BT Vision box - Unable to scan for channels

[brymbo76]

I know this forum is supposed to be for YouView and not BT Vision, but it looks like this is the closest forum for me to post on as since I last used the forums, I see the BT Vision forum has been removed.

I don't know how many people still have a black BT Vision box like myself, but I still use mine for daily recordings.

But I've just noticed it doesn't seem to allow me to rescan the box for channels now.

I don't know if there is a fault on the box or if BT has simply stopped the feature for allowing you to rescan the box now.

It still updates with new channels but what I've found in the past and recently is that sometimes a new channel replaces one of my alternative ITV regions - Central on channel 800 so I used to have to rescan the channels to restore ITV Central as well as adding the new channel on an unused number.

But the recent addition of BBC Radio Cymru 2 to the EPG on my box has replaced ITV Central again on Channel 800 and as I now don't appear to be able to rescan the channels, I have lost ITV Central on the box and unable to restore it.

Can anyone tell me if they also are unable to rescan their BT Vision box anymore or could it just be a fault on mine?

I am going to replace the box with a new Freeview or YouView HD recorder box in a month or two but was just wondering what settings and features are now remaining on Vision boxes after all the On Demand, Catch-Up and HD IPTV services were removed and if I can retune it again? 

[Keith_Beddoe]

@brymbo76

Have you connected it to the Internet recently, and has it had the last firmware update that allows it to operate as a stand alone PVR and removes the message telling you to connect to the Internet?

I recently gave my youngest daughter an old Vision+ box, that used to belong to my eldest.

When I tested it beforehand, it had the old software that was used on the old platform, with the message to connect to the Internet.

I did this, and shortly after it said it was downloading new firmware. This took quite while, and it then it restarted.

I do not have a BT Vision account, so I think this is available to anyone.

About 10 minutes later, a totally new interface appeared, with no message about connecting to the Internet, in fact I think that part of it was disabled, as the LAN interface seems to do nothing now. Seems a good idea, as it saves the boxes being scrapped.

I then rescanned for channels, made a test recording, and it all worked fine as a PVR. The EPG comes from the transmitters, not the Internet.

What state is yours in?

[brymbo76]

I removed the Ethernet connection from it when BT stopped all the broadband services from it. I didn't think an internet connection was required to be plugged in after those services ended on BT Vision boxes. I will reconnect it tonight and see what happens and let you know if the problem has been resolved.

[Keith_Beddoe · Accepted solution]

Leave it connected, and you should get the firmware download.

[brymbo76]

Just to inform you I reconnected the lead and after leaving it a little while, I was able to rescan the channels.

Central has now been restored on 800. Radio Cymru 2 has now moved channel number. I think it may have replaced the main Radio Cymru but I'm not bothered about that as I don't speak Welsh even though I live in Wales and I'm Welsh! 

I have left the ethernet lead connected.

Thanks for your help.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Has it done the firmware upgrade yet, you should see a much simplified interrface?

If it has, then you can disconnect the Ethernet connection.

[brymbo76]

I did get the previous firmware upgrade before I had this retuning problem as the on screen messages telling me there was a problem with my subscription or telling me to connect the box to the Internet had stopped as previous to this tuning problem the box was displaying a simpler menu with less options. So it seems like I did have the latest firmware before having the tuning problem as the menu options are the same now after reconnecting the Ethernet as they were previously but it must have had some other upgrade or update by reconnecting the box to the Internet to resolve the tuning problem.

[Keith_Beddoe]

When I initially connected the spare box, it told me that I was using the wrong router, which is correct, as I do not use a home hub.

After the upgrade, that message went away, so I suspect that your`s may have already done that upgrade now. The main thing is that you now have a free PVR.