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Dodgy Cable Box


Parthiban
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My cable box packed up the a few days ago and the manner in which it did it was slightly alarming! Timing was bizarre as I've actually got a V+ box being fitted in a few days time so isn't a big issue but I'm not sure whether to say anything about this one and what to say?

Basically when it went, luckily I was watching TV, it suddenly started sparking really badly inside the box, it started smoking and there was a really bad smell of burning. Obviously I quickly just pulled the power cable out (being careful not to touch any of the metal) and it was fine.

However, we tend (as I'm sure many others) to leave the box on all the time, partly due to laziness and partly as the only way to really switch it off is to unplug it at the mains. The alarming part is that if this had happened in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, I'm not sure what the end result could have been............ :shutit:

That's where I'm not sure whether something should be done (and if so what) or is it best to just put it down to a freak incident that's probably a one-off?

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Yh I have my Sky+ on a separat socket and the rest of the 6 applainces on a extension surge protected and at night i switch the extension off and only sky remains on, i switch everything off standby, execpt for my fridge/freezer.

But i hate the buzzing of the sky+ box lol

I would defo let Virgin know, as it could be a wide problem

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Cheers guys, good point might be something they should inform other customers of aswell.........will ring them tomorrow and try to kick up a fuss, maybe they'll even waive the V+ installation fee :)

Interesting that you switch everything else off except the Sky (I guess that's to preserve any timers set?) - I don't tend to switch anything off at the mains, but might do it with the cable box from now on as it makes sense they're probably made to a low cost........

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Blimey that sounds scary, you had a lucky escape there !

I switch my TV off standby etc but leave on other things like my HDD/DVD recorder (would be a paint to keep resetting the time), Virgin box etc.

I'd certainly be interested to know what sort of Virgin box it was exactly in case the same could happen to mine !

Definitely worth making a fuss about it since it could have been very nasty.

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Yeah same, leave most things on and the clocks are a good reason to leave things on standby!

It is a scientific atlanta box (4000DVB) - I've always hated it and have tried to get them to replace it with a Pace box on several occasions but they kept replacing it with the same bl**dy SA ones!

The V+ will be a Samsung though so hopefully a bit better quality, but yes I'll be having a word tomorrow and will report back with what happens.

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Wow the Scientific Atlanta ones are old ones, aren't they ? Or have I got this wrong. I've got a Pace box which itself is pretty old. The newer regular boxes are Samsung, but I thought the V+ box was made by someone else.

Just looked it up on Wiki - I see that there's a brand new Samsung V+ box, that must be what you're referring to, I didn't know about that.

I wondered about V+, whether it's possible to get a good deal on an upgrade (free upgrade even ?) by threatening to move to Sky and their various Sky+ offers. Anyone tried that ?

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Yeah it's pretty old, we've been with VM for many years now (they were Telewest when we signed up all those years ago) but I think this is the third box we've had. I'm not sure which came first, our first box was Pace but the others have been SA, although they do refurb them and use again so you never know whether the box you're getting is a new one or not.

Yep the SA V+ box has been replaced by a new Samsung one which is supposedly a lot quicker and otherwise a general improvement all round (only downside is they've reduced the amount of connections on the back)

At the moment they're doing an offer of £49 for new customers, and they do extend this to existing customers if you ask retentions (which is what I did). If you're on XL TV then obviously there's no other charges for V+.

I had actually considered moving to Sky before getting the V+ but the numbers still don't add up, the difference in PQ means you have to get the Sky HD box if you want the same quality of picture and that just works out far too expensive compared to the £45/month we currently pay for everything.

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