Youview Box – Problems with BT & TalkTalk Boxes

If you’re located in the UK, then you might be using a Youview box via your broadband provider (typically BT or TalkTalk, as part of your smart TV, or you may have bought one directly). And like all TV boxes out there, there are times where you might come across problems with your Youview box.

So, what are the main problems that Youview users face, and how can you go ahead and resolve them? Fortunately, in comparison to some others out there, Youview boxes are a little more reliable, though not without problems. Let’s look at the most common of those that people face.

Youview Box Problems

If you’re having problems with your Youview boxes, then we can usually narrow this down to one of the possible areas. They are;

1. Aerial and Signal problems
2. Broadband internet connection issues
3. Freezing and crashing intermittently
4. Youview remote not working properly
5. Recording issues with your box
6. Youview box lights
7. Maintenance Mode

In most cases, this is likely to be the problem with your Youview box. So, let’s take a closer look at each area individually and see how you can try to resolve your issue, no matter what it is.

Youview Box Signal Problems

Probably the most frequent problem that many folks out there have with their Youview box is that the signal of the box goes, or it’s pretty poor which results in a weak connection and low quality resolution or lagging. This isn’t just a Youview box problem – this can happen with any TV box.

Many people think that a Youview box works like Virgin Media, and it can work solely off of your internet connection (cable). Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, and if you want to watch Freeview channels you’ll need a TV aerial connection. And, this is the most common cause of a poor signal with Youview.

So, if you’ve got an indoor TV aerial, then go ahead and move it around to see if you can improve the connection. Things might be a little more difficult if you’ve got an outdoor one though. It’s also worth bearing in mind that your aerial may not be the cause of your problem if you’re watching catch up channels. If this is the case, then it could be your broadband connection.

Issues with Broadband Connection

Another pretty common problem that some people face with their Youview box is having problems with their broadband. This can definitely interact with your Youview, as although for the most part it works with your TV aerial, for catch up channels and Netflix etc, you’ll need a strong internet connection.

Generally, all you’ll need to do to check this is restart your internet router. Then, go ahead and test your internet speed online to make sure that everything is normal. If it is, then at least you can rule out that your internet connection isn’t causing the problem.

A poor internet signal quality can often be the cause of many problems when you’re watching TV. If the signal is poor, you might need to get in touch with your ISP to get it fixed and up to speed.

Youview Box is frozen

Another of the more common problems that you might face is that your television gets stuck on one frame, or maybe it just won’t load properly. This could be down to your connection, but there’s also a good chance that if this is the problem, then it might be down to the software on your device too.

In this scenario, you’re going to want to reset your Youview box first and foremost. As well as this, it’s also worth going into the settings of your box to see if there’s any updates that need to be performed. Often, if you’re not updated to the newest version, then this can cause freezing issues with Youview.

Youview Remote not working

The remote control not working for your box is a pretty common problem across all different platforms (it’s also a problem for Virgin Media boxes too). In most cases, resetting the remote control back to factory settings is going to be your first port of call.

Other things that could also cause the problem is being in the wrong mode (some boxes need the remote to be in PVR mode to work properly), the batteries of your control or it could just be a faulty remote. Most companies, including Youview, are pretty good with sending out a replacement if you really can’t work out the issue with it.

Youview recording failed

This is another one that is usually caused by either your internet connection, or also possibly your broadband connection too. Resetting both your box and your router is likely going to be the easiest and quickest solution to this problem.

Something that can affect your recording of programs is if you’re trying to retune channels whilst you’re currently recording. Not sure exactly why this is a problem, but it’s definitely possible that this could be causing your Youview box not to work.

Youview lights on/off

There seems to be an array of different problems that can occur with your Youview box in regards to its lights. Sometimes, they can have the red light stuck on permanently, or in some scenarios, it might not come on at all.

If there’s no lights on your box but the box itself is working, then a reset is in order. If not, then it must be a fault with the lights themselves, and you’ll likely need a new box if the lights bother you that much. If simply turning your box on and off doesn’t work, then you can try a factory reset.

If you’re getting a permanent red light, then it’s likely to be an issue with the drive of the box itself. However, in some cases this could also be caused by issues with your HDMI cable. So, try using a different one and seeing if this resolves the problem as well.

Youview Maintenance Mode

In the majority of cases, you can use maintenance mode to try and resolve any of the little problems that you find with your Youview box. Bear in mind that this can delete all of your recordings on some boxes, so it’s really a last line of attack to use.

However, sometimes you can actually get stuck in maintenance mode. If this is the case for you, then turn the box off at the mains and then turn it back on again. I know it sounds like an old trick, but it still does work for much of the technology out there nowadays.

Other Things to Mention – Youview App

As we thought, eventually the Youview app which did cause many of the original problems that people were facing has been phased out by the brand. Instead of using this, you can look to the BT TV app instead.

You could also find the TalkTalk TV app in the play store as well, but to be honest, this is probably even worse than the Youview app was (check the reviews!).

Honestly, I’m pretty surprised that Youview just decided to delete their app completely. For many folks, it was the main reason to get a Youview box in the first place, as it allowed you to set up recordings on your phone. So although the app wasn’t perfect by any means, it’s not great for those who aren’t with BT and don’t have another alternative.

Conclusion

All in all, although Youview boxes are pretty great if you’re looking for a good way to watch Freeview and catch up, they still have their problems. There’s always going to be potential issues with any of the current TV boxes out there, and fortunately there’s always going to be a resolution, too.