[silverman166]

I subscribed to Tiscali TV just before Christmas, and have been experiencing intermittent sound loss, but only when using the HDMI cable - SCART is OK.

Tech Support did their best, I got a new box, only to find the problem persisited. Only after several more calls was it suggested that I look at the TV settings/Video Output section, as a result of which I was eventually advised to "just use the HDMI-SD setting".

This setting gives satisfactory viewing with no loss of sound - on HDMI-HD setting, sound disappears intermittently for up to 2 minutes, and nothing I do can change it - it reappears after a while of its own accord. It can take anything up to an hour before it appears, and no engineer's going to hang around for that length of time.

So what will happen when I want to take full advantage of any HD content on the TV - viewing via HDMI-SD must degrade the HD experience, yet I am getting no satisfaction from TalkTalk on this?

[MK_Chris]

Hi silverman,

I was recently advised of a software update which has been released which should have resolved all HDMI relates issues, please PM your phone number (for the account) and TV make and Model and I can investigate further,

Kind Regards

Chris

[billinge]

I've had a thread running on Tiscali Forums TV support since December. The loos of sound over HDMI is not sorted, and is now really annoying after so many months.
Seems as if they're just ignoring it now, but they reassure me they are not. I'm not convinced though.

[MK_Chris]

Still got you on record via our forums - sorry if this is as yet unresolved - let me take a closer look today, I'll update via TT forums,

Best Regards

[billinge]

Thanks Chris,
it would be really good to finally get this one resolved, it has been going on so long now, and really takes the enjoyment out of watching tv, as we're always waiting for the next time there is a loss of sound.
It's a shame, because the offering from Tiscali/TalkTalk has such potential, I just hope there will be more investment, more channels, more on demand content, esp. as TalkTalk have signed up to Project Canvas.

It's really worrying to read some subscribers tales that they've been told by TalkTalk customer services that the tv package is no more. Please keep it going, and get ITV and Five signed up for on demand soon.

thanks
Billinge

[MK_Chris]

We always appreaciate some positive feedback, so thank you for that, with reference to your case, it is an odd one, and we're still looking into your issues - get back to you via your original thread,

regards

[James Allatt]

Hi I have the same problem. I got tiscali tv in Feb 09 and I have had various problems with the + box and had to have a modified box.

But when Tiscali updated there front end I started getting problems with the sound through the HDMI cable running full HD if I changes it to HDMI SD the sound problem dose not happen.

I have reported this problem on numerous occasions as the picture looks 10X better running at 1080I than the sd hd.

I dont think it is a hardware problem but a software problem but every support persion I speak too do not under stand me and just want to ship me a new box and I have now had 12 Boxes so it is not the box.

billinge what TV do you have because I have been looking on the internet and there seems to be a few people who have this problem and one other thread I cam accross had a sony TV and I have a Sony Bravia KD:40V300 so I dont know if the boxes don't like the tvs or not.

It is not the TV as I have has sky+ HD and did not have the problem as well as a 360 and ps3 with play TV and none of them have the problem with the sound and I have swapped ports and cables.

I think the same as billinge regarding tiscali/talktalk tv it is very good better than sky for what it offers and I hope they manage to get to the bottom of the problem soon so we can all enjoy the package the way it should be viewed.

[billinge]

Hi James,
my tv is an LG 32LG7000.
I also believe it has nothing to do with the tv, as my Humax Freesat HD box works fine with HDMI. It has to be a software issue, they just can't figure out what it is.
There can't be many people using HDMI, as there aren't that many people reporting the issue on the TTTV Support forum. Have you posted there? Go to the TalkTalk website and go to the support forums. The more people who report it there the more resources they may commit to resolving it.
They wanted me to switch to HDMI(SD) but I get a new problem, a split screen separated by a thick green line, and switching it back the image gets worse, with three images.
HDMI(SD) fault
HDMI(HD) fault
I wish they would just come out and say, sorry, HDMI does not work, instead of dragging it out saying they're trying to resolve it, but getting no where.
I don't want to go back to scart because of the drop in quality, which is why I've been sticking it out with HDMI, but the sounds breaks really are annoying after so long.
Keep us posted on how you go.
cheers
Billinge

[James Allatt]

Thank you for the reply I have now opened a call on the TTTVF and when I get a reply I will let you know.

I hope they do fix the problem as I really don't want to lose the tv service as I think its the best out there at the moment.

Thank You

James Allatt

[billinge]

I've had a look in the TT Forum and can't find your post.
Did you put it in Broadband and TV Support?
I was going to put a watch on it and see how it progresses. I've done this with several others, to check that I'm getting the same reports as others.

[James Allatt]

Sorry I just noticed I did not put a post up i only sent them an email. I have tried to regestor to put up a post but it is not letting me. This is the email I recived back this morning though and they are just telling me to use the SD HDMI side because there are no HD channels but that aint the fix to this problem as my ps3 up scales normal free view with out any sound problem.

They really ned to address this problem.

I am going to relply back later on today and ill let you know what they say.
James

Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sound Problems using HDMI cable


Discussion Thread
---------------------------------------------------------------
Response (Amit Kulkarni) - 31/03/2010 02.03 AM Dear Mr. Allatt,

Thank you for contacting TalkTalk TV Customer Support.

I understand from your email that the sound cuts out intermittently while watching TV.

I do understand the inconvenience this may have caused to you and I assure you that we will help you to resolve this issue to your satisfaction.

I would like to inform you that normally channels broadcast the contents in standard definition. Hence, if you set the settings to HDMI - HD then there must be problems with the picture and sound. However, if the program is in HD format then it will be displayed in the HD format as it is set to HDMI service, hence, to resolve the issue with the intermittent sound, you need to set the HDMI settings to HDMI SD.

The signals gets conflicted if it is set to HDMI HD as the broadcasting channels provide the service in standard definition and if the settings are set to HDMI HD, the frequency of the signals changes resulting in poor picture, sound quality.

I hope the above information will help you. Please feel free to contact us if you have any other issues. We will be happy to help you.


Kind regards,


TalkTalk TV Customer Relations

TalkTalk Group Limited
Registered in England and Wales No. 6534112 Registered Address: 11 Evesham Street, London, W11 4AJ

This email and its attachments are confidential and intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s).This email and its attachments may also be privileged or protected by legal rules. If you have received this by mistake please let us know by reply immediately and destroy the email and its attachments without reading, copying or forwarding the contents.

Auto-Response - 30/03/2010 11.23 PM
Thank you for your question, before submitting, please take a look at the suggested answers below to see if any of these answer your question:


Title: Managing your support email through the Knowledgebase
Link: http://support.talktalk.co.uk/cgi-bi...ted=1132750113

Title: Emailing Customer Support - Existing login
Link: http://support.talktalk.co.uk/cgi-bi...ted=1233326579

Title: Contacting us by Email
Link: http://support.talktalk.co.uk/cgi-bi...ted=1132747224

Title: Searching for help
Link: http://support.talktalk.co.uk/cgi-bi...ted=1132747270

Title: TV Engineer - IPTV Customer Documents
Link: http://support.talktalk.co.uk/cgi-bi...ted=1203781448


If none of the suggested answers help please click the button below.

Thank you.


Customer - 30/03/2010 11.23 PM
I got tiscali tv in Feb 09 and I have had various problems with the + box and had to have a modified box.

But when Tiscali updated there front end I started getting problems with the sound through the HDMI cable running full HD if I changes it to HDMI SD the sound problem dose not happen.

I have reported this problem on numerous occasions as the picture looks 10X better running at 1080I than the sd hd.

I dont think it is a hardware problem but a software problem but every support person I speak too do not under stand me and just want to ship me a new box and I have now had 12 Boxes so it is not the box.

The user billinge has the same problem as me and his tv isa LG 32LG7000 and I have a Sony Bravia KD:40V300 so it is not the TV make plus it is not my tv as I have has sky+ HD and did not have the problem as well as a 360 and ps3 with play TV and none of them have the problem with the sound and I have swapped ports and cables.

I think the same as billinge regarding tiscali/talktalk tv it is very good better than sky for what it offers and I hope they manage to get to the bottom of the problem soon so we can all enjoy the package the way it should be viewed.

I dont think being told to use HDMI SD is a fix for the problem but a work around until Tiscali/Talktalk fix the probelm.

Is it now possible some one can now look into the HD 1080I problem so we can all see tv the way it should be viewed through the +box.

James


[---001:003684:37301---]

[billinge]

We had an engineer out this morning, and my wife reports that he wanted to replace the box, but I told her this should not happen as we have too many recordings that would be lost. We only found out about the appointment last night off the forum, so didn't have time to copy anything off to another medium or watch everything.
The engineer came, wanting to replace the box, but was persuaded by my good lady wife that that was not an option.
He tried the box and got the sound cut-out on HDMI, but also on Scart which I'd not experienced before.
He said the picture issue was down to the resolution of the tv which would need time to set itself, or a box re-boot, well I've tried this and it still did not work.
He tweaked our broadband settings as he thought it might be a bit slow and causing sound cut-outs, but I can't see this being the problem, as recordings are fine, even the bits where there is silence when viewed while recording.
He suggested we keep an eye on it for a week or so, and made us another appointment for a week on Friday to swap the box. If all is ok, we should cancel.
I'll see what it is like tonight.

[James Allatt]

I can say with out a dout it is not the speed of the internet connection I live next to an exchange and get 7.8mb down my line and it is a 8mb line and I get the sound problem.

The box is not faulty as I have had 12 boxes and not one of them have fixed the problem.

I cant see if being your tv as the tv is different from mine and I get the problem.

If you keep the scart in the box and when the sound problem starts switch to the scart the sound problem dose not happen on the scart but switch back to hdmi and it is still there.


It is not a problem with the channels not being HD because if you switch to the epg which is HD when this problem is happening the sound problem is still there.


This to me seems to be a software problem and some one needs to stop thinking its the box and go back to the programmers and tell them about the problem because this problem did not happen before tiscali pushed out the new menu system.

No wonder Tiscali went bust because of the amount of new boxes they were giving users.

I'm going to see if there is any way I can speak to some one high up for talk talk tv and see if they can lean on the software team to look into this problem.

Ill let you know how I get on.

[billinge]

Nice one James,
I'll be interested to see where you get.

I first reported this problem on the Tiscali Forum on 13th November. I wasn't too bothered then as it was just one of those glitches which would probably get sorted, but now 4.5 months later it is crazy.

Everything you say makes sense to me, we've both been studying this for some time, I've even posted exact happenings onto the Tiscali/TalkTalk forum, so they know exactly what's going on, they just seem to want to side step the problem and issue new boxes.

Perhaps amongst the 12 boxes you've had, you've had the same box several times, or they've just issued out your old boxes to other poor unsuspecting customers. Maybe you should leave a little ultra violet mark on the box to identify it again?

[James Allatt]

That is true I will try that next time I have it replaced.
Well I have just tried to speak to some one high up or above 1st line but they would only take info off of me regarding the sound problems.

They told me this was happening because the channels I am watching are not HD but HD content will be available soon.

And I made them go quiet at this point by saying so do I have to keep switching betweem HDMI SD and HD when I want to watch a HD channel and a None HD channel?

They could not answer that question and said they would have to take the info from me and pass it onto 2nd line to look into.

I am going to reply to the email I received this morning with the same question and see what answer they give me.

Ill let you know when I get it.

[James Allatt]

Hi

it was hard work but I got there in the end I managed to get a 2nd line engineer call me to day and he explained to me that the are aware of the sound problem using HDMI HD settings and there is a patch to be released in the next few months when TalkTalk start using the full HD services.

The engineer said they found out about the problem when the ran a test on the Harry potter HD files the offered a month or so back.

The engineer has said he is going to drop me an email when the patch has been pushed out to my box and to try using the HD setting for a week or so and report any problems back to them.

He also said that the will filter the message down to the 1st line team as this team is a TalkTalk team not the original tiscali team so they are not fully up to speed with the tv side yet.

He has also knocked off 2 weeks of my bill to say sorry for my problems which was nice.

He has said if we can all use the HDMI SD setting for the next month or so and then we should be able to use the HDMI HD settings after that with out any problems with the sound.

Well it sound like talktalk are now starting to pull there fingers out with the TV side and add more features and bring HD content to the service too.

As soon as they email me with the info I will let you know to test your box too.

Thank You

James

[parthena]

That's not good news for me, James - it means I may succumb to an HD TV, which I've resisted so far. My credit card has tears in its eyes today

parthena

[halfdog]

Congratulations, James!

You have managed to illicit more information about Tiscali/ TalkTalks HD intentions from that engineer than the rest of the company combined.

Now if MK_Chris could just confirm this, I will stop drooling over the newly released Freeveiw HD recorders and enjoy the service from Tiscali/TalkTalk.

Well Chris?..............

[MK_Chris]

I'm afraid I cannot, as far as I am aware at present there are some issues but we have to be very careful not to assume that they are not caused by something like cabling etc, if not then it is best to stick with the SD setting for now, if I get notification of any release I would certainly update you here. James Allat; I would be interested to know the details of your case, perhaps you could PM your number over to me and I can try to assist further?

Kind Regards

Chris

[James Allatt]

Hi Chris

I was told yesterday it is not a cable or hardware problem it is a software problem on the box as I have has 12 different boxes and 3 routers and two HD TV's and 3 different cables all connected to different devices.

The engineer I spoke to yesterday said that they have a patch but are not pushing it out until the HD services go live and to use the SD setting until the lornch and he will drop me an email when they push the patch out for me to try using the HD setting to make sure it fixes the problem.

The engineer also said they found out about the problem from using the Harry Potter HD trial and users were having a problem with the Harry Potter HD videos and when they looked into it they found it also had the same problem on the SD channels too.

The engineer also said he was going to send his boss an email to ask him to send a memo around the talktalk TV support team from bottom to top to make them aware that they know about this problem and should have it fixed shortly and not to keep sending engineers out with new boxes as it is not a Hard ware fault.

He has also said they will send an email to the engineer company and get them to set all the new + boxes up on HDMI SD not HD and explain this to new customers to stop any more customers leaving because of this problem and stop the mixed message we are all getting from the company.

[billinge]

MK_Chris just told me over on the TTTV forum that I would basically have to wait for a new patch to be released. So I thought I would pop over to here to see if there was any further news. He also said the problem only affects a few customers.

Well how many TV customers do they have?
How many of these use HDMI?
How many of these HDMI users have the problem?

Can we get a poll on here?

James, your news looks promising, in many ways, firstly that TT appear to be committing to TV into the future, secondly that HD may become more available on the platform, and thirdly that perhaps finally this annoying sound problem will be resolved.

I've had a new box now, and the sound problem is still there, as I suspected it would be. I can't switch to HDMI(SD) as that gives me a split screen. SO I can either go to Scart, or put up with it until they fix it, which I've been waiting for since November 2009.

I don't want to leave Tiscali/TalkTalk, as the package is probably the best priced in the market price for what is provided.

Please get it fixed soon.

[James Allatt]

I don't think many users are using HDMI as when they install the box they use a scart unless you have a HDMI cable.

When I was speaking the the 2nd line engineer he said that this problem was happening to all customers who are using the HDMI HD setting.

TalkTalk really need to sort the TV side out though because if it was not for me wanting to try and get to the bottom of the problem I would of left again.

I got read of my Tiscali TV service 4 months ago and got sky+HD but I found it to be a rip off and the HD channels only show 10 of programs in HD so it really was not worth it plus I could not record any programs for some reason on the box.

When I came back to them I told the lady at the sales office I needed a mod-defied box as I can not change channel at night she said this would not be a problem and I thought maybe TalkTalk had sorted the customer serves out and things would go right.

Then it started I had to wait 3 weeks for them to install a box and when it was installed it was a normal box not a modified box. this was installed on the 24th of march and it was only last Friday they came out and installed a modded Bax after spending every other day on the phone to them asking where an engineer was. In fact I think when I spoke to the 2nd line engineer regarding the sound he was the one who got the box sorted out for me.

I was then told that I would not have to pay the install charge because of the problems which I though was nice of them too.

Then yesterday I got my bill for last month and it was £177 which is way over the £66 I am meant to be paying for a month.

After looking at the bill I found that they had charged me for the TV service from the Day I ordered it on the phone and added all packages on top of that at full piece as well as the install charge.

I had to spend another hour and a half being passed around from department to department to be put through to some one who could request my bill was amened but I now have to wait another 10 days to see if they will amened it by the end of the month or if it will be put back on my bill the month after.

I am really thinking that this is not going to come to an end because I have been none stop on the phone to them this month and each phone call has been at lest 10 per min so costing me a bomb because they cant get anything right.

I am going to give them until the end of next month to sort everything out and if this is not then I am going to have to look for some other package because it seems to me Talk Talk really don't care about the Tiscali customers at all and are trying to get read of the ones who have the TV service for some reason.

Well lets hope they pick the ball up soon as I don't think I'm the only customer who feels this way and is thinking of leaving.

Any way had my moan now and feel better lol.

[parthena]

Fingers crossed for you, James

parthena

[crmosh]

I also get the sound cutting out, if i change my tv input to a different channel and change back again it works fine again.

[bornfree]

For the past 3 weeks I have been having problems with Tiscali+ box. Every recording breaks up, the sound is really bad and when I try to watch catch up or on demand it is terrible, the sound is non existent, picture breaks up. I am reluctant phone up customer services as I had so many problems when I first got tiscali. After numerous call and emails everything was sorted. But, since, talk took over, I have been having worse problems than I had with tiscali. I wonder if it is the tiscali box? Do I need a replacement box. I was even thinking of giving up the talk talk TV and just stick to telephone and broadband and maybe just stick to freeview or get BT for everything. Maybe if MK is reading,he/she can help.