NOW box says the channel map is empty and won't let me upload any either.

[Lodge]

My NOW box was a gift and we only use it for terrestrial and catch-up TV free of charge. We've had it about four years. Today the TV tells me the channel map is empty, but it won't allow me to answer Yes to the request to start uploading the channels. So nothing happens and we can't watch TV on our TV set. Help!!!

[gavs82008 · Accepted solution]

@Lodge 

Don’t own this device so it’s guess work. Is this what your performing? 
https://help.nowtv.com/article/how-do-i-retune-my-now-smart-box

Is the box software fully updated?

https://help.nowtv.com/article/troubleshooting-now-box-stick

You could try setting it back to factory settings to see if that sorts it?

https://help.nowtv.com/article/hard-factory-reset-now-box-stick

[Lodge]

Hello,

Thanks for sending some options.  Nothing has worked yet!  I'll keep trying.

[schnapps]

Hi @Lodge 

Are you using the NOW Freeview Smart box with the NOW blue logo on the top of the box casing ?

I know there is a major reshuffle on the over the air Freeview channels via a TV aerial on the 26th of January 2022.

Have you checked the TV aerial on the back of the NOW box hasn't come loose ?

Also what happens if you press the back button on the NOW Remote can you access the channel TV rescan option down the LHS of the television screen ?

You may have to factory reset the box by flipping it over and underneath the bottom of the box there is a small reset button which you need to press for around 15 to 20 seconds whilst powered up.

If you have to go through the factory reset option, you will have to setup the box again from.scratch and if you have asked NOW to remove your NOW account /card details you may have to add them again.

If your details are still on their database, just use your existing login details on the box.

[Lodge]

Hello,

Thanks very much for your useful comments.   I put my replies in caps next to them.

Are you using the NOW Freeview Smart box with the NOW blue logo on the top of the box casing ?  YES

I know there is a major reshuffle on the over the air Freeview channels via a TV aerial on the 26th of January 2022.  USEFUL TO KNOW

Have you checked the TV aerial on the back of the NOW box hasn't come loose ?  YES AND IT SEEMS FINE TO ME.

Also what happens if you press the back button on the NOW Remote can you access the channel TV rescan option down the LHS of the television screen ?  I HAVE TO USE THE LG TV REMOTE, BUT WHEN I SET IT TO AUTOTUNE, IT SAYS IT CAN’T FIND ANY CHANNELS, SO I’M NO FURTHER.

You may have to factory reset the box by flipping it over and underneath the bottom of the box there is a small reset button which you need to press for around 15 to 20 seconds whilst powered up.  I TRIED THAT AND IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE THAT I COULD SEE;  THE MESSAGES WERE STILL THE SAME.

If you have to go through the factory reset option, you will have to setup the box again from.scratch and if you have asked NOW to remove your NOW account /card details you may have to add them again.  I STILL HAVE AN ACCOUNT - I THINK/HOPE

[schnapps]

Hi @Lodge 

Is the TV aerial going direct into the NOW Box or are you splitting the incoming TV signal with the inbuilt TV tuner on the back of your LG television with something like a Y splitter ?

[Lodge]

Hello,

Direct into the NOW box.

[schnapps]

Hi @Lodge 

If you plug the aerial straight into the back of the LG television bypassing the NOW box (assuming the LG TV has an inbuilt Freeview tuner) are you getting the full channels, just in case there is an issue with the reception or your local transmitter is under maintenance etc ?

See if this website is showing any current TV transmission problems in your region.

https://www.freeview.co.uk/corporate/platform-management/planned-engineering-works 

Should you have a Y splitter, see if that helps with the NOW box, because it might pick up another weaker signal TV transmitter in your area if there are two transmitters / relays overlapping.

This has occasionally helped a couple of NOW Freeview Smart box owners in the past, just to get some channels on the box.

Normally for me factory resetting my NOW Freeview Smart box and after setting up the box again from scratch and re scanning the TV Freeview channels normally works for me (no idea why it's not working for you if you have a functioning TV aerial with a good reception).

Saying that i don't use my NOW Freeview Smart box anymore to see if i am getting a similar message on screen.

[Lodge]

Thanks. I’ll try that when I’ve finished watching TV on my MAC!

[Lodge]

Hello,

I put the aerial lead into the TV and then I could upload all the programmes (no Catchup, though).  The programmes I tried worked perfectly well.  I then put the aerial lead back in the NOW box and this time I got the programme number top left with the message "No signal".  So it's still not working right, but at least the channels are back on the TV.

[Lodge]

Hello,

The connector to the NOW box in the back of the TV alternates with one for the DVD player in the same socket.  I've just tried the DVD player and the TV didn't connect to it.  I'm wondering whether the socket has become faulty, because we change the connection over sometimes.  It's never malfunctioned before.

[gavs82008]

@Lodge 

Just wondering, is there a particular reason why you use the areial connection in the Smart box rather the LG TV itself?

[Lodge]

That's what I was told to do when setting the box up initially.  I don't think it works without that connection, but I'll go and try it.

[gavs82008]

@Lodge 

If you are wanting to use the "live TV" function of the box yes you will need aerial plugged in.

It will not however effect your box in terms of using the applications on it, such as NOW, iPlayer, ITV and All4.

[Lodge]

It doesn't work without the aerial connection, as the box is by-passed.  The direct aerial connection works the live LG TV output.

[schnapps]

Hi @Lodge 

From your testing you have proven that the TV aerial is working and receiving Freeview channels when the aerial is plugged directly into the TV (bypassing the NOW Smart Freeview box).

I am not sure where the DVD player comes into the equation (unless you only have one HDMI port on your television) and are swapping between the DVD player and the NOW box over HDMI.

When you power up the NOW Smart box and press the Home button on the NOW remote or something like the star button on the remote (make sure the batteries in the remote still have a charge on them).

Then what is actually showing on screen and does the small blue light on the front of the NOW box stay permanently on or does it flash blue.

And are you seeing the NOW Home Screen with various grid rows, where one of the rows is My Apps with the various Apps you have used ?

Making sure that the HDMI cable from the NOW box to the television is fully connected both ends and the HDMI input source button on your television remote matches the HDMI input which the NOW box is connected too.

When you did the full factory reset on the box (following my previous instructions) when the box restarted did you have to go through selecting your Network name and entering your wifi password etc etc ?

[Lodge]

@Anonymous User schnapps,

Thanks for taking all this trouble!   Answers in caps.

I am not sure where the DVD player comes into your problem (unless you only have one HDMI port on your television) and swapping between the DVD player and the NOW box.  YES, THERE'S ONLY ONE HDMI PORT;  THE TV'S QUITE OLD NOW.

When you power up the NOW Smart box and press the Home button on the NOW remote or something like the star button on the remote (make sure the batteries in the remote still have a charge on them).  NEW BATTERIES IN THE REMOTE.

Then what is actually showing on screen and does the small blue light on the front of the NOW box stay permanently on or does it flash blue.

And are you seeing the NOW Home Screen with various grid rows, where one of the rows is My Apps with the various Apps you have used ?  NOTHING COMES ON THE SCREEN EXCEPT 'NO SIGNAL'.

Making sure that the HDMI cable from the NOW box to the television is fully connected both ends and the HDMI input source button on your television remote matches the HDMI input which the NOW box is connected too.  CHECKED.  OF COURSE, WHEN USING THE DIRECT AERIAL TO TV SOCKET, I HAVE TO CHANGE THE INPUT SETTING ON THE TV TO 'ANTENNA'.

When you did the full factory reset on the box (following my previous instructions) when the box restarted did you have to go through selecting your Network name and entering your wifi password etc ?  I HAVEN'T DONE A RESET ON THE BOX, AS DEPRESSING THE BUTTON ON THE BACK DID NOTHING AND GAVE ME NO OPTIONS TO CONTINUE.

[schnapps]

Hi @Lodge 

You firstly need to get something to display on your television screen from the NOW Box (hopefully the main home screen with the different NOW grid rows) even before tackling the live Freeview TV channels off the box.

Have you tried a different HDMI cable with the NOW box (just in case it has been damaged with all the plugging in and out when swapping your DVD player over onto the single HDMI input port on your television ?

If there is no blue light on the front of the NOW box after pressing the buttons on the NOW Remote, there is a power problem to the box (check the power adapter and the power cable hasn't come loose).

Can you test the NOW box temporary on another television to see if you can get some image from the box such has the home NOW screen page ?

You don't need to have the TV aerial plugged in to temporary test the box on another television, you just need the box powered up with the blue light and the HDMI connected to the other test television to see if you get any NOW image on the television screen.

The factory reset button is underneath the box and you need to push it across and keep holding it there for at least 15 to 20 seconds whilst both the television and NOW box is powered up.

[Lodge]

@schnapps 

Unbelievable!!  I went to check everything again, after receiving your last message and THE WHOLE SET-UP IS WORKING NORMALLY AGAIN!!  Don't ask me what I did last time I tried it, but this time it just started.

Thanks so much for all your thoughtful comments and advice.

Fingers crossed it won't happen again!

[schnapps]

Hi @Lodge 

Phew - glad you got it sorted 👍.

Hopefully the NOW Freeview Smart box will remain stable and operational when watching both Live Freeview TV and Catchup Apps.

At least you got some suggestions on here to fall back on if something similar happens again.

[Lodge]

Absolutely.  It was great to get all this useful advice.

Thanks again.