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Why are Optik TV Digital PVR boxes so bad?

ScottW
Friendly Neighbour

This is my second box. Both exhibit the same issues.  Non 4K ones were fine for years.

 

Freezes 3 times a day.  No response to controller input.  Hard reset (unpluging the unit) required.

Cables are fine.  Box resolution has been set to 1080p as I thought the 4K setting was causing this.

 

After reboot the setup screens can vary.  "Initializing", or some Accent setup screen I have no idea what for.

 

I have no solutions other that to wait for a better quality device to be made available by Telus.  Or go back to an older model.

Please consider improving the quality of these devices as they are what is consumer facing.

 

5 REPLIES 5

xray
Hero

All 3 of my 4K Optik boxes have been running fine since they came out years ago. 2 of the 3 are set to 4K output.

 

When you installed the replacement did you use the new power supply that came with it or just swap the boxes?

Perhaps you have some house power instability. Are you using a good quality power bar?

 

WestCoasterBC
Community Power User
Community Power User

I haven't had any issues you describe with my arris 4k boxes for the last 3 years all work flawless. Which brand do you have arris or technicolor? Freezing as in the box locks up or digitizing?

pbsfan
Organizer

Is your boxes ethernet wired to the Telus modem, or relying on wireless connection?  I had problems with wireless being unstable and it was solved by using a moca device to connect to the Shaw cable outlet near the box.  Of my three, two are wired and one closer to the Telus modem is using WiFi.  I do find I have to reboot that one every once in awhile, since it seems to lose the connection.  I live with that, since it's in a bedroom location where it isn't used all that often.

JeremyC
Just Moved In

@ScottW have you found a solution?  We were sent a Arris 4K box as an "upgrade" from our previous HD PVR a few months ago, and the 4K box would freeze once a week.  By freeze I mean it shows an error screen saying the application is unavailable and suggests changing the channel as a workaround (but that never solves it).

 

We've since been through 4 additional 4K PVRs each of which would freeze on a different frequency (two were Arris, two Technicolor) - one was as bad as every 6 seconds of live TV, of course started the day after the technician installed it.

 

Power supplies were replaced with the different PVRs, and we're using a wired connection.  Even tried different ethernet cables.  Technicians have gone through many iterations of diagnostics on the wiring and connection back to Telus and of course no issues.

 

I just want our HD PVR box back...

ScottW
Friendly Neighbour

Yes, I went back to an earlier model.  The technician that handled my case was awesome.  We eneded up with a Technicolor UIW8001 model and it has been rock solid.  I have also upgraded my cables, and made sure my router is fairly close to my PVR.  My HD cables are also the big ones.  

Good luck!

Sorry to hear you are having the same issues.  My PVR just froze, and required a power cycle to fix.