# freeview box control



## mpooley (Jun 4, 2002)

Hi I am trying to set up my TV with a freebie virgin media freeview box called a "Vbox"
everything is working ok except i cant change the channels from my tivo - 

Now i've looked at the setup and you only have the choice of a satelite input. so i looked down the list of satelite boxes and of course there is no Vbox! 

so what do i do now please?

Update I have since found the 2 Freeview setups on the menu and have tried both but none of the options seem to work?


thanks

Mike


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## BigH (Jan 8, 2008)

I set mine up last week, and I'm pretty sure there is a cable option, which then gives you VMedia option

I think the code to control the channel changes is 24450 - no leading zeros


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Read the instruction manual again perhaps.

Don't wish to sound rude but this is basic stuff no one else seems to have struggled with.

If you haven't got one you can read it at www.uk.tivo.com/1.2.asp

And yes Virgin cable is definitely supported by Tivo. You need to re-run Guided Setup.


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## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

It's not a cable box, the OP has a "virgin media freeview box" which they give away with their top level ADSL Broadband service.

If the box looks like one of these http://www.garysargent.co.uk/tivo/stb.htm you might find the same code works.
You can try all the codes under the Freeview manufacturer.

If that fails there is always the route here to get the codes added
http://www.garysargent.co.uk/tivo/stb-unsupported.htm


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Although why anyone would waste their money on the top cost level of a bottom quality level ADSL provider is obviously another matter...

www.thinkbroadband.com and www.ispreview.co.uk are the places to go to discover who offers a decent quality broadband service that does not run at snailspace in the evenings.

As a worst case the OP can obviously get himself a supported Freeview box as a reasonable one only costs £25 to £30. The Wharfedale 832BN from Argos has previously been widely mentioned as a good supported box by Tivo. And it only costs just over £20.


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## mpooley (Jun 4, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Although why anyone would waste their money on the top cost level of a bottom quality level ADSL provider is obviously another matter...
> 
> www.thinkbroadband.com and www.ispreview.co.uk are the places to go to discover who offers a decent quality broadband service that does not run at snailspace in the evenings.
> 
> As a worst case the OP can obviously get himself a supported Freeview box as a reasonable one only costs £25 to £30. The Wharfedale 832BN from Argos has previously been widely mentioned as a good supported box by Tivo. And it only costs just over £20.


Your suggestions of "read the manual" and "buy a new set top box" because i'm obviously a very stupid person for subcribing to virgin adsl are all very helpfull.

Yes I'll throw a perfectly good freeview box away without asking for help thats a good idea! helps to fill the landfill up.

Im sorry i bothered you - but perhaps next time as your time is so valuable you will just ignore my posts


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mpooley said:


> Your suggestions of "read the manual" and "buy a new set top box" because i'm obviously a very stupid person for subcribing to virgin adsl are all very helpfull.


Perhaps you caught me at a bad moment and I apologise if you took my comments the wrong way. I know that if you join a forum and immediately post with little knowledge the responses can seem intimidating. But did you think of searching the forum or looking at other threads first?

As to Virgin Media I accept that like TalkTalk they have a horribly powerful marketing machine. Their cable broadband service is not bad at all and quite good value but unfortunately their ADSL broadband service in non cable areas is not any good because they are trying to squeeze the most profit out of it and have paid the underlying ADSL provider for the lowest level of service.

You would be entitled to demand your MAC code and leave without penalty under Trading Standards legislation on the basis that their service is "Not Fit For The Purpose". I hear that Virgin are generally not contesting this.

As to supported set top boxes you have to accept that Tivo is a legacy product and if you get hold of the very latest set top Freeview box it may not be supported by Tivo without going through a lot of hassle to get it supported.


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## ...coolstream (Dec 10, 2005)

mpooley, I'm sorry that you have encountered Pete77's reply and hope that you soon get some useful feedback and a solution to your problem.

Pete77, your reply _*was*_ rude and unwarranted. Although there was a degree of information in your posts, it was presented in a manner that has tainted this thread with your well-known vitriole.

No matter what level of knowledge we have of tivo, I believe that there is room to learn more, and this forum provides an excellent way of sharing this information.

I personally don't want to have to have to filter out flak from facts. So if at all possible could you modify the tone you sometimes adopt in your replies and perhaps we'll all be able to share the knowledge better?


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## BigH (Jan 8, 2008)

sorry - didn't realise VM issued non-cable boxes

mpooley - what's the speed with their ADSL? - curious, as I'm not that crazy with the shaping on their cable broadband, and maybe looking to change (although the thought of leaving cable broadband does fill me with dread)


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

I have even seen ozsat at times tell people that they would find the answer to a very basic question in the FAQs.

I think I showed in another post about satellite reception and Tivo in Cyprus only today that I am willing to go the extra mile to help people with finding information for them that is not common knowledge.

However in this case the initial post was made in such a way that it was always likely to prompt the "haven't you looked at the instruction manual yet" type response and I did even provide a link to those in case they were not available to the user.

In general when I have had disagreements with people on here it is caused by divided deeply held points of view and I have a long record of providing helpful responses to Newbies who are stuck on straightforward technical matters.

All I can say is that knowing internet forums as I do that the original question posted in 95&#37; of internet forums in the way that it was would also be likely to encounter that slightly terse form of response there too from many of the longstanding members.

If a person starts off by saying "chaps please help me and I freely admit in advance that I'm a complete IT illiterate and technophobe so forgive me for this undoubtedly dumb question" then somehow they will always get away with it and people will rush around to help.

As always with internet forums it is not just what is said but how it is said that tends to matter. Again the OPs response of saying he doesn't see why he should have to replace a perfectly good Freeview box is one quite likely to nark the established forum members. It is almost as though he thinks he has a god given right to any old Freeview box working with his Tivo. But I also feel that if we say if he sends his box's remote off to a Tivo owner with a Pronto and they read the codes and send them to Gary (assuming Gary still has the time) to be added to the next Tivo update of supported box codes that we may well get the response that this is too complicated and too much like hard work. Well there is a solution of spending only &#163;20 or so on a supported box but the OP doesn't seem to like that either. After all they could always sell the Virgin Freeview box on Ebay or to a friend who is not using it with a Tivo

I did also then apologise if in any way I went OTT in my first response. However to be honest coolstream I do think you are also going a little OTT in your own response perhaps because it is I and not someone else who made those comments.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

BigH said:


> sorry - didn't realise VM issued non-cable boxes
> 
> mpooley - what's the speed with their ADSL? - curious)


Oh the Virgin cable service is miles better than the Virgin ADSL service which is widely reported to be in the same league as TalkTalk broadband for evening download speeds. That is at walking or 56k modem pace. They are also very aggressive about cutting speeds for anyone who starts downloading any amount of films etc.

I considered Virgin because of the cheap price as a migrater to them of £10 per month for allegedly unlimited downloads a few months ago until I read the various internet forums and considered the 12 month contract.

See http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=virgin_adsl


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Pete - your response was rude and unjustified. I'm actually quite shocked that you'd present our community in this manner. We all get tarred with your brush.

Also you claim that the OP was a newbie. Their join date was 2002. They're more of a TiVo fan than you with your tardy Aug 2006 join date.


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> However in this case the initial post was made in such a way that it was always likely to prompt the "haven't you looked at the instruction manual yet" type response


Just to add - I believe 'we' pride ourselves on being more approachable than other forums. 'The other place' is not nice for simple questions for example.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

ColinYounger said:


> Their join date was 2002.


Which to be honest makes my reaction to the initial question all the more forgiveable.

Ok I accept I may have gone a little OTT but if some of you weren't looking for any possible avenues to now bash me (and I know how tribal and mob behaviour works and that is precisely what is going on here) then I know my response would not have then been jumped on in the way it has.

To reiterate if the original poster had started off with "I love watching tv and what Tivo can do for me there but I always find technology a bit threatening so despite having owned my Tivo for nearly 6 years I'm still finding changing the current set up a bit difficult" then all one's motivations to be helpful in spite of the lack of knowledge shown would have come to the fore.

If you like the OP is may be a bit too much like me in his posting style which is perhaps why there has been a clash here. Indeed his responses rathers showed that he was exactly like me!


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Pete - Give it out but can't take it, eh? 

I am not jumping on the 'bash Pete' bandwagon your paranoid personality has invented. I was genuinely shocked at the reply you gave on behalf of the people here. Would Automan respond like that? AMc (oh, no he didn't)? Even your hated nemisis 'the_hut'? No. We all want people to enjoy their TiVo.

Considering you quite happily post in the image request thread suggesting how people can upgrade, quite happily post on how someone can get their Sky box working, and other threads in the same vein I find your excuse of 'they asked for it because of the way they posted' unbelievable. Your justification of 'they should preface with a 600 word beg for help' is also *NOT* the way 'we' work here (others feel free to correct).

Look back at your first reply. Consider how it would feel to receive it when asking about TCL programming.

Now consider my thanks for driving someone away from here using our name.


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## ...coolstream (Dec 10, 2005)

> I did also then apologise if in any way I went OTT in my first response. However to be honest coolstream I do think you are also going a little OTT in your own response perhaps because it is I and not someone else who made those comments.


After I had made my post, I saw that you had made yours and do acknowledge that you had somewhat apologised for the abruptness of your reply. I didn't acknowledge it immediately because I didn't want this thread to turn into something that could, in the heat of the moment, be construed as another Pete77 bashing.

Now that you have had some time to cool down and consider how perhaps this could be avoided in the future, can I end my input on the matter with a quote that I am sure you cannot fail to agree with:



Pete77 said:


> As always with internet forums it is not just what is said but how it is said that tends to matter.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

ColinYounger said:


> Consider how it would feel to receive it when asking about TCL programming.


A poor analogy as that is a very legitimate kind of enquiry that certain regulars in this forum have repeatedly shown they are very keen indeed to assist with and encourage.

But the question today seemed to show a basic lack of appreciation of how the different types of STB program source can feed a Tivo after several existing years of Tivo use. That was why it was then poorly recieved by me.


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## mpooley (Jun 4, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> But the question today seemed to show a basic lack of appreciation of how the different types of STB program source can feed a Tivo after several existing years of Tivo use. That was why it was then poorly recieved by me.


Yes your right i admit it after years and years of owning and loving my tivo and having it on exactly the same setup as originally installed - I havn't studied the manual constantly funnily enough because it has all worked in the main without a hitch.
I apologise unreservedly for my lack of appreciation of how the different types of STB program source can feed a Tivo. 
Im ashamed of myself for asking a question on here which I should have known the answer to.

of course forums like this are maintained by people just like yourself i expect who hate to get questions which they feel the stupid bugger asking them has no right to ask because they should already know the answer!
from the number of your posts i imagine you helpfully point this out as often as you possibly can . To your great credit im sure.

please dont bother answering this as I really hate to waste your time you being so important and all.
and i assure you in future ill sort out out all my problems myself without asking here.

Tart!


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## Elijay (Dec 26, 2007)

I've owned a Tivo since 2001 & it was set up by someone else to work with a Sky digibox. I ditched the subscription last year & then didn't like the choice available on Freesat. 

I didn't want to pay someone to do it for me so I came to this forum looking for help in setting up my Tivo to work with a Wharefdale Freeview STB. I was glad that Pete77 suggested reading the manual (RTFM). Dooh! Why didn't I think of that?

BTW I'm 64 & female. I don't mind boasting that I've done it & everything is fine. Yay!!


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Elijay said:


> I've owned a Tivo since 2001 & it was set up by someone else to work with a Sky digibox. I ditched the subscription last year & then didn't like the choice available on Freesat.
> 
> I didn't want to pay someone to do it for me so I came to this forum looking for help in setting up my Tivo to work with a Wharefdale Freeview STB. I was glad that Pete77 suggested reading the manual (RTFM). Dooh! Why didn't I think of that?


What did you miss on Freesat that is available on Freeview then? E4, More4, Sky Sports News, TMF, The Hits, UK History or Virgin One (formerly FTN)? What about all the extra news channels and free movie channels on Freesat that are not on Freeview.

Are you aware you can have the best of both worlds by having a dual Freesat and Freeview setup if you have a Freeview box that can provide a conventional aerial signal to your television instead of only providing one via a Scart lead. Then you can have all the FTA channels that are available.


> BTW I'm 64 & female. I don't mind boasting that I've done it & everything is fine. Yay!!


Its good to hear that you have sorted this out. I am about to try and teach my mother how to work a Tivo and she is 73. So wish me luck, although she does have a computer and use email and browse the internet quite successfully.

I notice you only have one post under this forum id so can I assume your first enquiry was under another ID and perhaps you have mislaid that password?

Never listen to the security nutcases who tell you that you should use a different password for everything. Use the same password for everything apart from your internet bank, which you should use a different password for.


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Hey Elijay - hello from Southsea! <waves north>


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