Picture Pixelation.

Pixellated pictures on live TV are often the sign of a signal fault. If you've rebooted your box once, then there's likely a fault somewhere, so this will need VM to intervene. You're likely to need either an engineer visit or a replacement box, depending on what VM's remote diagnostics turn up. The area code is a billing code and is immaterial for fault-finding.

First check the automated faults line for any existing issues in your area that could be the cause: 0800 5610061. If nothing's reported, assume VM don't know about your fault and ideally you'll need to call them.

150 from a VM phone, 0345 4541111 from any other phone - choose the options for "I have a fault with my TV service". Alternatively you can wait on here for staff to respond, which may take a day or so.

Hi Dan123456789 

Welcome back to the community forums 

Sorry to hear you're having issues with pixelation when watching TV. 

Do you get the same issues when watching your TV another means like when watching a DVD or when using 'freeview' rather than our set top box?

Double check the cabling and HDMI from the set top box and the TV to ensure this is secure, and if so and you're still seeing the same issue, are you able to check another HDMI to see if this resolves the issue?

Hi Carley.

Thanks for your reply. I've checked the leads and cables, and they are all plugged in and snug. The pixelating does not happen on Freeview, only on Virgin Media sadly.

A better test is whether you get picture breakup or pixellation on streaming or OnDemand services.

If you have a signal fault, these should be unaffected.

HI Jadpitts,

Thank you for your reply.

The pixelation has got better over the last ten days as two things have changed. Whether this is coincidence or causal I do not know, however -

1. Next door (I live in a terrace) had 4 large leylandii trees (approx 20m high) chopped down that were about 5 meters from my property. I wonder if these could have affected signal quality?

2. Every night I switch the box off at the power socket so it reboots every time I use it.

Streaming and on demand services were not blighted with pixelation.

VM's TV boxes are designed to be left connected 24/7 with power-saving options available. Powering off overnight is storing up problems sooner or later, be it missed updates or (IMO) unnecessarily constant resetting of equipment.

VM's cables are normally underground or at surface level - I don't see tree chopping have any impact.

OnDemand & streaming use the internet so are affected differently by service issues.