Forum Discussion
Telus TV mini - such a downgrade
Had our 3 old Telus Optik boxes replaced with the minis. What a downgrade:
- The feed often freezes or just goes blank, particularly when pausing live TV
- Periodic notifications that the remote has "disconnected" and the whole system becomes non-responsive
- Severe lag when using the skip forward or backward feature - just feels unstable
- Cannot extend recordings beyond the pre-determined time (make recording sporting events almost useless)
Any suggestions for work arounds - or can we just request that our old (but functional) boxes get returned?
47 Replies
? A downgrade ? I am astounded that the forum isn't plastered with dissatisfied customers complaining. Maybe TELUS is filtering them out.
The TV mini is like going back to Windows95. It is a mess. I have to wonder what team of Red Bull OD'd nerds designed this system. And, what consumer pre-release testing was done?
- No instructions on how to properly install and use the device when an AV receiver is used.
- The device comes with a ridiculously short HDMI cord. It means the device is not visible so you can never figure out whether it is on or off. In addition because the short cord means it is located behind a TV or receiver the bluetooth signal is blocked - so every few minutes I am told "TELUS Remote is connecting...", then "TELUS Remote is connected". Repeat, repeat, repeat. (And yes I have put in new batteries and repeated the sync procedure).
- My connection is hardwired into the router. Yet I frequently see the green circle of death as it attempts to connect to and download a signal. And yes, I am on a GB fibre system.
- When I do connect the picture starts very blurry (i.e. 720p) and it takes about 30 seconds to eventually give me a proper 4K picture.
- Everything, and I mean everything takes more buttons and navigation through useless menus to do what I want.
- The dark screen when fast forwarding, lack of skip back when stopping a fast forward, jerky stills when fast forwarding means you can't figure out when to stop!
- When I use the guide to navigate to a channel and click on a program already in progress I want to see the program. What I get is a half-black screen and a menu.
- What happened to my purchased on demand movies?
I could go on, and on, and on... But this is TELUS, they cut costs wherever possible, and don't concern themselves with what the customer thinks. This is not TELUS TV+, I cannot identify one thing that is equivalent to, let alone improved from the old boxes.
Yep, time to look at Rogers and Bell, how could they be any worse?
I fully agree. Everything about this new equipment and technology is cheap and inferior. Everything noted in NP's article I have experienced as well. Again it is not minions designing this stuff, it is the overpaid executives in the ivory towers that need to be held accountable. They will still collect their massive salaries and probably receive massive bonuses on top of that.
- The remote is cheap plastic with some buttons you have to press multiple times to have them respond.
- Setting recordings is a nightmare. a) When setting series you have no control what channel it records on so when looking for future recordings of the series you can't find them to see if you have to extend the time (record the next show) because a sporting event may go longer and result in your series being missed.
- Stored recordings are limited by time rather than storage capacity. There goes that Superbowl game you like to watch over and over every few months.
- The old equipment provided a live feed of the most recent channel watched enabling you to switch between games when delays (including commercials) came on and then showed you when the game came back on.
I want my old equipment back and if that can't happen a reduction in my TV services cost.
Like my complaints I am sure most have been labeled as SPAM because they were “not constructive”
TELUS_SupportOfficial Support Team
NP - That sounds frustrating for sure, I understand. We'll send you a message to inquire further and see what our options are!
I really want my PVR and DVR back. The TELUS TV+ Mini likely saves Telus heaps of money but may well push me into the Roger's camp. The TELUS TV+ Mini is certainly a downgrade in many ways. Very disappointed. Little wonder their shares are tanking.
Terrible CS,,embarrassing. The A.I. chatbot was completely clueless. At one point I told it to F-Off and it actually apologized,,true story. Try it!
I just changed to the useless piece of gear better known as Telus TV Mini. It lost all my recordings even though the website clearly states they would be preserved. There is no way to change the captions from way too large and obtrusive to something that doesn't take up a third of the screen. You're stuck with zero options to customize functions like previous channel, and the picture freezes. Add in the incompetent Customer service and this is a huge loser of a system. I'm going back to the previous equipment. Do better Telus.
Consider yourself lucky. My similar (less critical) post was flagged as SPAM for being “not constructive”. No answers ever received.
After this freezing issue was fixed what followed is out of sync voice and picture after an unpause. That too was fixed with the digital boxes.
Boy your lucky they fixed your freezing problems. Mine are getting worse. I don't know if calling tech support will ever fix this problems for everybody.
- TELUS_Support
rx999 Is the freezing happening with VOD content or recordings also?
do some reading from 2024
This service WAS NOT available in 2024!
OK, maybe there is something newer than 1st and 2nd GEN TELUS digital box tuner like mine.
I stand corrected, now the mini. The remote is the same. That explains why you are having a problem that was solved with my tuner. Probably original software mine started with being tweaked.
#4 any show that may go overtime you should just record the one following in the guide.
1,2,3 are old problems solved multiple times. I have previously suggested with evidence that the geeks that resolve computer programming are leap frogging the guy doing the same job on another problem. They both (or more than 2) start with the current version of the software to find the bug they are working on. First one to fix updates the software. But the others are still working on the original version so when they patch a fix they update with a new version which then overwrites the previous fix.
JMO based on one or two items I caught and they then fixed again. What is baffling me is I do not have 1-3 issues today, but then updates are not rolled out at the same time, more like a rolling rollout over days.
Rocky, How did Telus fix those 1,2,3 issues? I tried with support and they could not fix these issues.
Telus techs do software patches, this is done from receiving info from users of Bugs in software. Constant tweaks same as with Windows updates.
KHRTELUS Team Member
on #4 - all live sports automatically have 60 minutes added to the recording time (in addition to the 2 minutes pre-padding). For a 3h scheduled Blue Jays game, the recording will be 4h2m. Tennis matches have 90 minutes added. For the odd rain delay, you can record the subsequent episode or for things like 18-inning games or triple overtime games, the team does generally add that manually to all recordings.
Yes I believe you are correct that update was done last year, since then not all sports were extended as some have posted.
But yes they should all have 90 min added, or will added time preempt schedule shows, that could be why some are 60.
