For all those unfortunate to now have a television that doesn't work, you should be able to get Panasonic to fix it free of charge under the Trades Description Act.
I don't think you would even need the trades description act. Their update has damaged your property (however old it is and however well or badly it worked before) they are therefore liable for any and every remedial action. They don't have a leg to stand on.
Imagine if BT sent 10,000 volts down the phone line and blew up all our phones, do you seriously believe we would have to fork out for replacements?
Just to get back to the original aim of this item (i.e. in the first post)...
One of the problems was a dropout of sound on a very intermittent basis - just the odd syllable here and there.
It was suggested to me that this could be interference due to a TETRA (Police/Fire/Ambulance) system transmission. However, I've tried a TETRA filter (Maxview) in the aerial feed and this has made no difference to the audio dropout.
I have to ask again, is anyone else with a faultless aerial system still being troubled by this problem? If so, please post it on this forum.
The problem reappeared last week for the first time I can remember in a long time. And I'm on version e8.1.13. Switching it off+on appears to clear it but it is near impossible to trace the problem as it's rare, random and, so far, cannot be recreated at will. It's almost as if the set is unable to decode a DTT signal quickly enough and runs out of memory creating minature drop outs in sound.
I have a hunch that it only happens when switching the set on from standby, when the Digital tuner is still active (for recording purposes).
Upgrading to v1.13 from v1.11 made no difference. Sounds like my experiences so far but I get much more regular problems on my set. I'm sure that it is not a "fault", but I also do think that there is a software problem somewhere being derived from the transmitted programme software as it still causes a problem even when playing a DVD, until the aerial is unplugged - then playback is faultless. It can happen on any multiplex, but when the set is left on an analogue transmission, the problem also goes away.
Oh, and try the re-launched Teletext service on the DT30 - it gives a "press text to enter" prompt, but on pressing text, it just sits there saying "Please wait". Ironically the TU-CT20 gets it right, and the new service is a vast improvement if you can get it.
So now we can't get into the Teletext services on channel 4 or channel 9, and on the new BBCi the mini-screen randomly reverts to an obscured corner of a fullscreen picture with the text info blocking out 75% of the picture.
I guess Panasonic at least owe us an MHEG version update.
At least the interactive functionality on The Hits (ch 18) works ... not that it's much use to me lol.
I'm also getting a sound cut-out problem, but I think it's related to signal strength problems and my external aerial being knocked slightly out of allignment by windy weather. I'll add a booster at the weekend and see what happens.
Currently running software E8_1.13 on a TX-28DT30.
I'm giving Panasonic one last chance on the phone today (I have a manager booked to speak to me) and failing that I think the words "shop", "complain", "Sale of goods act" and "not fit for purpose" may come into play.
I think a year is a long enough "grace period" after buying an £800+ TV before assuming they really aren't going to get it fixed "over the air" or otherwise..........
Had you other owners noticed, by the way, that the now/next issue isn't actually sorted but more just "fudged" ?
If you go to a channel it re-checks for current info and brings itself in line.
However, try watching a long film, concert etc on one channel and then use the up/down/left/right buttons to check what else is on.......often they're out of date, exactly as the problem was originally.
This means that you have to go to the channel to update the EPG for that time on that channel.....which is pointless cos you'll then be able to see it onscreen anyway !
This isn't the ITV MUX old data screwup either - it's been like this since the recent "russian-roulette" quality update. Calling this a fix is stretching things a little and that's being generous to the success rate of their over-the-air work so far !
I got a TUCT-30 to get round the problems until the update.
The update came and went (luckily without frying my TV) but apart from the now/next being fixed there are no great improvements.
The audio breakup on digital channels is pissing me off, but I don't know if I should go back to my local dealer again. Panasonic say there is "no problem" with the set, but on the other hand they are "well aware" of the bugs. They also say the bugs "don't affect the functionality of the set" therefore we cannot get a refund or exchange. Hmmm......
I'm really angry about this, but as usual Panasonic "hide" behind a call centre. I want to get the contact details for someone high up at Panasonic UK, not some monkey in a call centre (if you're lucky enough ever to get through). The con is that they get part of the call costs for 0870 numbers, so they make loads of money having you on hold. BASTARDS
I emailed them 2 days ago about the EPG update for the TUCT-30 and, guess what ........ NO REPLY
Had an odd, and somewhat decisive, day on the Panny front.
Took my lunchtime at work speaking to a customer service manager at Panasonic AND an after-sales person at the retailer.
Have exchanged an email or two with the "manager" lady at Panasonic (they do exist!) this afternoon and will get a further update in the morning. I'm basically refusing to accept it as a case of "You just have a faulty set" and am trying to make them realise how many others have exactly the same problems AND that they've pretty much been in the DT30's since the start.
Also spoke to the retailer I got the TV from a year ago - may make more headway here as the unit came with a FIVE year parts and labour warranty from them against "Manufacturing" faults. To me these faults, being in the unit from the start, are part of it's "manufacture" and as such covered.
So, from two angles, I was finally making progress - it was really going too well. Got home tonight and did a rescan as, by all accounts, Pontop Pike has had some ITV3 related changes today. It ran through the analogue setup, through the digital setup and hit the "Sorting: Please Wait" banner.......and that was it.
I now have only analogue channels and any DVB related menu's just go to a black screen with a slight flicker of red on it for a moment. Not even returning to "Factory" settings brings it back. In the words of Monthy Python it is "an ex-digital receiver, it has ceased to be".
Unless powering it down totally for a period cures things it looks like it's yet another glorious failure from a Panasonic DT30 television and, as they're hardly seen these days, it'll be interesting if a repair or replacement is attempted...
More news, which I'm sure will be of interest to you other Panny gamblers, as and when...................
So it’s been nearly 3 months since panasonic decided to unleash the mother of all updates, and still I don’t have a working set.
After having my digi board change by the local agent, arranged through panasonic, I had the set a week before it started to develop other faults and eventually gave up the ghost. Said local agents then had the set ’on test’ and claimed they couldn’t find anything wrong with it, could this have been because I hadn’t purchased it from them and had wanted to ’pay internet prices and expect us to give you the after sales service’!!! Well excuse me I thought that panasonic were picking up the bill!?
Finally on the day it was due to be returned I was told a fault had occurred, decided to turn it on more likely, and they were talking, sorry faxing (as it’s quite obvious we are all aware of Panasonic's wonderful customer support) panasonic it was decided that it should be returned to the manufacturer for full repair. So progress there then, or so I thought having chased up the agent and panasonic. Safe in the knowledge that my set would be waiting for me when I got back from my fortnights holiday, but no! The set was still in the agents warehouse gather dust! Apparently panasonic were waiting for the agent to give them a call to come pick it up and panasonic, well I bet you can guess the rest!
After demand to speak to a supervisor, who gave me her direct line, my set has eventually made it to panasonic, minus TUTV card and CAM, which I am assured is safe at the agents! Unfortunately the supervisor appears to now be on holiday as I always get the answer-phone. Perhaps I should try caller withhold?
Can anyone beat that, 3 months without my TV? :mad:
Just did a rescan of the channels on my DT30 to get ITV3 and I now have the sound dropout problem. Until today, I never had any problems with the sound.
I've got a panasonic TX-28DT4 and since a certain update I got no digital reception at all. All I get is invalid DVB channel. Question what do I do???? :mad:
Logged the teletext DT30 problem with Panasonic about a month ago. Got a reply last week: "Due to an unexpected increase in the number of contacts we have recently received, we have been unable to provide as speedy a response as we would normally. If you still require assistance, I would be grateful if you would confirm."
I managed to get hold of Panasonic earlier today and was shrugged off with some b*llocks about pressing and holding buttons on the front of the set (TX28DTX1C) and the remote to reset it, of course it doesn't work. Panasonic simply must face up to the fact that they've made a serious blunder with this download and give the customer service that people require to sort this out quickly, although I do understand that there is only one operator at Panasonic or so it seems, so the chance of speaking to someone is almost non-existant!! Good luck everyone!!
At last, Panasonic have released a software update for the TX**DT30/35 sets. The software will NOT be offered as a software download in OAD form, but is available from Panasonic service dealers/agents and upgrade is effected by plugging a software CAM into the rear CAM slot - the set then takes the update.
As the problem was caused by ITV's reorganisation of their transmissions and NOT by Panasonic's original software being faulty, Panasonic don't see the need to deliver it FOC to customers, so the dealer will probably charge for the service.
At last, Panasonic have released a software update for the TX**DT30/35 sets. The software will NOT be offered as a software download in OAD form, but is available from Panasonic service dealers/agents and upgrade is effected by plugging a software CAM into the rear CAM slot - the set then takes the update.
As the problem was caused by ITV's reorganisation of their transmissions and NOT by Panasonic's original software being faulty, Panasonic don't see the need to deliver it FOC to customers, so the dealer will probably charge for the service.
Have the Panasonic Dealers got these in stock or do they have to order them? Any idea what they are charging?
If the problem is caused by ITV and not Panasonic does that mean ITV should pay for putting it right? :rolleyes:
The software is a new version, specifically addressing the Teletext CH9 problem and re-allocating some memory. It will NOT be OAD'd (Panasonic say) and is available to ANY Panasonic authorised service dealer to download from Panasonic's service website.
Dealers can charge exactly what they want for the upgrade, but most will be reasonable - ESPECIALLY if the set was bought from them. If you want a dealer recommendation for your area, try the dealer locator on Panasonic's website.
I VERY much doubt that you will get ITV into conversation about the matter!
The software is a new version, specifically addressing the Teletext CH9 problem and re-allocating some memory. It will NOT be OAD'd (Panasonic say) and is available to ANY Panasonic authorised service dealer to download from Panasonic's service website.
Dealers can charge exactly what they want for the upgrade, but most will be reasonable - ESPECIALLY if the set was bought from them. If you want a dealer recommendation for your area, try the dealer locator on Panasonic's website.
I VERY much doubt that you will get ITV into conversation about the matter!
Tried a local dealer yesterday but they were not very helpful! They said it wasn't anything new and if I wanted it I could download it from Panasonic's web site which from what you say I can't!! Anyway I'll try some other dealers in the area and hope they may be more helpful.
Comments
First of all we wait nearly 2 YEARS for an update, then it doesn't fix all the reported bugs, and in some cases the update kills the TV sets.
Jesus, it's beyond belief !!!!!
It's the last bloody £900 they'll be getting from me, and that's final.
Surely the DTG need to pull the update and Panasonic need to take a serious look at what's gone wrong.
A 2 year wait then this ........... I'm speechless for once
Too late for some people, I guess. Panasonic have a lot to answer for here.
I don't think you would even need the trades description act. Their update has damaged your property (however old it is and however well or badly it worked before) they are therefore liable for any and every remedial action. They don't have a leg to stand on.
Imagine if BT sent 10,000 volts down the phone line and blew up all our phones, do you seriously believe we would have to fork out for replacements?
One of the problems was a dropout of sound on a very intermittent basis - just the odd syllable here and there.
It was suggested to me that this could be interference due to a TETRA (Police/Fire/Ambulance) system transmission. However, I've tried a TETRA filter (Maxview) in the aerial feed and this has made no difference to the audio dropout.
I have to ask again, is anyone else with a faultless aerial system still being troubled by this problem? If so, please post it on this forum.
I have a hunch that it only happens when switching the set on from standby, when the Digital tuner is still active (for recording purposes).
All the other faults have blatantly been ignored by Panasonic it seems. They just done the "basic" fixes to get users off their back.
Support also told me that a 7 day EPG was the reason for the delay but that's BS as it hasn't been included.
There's a shocker now .....
Looks like Pioneer or Sony from now on .... I really should have known better than to buy Panasonic.
Just ran a retune to try and get channels that every other user has in this area and suddenly had the sound issue for the first ever time !
So, even after a year, these terrible Panasonic sets are still able to GAIN problems !!!
{sighs and shakes head in disbelief}
So now we can't get into the Teletext services on channel 4 or channel 9, and on the new BBCi the mini-screen randomly reverts to an obscured corner of a fullscreen picture with the text info blocking out 75% of the picture.
I guess Panasonic at least owe us an MHEG version update.
At least the interactive functionality on The Hits (ch 18) works ... not that it's much use to me lol.
I'm also getting a sound cut-out problem, but I think it's related to signal strength problems and my external aerial being knocked slightly out of allignment by windy weather. I'll add a booster at the weekend and see what happens.
Currently running software E8_1.13 on a TX-28DT30.
I think a year is a long enough "grace period" after buying an £800+ TV before assuming they really aren't going to get it fixed "over the air" or otherwise..........
:rolleyes:
If you go to a channel it re-checks for current info and brings itself in line.
However, try watching a long film, concert etc on one channel and then use the up/down/left/right buttons to check what else is on.......often they're out of date, exactly as the problem was originally.
This means that you have to go to the channel to update the EPG for that time on that channel.....which is pointless cos you'll then be able to see it onscreen anyway !
This isn't the ITV MUX old data screwup either - it's been like this since the recent "russian-roulette" quality update. Calling this a fix is stretching things a little and that's being generous to the success rate of their over-the-air work so far !
I got a TUCT-30 to get round the problems until the update.
The update came and went (luckily without frying my TV) but apart from the now/next being fixed there are no great improvements.
The audio breakup on digital channels is pissing me off, but I don't know if I should go back to my local dealer again. Panasonic say there is "no problem" with the set, but on the other hand they are "well aware" of the bugs. They also say the bugs "don't affect the functionality of the set" therefore we cannot get a refund or exchange. Hmmm......
I'm really angry about this, but as usual Panasonic "hide" behind a call centre. I want to get the contact details for someone high up at Panasonic UK, not some monkey in a call centre (if you're lucky enough ever to get through). The con is that they get part of the call costs for 0870 numbers, so they make loads of money having you on hold. BASTARDS
I emailed them 2 days ago about the EPG update for the TUCT-30 and, guess what ........ NO REPLY
I HATE PANASONIC SO MUCH
Took my lunchtime at work speaking to a customer service manager at Panasonic AND an after-sales person at the retailer.
Have exchanged an email or two with the "manager" lady at Panasonic (they do exist!) this afternoon and will get a further update in the morning. I'm basically refusing to accept it as a case of "You just have a faulty set" and am trying to make them realise how many others have exactly the same problems AND that they've pretty much been in the DT30's since the start.
Also spoke to the retailer I got the TV from a year ago - may make more headway here as the unit came with a FIVE year parts and labour warranty from them against "Manufacturing" faults. To me these faults, being in the unit from the start, are part of it's "manufacture" and as such covered.
So, from two angles, I was finally making progress - it was really going too well. Got home tonight and did a rescan as, by all accounts, Pontop Pike has had some ITV3 related changes today. It ran through the analogue setup, through the digital setup and hit the "Sorting: Please Wait" banner.......and that was it.
I now have only analogue channels and any DVB related menu's just go to a black screen with a slight flicker of red on it for a moment. Not even returning to "Factory" settings brings it back. In the words of Monthy Python it is "an ex-digital receiver, it has ceased to be".
Unless powering it down totally for a period cures things it looks like it's yet another glorious failure from a Panasonic DT30 television and, as they're hardly seen these days, it'll be interesting if a repair or replacement is attempted...
More news, which I'm sure will be of interest to you other Panny gamblers, as and when...................
After having my digi board change by the local agent, arranged through panasonic, I had the set a week before it started to develop other faults and eventually gave up the ghost. Said local agents then had the set ’on test’ and claimed they couldn’t find anything wrong with it, could this have been because I hadn’t purchased it from them and had wanted to ’pay internet prices and expect us to give you the after sales service’!!! Well excuse me I thought that panasonic were picking up the bill!?
Finally on the day it was due to be returned I was told a fault had occurred, decided to turn it on more likely, and they were talking, sorry faxing (as it’s quite obvious we are all aware of Panasonic's wonderful customer support) panasonic it was decided that it should be returned to the manufacturer for full repair. So progress there then, or so I thought having chased up the agent and panasonic. Safe in the knowledge that my set would be waiting for me when I got back from my fortnights holiday, but no! The set was still in the agents warehouse gather dust! Apparently panasonic were waiting for the agent to give them a call to come pick it up and panasonic, well I bet you can guess the rest!
After demand to speak to a supervisor, who gave me her direct line, my set has eventually made it to panasonic, minus TUTV card and CAM, which I am assured is safe at the agents! Unfortunately the supervisor appears to now be on holiday as I always get the answer-phone. Perhaps I should try caller withhold?
Can anyone beat that, 3 months without my TV? :mad:
:mad:
So Teletext remains broken for us DT30 owners ...
*despairs*
As the problem was caused by ITV's reorganisation of their transmissions and NOT by Panasonic's original software being faulty, Panasonic don't see the need to deliver it FOC to customers, so the dealer will probably charge for the service.
Have the Panasonic Dealers got these in stock or do they have to order them? Any idea what they are charging?
If the problem is caused by ITV and not Panasonic does that mean ITV should pay for putting it right? :rolleyes:
Dealers can charge exactly what they want for the upgrade, but most will be reasonable - ESPECIALLY if the set was bought from them. If you want a dealer recommendation for your area, try the dealer locator on Panasonic's website.
I VERY much doubt that you will get ITV into conversation about the matter!
Tried a local dealer yesterday but they were not very helpful! They said it wasn't anything new and if I wanted it I could download it from Panasonic's web site which from what you say I can't!! Anyway I'll try some other dealers in the area and hope they may be more helpful.