Get Rid of OptikTV Green Screen

[jrueger]

The latest update to OptikTV seems to have introduced a "feature" of leaving the STB sending a signal all the time, even when "off".  This is not a feature but rather an extreme annoyance.  Many display devices respond to an active signal and choose between active signals on HDMI etc - and so when I want my Optik box OFF I want it OFF please and thanks.  Furthermore the "feature" of reverting to the green screen (stand by I presume) after what appears to be 4 hours is beyond annoying.  Lately I have been watching the same channel (doesn't matter which channel) for a while and then boing I get a green screen telling me to press OK to watch TV.  Well duh that's what I was doing - watching TV.  I suggest that a much better feature would be to introduce settings for the user to be able to control the box going to sleep, waking up, etc.

[WestCoasterBC]

You can call telus and adjust the timeout time of the box if 4 hours on one channel is to short of time.

[Scoto]

Hi there, @jrueger

As @WestCoasterBC mentioned, you can give us a call and one of our TV support agents will manually adjust the timeout for you. The current setting is based on feedback provided by our clients and I'm happy to take your alternative feedback to the team that manages it. I appreciate you lettiing us know your thoughts.

Give us a call at 310-6988 or connect with an agent online at www.telus.com/chat from a computer browser.

Thanks.

[StudioG]

A recent firmware update to my TELUS digital box replaced standy mode with a green screen saver, even when the box is "off". So instead of a black screen I get a green "Press OK to watch TV" screen saver. This is OK for the TV on the main PVR box because it is synced to the remote -- the TV switches off when I turn off the PVR. (It still bugs me to know the PVR is sending out an energy-wasting signal through the HDMI cable, though.)

But my other TV, connected to the secondary box, is actually a high quality computer monitor and it does not have a remote. The only way to shut it off when I turn off the secondary digital box is to find the tiny touch control along the bottom edge of the screen and turn it off manually.

The behavior before this firmware update was that the monitor would say "No Signal" for a few seconds and then turn off automatically. I would like to have this behavior restored, by eliminating the screen saver from the TELUS box.

Ideally it would be great if you could add a control in Settings where I could choose between "screen saver" or "standby/sleep" when I turn off the box. It would keep everyone happy, though I can't imagine anyone welcoming that green "Press OK" screen saver.

Thanks!

[NFtoBC]

There is a discussion here on this topic, which you may wish to view.

[JSP]

I'd also like the box to not output any video signal when turned off, for energy saving and to allow my display to turn off automatically.  At least give us an option to turn off this screensaver "feature".

[jrueger]

I'm getting quite tired of having the screen go green while watching a day of baseball playoffs or World Cup soccer qualifying matches.  If you don't change channels or anything for 4 hours I think it is the **bleep** screen saver comes on ... so annoying - I even missed a goal because of it.  It is the ultimate in stupidity to think that no one ever watches the same channel more than 4 hours so hey let's set that as a good duration before we turn on our annoying "feature".  I'm told I can phone in and have the time extended.  Yah right it will probably turn on before someone answers the phone.  Just turn off the feature please.

[FV]

But what about the "green" screen feature? Is it possible to turn it off? Either by calling support, or a setting in the PVR?

People are used to see their devices turn off (or at least enter a deep stand-by mode) when they press "OFF", so why on earth did you introduce that feature annoyance?

My TV (err... all modern TV) turn off automatically after some time without an incoming signal. But that constant "Press OK to watch TV" nag screen that appear when you turn off the PVR prevents the television to do that. This reduces the useful life of my TV, and is a total waste of energy.

[Scoto]

The feedback has been passed on.

I understand your concern about energy consumption and wear-and-tear on your TV but you mention that people are used to seeing their devices turn off when they press off. Are you not able to turn your TV off with the Slimline remote provided?

[jrueger]

That's crazy that I need to phone in and sit on hold or wait in a chat queue. Just make it an option that users can modify same as TV resolution or closed captions etc. It is still a dumb feature where I have no control over when the pvr stops sending a signal or decides to "go to sleep".

Make it user configurable and get rid of it until it is user configurable. That way you keep me and others like me happy as well as those supposed clients who wanted the "feature".

Thanks.

[jrueger]

So after I bellyached about wait times - my chat request was answered right away with no wait.  I have the timeout now set to 24 hours but apparently the green screen is part of the firmware and can't be disabled even by tech support. The rep did however take my complaint and sent it on up the pipeline.

[Scoto]

Good to hear and now we've got your feedback on a couple of different fronts. Thanks, @jrueger

[John5646]

After the recent firmware update, the TELUS Digital boxes never turn off.. instead they show a screen saver that’s a very annoying green colour. Stating press okay to turn on your box.

This causes all my TVs to stay on 24/7. Talk about wasting electricity and the life span of my TVs/monitors.

I get it TELUS, there are people that aren’t tech savvy and can’t figure out how to turn on their cable box ok.... but don’t ruin it for the people that know how to use a remote... at least make it a feature you can adjust for certain clients. We don’t all need to suffer from this. It’s 2017... everyone knows how to turn on their box.

This issue is not being addressed because not enough people have given feedback so I’m adding to the list.

Telus please contact your American provider that you purchase your software from “cough cough” and tell them to address this issue as you guys obviously have no control over it.

Thanks in advance. ❤️

[Nighthawk]

There is an existing discussion about this here: https://forum.telus.com/t5/Ideas/Bring-back-quot-standby-quot-mode/idi-p/76850

Just a note. The green screen is not a new thing. It has been present for many years. The boxes never turn off so they can remain up to date and so that they "turn on" instantly when you hit the power button on the remote instead of booting up cold which will take some time.

Normally when one is done watching TV and uses the remote to turn off everthing, the green screen won't appear. If the remote doesn't shut off the TV correctly, then the green screen appears.

[jrueger]

The issue is that the box continues to provide an output even when you turn it "off". All we are asking for is that the box stop providing an output when it is turned "off" - or at least make the functionality configurable by the user. I get that the box needs to stay on standby for updates etc. What I don't get is hard coding output to be always on. If it is a problem that users can't manage to keep their boxes and TVs in sync then make it easier to keep them in sync rather than choosing the dumb solution of never turning off the box.  For instance you could configure it so that if the user pressed the TV power button on the remote a message popped up on the TV asking if they want to turn off just the TV or turn off everything. Selecting one of the two choices would turn off just the TV or turn off everything.   

[Nighthawk]

Unfortunately the technology doesn't work that way. The remote is a simple IR remote. Pressing the power button on it will just shut things off. If the set top box had the physical ability to turn the TV off that would be a different story but with the huge list of TV manufacturers out there and the various cable connections that can be used, it would horribly over-complicate things and likely not work reliably, or not at all.

If you are having problems with your Optik remote not shutting off your TV when you hit the power button, please refer to the following:

• Troubleshoot your remote control for Optik TV
• Program your remote for Optik TV

[Scoto]

Hi @John5646

I've passed this on to our product team and am merging your idea with a similar suggestion.

Thanks.

[msn444]

Hi @Scoto,

Please add my vote for this change. My use case is this: Due to the fact that the Optik remote doesn't have a button to switch inputs on my TV (another Optik frustration) I've needed to keep my TV remote around just to switch HDMI inputs when I want to use my Chromecast. I hate this, so I bought an automatic HDMI switch that takes two HDMI sources and automatically chooses the one that is ON at any given time. I assumed that I could then watch my Chromecast by simply turning my Optik box OFF with the Optik remote, allowing me to toss my TV remote. But, to my astonishment the Optik box fails to act like every other video device since the advent of the VCR, and keeps outputting video when it's "off", so the HDMI switch doesn't know when to switch inputs. So now I'm back to having two godforsaken remote controls on my coffee table! 😞

This has been added to my running list of reasons to switch to Shaw... we're nearing the tipping point any day now.

Thanks.

[Scoto]

Hi there, @msn444.

I do know that the suggestion has made it to the right team and I'll absolutely update them with your comment.

Now, if you don't mind me asking a question - My Chromecast is always on and immediately available when I switch to that input (as it happens, the Optik box is on for a similar reason) - does that not also impact the HDMI switch that you're using?

[msn444]

Thanks @Scoto.

The HDMI switch chooses the input that was most recently enabled. In my vision of it, the Chromecast would be always on (admittedly this is an example of a video source that cannot be turned off, but it has no controls at all so there's no way around that) and it would just switch to the Optik box when I turn it on, and then back to the Chromecast when I turn it off.

The scheme works fine if I physically plug and unplug the Optik box but that doesn't help me much.

To the Chromecast's credit, it supports HDMI-CEC that tells my Smart TV to switch to it when I start casting. Unfortunately the Optik box doesn't do the same so I still need to manually switch inputs to get back to the Optik box. Is there a way to get the Optik box to do this? That would also solve the problem.

[Scoto]

I'm afraid it's not an option right now but we've heard you loud and clear so we'll see what happens.

And, I appreciate the additional info, @msn444.