Predictable unreliable channel changing - why?

[childe]

In recent weeks my channel changing has become unreliable, despite nothing being changed. The strange part is that the unreliability is mostly predictable. For instance, I record HIGNFY on channel 1 on Friday, followed by West Wing on channel 167. Over the last 4 weeks it has consistently failed to change correctly to 167. However, when I then schedule another recording of West Wing on Monday morning, on both 166 and 167 (one after the other), both work OK.

I rarely have any problem recording successive Simpsons episodes on channel 30, but over the last 3 weeks it has failed each time to record Human Trafficking on channel 30 following "24" on channel 30 (Sunday nights).

It records accurately 90-95% of the time, but is now failing on these particular occasions every time.

Any ideas why it seems to have difficulty in some situations but not others?

[lcsneil]

Daft question but is it always the same time of night?

Or around the same time?

Are there lights on in the room - I am wondering if for some reason the IR receiver of your box is being swamped by other things?

If I know the Tivo box is about to change channel I try to avoid using any other remote in the room (e.g. volumne up and down etc) as it can sometimes cause channel changes to fail.)

Are you running and hacks on your Tivo? (Red dot for example)?

Neil

[childe]

I don't think that can be the cause because other programmes change correctly at the same time on other days. I never had a problem with West Wing on Fridays when the preceding recorded programme was on a channel other than 1. But now the preceding programme is HIGNFY, on channel 1, it never works. I think I will create a half hour recording from 9.30-10pm on another channel (say 30) and see if it then correctly changes to 167 at 10pm.

It's as though it is harder for it to switch between some channel combinations (ie 1 to 167) than for others, and on some days it also seems to struggle (ie 30 to 30 on Sunday night at 10pm seems to fail, but 30 to 30 during the early weekday evening seems generally OK).

[AMc]

Have you got low energy light bulbs in the room - these can cause random IR interference.
If you have problems with channel changes when the room is lit and not when its not that might explain the problem?

It might help if you posted what service provide you use (Sky, NTL, Freeview etc.), what equipment you have and the manufacturer and control codes your Tivo is using.

[Anndra]

Are you using a Sony Freeview box?

[childe]

The lighting could be a factor as the problems mostly (if not always) occur when they are on, and only when they are on (ie around 10pm). The lighting is from 4 25 watt bulbs in a ceiling fixture. However, this would not explain why the problems have only recently become apparent, as during the winter the lights were on all the time, but I don't recall there being so many channel changing problems.

My provider is NTL (former C&W) in Leeds, using a Pace Di1000 or Di1010 STB (not sure which). How can I identify which code I am using?

[AMc]

The code are under the settings menu somewhere - I'm not near my Tivo to check right now. There may be a better code to use now (the cable companies sometimes update their software which breaks tivo channel changing) or you may need to try a slower or faster speed to get more reliability.

If it is IR interference then you could try building a little cardboard box around the wand and front panel of the PACE to stop any other light getting in. Ugly, but it should allow you to work out the problem.

I have a Pace 2000 with TeleWest - looks the same I believe. The positioning of the wand is very important. There is a link in my sig to a photo of how mine are set - might help to check yours though why it would be less reliable at some times than others is a bit of a mystery. I guess a misplaced wand and IR interference at some times of the day could contribute together to missed changes?

[TivoTown]

The lighting could be a factor as the problems mostly (if not always) occur when they are on, and only when they are on (ie around 10pm). The lighting is from 4 25 watt bulbs in a ceiling fixture. However, this would not explain why the problems have only recently become apparent, as during the winter the lights were on all the time, but I don't recall there being so many channel changing problems.


Could it be sunlight ? the long summer days give sunlight in places that it doesn't normally go.

I had a cracked house alarm bell box that would give false alarms at 5ish in the morning during August. The sun would expand the crack and the box thought it was being taken off the wall - the sun was in a particular place.

[childe]

It seems I have a few variables to experiment with. I'll do this one by one as I don't want to make things worse. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Pugwash]

I've put my sky box out of sight behind the TV to avoid IR signals from other remotes affecting channel changes. I think I've only had one or two missed channels in the last 12 months.