A bizarre problem

[ukdavej]

This is my first post so be gentle. Yesterday I dragged myself into the 21st century and bought a new TV (Panasonic TX-L37G10). It's jolly splendid, freesat and freeeview I have it connected thus:

Virgin media cable box connected to AV1 on TV

Sony HDD recorder attached to AV2 on TV. This also has an input from the house aerial to receive freeview (so I can record directly onto it and watch other things on the TV). This is also routed through to the freeview input on the TV via a link cable. The HDD and cable box are also connected via a direct scart cable for recording purposes

My old sky dish is attached to the freesat input.

Anyhow, I now have a really odd problem. My Virgin cable box will not accept commands from the cable remote control when the TV is switched on. In other words:

Cable box on, TV off - cable box works fine from buttons on front of box AND from cable remote control

Cable box on, TV on - cable box can be operated from buttons on front of box, NO RESPONSE TO CABLE REMOTE. Switch TV off, cable box still won't work from remote. Re-boot cable box = works as it should. Turn TV back on, remote won't work again.

I rang Virgin media and went through all their checks, new batteries, all the resets etc etc. Eventually all they could offer is to send out a new remote which will come this week sometime. It may solve the problem but I'm not too hopeful. My suspicion is some kind of conflict somewhere but cannot for the life of me think what it could be, although, reading back through this, I have an awful lot of connections going on

Has anyone got any idea as to what may be happening or how to solve this problem

 

[The_Lhc]

How's the Virgin box connected, SCART or HDMI? might be an HDMI control issue, you should be able to find in the TV's menus an option for HDMI control, try turning it off, see if it helps. Could also check if there's a similar option in the Virgin box itself.

 

[ukdavej]

It's connected via scart but I will have a dig around for what you suggest anyway

 

[PJPro]

I'd recommend a back to basics approach.

What happens if you just connect the cable box and the TV and have nothing else connected? If you get the same issue at least you've ruled out the HDD and its connections between the cable box and the TV.

 

[ukdavej]

Well. I think I may have sorted it. Took you advice and ruled out the HDD, then tried with just cable box connected, same problem. Then tried cable box, plugged in but not connected to TV, same problem. Must be something to do with interference of the IR beam between the remote and the cable box from the TV I thought. So, more googling and hey presto, some Pace cable boxes have problems with LCD and Plasma TV's due to the way they emit the light when first turned on. After a while, the problem goes away. After 10 minutes, my cable box works fine. Doesn't solve the prob but at least I know what it is now

. I shall ring tomorrow and blag a new box - explaining this one should be an interesting challange

 

[JamesPianoman]

Keep pressing to get a new box... I think Virgin are now installing a new Samsung set-top box so maybe you won't have a problem with that one.

 

[tvspecv]

the wierd thing is i got my new v+hd box but it didnt say what brand it was on the box (no brand name just V+)

but the sky box clearly has samsung written on it.

 

[ukdavej]

Just to report back and put this one to bo bo's, the nice virgin man came today. Luckilly, I got through to tech support in Wales, who are by far the best IMHO. Anyhow, installed a nice new shiny Samsung box and confirmed the theory about LCD TV's flooding the room and bamboozeling the remote. Works fine now.

On the down side, I was rather hoping it wouldn't work which would have been a splendid excuse to get a V+ HD box. Why is it that many people (including Mrs J) don't agree that it is little short of a necessity and would be a highly beneficial investment from both an operational and viewing experience perspective