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Mandatory re-tune causes further problems for some Daewoo, Portland, Triax and Bush models
Today's changes to the Freeview digital television service will cause further problems for owners of some problematic set-top boxes.
Last August, Computeractive reported that changes to the range of channels used by Freeview were breaking six models of set-top box made by Bush, Daewoo, Portland, Labgear and Triax.
The boxes in question failed when re-tuned as they were unable to cope with the new, longer channel list. As today's Freeview changes will require every set-top box or Freeview device to be re-tuned, any of these models still in use will cease to work.
The models affected are the Daewoo DS608P and SV900, Labgear DTT100, Triax DVB 2000T, Portland DP100 and Bush IDVCR01.
A notice on the Freeview website advises owners of these products to contact the manufacturers. However the phone number given for Daewoo is incorrect.
Anyone who does call is unlikely to get the replacement product they might be hoping for. The Daewoo helpline told us we would "just have to replace" a broken box, stating that "when [the products in question] were manufactured they were made to the specification at the time".
The Bush helpline operator told us that its staff "don't have any information " on the problem or what affected users should do, and advised us to call back later. We are awaiting comment on this lack of information from Harvard plc, which owned the Bush brand before its sale to Argos in November 2008.
It's unclear exactly how many units will be broken today. A Freeview spokesperson told us it was "really difficult to tell - we don't know how many are still in use". Last year it received around 2,500 phone calls from affected users, while Bush told us that fewer than 2,000 of its IDVCR01 products were ever made.
Today's changes to the Freeview system will require every device that receives Freeview television to be re-tuned. Some products will see changes to channel numbers, with BBC and ITV channels moved given numbers above 800, while others will need an update to keep working properly and two models of Panasonic DVD recorder will need to be updated using a special DVD.
Full details of the products affected by the update and information on how to re-tune a set-top box can be found here.
Update: Freeview assures us that the phone number given for Daewoo is being corrected on its website - the correct number is 0844 887 2525.
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Freeview updates
Hi Its the same old tale,why cant they leave things alone when its working properly,they r bringing out all this new stuff and no manufactors had tried the set top boxes probably just hoped the worked,we r down in the west country and one of the first to change over,we had philips boxes on 3 tvs,and after the changeover could only get half the programmes,so had to purchase 3 new boxes,what type or sort of boxes who knows as whos saying they r going to work,look like they have been watching microsoft,bring out something new but dont care if any other software works,ive been told that as the whole country changes the same thing will happen,up date every now and then,also when the end of updates finish and they switch all the radios to digital all the car radios of to day will be useless and cost hundreds of pounds to refit
Posted by Edgar Mills, 01 Oct 2009
Little or no improvements to service
Not much improvement to mine though I have gained itv three and four I have lost itv 2 +1 and channel 5! I still can't get itv 1 or 2! Very disappointed!
Posted by Christine, 30 Sep 2009
Bush Digital Set Top Box Recorder
Mine has 0 channels now and we rang up the number given on the system information and it told us to ring another number which we did which gave us a website which told us to ring the original number. If there isnt a way to fix this i am going to be very disapointed as i have programs recorded on my set top box to watch & some i want to keep! Why werent we informed of this in more detail, say on tv or bbc.co.uk's main page to NOT re-tune and it would be dealt with later?
Posted by Dale, 30 Sep 2009
Channel 5
Is missing now! How am I to watch the Wright Stuff?
Posted by Teri, 30 Sep 2009
tele box
I have just had a pop up on my TV telling me that I will need a new free view card for my sky box and to go to sky.com the new cards are £20 and I have 2 so the free sky is £40 what a con.
Posted by Geoffrey Cowan, 30 Sep 2009
bush set top digi box
We have three of these boxes on three different televisions and not one has retuned successfully........we cannot access any channels on two of the televisions and our main television has a frozen and disjointed picture on all channels with only broken and distorted sound, Vitrually we have had no television in the house since 12.00 noon on 30.09.09 when I tried to retune all the sets.
Posted by carol acott, 01 Oct 2009
Panasonic DVD Recorder is now only analoge
Did the retune on my Sony Bravia - no problem, however when I did the retune on my Panasonic DVD Recorder ALL digital services have been lost. checked for over the air system update but my DVD says I have the latest software. Emailed Panasonic UK - I will update this comment when I hear back from them
Posted by Andy, 01 Oct 2009
Freeview update
Have lost ITV 3 and ITV4 (Football, Rugby highlights etc) and gained ITV2+1. Big deal!
Posted by Colin, 01 Oct 2009
Re tune of sky box
Received the new sky card and immediately replaced the old one. Not long after, found that channel 5 had gone missing, and we appear to live in the midlands - as far as ITV are concerned, instead of in the Thames area. Well done the boffins - as Mandy would like us to believe he said - 'you silly chumps'!
Posted by Tony B., 01 Oct 2009
Improvement???
What improvements - the old analogue signal was superior, thats why it was chosen originally - better signal, better picture. A digital signal is narrower and more susceptible to interference due to weather etc. BUT digital gives more bandwidth, therefore more channels, more income for the goverment. You will NOT get an improved picture - and if you live out in the sticks you'll probably get a poorer quality service.
Posted by mungogerry, 01 Oct 2009
What problem?
I can still get BBC 1&2, ITV and Ch4 just as before - who needs digital?
Posted by Harold, 01 Oct 2009
Freeview Upgrade
Well well i was waiting for some drastic change to my freeview channels and god was i in for a let down, oh! yes i got an upgrade ok but only 1 channel - Quest - the rest is just the same, thank god i pay nothing for this service otherwise it would be just another rip off.
Posted by BawHeid, 01 Oct 2009
Panasonic DMR- ES20DEB
Unable to now get Freeview channels. Phoned Panasonic who were extremely helpful and are sending me a Firmware disc to overcome the problem. If you cant get through on the phone email them and they respond very quickly.
Posted by VINCENT ASHBY, 02 Oct 2009
channel 5 loss
i followed the on screen message & dialed the number .this told me to reset to manufacturers spec.this worked & it now hasthe the correct channels in the right place
Posted by len, 02 Oct 2009
freeview set top box
why dont they leave things as they are i retuned my box and found no differance to the channels, dont you think this another way of getting some more money out of us! smells like rip of again no one will mone thety will just put ther hanbs in ther pocket and pay up.
Posted by roger williamson, 02 Oct 2009
Goodmans Freeview tv HELL!!!!!
We have a Goodmans Freeview TV. it's 4years old now & We tried retuning the damm thing, we have now lost ALL the freeview channels we used to enjoy. £500 down the drain, We are a tad Cheesed-Off at the moment :(
Posted by C & L Hurst, Nottingham., 02 Oct 2009
Digifusion FVRT200 - lost EPG entries
I get my signal from Tacolneston (Norfolk) and have a Digifusion FVRT200 PVR. Following the ?Update? ? a misnomer if ever there was one ? I have lost EPG data for Five, also for something called ITV (= ITV2+1), ITV3, and bidtv ? on channel 24 (= ITV4 !!). I have tried the channel rescan three times using the ?unplug RF and scan, plug in and scan again? but to no avail. I have no Installation option except to reformat the drive. However, this will lose the software updates sent OTA over a year ago and, since Digifusion are no more it won?t be broadcast again, so that is not an option. Is there anything else I can try? Are all FVRT200 PVRs suffering in the same way?
Posted by Colin, 05 Oct 2009
Update
I had to make four attempts to get my Humax to organise all the channels. My son also has a Humax and he did a factory reset which sorted the problem out.
Posted by Critic, 06 Oct 2009
Re-Digital
hello,with all the repeats and rubbish thata on this NEW DIGITAL TV,it isnt worth the licence money,we just watch the shopping channels,news and my wife watches the soaps,other than that theres nothing but repeats every couple of hours on different,ie we can watch the same deal or no deal 3 times during the noght
Posted by Edgar Mills, 06 Oct 2009
Another one to add to the list!
My Phillips DTR1500 no longer works!!
Posted by Audrey docherty, 06 Oct 2009
Panasonic DVD Recorder is now only analogue - UPDATE
I emailed Panasonic about my Panasonic DMR- ES20 which lost all ability to tune digital channels after the recent update - a couple of days later a firmware update CD arrived which sorted the problem in about 5 minutes ... simply load the disc and and it does it all automatically. Brilliant service from Panasonic Customer care and free of charge even though the machine is well out of warranty. **** WELL DONE PANASONIC *****
Posted by Andy, 08 Oct 2009
and HUMAX F2 FOX T
retuned about 30 times. Always the same. We've lost film4 and ITV3 and gained Rabbit and Gay Rabbit! E-mailed Humax - no reply, not even an automated response. Do I really have to buy a new box to get these channels? Is it going to happen again?
Posted by Deborah Smith, 23 Oct 2009
How is digital tv an improvement?
Firstly my freeview box of 4 years gave up on me when we changed to digital BBC2. Then 2 other digi boxes were returned when we changed to fully digital. I keep removing unwanted channels only for them to be returned in an 'update' the next day. Now my TV is playing tricks and I'm not sure whether to replace it or hope that it is another 'switchover' glitch. An email to the switchover helpline has remained unanswered for 4 weeks.
Posted by Brian Collins, 23 Dec 2009
Dont give up
I owned a Daewoo SV900 which was a VHS Video recorder with built in Freeview. With that unit there is no switch that can be set to stop the download so although I was aware there would be a problem the box did its automatic download and then went into suicide mode and from that second refused to work again. just to make it even more of a pain than it could be - you cant record from a separate Freeview unit as it goes into dumb mode - it was very frustrating as it kept popping up ' cant find any Channels ' Daewoo claimed it was not their fault even although it had a badge on it saying DVB-T compliant If I was a normal Consumer who did not understand Electronics ? { in fact I am retired University Lecturer in Advance Computer Design } I would get the impression that Daewoo was Blameless when in fact I know they did not build their unit to be compatible with other units sold around the same period. For example at that time my old ONdigital box { built ten years before the split NIT } was able to cope. I kept pressing Daewoo and they kept changing their policy. Policy 1 ? No replacements under any circumstances. Policy 2 ? No replacements but a £ 10 discount on buying certain units. Policy 3 ? Free replacement provided you sent in the serial number. Policy 4 ? Free replacement provided you sent in the serial number and a photograph of the units s/n. Policy 5 ? Free replacement provided you sent them the receipt and supplied other details. Policy 6 ? No guarantee of a replacement until the Customer sends in the receipt and the unit in advance at the cost to the Customer. Policy 7 ? Free replacement provided you sent them copy of the receipt and supplied other details. I have to be fair and state that at least in my case I was lucky I offered them £ 15 to get the better spec Daewoo DSD9503T PVR and they paid the courier costs to pick up my duff unit and replace it with a PVR. Since that time I have been able to help others - the total so far is fifteen Customers who at first hit a brick wall but were lucky to find a website where I offered to help them { for free of course } If you need help with Daewoo just search for 'Freeview obsolete Carson' and you will find my post of tips and e-mail address Only last month I did hear from one of the people who received a new PVR { it took them over a year to find the receipt } By the way even if you cant find the original receipt Daewoo did accept a few claims where people could prove they had bought their machine from Amazon so its never too late . The Daewoo DSD9503T PVR was well worth the effort
Posted by brian carson, 25 Dec 2009
Bush set top box
I retuned my Bush digi box BU11FVZS2/A (bought from Argos) today. It retuned but the Auto retune reminder came up and could not be cleared (exit did not work).
Posted by PV Rutledge, 04 Apr 2012