Digital Set Top Box

[CHPR]

I am told that the digital box once set up should not be unplugged but left on standby, is this correct? and if so what is the reason for it.

[Postdog]

Don't know about left on standby, but surely you can switch it off (mines either on or off)

[Toureman]

If you don't leave it on standby you will have to wait for it to retune the channels before you get a picture, could take up to a minute.

[tomtech]

i know that if you leave on standby you receive updated info ie. extra channels. i always leave mine on standby but apparently if everyone done this the world is going to end or something similar.

[CheekyChops]

Agree with tomtech - mine searches for software upgrades/new channels at some ridiculous hour in the morning. Obviously wouldn't be able to if I unplugged it.

[romko]

the most stressful time for any electonics is the surge at power-on from cold. Most consumer electonics is designed to be permanently connected to the mains, so its power supply is always energised, but in standby mode most the circuitry is disconnected and power consumption is minimal.

Note that you can extend the life of things like vcrs and digiboxes by ensuring good ventilation and airflow, i.e. when they're not stacked up in a large pile of equipment!

[heathfield]

Some set-top boxes don't have a power on/off switch, so they're 'on' all the time - for the above reasons.

[stoo_pid]

The main reason is that you will receive package & EPG (menu) updates from your service provider, usually, as CheekyChops says, at about 2 or 3 in the morning. If your STB is switched off at this time you would have to wait several minutes for the process to complete the next time you turned it back on.

Occasionally you will also get software updates sent to your STB. Again, f it had been switched off at the time, you would have to wait while it ran through the process - the problem here is, that while software updates aren't particularly frequent, they usually take longer and if you reboot your STB in the middle of a software update (which often happens because people think it's stuck or hanging) it can stuff the box up.

Another reason for leaving it on stand-by is that, if necessary, technicians can run various diagnostics on your STB without needing access to your property or even needing to talk to you. Also the network performance of the cabinet feeding your street will be logged & monitored, allowing identification of any potential network problems affecting your service - if your STB (or your neighbours') is switched off, the analysis would be incomplete.

So there's nothing really wrong with switching your STB off, it's just that it's designed to be left on to provide you with a better service.

[The Cowboy]

Mine (a Goodmans) has to be turned off overnight (not unplugged) so that it can receive upgrades. Only ever had one that I know off...lol

Cowboy