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
Useful links:
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Re my earlier comments:-
I think Tesco staff must have been sick of the sight of these Thomson boxes.I suggested they should stop selling them after I had took my third one back.The guy at Tesco said to me that they can only take things off display only after so many returns and if I went back the next day I would probably find the shelf cleared because they had quite a few returned.Getting my money back from Tesco was the best thing about these rotten boxes.Never had one problem since getting the Humax in December.
i have just finished typing a letter to topuptv cancelling my subscription as i feel that this is one too many problems that i have experience and that the Thomson box when working is far too noisy
Hurray my partially sighted husband has managed to fix the Topup mess up, using the control buttons,as one of the letter writers suggests,so dont give up there is hope for us all,if you hav’nt thrown the Thompson thing out the window yet. Till the next time.
JUST FIXED IT AFTER TWO DAYS TRYING DONT GIVE UP YOU WILL GET THERE.
tried everythig suggested from thompson to advice from comment still frustrated
I have tried all procedures as you have suggested on the internet, but sadly to no avail. Rang Topup tv all this afternoon to tell them something has gone wrong with box to get advice, but it was very difficult to get through to speak to someone either they have all gone to sleep or do they really care about their customer?
What is going on!!
Lenny ….from Bridgwater
have tried every suggestion but without success. was able to watch the cricket all afternoon on Satanta but when i switched over to another channel the box switched itself off. it switched back on again but froze when i tried to play back a recorded programme and the guess what? it switched itself off again. this matter will only be resolved by taking legal action.
Have tried everything everyones said and not getting anywhere my box isnt doing any “blippi” lights or anything it just hums when plugged in any other advise please
Boo fucking hoo. Never heard such ridiculous, pathetic comments in my life. Sure, I own one of these set-top boxes, and the procedures don’t work. Compensation? For a recording? You’ve got to be joking. Why on earth would a hardware manufacturer compensate the customer for a recording of a programme they receive and view for free? This is simply absolute greed.
Switch the TV off, and read a book. Go outside. Go meet up with friends.
Who ever left that comment at 12.33 should go out side too – probably spends too much time infront of the computer !!! ( At least I have an excuse I have just finished a late shift!)
Anyway have had to erase hard drive – library empty but look on the bright side 87% of hard disc space free now (until the next fault).
Its been a long few days but now it is back working. During the reset I disconnected all cables scarts and ariels.
THANKS THOMSON for your info on repairing box worked 1st time despite loosing all my unwatched programs. I have been using your boxs since they came on the market and i have brought hundreds and recomended your boxs many times. As im a tv engineer and i dont want to get a reputation and destroy my buisness through wrong guidence to others. This has been my only fault although i would say PLEASE THOMSON get this sorted out when you next send out upgrade info as id really hate to go elsewhere. GOOD COMPANY, GREAT BOX, DONT MAKE ANOTHER NAME FOR YOURSELFS OVER FAULTY SOFTWARE.
top up tv RUBBISH this should not happen.. i am sick of trying to fix it now am going to freesat good riddens TOP UP TV
Tried to re-boot box this morning before work but no luck. Thinking of going to Argos and getting a Bush model. Spent nearly three hours yesterday un doing cables, pressing in order on front panel etc NO LUCK also spent about 40 mins in total on mobile phone which has done my bill a lot of good spent evening watching dvd’s instead to calm temper. WHAT IS TOP UP TV GOING TO DO FOR IT’S CUSTOMERS?
This problem hit us on Monday as well, did the usual..pull out plug etc but to no avail. Phoned up yesterday and got a message to reformat (but would lose saved recordings)did this and it works now…. Pissed off that when I entered topup site that I could have tried the other option and the saved stuff could have been saved….Is this an annual problem with these people as there was a similar situation last year but I recieved a free month and a new box then
re top up tv as with other callers just got cut off after 20 minutes have tried both options nothing why arent top up tv doing anything or at least giving us some information even if its only to tell us to move to sky get no box or better still listen to the radio oh sorry cant do that cant switch the box on
SHITE TOP UP TV shite top up tv
As most people my box would not operate on Sunday. Got very frustrated trying to speak to someone for help. The web & recorded advice does not work. BUT THIS DOES and you don't lose your library.
Un plug for 20 secs then re connect & keep pressing on/off then when you see the light press Menu then OK, wait for a minute & hopefully you're up and running
Does anybody know if Top up Tv bosses read these comments? and by listing to us ‘THE PAYING CUSTOMERS’ will they get the hint that all’s not well with their rotten boxes and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?
top up tv are a typical buisness which seem to exist evrywhere now. ie, they know that what they offer is naff and are just trying to milk the last penny out of all of us saps who are still paying for it. Extra box’s in case we miss some downloads!!!. Dont make me laugh! Your shelves are heaveing with them ‘cos people are getting wise and you cant shift them.
this is my second topup tv box I returned the first one whilst still under guarantee luckily my second box is also still under guarantee so guess where that one is going but it will be for a refund this time I am so not happy with the thought of losing my recorded favourites some of which I still havn’t watched
what utter crap have tried everthing they said about a dozen times und still no joy have tried phoneing constanley from sunday either get some stupid music or just get cut off subs now canceled
It wouldn’t work if we tried it as soon as we plugged the machine in. Ours kept rebooting itself, we waited until it turned its self off then did the instructions and it worked.
have tried all the advice but to no avail had nothing but trouble since buying this box we are so sick of it we are going back to sky at leastyou can talk to sky when theres a problem
Go to TopUpTV web site, click HELP CENTRE and follow instructions for – ‘what to do if you have a solid amber light’ using the MENU and OK buttons. I tried this three times and it worked on the third attempt. Reverts software to version 2.99 but works none the less.
I have to say that this is my first problem in the 5 months I have had the box and I am more than happy with it.
Ian S
Spent last 3 days doing all suggested. Gave up.Came home from work tonight Seems to now work AND has kept recordings.
Good
i had to try quite a lot of times, but the ‘Menu’ ‘OK’ solution worked in the end – and i kept my library
Followed 'solid amber light' advice i.e. menu & ok and have got tutv back up with full library. Thanks ever so much. I was about to reformat and am soooo pleased I didn't. Kids will be happy they still have their saved programs. Cheers….
Brilliant! This suggestion worked first time – kids will think me a technical genius. Loss of recorded programs nothing compared to riot if babysitter could not watch George Clooney return to ER tomorrow night!
I’ve tried everything that everyone has offered on many forums, and nothing works.
If a car repair garage breaks into your car in the night, fiddles around with your engine, and leaves it in a state where you cannot start it in the morning, you’d have a case for compensation. Why is this so different? Someone tell me . . .
.
Hi there! I had the same problem over the bank holiday weekend with the box locking up. tried the advice given in number one and it worked. It took a little bit of time to correct the fault, but I did it. The advice was right, it really is all in the timing to restore to working order. So please folks! dont be disheartened. keep at it and you will get it sorted. It really does work.
Glad that some people are back on. HOWEVER caution. I tried to delete an old programme from the library & guesss what, the box locked up again, not usual. So un plug and back in again and the box won't come out of stand by again. So had to go through option one again. It took three goes, but working. Best to leave well alone while its working. Its never boring being a TUTV Customer(soon defecting to sky)
Box still not working, when i managed to talk to a human being, (after waiting 22 minutes on the phone) even the customer rep said that it sounded as though my box would not un lock as I had spent nealy 3 afternoons and evenings after work to fix the box,since Monday, so I am getting a replacement box sent out on Monday(I HOPE)
I also have had a problem with ‘amber light’.
Could not get through to help center…..@ 10p per minute dreading phone bill.
Did get a reply to my e-mail and after carrying out instructions the box works but every top up TV download has been removed as it was ‘corrupt’UHggggg.
This is socking and I’ll be interested to see if ‘Watch dog’ take it up.
i am unable to do what is asked as i am an old person what help is going to be given to old and disabled people who can not do this for there selfs who also cannot pay to have an engineer comein to fix it i ask the people on top up who answer the phone are not very help full.from pissed off
i thought i was the only one to have problem reeding all the comments i to am ringing sky today and canceling my subscription
After reading your letters we tried the On/Off button (on the remote) over and over again, then the menu button and OK and guess what, it worked after nearly five days of lock-off. Feel we should be entitled to a refund of one month for all the agro it has caused. Be Sky TV next time
im allways having trouble with my box.me and my kids getin fedup with it.somtimes we dont even get anythink downloaded.its allways crashing and have to keep turning it off by the plug.just getin tired of it.its not fair.
Me too folks but got a replacement box type DTI6021 today from Argos that ran up and tuned in very quickly. All usual freeview progs back now. Just one tiny problem – cannot record any of them since damned box has no hard drive!!! Also very old version of software for TUTV. Simple solution – back to Argos tomorrow and demand a full refund.
Best of luck to all.
FED UP WITH THE WHOLE AFFAIR
ISLE of WIGHT
Well, as i said on Tuesday, I followed the advice, eventually got there with number 2 and lost all recordings. could have been worse I thought …. it was. Have had nothing on top up tv since thne. Have re inserted card, turned box off – if it will let me! even that isn’t working. Won’t record. Won’t pause while in live tv. Essentially, as I have freeview on telly this is no use whatsoever at the mo.
Emailed topuptv and they sent reply telling me that if it was freezing up to do as the beginnng of this thread says, so obviously haven’t read my e-mail.. So now I am paying for something that I don’t get. Have had box 2 months and don’t know how to get refund – bought off top up web site – wish I’d gone to Tesco! And have no idea how to cancel direct debit!
Surely it’s got to be easier than this!
Fed up with the whole thing now ….
I have had the same problem as many here – it started on 03/05/09.
First problem I have had with the box.
Tried all the different fixes numerous times to no avail.
TUTV have just delivered a new box today – didnt even bother collecting the old one so I presume they are confident its completely knackered.
When I finally got through to TUTV I was told that it was a corrupted download to change ‘living’ to ‘home’ which has caused the problem. The guy I spoke to said he was aware of over 40,000 people being affected.
Thats a lot of replacement boxes !!!!
I went back to SKY for a few days with my old box – just the basic channels – its crap compared to freeview to be honest I am going to perservere until SKY realise they are ripping us all off – I have loads of mates who have ditched SKY in favour of the freeview service
Yes same thing orange light, only the last resort got the box working again so all recordings lost. But then the screen kept freezing only to completely pack up the next morning with a black screen telling me no aerial signal. Funny how when I plug in my old £12.99 freeview box it works fine and so do the TV’s UHF basic channels, just can’t record anything! Off to Argos today to get my money back and buy a Humax PVR9300T HDD Twin Tuner recorder(Brilliant Reports!),with a CAN slot for Pay TV i.e.Sentanta Sports. Spoke to Top up TV this morning, apparently the Top up TV card doesn’t work in this CAN slot and they won’t sell you the card seperately so gave them a chance but it looks like bye bye Top up Tv, your loss not mine!
Finally got booted up again by moving the box near plug so could press the on/off button and continue when switching on, then menu ok as soon as red light up. Had me worried cos it then went three coloured lights flashing green then back to solid red but could tell by the sound it was booting. Left it alone for one hour and hey got the green light. Have still got all my recordings too. Don’t give up hope, folks!
I tried the menu o.k. method to restore the box. It worked after a few attempts but then when I removed the power the box just failed again. Back to the amber light.
Ebventually did the up down left right method to wipe the box clean. Has been working fine since. Did a channel scan immediately afterwards and full 14 day EPG restored with series links (but that took 24 hours – leave box on standby on chanel 5 between 9-12 a.m. for the series link EPG to be restored)
Tried for 3 days to get it out of stand by mode as per instructions on their Web site – no luck Eventually contacted them. Was informed that there is a fatal error with this apparatus and they are sending me a replacement.
The box was working fine up until the digital signal in our area of Devon was changed.
Keitmarg
I have cancelled my subscription and top up tv is very fast to take £14.99 from my visa. when I phoned for the second time to topup(25 minutes of waiting per call) I was informed I have to pay 30 days rental for cancelling my sub. My box is still on perm standby orange light. The other reason I want to quit is having to watch repeats on repeats on old films.
Top Up TV is going bankrupt nest month…Thomas Chan.
Got my box to work by using the up down left right technique – remembering to press the standy button on and off until the light appears. This worked first time – tried the menu+ok method prior to this – gave up after half a dozen attempts.
hard drive is wiped, but at least it’s working again. For now.
Glad to read i’m not the only one who suffers from lock-ups, corrupted recordings, missed recordings (this happened more frequently in the run up to the bank holiday)etc etc.
misery loves company, right?
tried the first solution did not work so tried the second option this one worked lost programmes in library but not bothered about that at least the box is now working thanks for the advice top up tv
totally fed up with trying to fix this pain in the…..!the box is now sounding like it’s on the boil all the time even to the point of disturbing the dog.please sort the problems out.we are paying for nothing!
DON’T RE-FORMAT!!!!
Having been away on holiday, only to find my Thomson box had crashed and refused to re-boot, I found the following information which works. Don’t go to the extreme of re-formatting your drive and losing all your programmes as this works. You will have to be a little patient as it seems for a while to not be working, but after a wait, the red light will return, rather than the horrible, stubborn orange light! Here goes: –
What to do: if you have a solid amber light If the power light on the box will not change from solid Amber to solid Red then it is possible that a problem has occurred with the current in use software. Before attempting a fix, power the box off and on at the power socket and then wait at least 5 minutes for the solid RED lamp to appear.
If it still remains solid Amber and the box will not come out of standby to ON (Green light) then this can be corrected using the software revert procedure which is done using the box front panel buttons as follows:
1. Remove power to the unit by removing the power cable from the back of the box.
2. Wait 20 seconds and then restore the power cable while pressing the standby button repeatedly on the front panel of the box.
3. Release the standby button immediately when you see a lamp flash on the box’s front display, and then immediately press the following front panel arrow buttons in this sequence:
– Menu
– OK
Note: you have to do this quickly and in sequence
4.The Orange light will flash and the STB will then reboot and should return with the previous version of software.
5. The box will now be running with the previous software version but it will automatically update with the latest version within approx 2 hours and you will be notified by message which will appear in the Message area within the Main Menu.
If you’re still having problems please call 08444 159 159 and a member of the Technical Team will be happy to help.
I wanted to say something but when I read everybody’s comments here, it’s already been said: the anger and frustration; been there like everyone else.
I’ve thought of taking my box back to Argos, where I bought it, for a refund, but as it’s now working all right, after following the instructions for the recomended fix, I think I’ll give Thompson one last chance to sort this cock up out, if only for their remaining customers hanging in there.
Therefore, I think Thompson TopUp TV should give everyone affected by this calamity and upset a month’s free subscription as compensation for their mistake, along with an unreserved apology and a reassurance that they’ve got it sorted once and for all (until next time). That way, if they’re lucky and as really bothered about it as their loyal customers are, they might still be in business this time next year. What about it Thompson!? Do we sack you or do you listen to your customers?