Virgin Media cable boxes to avoid?

[atari_addict]

As above. I've got an old Pace 1000 which is giving up the ghost, tech calling on Friday AM. Are all cable boxes old and new capable of working well with my beloved TiVo, or do I send him out to the van to find one that will (if he will, IYSWIM :-)).

I've got the necessary IR adaptor if needed.

[nickharman]

I found the pace to be useless, slow to respond to its own handset commands and so using the menus to Watch Again, for example, was a frustrating hit and miss affair as the menus caught up laggy with the button presses. I had to buy the dongle of course and that used to be a nuisance too if someone, kids etc, moved it a fraction off line then channel change wouldnt happen.

I dumped virgin and they told me to keep the pace as a souvenir, thats how much they rate them!

I am told that if you yell and shout for a Samsung box you will be a lot better off

N

[cwaring]

My Pace 2000 was always reliable but I would agree with nick; get the Samsung if you can.

[ozsat]

I had a Pace for a long time but it died and was replaced a couple of weeks back with a Samsung.

The Pace IR codes were 100% but it would occasionally just lock up and a little more often need and OK press on the VM remote before it would do anything else.

The Samsung has not needed anything at all and is also 100% with IR.

[atari_addict]

Thanks all; I had a vague memory that "newer" Samsungs weren't any good, glad to see that put to rest. Fingers crossed that he does have one!

P.S. the newsgroup virginmedia.support.tv (carried only by VM's news server) seems to be the best way of getting script-free support from the techs, if this isn't already widely-known.

[cwaring]

P.S. the newsgroup virginmedia.support.tv (carried only by VM's news server) seems to be the best way of getting script-free support from the techs, if this isn't already widely-known.
Yeah. They're a good bunch. I'm in there too :p

[atari_addict]

Samsung box installed and fully working; it took me longer to unplug and de-knit the adaptor dongle than to find the right code.

Sadly though, the remote for my V+ box also controls it, so I will have to put a box around the wands and the window :-(

Anyone have any ideas for a neater way than using a bit of Shreddies box?

[RichardJH]

Sadly though, the remote for my V+ box also controls it,

I had the same problem with my Pace cable box and the V+ box being in the same room.
I substituted the Tivo IR wand for a stick on one direct to the front of the Pace box nd then covered the whole window with black tape. Looks OK.

[ozsat]

Good to know it operates V+ as well - as it should be replacing my Samsung this morning.

[atari_addict]

Good to know it operates V+ as well - as it should be replacing my Samsung this morning.
Obviously, you won't be able to operate any of the V+ "features" with the Sammy remote ;-)

The TiVo still far outranks the V+ in terms of usability IMHO.