TV Drive remote disaster!!

[gstewart]

WHAT?!!! The TV Drive remote won't switch the TV on and off?!!!! Who the hell missed that one? I feel like crying ...

 

[unregistered us]

Titanic sinking... disaster!!
Asian tsunami... disaster!!
Remote wont control tv... mildly inconvenient!!

 

[gstewart]

Hmmmmm, let's see - I'm paying £10 extra per month, plus £5 extra for a minimum of 12 months, for a box with a remote that doesn't even have the same functionality as the BASIC box's remote! I would say that's more than a 'mild inconvenience' - it's downright stupidity on the remote designer's part. NTL got their original right; SKY got ALL theirs right; TV Drive ... pshhhh.

It's like giving a kid a battery operated toy for Christmas and not giving them the batteries to go with it. Sure you can buy batteries any time ...but the kid wants them RIGHT NOW!! At least you CAN buy batteries ... looks like I'm back with 2 remotes for my TV for the foreseeable future.

So disaster it is, thank you very much.

 

[TheFreeJaffa]

Hmmmmm, let's see - I'm paying £10 extra per month, plus £5 extra for a minimum of 12 months, for a box with a remote that doesn't even have the same functionality as the BASIC box's remote!

So disaster it is, thank you very much.

I can turn on and turn off (or put into standby) my old Pace box via the remote and I can do exactly the same thing with my TV Drive.

Unless you mean that the TV Drive remote won't turn the TV itself off - in which case, the old NTL remote didn't have this feature (and why should it? That's what your TV remote control is for).

 

[gstewart]

Unless you mean that the TV Drive remote won't turn the TV itself off - in which case, the old NTL remote didn't have this feature (and why should it? That's what your TV remote control is for).

Obviously you didn't get to the part in the remote manual where it tells you that by holding the * button and pressing the power key you can switch your television set on and off with the original blue NTL remote.

THAT'S why it was a great remote system - one remote for digital TV and all essential TV controls (power and volume). And why the new one stinks ... if they can make the new control turn the sound up and down, why didn't they think to add one little button combo that would turn the set on and off, thereby removing the need for the actual TV remote altogether?!

 

[TheFreeJaffa]

Obviously you didn't get to the part in the remote manual where it tells you that by holding the * button and pressing the power key you can switch your television set on and off with the original blue NTL remote.

Ah-ha! I've got a different remote then you, there's no * button on mine.

Here's what mine looks like:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41385000/jpg/_41385110_ntlremote_ntl.jpg

If you could switch off the telly on your old one, then I can understand your anger. Personally, I'll have NTL fix some of the basic functions on the TV Drive first (like non-frame skipping) before looking at stuff like switching the TV off - but that's just me.

 

[gstewart]

Can't you get one of the new remotes? Then you could turn your TV on and off with it too ... unlike me!!

What did you mean about 'non-frame skipping'? I don't think I've come across that yet. Although I did find out today (for the first time!) that my TV Drive, just installed on Friday, can't actually access On Demand yet! Grrrrrrr ...

Suppose I should have done my homework more thoroughly

 

[TheFreeJaffa]

Can't you get one of the new remotes? Then you could turn your TV on and off with it too ... unlike me!!

I didn't even know that there were different remotes for the old boxes until today , to be honest I can live with it.

What did you mean about 'non-frame skipping'? I don't think I've come across that yet. Although I did find out today (for the first time!) that my TV Drive, just installed on Friday, can't actually access On Demand yet! Grrrrrrr ...

See this thread at Digital Spy Forums about the frame-skipping bug:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=472802

...its bloody annoying, especially when you're watching football.

My On Demand is down too - but, when its back up, it will be better. AFAIK, NTL will be able to add content to VOD a lot faster then they do now. Plus, if you're on the Family Pack, then all of the TV Hits content will be free.

Still, not being able to watch 1 of 500 movies over Xmas is a bit of a bummer.

 

[gstewart]

Sure we've got Gremlins and James Bond to watch over Christmas ... again! And now that recording stuff with the TV Drive is so incredibly easy, Film4 is starting to earn it's keep too - I already have 2 or 3 films recorded!

 

[TheFreeJaffa]

Sure we've got Gremlins and James Bond to watch over Christmas ... again! And now that recording stuff with the TV Drive is so incredibly easy, Film4 is starting to earn it's keep too - I already have 2 or 3 films recorded!

Yep, despite its freezing and bugs, I love my TV Drive. Its amazing how much extra recording you can do with 2 tuners.

 

[JayCee]

Obviously you didn't get to the part in the remote manual where it tells you that by holding the * button and pressing the power key you can switch your television set on and off with the original blue NTL remote.

You have coded it with the make of your TV haven't you?

 

[gstewart]

You have coded it with the make of your TV haven't you?

Yep - have coded it for the TV ... but the TV Drive remote only controls the volume on the TV, not the power.

Bah humbug!!