio drop-out on recordings) that have been going on for months without a fix. Very poor

Bruce Morrison · 17-01-2008, 17:31

I still have one of the older STBs originally from Telewest. Until recently, the interactive service has usually worked OK, but this week it has been totally flaky. I've just tried it again a few minutes ago to continue watching the snooker, and it gave the menu but then failed to load and just gave the "Service unavailable - please try later" message. A reboot made no difference. The same happened earlier in the week. On one occasion, I actually got into the Australian tennis (when I'd really wanted the snooker). I returned to normal TV for a few seconds then tried to get back to the tennis and got the unavailable message! Unbelievable.

I'll contact Virgin, but I'm not optimistic about a quick resolution, judging by other comments in this thread.

spiderplant · 17-01-2008, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVD Cinema

Could it be that the network just isn't up to the job, or is it a software issue somewhere.

Anyone at Virgin care to comment?

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanno

Add this to the "known" problems with V+ (i.e. audio drop-out on recordings) that have been going on for months without a fix. Very poor

See post #14. The known problems will be fixed by the next software update.

But as I said, if the red button never works, it's almost certainly a problem with your account, and no software update is going to fix that.

stanno · 17-01-2008, 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

See post #14. The known problems will be fixed by the next software update.

But as I said, if the red button never works, it's almost certainly a problem with your account, and no software update is going to fix that.

It's not that it never works. For me (and many others by the looks of things) it works either slowly, very slowly, very very slowly or it locks up the box. It is not acceptable service. For gawd sake a £15 freeview box works better with BBC interactive!

As for the software update, excuse me if I don't hold my breath. The audio drop-out has been a known issue for 9 months already, and no-one at VM can even guess as to when a fix will be out. I'd say VM are not taking this seriously (i.e. not spending the money needed to sort it out). That's not good service.

DVD Cinema · 17-01-2008, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

See post #14. The known problems will be fixed by the next software update.

But as I said, if the red button never works, it's almost certainly a problem with your account, and no software update is going to fix that.

Why should it be a problem with an account, it is a basic standard service, along with picture and sound, that should just work?

There's nothing in post 14 about a known problem or software fix.

I had cable years ago and Interactive still isn't stable or reliable enough!

What have they been doing all these years!

frattonstation · 18-01-2008, 08:19

Its two days and still working, touch wood!

spiderplant · 18-01-2008, 09:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVD Cinema

Why should it be a problem with an account, it is a basic standard service, along with picture and sound, that should just work?

Interactive services need to be enabled from the billing system, just as the picture and sound does. All too often the CSR adds them to the wrong box, or not at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVD Cinema

There's nothing in post 14 about a known problem or software fix.

I said "There are a couple of V+ bugs that cause the red button to work intermittently". Those are the known problems. (Is 'bug' a widely understood term, or should I avoid it in future?)