Kitz Forum
Chat => Tech Chat => Topic started by: sevenlayermuddle on March 08, 2014, 11:02:11 AM
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I recently had a call from a (very!) non-techie BT customer, who was on a package that included a YouView TV box. The youView box had suddenly stopped responding to its remote control, 'stuck on BBC 1' and couldn't change channel. I fairly quickly got to the problem, she had at some time accidentally pressed the 'input select' button on the TV, switching it back to direct Freeview reception rather than the YouView's HDMI input. After describing how to switch it back again, all was well. :graduate:
In truth of course I spent long enough assisting Dad with his TV 'challenges' over the past few years to know that above is the solution to nearly every problem with TV workings and non-techie users. :)
What amused me was she had already been on the phone to BT. Although I wasn't party to the call, my understanding is it basically went as follows…
'We will remotely reboot the YouView box'. Can they really do that, or were they restarting the router? Either way of course it made no difference :D
Then 'You must have a faulty remote control'. It seems a new YouView remote was already in the post by the time I got involved :lol:
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Not sure if they can remotely reboot the box. Depends on the firmware, but I wouldn't have thought so.
As regards to stuck on the channel and the input button, I'm afraid I've fallen victim myself to that wondering why the ATV wouldn't work. After several minutes of scratching my head and thinking it was broken, I blamed the cat for sitting on the remote and pushing buttons :blush:
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Now, if those lovely cats of yours, Kitz, ever gang up on you......:-\ ::) :D
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Familiar problem here too with the "technically challenged" of all types. :(
Luckily most of the TV's I encounter "auto-switch" to a live input when it's turned on, so the usual solution is:
Look at the box (satellite, freeview, whatever) - is it on? Red light, green light, display, whatever.....
Turn it off with the remote, wait a minute, turn it back on again. Bingo! :graduate:
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Not sure if they can remotely reboot the box.
I wouldn't be surprised, Youview boxes have an internet connection and check to a central server for program recording commands etc. and software updates too.
I have an iPad App for mine that can instruct it remotely to record things; it's just a small step more to do a remote reboot.
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As regards to stuck on the channel and the input button, I'm afraid I've fallen victim myself to that wondering why the ATV wouldn't work. After several minutes of scratching my head and thinking it was broken, I blamed the cat for sitting on the remote and pushing buttons :blush:
Been there, got the T- shirt. And I'd also have blamed the cat given half a chance, except the cat who looked after me died over 20 years ago. :-[
Luckily most of the TV's I encounter "auto-switch" to a live input when it's turned on, so the usual solution is:
Look at the box (satellite, freeview, whatever) - is it on? Red light, green light, display, whatever.....
Turn it off with the remote, wait a minute, turn it back on again. Bingo! :graduate:
Excellent advice, HP, except for those who will have not the slightest idea what the 'auto-switch' option means, which includes most of the population (with exceptions) over the age of 80, or less, or so :)
The reason the incident amused me was, whilst it would seem to be a common and well understood apparent 'fault', with easy resolution, BT's Indian Call Centre seems to overlook the blindingly obvious and, instead, despatched a new remote control :'(
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Excellent advice, HP, except for those who will have not the slightest idea what the 'auto-switch' option means
You're missing the point, it's only the person giving advice that needs to know that. The person who is stuck/confused just follows instructions and magically it works again!
Works a treat with my 95-year-old father-in-law when he phones up to say his TV is misbehaving and he can't get the local news. ;)
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Excellent advice, HP, except for those who will have not the slightest idea what the 'auto-switch' option means
You're missing the point, it's only the person giving advice that needs to know that. The person who is stuck/confused just follows instructions and magically it works again!
Works a treat with my 95-year-old father-in-law when he phones up to say his TV is misbehaving and he can't get the local news. ;)
Clearly you have missed your vocation, you should be working for BT in their Indian call centre :D
But my intended point was that people of your own calibre are not available on the BT help line, what point was I missing? ;)
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Sadly not all new TVs have the 'auto-switch' capability, we have two new ones, an LG and a Samsung, both of which do not auto-switch when you turn on anything connected to HDMI. Strangely the LG does when the Sony HDD recorder is connected via Scart!
I must point out that I've been through all the settings with a fine tooth comb on the LG, and I queried Samsung and they confirmed it does not support it.
I believe the correct protocol name is HDMI-CEC and it does seem not all manufacturers have implemented it or at least not implemented it correctly. Some Sky boxes apparently suffer from a bad implementation.
Stuart
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But my intended point was that people of your own calibre are not available on the BT help line
I'll give you that may be true re BT, but your made your point badly then as you were apparently referring to:
most of the population (with exceptions) over the age of 80
And I think Broadstairs comment re HDMI and SCART may well be quite accurate, SCART is usually good for this "trick" in my experience, HDMI less so.
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And I think Broadstairs comment re HDMI and SCART may well be quite accurate, SCART is usually good for this "trick" in my experience, HDMI less so.
From what I recall, HDMI auto switching certainly depends on the connected equipment though it may also depend on the TV.
The normal HDMI signal source for each of own TVs comes from small diskless PCs (running mythtv, though that's not relevant), and I have not been able to get either of the TVs to auto-switch to these PCs.
Recently however I invested in an AV receiver (for surround sound) for the lounge that goes between the PC and TV, and was able to get auto switching enabled for that device. Don't ask me how though as it was several weeks back and I struggle to remember detail such a long time ago :)
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It's certainly been my experience that SCART connected devices switch automatically but HDMI devices don't. But I haven't pursued the issue.
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This whole area with HDMI seems to be a mess. The Sony box when it was connected to our old JVC TV would auto switch with HDMI but connected to the LG TV it wont by HDMI but will via Scart. Also the cables come into this as I'm not sure all HDMI cables are equal.
Stuart
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Now, if those lovely cats of yours, Kitz, ever gang up on you......:-\ ::) :D
Holy crap, they just got their revenge. I was sat pondering eggs (see other thread) when they just scared the bejesus of out me by the tv blaring to life in the other room. Goes to investigate, and there's Zoe curled up with the remote under her bum. My heart is still pounding.. Not what you'd normally expect at 1am :(
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Have you got a nuclear-powered remote; always warm? :-X
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Now, if those lovely cats of yours, Kitz, ever gang up on you......:-\ ::) :D
Holy crap, they just got their revenge. I was sat pondering eggs (see other thread) when they just scared the bejesus of out me by the tv blaring to life in the other room. Goes to investigate, and there's Zoe curled up with the remote under her bum. My heart is still pounding.. Not what you'd normally expect at 1am :(
Reminds me of an 'incident' I observed at a petrol station a while back.
A driver had refuelled, then gone into pay. She had left the keyfob on the seat of the car, unconcerned about security as there was a big fierce dog in the car too, with the window open just a couple of inches for ventilation. Only thing was, when the dog saw the driver returning it started jumping around, jumped on the key fob and locked the car. :D
The lady driver had only short arms, so volunteers had to be sought from those with longer arms to reach in the window and recover the keys, hoping the big fierce dog wouldn't mind too much. :lol:
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I trust you were one of those volunteers 7LM? ;D
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I trust you were one of those volunteers 7LM? ;D
No comment. :blush:
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Haha brave volunteer, and also of lucky that a window was open slightly!
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This whole area with HDMI seems to be a mess. The Sony box when it was connected to our old JVC TV would auto switch with HDMI but connected to the LG TV it wont by HDMI but will via Scart. Also the cables come into this as I'm not sure all HDMI cables are equal.
Stuart
HDMI auto-switching only works if both devices support CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) or your TV/monitor auto-detects a video signal on the HDMI port (usually only on HDMI1 if so). SCART works by pulling pin 8 high (9.5-12v) to switch to the appropriate socket. This does depend on the SCART lead having pin 8 connected at both ends though. With HDMI, CEC wiring is mandatory, although implementation of the protocol (which is a single wire bi-directional bus) is not.
Sooo, all HDMI leads must include CEC wiring although one or other of your devices may not implement it, whereas (AFAIK) all SCART equipped devices must support switching on pin 8 although many cheap SCART leads are not wired with pin 8 connected.
Much more interesting (to me anyway :blush:) is that I can turn my sky box over with my PC, now that it is network connected, and have been terribly geeky and written a script so that the wife never misses a soap again. :no: :-[