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BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

VFRHawk
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎09-12-2013

BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

I recently ordered the new BT Sport service from plusnet, and as I didn't have a Sky box or card had them send me a card whilst I bought a second hand Sky+ HD box off of my boss at work.  They've now spent a couple of weeks trying to make this work, and have today told me that their service won't work with that model of Pace set top box - she gave some reason that the boxes were built for on demand only?
So now I'm out of pocket for the Sky box, and their idea of sorting the problem was that they would charge me for a months BT Sport and then refund it to me!
So, has anyone ever heard of an issue with these Pace boxes, or even better, does anyone in the community have the plusnet BT Sport package working on one?  The box is an entirely plain, ordinary looking Sky branded box.  I only found it was a Pace box when the girl asked me to flip it over.
Suspect I shall be cancelling my entire plusnet service over this.
Graham
8 REPLIES 8
RJM
Rising Star
Posts: 186
Thanks: 21
Registered: ‎28-01-2013

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Go over to the following:
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/
I am sure somebody over there will be able to give you a definitive answer.
pwatson
Rising Star
Posts: 2,470
Thanks: 8
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Hi Graham,
Welcome to the forum
Firstly, I don't believe that the Pace TDS850NB is 'for on demand only' - It is a standard HD Sky+ box and should work if the card is correctly paired with the box.
Your posting is unclear on who you've talked to and what tests you've already tried?  I'm assuming that you successfully installed it and can access the main FTA channels ie BBC1 etc?  Does BT Sport show up in the EPG?  Have you paired the card to the box and does the box recognise the presence of the viewing card?
VFRHawk
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎09-12-2013

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Hi Pwatson,
Sorry, that was a bit short on details wasn't it!
I bought the box, brought it home and plugged it into the existing satellite dish.  Even with the viewing card that was already in it I immediately got all the FTA channels.  I then plugged the viewing card that plusnet arranged for me in and got both the FTA channels and the EPG containing BT sport.  I spoke to plusnet customer support, gave them the serial number of the box, the version number and the viewing card number. They told to wait 24 hours and then try, as the card needed to be paired.
After 24 hours I got in touch with them as it still wasn't working, and they told me that as the box was secondhand they needed the old viewing card number and the address the box was registered at to pair the new card.  Got those details to them, and was once again advised to wait 24 hours.
When it still didn't work after 24 hours, contacted customer support, who's reply this time was that in can take 48 hours, so wait another 24....
When it still didn't work after another 24 hours I contacted them again to be told (today) that these Pace boxes had "something odd about them" that the lady on the phone couldn't quite remember the details of, but that they were somehow made to only work with Sky+ on demand services - which I explained wasn't the case as my boss used that box to view Sky Sports etc.  She maintained they'd had the problem before with this model of Pace boxes and there was nothing they could do.
They've now cancelled my BT sport subscription.
Once they got the details of the old card/address, the new viewing card would still happily show FTA channels and the EPG containing BT Sport, but when trying to access BT Sport it would say the viewing card was not authorised.  It said that the old viewing card didn't go with the box if I put the old card in instead.
I haven't tried in the last couple of hours to see if I can still view FTA through that box.
Think that covers most of it.
Graham
PS My only query through this saga was that when I viewed the serial number in the software it showed a different serial to the one on the bottom of the box?  The number in the software did appear on a sticker on the bottom of the box, but not as the serial number.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Hi,
The issue we're having is that the serial number of the box is being rejected. I've questioned the fact about the boxes not working as the list of compatible boxes does show some Pace hardware, so if the issue persists we'll try and get some more information on that for you.
However I'd recommend first both updating the firmware and also if you could advise the other number that's shown as the serial and we'll try ordering against that? It may be compatible and we've just got the wrong serial number to order against. If you could update the ticket with other serial numbers to try we'll give it a go and see if we can get it ordered.
VFRHawk
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎09-12-2013

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Hi Matt,
Thanks for the reply.
I've now done the firmware update (something I asked if I should attempt twice during various phone calls) and have a slightly different serial number showing up in the software!
It's the same as before, but with an extra 8 on the end, so 0331499309 8.
I doubt it'll be relevant but the serial on the bottom of the box is VADAFXK943710658. I've also supplied that a number of times in the past.
Could you let me know ASAP if the card will now pair with the box please?  Sitting here with fingers crossed!
Graham
PS None of the other details have changed, version number and viewing card number etc.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Thanks for that, sorry for the delay but I've only just seen this post - we're trying the order again for you and will let you know shortly.
VFRHawk
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎09-12-2013

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Matt,
Thank you so much for picking this up.  I've just spent 45 minutes on the phone (mostly to Katie, poor girl!) and now BT Sport is working perfectly, and I've upgraded to Fibre Broadband with you.
The upgrade of the firmware changed the serial number, and then the card would pair with the box.
Big improvement given 24 hours ago I was trying to decide who to move my account to away from plusnet...
Graham
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: BT Sport & Pace TDS850NB

Excellent, really glad to hear it - and thanks very much for bearing with us Smiley Please let us know if there's anything else we can help with.