We’ve had a number of reports that Top Up TV boxes made by Thomson have started locking up (showing an orange light) and refusing to start. It seems the problem started on the 3rd of May, over the Bank Holiday weekend.
It seems that the issue affects the Thomson DTI-6300 Top Up TV Anytime boxes. They are failing to come out of standby mode, displaying a constant amber light, or getting caught in a restart loop.
The affected Thomson DTI-6300 Top Up TV Anytime box
Top Up TV is aware of this problem and their call centre has been swamped with calls. The issue seems to relate to a faulty electronic programme guide (EPG) download on Sunday morning.
Top Up TV’s site is now providing information on a way to get affected boxes running again. The first thing to try is to disconnect the box from the mains for 20 seconds and get the box to try to start normally. If this doesn’t work – try it again. If there’s still no joy, the next step is a rather fiddly process that results in the hard drive being formatted – which will trash all of the recordings held on the box.
Obviously this is a pretty poor show, and we’re getting reports from users very unhappy at a) this happening over a Bank Holiday weekend, and b) their unwatched TV shows being zapped.
If you’re affected, for reference, here isthe procedure for formattig the box, as outlined by Top Up TV:
Procedure: Front Panel Reset (Reformat HDD)
Attention: this will unfortunately cause your recordings to be lost.
- Remove power to the unit by removing the power cable from the back of the DTR.
- Wait 20 seconds and restore the power cable while holding in the standby/power on button on the front panel of the DTR.
- Release the standby button immediately you see a light ‘blip’ on the DTR front display and then immediately press the following front panel arrow buttons quickly and in the sequence Up > Down > Left > Right
- The DTR will now show the Orange LED with the Green LED flashing until the format has been completed in about 60 seconds. The DTR will return to ON automatically.
- If requested, perform a channel scan to complete the operation
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why havent thomson offered compensation ?? this is such a poor service/ non-exsistant. I WILL CANCELLING MY TOP UP TV SUBS AND I ADVISE EVERYONE TO DO THE SAME – THAT IS WHEN I CAN GET THROUGH TO THEM
this is a piss poor show by all of you…..the quick fix does not work…dtr box is now in the skip..will never buy one again
i had same trouble as everyone else last weekend ,and was about to discard this box but after a week found the instructions on web site followed them for about half an hour then hey presto! the box worked again,,but iwould not buy another one too much trouble needs re-booting too often and is not reliable for recording it freezes too much.
After numerous attempts & many calls via 08712712712 which will appear on my phone bill from BT, At Last I seem to have regained your programme by!Pulling out the Plug, leaving it out for 20mins, rescanning,which took ages,when scan completed,turning Top Up off, turning TV off, turning TV on turning Topup on & abracadabra all is now OK?I hope.
HI all,
My Thomson box diplays a constantly red light, I have spoken to TOTV and they say it is nothing to do with the download.Amazing as the problem started that Sunday. Has anyone else got this problem
Paul
Just like to say in brief do not buy a top up tv box it it rubbish. Constant freezing missed recordings, hard disk crashing its all too much if you just want to watch tv and enjoy it.
The worse purchase i have ever made.
DO NOT BUT A TOP UP TV BOX
JOE LONDON SE
I suppose you lot are lucky, my unit wont even light up, no lights nothing the whole thing is dead.
Ive saved all my egypt programs on this device and now they have all gone, ive tried to ring, no luck there either, so what do I do now?? this firm is absolute rubbish their product is flawed and they deny all responsibility for their actions. They need a lesson in customer relations and try to get back on track or lose the people they want to sell too.
If anyone has any ideas other than bin it I would be very interested to know how to get it back up and running, like I have said there are no lights lighting up at all, ANY IDEAS tHANKS
Does anyone know the way to get the programs stored on this device over to a pc, or is that too easy. any help would be appreciated
Read through so many fixes, tried all of these since last sunday, I’m technical minded so i’m not doing anything wrong. Tried up down left right and menu ok options, none of these work, I really can’t be bothered to call the idiots. I know the disk formats fine as i get the green flashing lights for 20 seconds or so, but then it just stays amber and reboots itself again.
Absolute Joke that there fix is a wate of time. Most likely going to buy a new digi box and send pieces of this box to them bit by bit.
How do you cancel direct debit, can I just do it through my bank? No further e-mails from top up, since their standard one and cannot get through on phone – not getting any top up, so don’t want to pay! Have also written letter, but not confident that will achieve anything either …..
While a day or so ago I felt a lot of rage to TOPUP TV a service call from them tonight has changed my perspective. THEY`RE SENDING ME A NEW BOX!! MINES TWO YEARS OLD AN WAY OUT OF WARRENTY BUT AS ITS THIER FAULT THEYRE REPLACING IT. Thats good service I think. Pity I`ve gone and got a freesat box but hey ho. Theres always EBAY. Brerrabbit
Bob Buttifant Says Top up TV is replacing my dead box for free. They accepted its thier fault . Bloody good what!!For those who try you can win!!
my box has not worked properly from day 1 i’m om my second box and this is even worse ruined our christmas and the snooker it locks up at the drop of a hat ,had enough cancelled my subscription sending the piece of crap back and i’ve only had it 7 months what a service.
Maybe I’m just lucky, but using a “LEFT-Up-Down-Left-Right” routine in the “long” fix sorted the problem and still left ALL my library and personal settings intact.
Whether it lasts we will see, but it has been ok for 5 days so far
as a jester of good will top up tv should componsate everyone that has been afected. we were unable to watch anything or record over the period that the boxs were down
Hi,
I have one of the Thompson top up tv digital boxes and firstly what a load of rubbish they are. I just want everyone to know of a response that i received from Consumer Direct after i informed them of this matter. They have said that given the information that i told them which is that i have had 3 of these boxes since the service was launched in 2006. Consumer Direct have said that under the supply of goods act 1982/common law scotland. This provides that work should be carried out with reasonable are and skill and goods supplied as part of this service should be of satisfactory quality.If they fail to provide this then the trader can be held in breach of contractand claim compensation for any consequential losses resulting in the breach of contract.They have advised that a formal letter should be written outlining the complaint and should be sent to them via recorded post saying that their attempts to replace the box have clearly failed and request that they issue a refund. I have been advised that i should ask for a request within the next 7 working days and that it is adviseable to ask for a reasonable outcome,as if you are unable to resolve this with the trader,then ultimatley it will be up to a judge to decide in court. They also have added that as i purchased my box via credit card then you are able under section 75 of the consumer credit act 1974 which will make your credit card company equally liable unser the supply of goods and services act and that the card company should be informed of whatever issues you might be experiancing. It is about time that top up tv are held acountable for their mistakes. I have seen people that have said they have done just this and then very swiftly been given a refund so i say its well worth a try. All i know is top up tv will never again get my custom.
The top up TV office in Kircaldy only employs 8 people on a rotating shift basis, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but this is why you can never get through, there is only ever 1 person on duty at the customer service centre, the whole thing is a complete mess, and they have ready prepared scripts so you wont cancel your subscription.
had all the above problems in the last 12 months, but now it won’t record anything and the recordings in the library won’t play.i was originally warned off buying the thomson product by a friend who worked in their technical dept. but thought i knew better!!!! silly me