Top Up TV Box Lockups

More troubles for Top Up TV users…

It seems that over the Bank Holiday weekend, something happened that affected users of a number of Thomson Top Up TV Anytime boxes.

The Thomson DTI 6300 hard-disk recorders appear to be failing to start up – showing an orange light. Attempts to reboot the boxes don’t seem to resolve the problem.

It seems that there was a problem with the EPG download on the morning of Sunday 3rd of May.

Top Up TV’s site offers some advice on the problem, but their suggested fix is to format the hard drive, losing all previously recorded programmes. This is obviously not an ideal solution.

You’ll find discussion on this problem on our sister site’s forum at http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?board=topuptv

Check out our mid-May podcast for the latest on this story (link below)

33 comments

  • it seems problem by problem with the system lately

  • Heather King

    My Thompson box has been locked on orange or flashing since saturday evening 2nd May l cannott get through to top up tv on the phone l have been ringing continually since saturday evening l even tried for 35minutes non stop at 8 0n sunday morning a lot of the time you just get cut off its looking like the time has come to go elsewhere no point in paying for something you don`t get and bad service.

  • Tony Gibson

    My Thompson box has been locked since 3d May, its been trying to start as it keeps going through the start up sequence itself, on the whole it has been nothing but trouble since the day we got it two to three years ago, though a lot more expensive I am seriously considering going for cable now.

  • dave triccas

    i have tried to sort my box out but it just does not work want a new one and credit for the no use

  • LENNY CARROLL

    I have tried all procedures as suggested on the Internet, but sadly to no avail, I tried alll afternoon ringing anyone on toup tv to explain that the thompson box is not working, but I could not get through to speak to someone, either they have all gone to sleep, or they were ingnoring my call. I want some advise how long will it take to retify this promblem, or do they eally care about there customers as I would like a strieght answer

    Lenny from Bridgwater

  • Bob King

    Re the orange blinking light problem on the Thompson /TopUp TV box if we have no choice but to reformat the disc how will this be done? Will all boxes need to be sent back to TopUp or can this be done on line?
    If returned will this be free of charge?

  • margaret gosney

    actually go through to top up tv – asked for refund tol no – they had already taken my money still cannot get top up tv to work done what they told me to do several times over what next? and what happens when analogue tv switches off?

  • Marie Sherwood

    Had nothing but trouble from day one (about 2/3 years ago) tv freezes, jumps, corrupts itself, not taping,this weekend just nothing at all only orange light, tried to ring but no-one answers done what it is telling you via internet still nothing, I want a new box (free of charge) plus monthly payment free of charge by way of compensation.

  • melanie jane

    TOP UP TV is rubbish….i am sick to death of trying to fix this standby fault…come on TOP UP get your finger out and sort it now….

  • Jon

    Hi all, i tried the same crap that was on top-up tv website for hours, but below is a way that works and is not what there say, there idiot’s!!!!!!!

    1. disconnect the power from the box
    2. reconnect the power to the box
    3. at the same time as you reconnect the power, press the front-panel standby button repeatedly
    N.B. the amber light will stop flashing and appear ‘steady/solid’ quickly after this
    4. as soon as the amber light goes steady/solid, press the following sequence of front-panel buttons in brisk succession within 6 seconds:

    Up, Down, Left, Right.

    It does work!!!!

  • Marrion

    I have taken steps to contact the owners Access Industries as this is all I could find on the web. It is disgusting that for 3 days (more for others) that we have not had a service that is being paid for. I pay for topuptv, picture box and setanta and I cant watch anything – it is appauling service and I have asked for a replacement box free of charge via email because no one is taking calls at the center – the email reply is the same as the help page on the web something fishy seems to be going on and if I dont have a reply very soon I will cancel the direct debit which is what I advise all of you to do as they are simply taking the money for nothing – I call that being robbed!

  • Bob King

    If anyone finally gets through to Topup TV and gets any useful update on position could they put info on this site please?

  • allan

    i have try to get in contact with this people but with no luck only get arecorded message saying it will take upto 50min to talk to sum one bloody joke isit not.ave also try by email but not luck there aswell.

  • Ben

    I got mine to work following the information currently on the TopUpTV website. It took a few goes to get my technique right, but after that it worked. I’m just scanning for channels. I know people were saying that the info on the site didn’t work, but they may have changed it or something now, because it’s working fine for me.

  • steve clifford

    the post above from jon has the answer to your problems. I am unaffected by this problem because luckily for me I was on holiday and switched the box off. However I have continuously had my picture freezing and jumping. I changed from the tompson box to a luxor and still have the same problems.I manged to contact them yesterday and cancel my subscription. I am going to sky who have given me a brand new sky+ box for free with free installation. the boxshould have been 49 quid but I kept on at them until they gave me it for nothing.. try it and see..

  • Marie Sherwood

    Box still not working, no reply email from top up tv, we have tried to rectify by doing what it says but still nothing. I am thinking of cancelling direct debit because they are taking money and not delivering a service. So come on top up tv when can we expect the problem to be solved or have you gone under.

  • ALAN MAKIN

    TOP UP TV,what a waste of money.Picture freezes,,jumps,same problems as everybody over weekend,load of crap.Going back to SKY,cost more,but worth it.Everybody should do the same,cancel topuptv asap.

  • kev

    cancelled my direct debit this morning to top up tv and sky plus being installed on tuesday i wonder if theres any chance of getting my 100 pounds back that i paid argos for the top up recorder machine

  • suzan cowell

    Dear top up tv,

    shame on you not dealing with these faults pull your finger out
    and do something, be different help these people or everybody will
    pull out and your jobs will be no more.

  • suzan cowell

    ps and we are now cancelling our direct debit

  • davy mulholland

    didnt waist time with topup tv phoned asda who i bought the box off got an upgrade on the box i had its working fine

  • Helen

    i have given up on trying to get my box to work and have asked topuptv to cancel my subscription with immediate effect and will direct my bank to do the same at the end of the month before the next payment is due

  • Debbie

    Our thompson box crashed at the weekend and we have just followed the instructions on top up tv website and it does work, we did actually cancel our subscription a few months back as all it downloads are repeats anyway. we are going back to sky soon.

  • Marie Sherwood

    Box still not working cancelled direct debit and having sky plus fitted next weekend.

  • Steve Woodjetts

    For those, like me, having trouble – I suggest the following:-

    1. Check the list of recorded programmes by moving the curser from the top recording down the list. If it stops BEFORE you reach the bottom of your list then re-boot, go back into your recording list, scroll down until you reach two or three recordings before it froze. The delete each of the following recordings. If you can delete the recording where the cursor became stuck, then the problem may be solved. (ours happened with Third rock from the sun)

    It appears that the day listing became corrupt. We had a day with no anytime recordings however some day 6 recordings appeared after day 5.

    Hope this helps some of you.

    PS we are going to Virgin

  • Shawn Moore

    No luck re-booting as per web instructions. I got through on the phone! a nice man talked through the problem and we agreed the box was dead. Then the bombshell 20 quid and I can have a new one!! 20 quid they killed my box! What about all the lost recordings? Top up TV my A**

  • Tony

    Clearly this is one anti TopUpTV website whos owners are obviously pro Sky…..TUTV is not in competition with sky but offers a totally different service…….ALL TV providers have had technical difficulties including Sky and BT vision……No box works harder than those from TUTV…..The present situation with TUTV is that the box is getter better all the time….reliabilty will be an issue with ANY new piece of Technology.

  • margaret gosney

    top up tv replaced my box today for a change it paid to keep onto them.

  • Rob

    Please go into help and advice I did and there is a vidio showing you how to fix ur box. Mine has been down since May bank Holiday foolishly went out and got another one cheaper one but when I saw the vidio was able to fix my old one which is only 14mts old. Be patient as it took me a while to do it through trial and error but got it out of standby…Hope this helps…Apparently Thomson put a corrupted disc in the top up..they have apologised for doing this but that is no help when u rang them and got no answer …..

  • after getting my thompson box to work, i now have tge problem of the picture freezing. top up told me it was the scsrt leads, having the box connected to a video when i saID everything was ok
    before the trouble on may 4thm they said scart leads cab gi at abt time i have renewed my scart leads, arial wfires, and bought a arial booster, all a waste if time. i loved my top up box but i m afraid it is on the way out.

  • h.thornton

    Its a load of biz. I have to put telly on hours in advance just in case I’m having to faff about with it. Been faffing now with solid red light for an hour.

  • adrian

    Hi, I have been having all the problems that EVERYONE on here as been saying but my big bug bare is that the absolutley rubbish box keeps locking up so much so that it does it about 5 times in 10 minutes. I decided to contact the good people at Consumer Direct. I told them of the problem of it locking up and the fact that i have had THREE boxes replaced since 2006. They gave me the advice that top up tv (if you get to watch it) are in breach of contract under the supply of goods and services act. I did as they said and wrote to them (don’t bother with the email everyone they wont be of any help) i was told by the people on the email that my boxes were out of waranty so in order to get a new box i would have to enter in to a 12 month contract (as if i am going to do that duh!!) or pay £49. Both of these boxes are REFURBISHED (THAT IS ALL THAT THEY WILL GIVE YOU). I then decided that i had enough of their rubbish fob off lines and went above their head. I then wrote a letter to Neil Markham who is the C.E.O at their Kingston address sending it by recorded delivery. I told them that i wanted a reply within 10 days. About 8 days later i received a letter from Louise Burton who is the Customer Liason Officer at the Kircaldy Address saying that my complaint is being investigated. All along no matter who i have spoken to i have been told that i will get no refund whatsoever but lo and behold i get a telephone call from Louise Burton yesterday saying that i am now going to get my refund (i dont mean to be childish but… I WIN, I WIN). The reason i am telling all you good people this is i think it is about time that top up tv pay for all the times they have fobbed us all off and seriously frustrated us. I will provide anyone with both the company’s addresses should anyone want it and will tell you the details of what i said to them. Seems funny dosn’t it tell them you want a refund and get told no threaten legal action and all of a sudden you get a refund.

  • Paul

    I had the same problem as everyone else here at the beginning of May. I managed to contact top up tv after literally hours of trying – I was given various fixes and despite trying them all hundreds of times (honestly) over three days I failed to get my box to boot.
    I eventually lost it and had a proper rant on the phone – The guy I spoke to agreed to send me a new box which arrived the day after. They didnt even bother to collect the old one.
    Anyway me being me I refused to be beaten by the old box. I tried the format fix again – SECOND TIME IT WORKED!!! – I couldnt believe it after so many attempts.
    So I’ve now got two working boxes – RESULT

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