Virgin Media Community

[jimc99]

Hello

I have a Virgin Tivo box and yesterday while I was in the TV menu setting a recording of a later programme the box suddenly froze completely - I waited for several minutes but nothing happened so I switched the box off at the wall socket to reboot it. When it was switched back on the following sequence of lights appeared on the front of the box -

Viewing the box from face on there was initially one green light on the left side and one red light on the right - these stayed on for 30 seconds and were replaced by two red lights (left side) and one red light on right side. These stayed on for 6 seconds and were replaced by a very quick flash of seven lights ( 3 - left; 4 - right) and then the whole "3 series of lights" was repeated endlessly with the box never coming to life. I have checked all the cables and I have rebooted the box many times both yesterday and today but the same result as previously described always happens but the box remains "dead".

Does this pattern of lights mean anything to anybody? I would be very grateful for any advice which would enable me to get my TV service up and running again. 

Thanks in advance

Kind regards

Jim Crichton 

[japitts · Accepted solution]

I think it's a safe bet your TiVo has died and you'll need to report it.

Either call in (150 from a VM phone or 0345 4541111 from any other phone) or VM staff should respond on here in a couple of days. 

They should arrange a tech appointment, who'll likely replace your box with a new V6. It runs the same TiVo software but is much quicker and newer - just uses your VM home broadband for the internet-based functions.

[jimc99]

Many thanks for your very prompt reply which confirms what I had feared that my Tivo box has died. Unfortunately I only have a TV service from Virgin with no broadband and therefore cannot have the new V6 box. I have had a couple of Tivo boxes fail in the past few years and, through the Virgin Community help forum, I have had replacement boxes sent to me. Contacting Virgin by telephone can be a very time consuming and frustrating process. Do you know if it is still possible to request a replacement box through this forum? 

Thank you again

Regards

Jim Crichton

[japitts]

As mentioned previously, VM staff should respond on this forum if you don't mind waiting a couple of days.

Your issue will be that TiVo's are no longer replaced, but are swapped for V6 which require VM home broadband - this is a technical requirement.

You may need to now make a decision whether to take a VM broadband connection with a new V6, or to source your pay-TV from another provider.

[jimc99]

Thank you again. I feared that this will happen. I will just wait for a response from VM staff. My contract is up in July and I am too old to take on a new broadband / TV contract - if my box cannot be replaced then hopefully Virgin will simply terminate my existing contract with no cost to me. Your input was very much appreciated.

Kind regards

Jim Crichton

[Carley_S]

Hi @jimc99 

Welcome back to the community forums. Sorry to hear that you're having issues with your Tivo set top box at this time. 

Does anything appear on the screen at all when the lights go through the sequence? If so, do you see any error codes or messages at all?

[jimc99]

Hello Carley

I am afraid that my TV screen remains totally black when when the lights on the Tivo box go through the 3 phase sequence as I described. There are no error codes or messages displayed.

Regards 

Jim

[Carley_S]

Thanks for getting back to me @jimc99 

I have requested emailed the area field manager to see if we can send out a replacement and the engineers do not carry them anymore and doesn't look like something I have been able to order through the systems at my side without a tech visit. Please join me on private message so I can confirm the details for you.  You can see your private messages at the top of the page, in the envelope icon.

[Carley_S]

Thank you for joining me on private message jimc99

Happy to hear this is all sorted for you now. Please let us know if you are having any further issues or have any questions at all. We'll be here to help on the community forums if needed :). 

[jimc99]

Thank you, Carley, for your valuable assistance.

Kind regard.

Jim Crichton