Problem with Vodafone TV Play box

MarcusMaximus · 21-11-2024 01:29AM #1

Finally got this to work after months of technical problems; first it couldn’t connect to my account and then it kept freezing every few seconds. All that is resolved but now the box just turns itself off while we’re watching it, usually about an hour or so after we first turn it on. Once back on it usually stays on. Tried a different remote from another box they sent us before but no joy.

I will of course contact them but was wondering if anyone has experienced this, or what might be causing it. Also if there’s a fix. Should I try a factory reset?

MarcusMaximus · 25-11-2024 12:50AM

Got through to their tech support who advised a factory reset but it hasn’t worked. Before that I also tried turning it off at the mains and back on again. The tech woman suggested it might be some setting on the tv but that doesn’t make any sense as it stays on - it’s just the box that turns off. Also we’ve had Sky for years with the same tv and it never turned itself off, same for the PlayStation. So it seems there might be a fault with the box itself, although it’s strange that it turns off after about the same amount of time each time and then stays on once once it’s turned back on.

So I’d appreciate any help with this, or if anyone has had a similar problem and if they got it resolved.

MarcusMaximus · 10-12-2024 12:15AM

We still have this issue, despite trying two different tv boxes, a different modem and different hdmi and power cables. Every night it turns itself off after about half an hour of watching and then stays on once we turn it back on. The tv stays on and all the settings for sleep etc. are turned off, it’s just the box itself. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this as Vodafone don’t seem to be able to resolve it, even though they sent out an engineer? Or has anyone else even experienced this?

Delta2113 · 10-12-2024 12:54AM

A different Tv.

MarcusMaximus · 10-12-2024 01:15AM

We do have another old tv in the house we could try. However we had Sky for years up until recently and it never did this, with the same tv.

So the hdmi cable must be able to send data both ways and something is coming from the tv to turn off the box? Seems unlikely but I suppose anything’s possible.

Delta2113 · 10-12-2024 09:33AM

I admit it's a long shot but just maybe the tv hdmi connection developed a fault.

Peter Dragon · 10-12-2024 11:45AM

We changed to Vodafone tv last year after years of being Virgin customers. Tbh we switched because of broadband, we rarely watch terrestrial tv. The Vodafone box would regularly go weeks without being used…..and then we almost always have to do a complete reset when we actually want to use it. It’s rather frustrating to put it mildly.

Another issue we then have when we use it is it won’t stay turned off when we switch it off and decide to either watch something else on a streaming service or switch to a different HDMI source. You actually have to power it off manually (not with the remote) for it to stay off.

It’s a nice piece of kit with the built-in mini soundbar but the problems are a pain.

MarcusMaximus · 10-12-2024 05:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122941685#Comment_122941685

Actually I could try the other hdmi port on the tv, see if that makes a difference. However we have had Sky running without issue for years and it was connected to the same port as the Vodafone box but maybe there's some sort of incompatibility or whatever there. Worth a try anyway.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122942090#Comment_122942090

Sorry you've had issues but glad to hear we're not the only ones! Actually it stayed on last night, though it's done that before and then reverted to turning off as described. I agree that when it works it's great and I do like the sound quality, though some people don't seem to.

Well we can live with it turning off randomly, once it continues to stay on when re-started. It would be great to be able to fix it though because it is a pain as you say!

AndrewJRenko · 10-12-2024 05:54PM

I had Sky Stream last year and switched to Virgin Media streaming this year. The Sky Stream box was fairly flaky, and had strange issues, bit like the ones described here. There's a whole section on the Sky support website of customers posting issues and complaining about the lack of response. They did one software upgrade which totally screwed up the ability for 'watch from start' to run after the show's scheduled completion time.

It sounds like the Vodafone box is in the same league as Sky. The VM box is much more stable, it just works.

MarcusMaximus · 11-12-2024 12:16AM

Ok thanks. Our Sky Q box was rock solid for years but we will probably stay with VF for now, see how it goes.

Well changing the hdmi port made no difference so short of trying a different tv I’m still wondering if there might be a fix out there..

Craigels · 18-12-2024 06:06PM

I’m thinking of getting virgin media stream added to our virgin broadband.

Just wondering say I come in from work at 3pm can I go back on the tv to the rte news at 1pm and play that back ? Just giving that as an example but can I do that will other channels also. Thanks

NatureGirl · 27-12-2024 10:22PM

Vodafone play boxes seem to be fault riddled.

I have a sound problem with mine. The sound from the play box just cuts out randomly, but starts usually when it's been on for a couple of hours.

It's driving me nuts. They won't or can't send a replacement play box, but insist on an engineer delivering the new one and setting it up ? Talk about jobs for the boys.

So no tv sound proper until Jan 2nd, that will be almost a month since the start of the problem.

whizbang · 27-12-2024 11:19PM

If you have issues with devices switching off or on; Check if your telly has a 'HDMI Control' or 'CEC' option and try turn that off. sometimes called 'Sync'. Also turn off Standby timers if present.

Its an option in HDMI connectors to do just that, but

MarcusMaximus · 28-12-2024 05:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122994437#Comment_122994437

Yeah they are certainly glitchy alright. Ours also just won’t turn on sometimes and last night only the apps worked, normal tv was completely non-responsive. Your issue sounds like a nightmare! Been there with the waiting for ages too..

I find that with most issues, unplugging the box from the mains for a few minutes then back on usually sorts them, temporarily anyway. Or you can re-start the box from Settings - Device Preferences which does the same thing afaik.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122994647#Comment_122994647

I’ve checked all the settings in the tv but I will again thanks. The thing is our Sky Q box was connected to the same tv and port and it never turned off or on by itself.

emf10 · 10-02-2025 06:49PM

Just happened on this thread.

I've had Vodafone TV about 10 months and all the issues mentioned here I've had, and more.

Box switches off randomly. Sound goes weird at random intervals, has an echo affect that is really annoying, switching off and on the box resolves.

Recording programs sometimes does not work. An error pops up on top right saying cannot record at this time, try again in a few seconds. Of course it doesn't work in a few seconds.

Recorded programs suddenly stop while being watched.

EPG does not display, it's all blank. That's usually after pressing the EPG button but it does display after pressing the home button and then TV Guide & lots more issues that I can't recall at the moment.

Of course all customer service recommends is resetting the router and the box.

I know now that it's just that it's a flaky Android TV box.

I feel that this is a taste and of things to come for streaming TV.

I continue to call Customer service every now again so as to make sure that they know how bad it is.

I also left a 1 star review on the Vodafone headquarters location on Google maps, (wasn't surprised to notice that they have a very low rating there with a vast amount of other 1 star reviews).

I feel that Vodafone cobbled together a TV offering to compete with Sky and it's not really fit for purpose as they didn't start from scratch, just decided to try to use a shortcut with Android TV.

So long story short, there is no solution to most of these issues, other than maybe try Sky when my contract is over in May.

AndrewJRenko · 10-02-2025 08:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123156168#Comment_123156168

I switched from Sky Stream to Vodafone Play, and Vodafone is MUCH more stable for me. Sky has a nicer interface in theory, but their implementation is crap. You'll find threads on their support page about basic issues like 'watch from start' not working after the scheduled programme has finished.

Vodafone is a little bit more clunky, taking four button presses to 'watch from start' as opposed to a single button press on Sky, but the feckin thing actually works.

I just have one nagging issue on Vodafone, which is that when I play ANYTHING on Netflix on one of my two boxes, it just pauses about a minute into the programme, and I have to press pause to get it going again. Bit of a PITA, but sure there you go.

MarcusMaximus · 16-02-2025 04:40PM

Ours is working fine for the most part these days. Still occasionally turns off automatically but we just wait a minute and then turn it on again. This is a pain and was the same across several boxes we tried, also with different cables. Seems to just be a 'feature' of the unit. Apart from that though we are very happy with it, we like the sound and the menu is fine once you get used to it. We also bought a new 4k tv after Christmas and the picture coming from the box is great - same quality as the apps which came already installed on the tv.

cloudhopper19 · 10-03-2025 04:44PM

Thinking of switching to Vodafone TV - I had their old tv service which was awful - If anyone has it at the moment could you post a pic of the EPG so I can see what it looks like. Also I see Channel4 is SD and not HD is what's the picture quality like?

MarcusMaximus · 11-03-2025 12:53AM

Well here’s a couple of pics. The EPG takes a bit of getting used to but we don’t have a problem with it at this stage. Channel 4 looks fine on our 4k tv. Don’t know if the pics will do it justice.

Also our box isn’t turning itself off these days - seems to have improved after a recent update.