Fault in FTV card

carrolls · 08-09-2002 8:45pm #1

I was watching The Navigator (Movie) today on BBC1 with my FTV card and suddenly I lost all of my BBC channels half way through the movie. I am now getting the dreaded message "Call 08702 404020 to upgrade your subscription of this channel"
The ITV and Ch4/CH5 channels remain ok.
My other FTV cards are still ok. ( But for how long????)
I wonder is the new O/S ie 1,2S4Bj checking for BBC cards in Irish Subscription boxes?.
This is probably very unlikely because of the amount of box serial numbers they would have to transmit to my box to do a cross reference. (350,000 in Ireland). Maybe its a very slow process and thats why my FTV cards were working for weeks after the O/S update.
If this is the case its bad news for FTV card holders.
Anybody else suffered the same problem?.

byte · 08-09-2002 10:37pm

I don't like to hear that!

Umm, i wonder if you left the card in the box, would the channels reactivate again?

carrolls · 08-09-2002 11:02pm

The card has been in all day since the problem started.
No improvment.
Ill leave it on overnight and check it in the morning.
Sorry for generating bad vibes to all FTV card holders.
Methinks Electronics is catching up with us.

or Maybe
:mad:

PS IrishGeo has just said Irish Interactive Services have just come on-line. Maybe the two things are connected.

byte · 08-09-2002 11:14pm

It's possible that they're connected. Though when FTV card is inserted, the box thinks it's in UK. Though if the box is connected to phoneline, maybe it can now tell what country it's in (it would need to know to determine what number to dial)

Is your box connected to phone?

bkehoe · 09-09-2002 12:17am

Also, it was my understanding of things that the FTV card needs to be left in the box most of the time as they do some kind of 'updates' every now and if the card isnt in the box then it doesnt work when next used, but if it gets deactivated, it can usually be reactivated by being left in the box for a day or 2 till it comes right.....

byte · 09-09-2002 12:20am

Originally posted by bkehoe
Also, it was my understanding of things that the FTV card needs to be left in the box most of the time as they do some kind of 'updates' every now and if the card isnt in the box then it doesnt work when next used, but if it gets deactivated, it can usually be reactivated by being left in the box for a day or 2 till it comes right.....

Yeah, this is true but he was watching BBC with the card when it went off which wouldn't normally happen.

carrolls · 09-09-2002 9:02am

Tried it again this morning and its still faulty.
We should make this thread a Sticky because of the potential importance of the issues raised.
Anybody who is experiencing the same problems should also post here.

ShaneOC · 09-09-2002 9:53am

I was also watching Flight Of the Navigator on BBC1 yesterday using a FTV card. Had absolutely no problems with it.

Sounds like a one off incident.

rovingrover · 09-09-2002 10:15am

Could it be a case of the person who originally got the FTV card cancelling it or getting a Sky
sub?

Have you tried gettign the original owner to ring up?

irishgeo · 09-09-2002 1:58pm

i got my FTA card today and i wondering should i actvate your problems carolls.

did you have the phone line plugged into the box.Maybe it phoned home and told on you.You'll have big guys in black coats form the sky + around soon.

Seriuosly though anybody else have the problem. Its just BBC's that are off. Why dont you ring up and say your card has developed a problem. Then you could have arranged for a new one to be forwarded on from whever you got it from.

Or ask then to send a siganl again.

I put my FTA Carc in the box and it said its not authorised yet.

Can wirte on the top of the card to say BBC CARD with a marker.

ShaneOC · 09-09-2002 2:15pm

Originally posted by irishgeo
i got my FTA card today and i wondering should i actvate your problems carolls.

Phone them up and get the card activated. It looks like the problem was a one off as there are many of us here on the boards with FTV cards and no-one else has had any problems.

Originally posted by irishgeo
Can wirte on the top of the card to say BBC CARD with a marker.

Yes you can.

irishgeo · 09-09-2002 2:44pm

i am off to get my FTA card authorised. I am going to block my phone number and hope ofr the best. I think it should go ok.

Wish me luck. I report back when i make a mess of it.

Ok i have just hit a problem. My cousin did not include the phone neumber he gave. Will they ask the number.

He doesnt have a landlind only a mobile.

Can i just fob them off with any old number from the uk or iwll i ring him and ask for the number he gave.

I would look suspicous i rang up and i did not know the number i used.

ShaneOC · 09-09-2002 3:02pm

Originally posted by irishgeo
i am off to get my FTA card authorised. I am going to block my phone number and hope ofr the best. I think it should go ok.

Wish me luck. I report back when i make a mess of it.

Ok i have just hit a problem. My cousin did not include the phone neumber he gave. Will they ask the number.

He doesnt have a landlind only a mobile.

Can i just fob them off with any old number from the uk or iwll i ring him and ask for the number he gave.

I would look suspicous i rang up and i did not know the number i used.

They don't usually ask for a phone number. But it might be just as easy to ring your cousin and get the number he gave if any.

carrolls · 09-09-2002 8:18pm

Good news for the forum, bad news for me. I called the FTV number and asked why my BBC was zapped.
She said "you called up to cancel yesterday afternoon. Make up your mind. To get it switched on again, you have to order a new card." Lucky I have the other three cards.

09-09-2002 9:05pm

Originally posted by carrolls
Good news for the forum, bad news for me. I called the FTV number and asked why my BBC was zapped.
She said "you called up to cancel yesterday afternoon. Make up your mind. To get it switched on again, you have to order a new card." Lucky I have the other three cards.

what possible reason would there be for someone to call up to cancel a BBC card??
mm

carrolls · 09-09-2002 9:57pm

The mind boggles, Madman.
Maybe he got a bout of concience.
I hope the other three contributers of my cards don't do the same.

irishgeo · 09-09-2002 10:09pm

Thats a bit strange all right,I wonder what the SKY rep thought. afte getting some info i am ready to activate my card tomorrow first thing.

irishgeo · 10-09-2002 11:35am

New card activated. Have everything bar bbc1 with in 20mins.

i have itv1 central. i have all regions of bbc 2 in the epg some are at the end.

I have radio live yeah.:D

Quality tv and radio at last .

No bother activating asked *my* name address and postcode didnt ask for the cust number. Then asked for box make version number and serial number and that was it.

Thanks for all the help guys and i relax in the confort or A vast choice of channels.

No change of card being cancelled like carolls card either.

ShaneOC · 10-09-2002 11:44am

See, we told you it was easy.

Enjoy.

irishgeo · 10-09-2002 4:38pm

How will i know its safe to remove the card. is it as soon as BBC1 comes in or is their other siganls due.

The man city aresnal match is on tonight i like to watch that but if i can't i will listen to it on 5live i supppose.

So can anyone give me cool things i can do with my new FTA card i could not do without it?

ShaneOC · 10-09-2002 5:28pm

Once BBC1 comes on it is safe to remove the card.

If you watch Johnny Vaughn, you can now watch at the earlier time of 9 on BBC Choice.

telecinesk · 10-09-2002 6:38pm

Cool things to do with ftv card> Ring up S4C and get it for the rugby or whatever is not on CH4. What else, watch eastenders a second time on bbc choice (dodgy ground) , err 5Live extra for the sport and Edwina currie on 5live at night.Dunno its all down to taste. And best of all not watch SKY and all their endless commercials .. Check out BBC4 for news at 8 I think..
Dont forget to tune in all the ITV reigons in other channels.Watch fred from "How" present the news on meridian or channel tv?.. Anyway Enjoy.
Dont ring up and cancel like the man above. Cant believe a twat would cancel a bbc card, best one so far.

DMC · 10-09-2002 8:06pm

I think that the biggest mistake was, why did you have the phone line plugged into the box? If you are playing the card swapping game, chances are that online light will flash when you've the BBC card in and phone home. Its leaving yourself very prone.

My two cents, with the new contracts enforcing the plugging in of a phone line for the first year, don't do the BBC card swapping routine.

carrolls · 10-09-2002 8:34pm

Greetings DamoDMC.
I didnt have a phone line plugged in. I got my Sky in about 8 months ago and have never plugged in my phone line ever.
Once this guy rang Sky on Sunday, the signal was sent down by satellite to switch me off.
Maybe its a blessing in disguise. Up to now I couldnt be arsed putting in my Scottish, Welsh or NI cards. But now I'm watching Motherwell V Celtic on my Scots card. I didnt even know it was due to be on. Pure Luxury.:cool:

DMC · 10-09-2002 8:53pm

Gotcha. Parts of the thread dont make sense, like why your contributer would cancel the card? A bit daft.

carrolls · 10-09-2002 10:23pm

Gotcha.

Sorry Damo, Don't quite get your drift. How have you got me?
If you think I'm telling porkys, I have the entire correspondence between Myself and this chappie (From Lymington, Hampshire)
on my Email at work.
I'll post the relevant bits tomorrow.
When I confronted him today by email he apologised and actually blamed his sister for carrying out the dirty deed. She recently got a FTV reciever and inadvertently cancelled my FTV card while activating her own.
If youre still not happy, you can also ping his email address or use "Neotrace" to confirm his home address corresponds to his email address.
Even better, email to ask him to confirm the story.

Mossy Monk · 10-09-2002 10:48pm

regarding the changing of cards while BBC1 isn't yet activated. i did this to watch Sky on the Saturday night and put the FTV card back in when i went to bed and BBC1 turned on 35/37 hours after the others

byte · 10-09-2002 10:56pm

Originally posted by carrolls

Sorry Damo, Don't quite get your drift. How have you got me?
If you think I'm telling porkys, I have the entire correspondence between Myself and this chappie (From Lymington, Hampshire)
on my Email at work.
I'll post the relevant bits tomorrow.
When I confronted him today by email he apologised and actually blamed his sister for carrying out the dirty deed. She recently got a FTV reciever and inadvertently cancelled my FTV card while activating her own.
If youre still not happy, you can also ping his email address or use "Neotrace" to confirm his home address corresponds to his email address.
Even better, email to ask him to confirm the story.

I think Damien meant "Gotcha" as in he now gets what you mean, as some of the thread was misleading/confusing.

To rephrase "Get what you mean now"

irishgeo · 10-09-2002 11:17pm

12 hrs and counting. Still bbc1. its like watching paint dry.

i know i can watch other channels. i wonder can i get free movies like this guy. http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36508

well i am hoping its in by the morning.

DMC · 10-09-2002 11:47pm

Precisely right, irishbyte. As Tony Green used to say on Bullseye......... "IIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNN One"

I smelt no bacon or ham, or gammon for that matter, only some things didn't make sense to me on first viewing. They do now.

And now for Bully's Special Prize.........

carrolls · 10-09-2002 11:54pm

I think Damien meant "Gotcha" as in he now gets what you mean

I'll give Damo the benefit of the doubt, but my thread makes perfect sense because its true. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

PS Damo, Didnt update my browser before this post. Thanks for the clarification.

irishgeo · 11-09-2002 11:54am

FTV card now working with BBC1. have it removed nwo for the moment.

would i get OS updates no what what card was in?

Also would i have to wait the same amount of time for the cahnnels to come in, if the channels went off after me leaving the card out of the box too long.

byte · 11-09-2002 8:18pm

Originally posted by DamoDMC
Precisely right, irishbyte. As Tony Green used to say on Bullseye......... "IIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNN One"

I smelt no bacon or ham, or gammon for that matter, only some things didn't make sense to me on first viewing. They do now.

And now for Bully's Special Prize.........

ROFL @ Bullseye! Remember watching that on Sundays!!

"And here's your host, Jiiiiiiim Booooweeennn!"

"Nothing in this game for 2 in a bed!":D

Fault in FTV card

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