Why has Thomson started behaving badly? - Sky+ HD

battlezone · 11-11-2009, 16:39

For about a week now my Thomson has started doing odd things...

When in TV Guide pressing Green brings up the Favourites!?

The only way to get to the Planner is by pressing Play when watching a programme. Which is useless as when playing a programme I cannot get back into the Planner.

Pressing Backup and trying to get to the Planner that ways doesn't work either.

I've noticed that when pressing the remote the box remote light flickers all the time.

Software Updates and Reboots have had no effect.

Any ideas anyone???

ozsat · 11-11-2009, 16:43

Have you tried replacing the batteries or trying a different remote?

battlezone · 11-11-2009, 16:55

Oh! Forgot to say I've two remotes for the Thomson. Same with both.

Also, pressing Favourites when in TV Guide does bring up Favourites. I never use the Favourites button so this is driving me up the wall.

ilovekrys · 11-11-2009, 17:01

it could be a sign of the caps on the power supply going sorry that's all i can think off

battlezone · 11-11-2009, 17:51

Just after my last reply I replaced the batteries in one remote (even though it hadn't yet started to whinge) and initially it seemed to be operating correctly. So, hopefully that is the problem. Coincidence that both might have low batteries?

I couldn't give it a full work out as I was about to leave for work. It'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to fully check it.

battlezone · 12-11-2009, 07:55

Thanks for all the constructive replies everyone

I'm going down the route of calling those ever helpful people at Sky

Masteriser · 12-11-2009, 11:58

I'm going down the route of calling those ever helpful people at Sky

[/quote]

Before you do that. You might want to read this.

battlezone · 12-11-2009, 12:24

Thanks, it's looking like the PSU. I'm waiting for a new 1Tb HDD to arrive then I'll pull the thing apart. I'll check the PSU then and if it's looking iffy I'll order a new one.

Coz the OH has different viewing habits depending which room she's in I'm intending to copy what's on the Thomson onto a Samsung comaptiable HDD and swap boxes. Then when the PSU arrives and is fitted do the vice versa.

Yes, I'll have a spare 1Tb HDD but I'm sure that will come in handy for something someday!

Masteriser · 12-11-2009, 13:00

The capacitors should have completely flat tops. If any of them are domed or bulging, or worse have a brown liquid leaking from them, they have failed. There are some pictures of failed capacitors from another DS user who has been there before you within this post here just follow the links.

Good luck. There is plenty of help available on here if you need to come back to us.

battlezone · 18-11-2009, 20:16

On removing the top I discovered two of the larger capacitors had started to dome. New PSU fitted. However the box is still slow in responding to the remotes (2). Done the usual and still not any better. I'm happy knowing that I have an upgraded PSU fitted.

Masteriser · 19-11-2009, 07:23

From your post #8 it would imply that your "new" 1Tb drive was to replace an older 1Tb disk. If this is the case and it is more than 20% full the HD box will be slow while the software populates the planner. This is a feature of the new EPG.

battlezone · 19-11-2009, 07:49

I have read reports that the planner is slow when approaching full. However this has never been a problem until about 4 weeks ago. The remote(s) are unbelievably slow now. They still don't go to the correct page when selected, i.e. pressing green for the planner it goes to favourites.

Even this morning getting in from work the box had locked up! I've never had these problems in the 3 years I've had the box.

The original plan was to copy everything onto the new HDD and put that into the Samsung and put that in the living room and put the Thomson in the bedroom. This is because the OH has different programmes upstairs she watches to downstairs.

I don't know if it would work though? Will the new HDD be tied to the Thomson Card as it will be a copy of the original HDD?

The Samsung by the way has a 1TB and has around 15% free with no problems.

I'm swaying towards calling Sky and hopefully get another Samsung as a replacement. It doesn't seem to have been a PSU issue.

HDCriticalFan · 19-11-2009, 12:50

I was recently experiencing the occasional "bad behaviour" of the remote. I would press one thing and it would do another. I was going to replace the batteries ... and then I got the low battery message.

Perhaps that is the problem.

I notice that the old batteries were no-brands and had dropped to barely 1.2V. That said, they have lasted three years ... and I press the remote a lot !

11-11-2009, 16:39	#1
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	Why has Thomson started behaving badly? For about a week now my Thomson has started doing odd things... When in TV Guide pressing Green brings up the Favourites!? The only way to get to the Planner is by pressing Play when watching a programme. Which is useless as when playing a programme I cannot get back into the Planner. Pressing Backup and trying to get to the Planner that ways doesn't work either. I've noticed that when pressing the remote the box remote light flickers all the time. Software Updates and Reboots have had no effect. Any ideas anyone???

11-11-2009, 16:43	#2
ozsat Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Oxon, UK Services: V+HD (Langley), Freeview, Sky+HD, FreesatHD, multi-satellite, TiVo & DAB Posts: 3,065	Have you tried replacing the batteries or trying a different remote?

11-11-2009, 16:55	#3
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	Oh! Forgot to say I've two remotes for the Thomson. Same with both. Also, pressing Favourites when in TV Guide does bring up Favourites. I never use the Favourites button so this is driving me up the wall.

11-11-2009, 17:01	#4
ilovekrys Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: sussex Services: sky hd & sky + pace broadband and line rental all with sky Posts: 1,423	it could be a sign of the caps on the power supply going sorry that's all i can think off

11-11-2009, 17:51	#5
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	Just after my last reply I replaced the batteries in one remote (even though it hadn't yet started to whinge) and initially it seemed to be operating correctly. So, hopefully that is the problem. Coincidence that both might have low batteries? I couldn't give it a full work out as I was about to leave for work. It'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to fully check it.

12-11-2009, 07:55	#6
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	Thanks for all the constructive replies everyone I'm going down the route of calling those ever helpful people at Sky

12-11-2009, 11:58	#7
Masteriser Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bromley, Kent Services: Sky+ HD (1Tb), FreeView & Motorised Digital & Analogue Satellite Posts: 1,178	I'm going down the route of calling those ever helpful people at Sky [/quote] Before you do that. You might want to read this.

12-11-2009, 12:24	#8
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	Thanks, it's looking like the PSU. I'm waiting for a new 1Tb HDD to arrive then I'll pull the thing apart. I'll check the PSU then and if it's looking iffy I'll order a new one. Coz the OH has different viewing habits depending which room she's in I'm intending to copy what's on the Thomson onto a Samsung comaptiable HDD and swap boxes. Then when the PSU arrives and is fitted do the vice versa. Yes, I'll have a spare 1Tb HDD but I'm sure that will come in handy for something someday!

12-11-2009, 13:00	#9
Masteriser Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bromley, Kent Services: Sky+ HD (1Tb), FreeView & Motorised Digital & Analogue Satellite Posts: 1,178	The capacitors should have completely flat tops. If any of them are domed or bulging, or worse have a brown liquid leaking from them, they have failed. There are some pictures of failed capacitors from another DS user who has been there before you within this post here just follow the links. Good luck. There is plenty of help available on here if you need to come back to us.

18-11-2009, 20:16	#10
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	On removing the top I discovered two of the larger capacitors had started to dome. New PSU fitted. However the box is still slow in responding to the remotes (2). Done the usual and still not any better. I'm happy knowing that I have an upgraded PSU fitted.

19-11-2009, 07:23	#11
Masteriser Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bromley, Kent Services: Sky+ HD (1Tb), FreeView & Motorised Digital & Analogue Satellite Posts: 1,178	From your post #8 it would imply that your "new" 1Tb drive was to replace an older 1Tb disk. If this is the case and it is more than 20% full the HD box will be slow while the software populates the planner. This is a feature of the new EPG.

19-11-2009, 07:49	#12
battlezone Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oxford (formally Newcastle) Services: Thomson HD, Samsung HD, Pace PVR3, 46XV635DB, LE32A558, RD-XV48, BT Opt 1. Posts: 1,215	I have read reports that the planner is slow when approaching full. However this has never been a problem until about 4 weeks ago. The remote(s) are unbelievably slow now. They still don't go to the correct page when selected, i.e. pressing green for the planner it goes to favourites. Even this morning getting in from work the box had locked up! I've never had these problems in the 3 years I've had the box. The original plan was to copy everything onto the new HDD and put that into the Samsung and put that in the living room and put the Thomson in the bedroom. This is because the OH has different programmes upstairs she watches to downstairs. I don't know if it would work though? Will the new HDD be tied to the Thomson Card as it will be a copy of the original HDD? The Samsung by the way has a 1TB and has around 15% free with no problems. I'm swaying towards calling Sky and hopefully get another Samsung as a replacement. It doesn't seem to have been a PSU issue.

19-11-2009, 12:50	#13
HDCriticalFan Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 550	I was recently experiencing the occasional "bad behaviour" of the remote. I would press one thing and it would do another. I was going to replace the batteries ... and then I got the low battery message. Perhaps that is the problem. I notice that the old batteries were no-brands and had dropped to barely 1.2V. That said, they have lasted three years ... and I press the remote a lot !