TV Guide Disappeared!!

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

I am new to Now TV having purchased a smart box earlier this week. All was great, really impressed however this morning have gone to watch the freeview channels and find that on the main first screen, the TV Guide option along with "Home" and "Best of Catchup" have all disappeared?!? Only giving me the "My Apps", "App Store" and "Settings" options. Have tried to reset and turn it on and off again but no luck!

Am I doing something wrong or do I have a faulty box?

Help!

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for your help. I tried exactly what you suggested, and still nothing sorry.

I'm starting to doubt whether it was even there the other day, I'm wondering if I was thinking of the Entertainment Pass EPG instead.

Are there any NOW TV set=top boxes that do not have an EPG on the main menu for all available channels?

Bit gutted if this is the normal hardware/software (i.e no EPG), as this makes it effectively useless!! I don't want a catch-up box, I want something to use as my main device for watching TV.

Thanks again

[schnapps]

@Anonymous User

A quick question are you using the standard black box (first picture on the attached link guide) or the smart box with the blue nowtv logo on the top casing (second picture on the attached link) ?

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-is-a-now-tv-box

[Anonymous User]

Cheers, I have this one

[schnapps]

@Anonymous User

Ha it's making sense now, the standard black box which you have doesn't have the TV Guide on the Homepage UI or have an in built Freeview TV tuner.

Members who have posted here have the smart box and hence the reason you are not seeing the TV Guide on your homepage screen.

With the standard black box if for example you have a NowTV Entertainment active Pass, if you click the NowTV button on the remote controller and then highlight Entertainment on the LHS of the screen and click the OK button where the entertainment section of the UI will open, then scroll to the top of the page where you will see Watch Live, click OK and you should see the Now & Next Live Channels EPG for the NowTV Entertainment.

The standard black box will not have the Freeview EPG or the Freeview channels where you will need a smart box with a connected TV aerial.

[Anonymous User]

OK, understood. Appreciate all your help, thank you.

Bit gutted, but never mind...

Cheers

[Andy]

@Anonymous User I shouldn't worry, the TV GUide on the Smart Box is still only a Now and Next version the same as you already get in the NOW TV app on your black box, the only difference is it includes the freeview TV and radio channels that those devices can receive via aerial as well .

NOW TV have never implemented a full 7-day EPG, I'm guessing as none of the devices can be used to record anything in advance they don't see the need for it.

If you want to look further ahead try any of the free TV listings websites like Sky or Radio Times, or various apps on mobile/tablets.

[Anonymous User]

Is there a solution to this issue? As we have had NOW TV Smart Box plus since June.

Worked fine up until a month ago and now the ‘Home’ ‘Best of Catch Up’ and ‘TV Guide’ disappears randomly and the no channels available to watch either with no obvious cause/solution.

Done a restart under power in setting and worked once but not any other times. Unplugged the power and left a while then replugged - again didn’t always solve the issue.

Wondering if it is a faulty box?

Are we meant to unplug it while not in use? As there is no off or standby button so wondering if it’s been worn out left on?

[schnapps]

@Anonymous User

The box goes into a deep sleep hibernation mode when not used, so i wouldn't worry about your concerns about it wearing out.

Have you tried a forced software update on the box by pressing the Home button (5 times) then quickly followed by pressing the FF >> (3 times) followed quickly pressing the RW << (2 times) on the NowTV remote controller to see if that brings back the TV Guide ?

If that fails, maybe try a full factory reset on the box by going into the menu settings.

Please note, that factory resetting the box you will have to re enter all your username and password details again and undertake a fresh rescan of the TV channels. 

[Anonymous User]

I've got two now tv boxes and I frequently experience this problem with both boxes. If you do a factory reset it solves the issue but you have to log in and all that crap again which is really annoying and shouldn't have to be done. Clearly they need to fix this issue.
Also why does the stupid remote not have numbers? It would be much easier to just jump straight to a freeview channel like normal freeview. And to be able to select a channel and be able to carry on scrolling through the TV guide.

[schnapps]

@Anonymous User

Not ideal, but pressing the FF >> and RW << button on the remote controller is slightly quicker than continually pressing the up and down arrow key on the RC to jump to the TV Freeview channel you want to watch.

Agree about the numerical numbers on the remote, doesn't bother me though because i always stick to the HD channels on Freeview and refuse to watch any SD PQ rubbish on Terrestrial TV.

[Anonymous User]

I have exactly the same issue. All was good last night, turned it on this morning and no option of tv guide, catch up or anything other than my apps, app store and settings.
Please help now tv.

[Anonymous User]

This happened to me. I unplugged the power supply, left it for 1 minute, reconnected the power and the box had reset itself and the missing menu options had reappeared

[Anonymous User]

First rule of electricals turn it off and on again, always has been always will be.

[Anonymous User]

I had the same problem for the first time this morning, been using my smart box for over a year now...I did the 'secret screen' software update and all is well again😀 thanks

[Anonymous User]

I have had a Nowtv box for two weeks and my TV guide etc disappeared earlier this evening. I did the secret screen reset and it’s all back again. 

[Anonymous User]

This keeps happening to me too! Has anyone found a solution to stopping it.? Everytime this happens to me I either unplug wait plug back in. Or just unplug the aerial and watch through my tv. Really annoying as I pay £63 a month for this increasingly crappy and expensive service

[Andy]

@Anonymous User Welcome to the forum. Not really. You could try a forced software update to see if it helps.
 
Press Home on the remote to take you to the home screen. Then do the following sequence on your remote quickly and smoothly
Home (x5) FF (x3) REW (x2)
 
If done correctly a Secret Screen will appear (if it doesn't, press Home to go back to the start and then try again). Choose Update software and allow it to run (even if it reports the same version as you already have).

However why it seems to keep happening to some people and what the ultimate solution to it is is a bit of a mystery for now (future updates might hopefully help).

[Anonymous User]

Thank you @Andy appreciate your help

[Anonymous User]

Hi
I’ve just had exactly the same problem as Steve! Have had no tv channels all over Xmas! Have reset many times switched off etc but to no avail!
I have just tried your secret screen format Andy & 🙂 👍 we are back up & running! Thank u 😀

[Anonymous User]

I'm having this issue now. 3 days in and a new Now TV stick. Internet signal is apparently excellent, forced software updates, factory resets, unplugging everything and still no home, catch up or TV guide. I'll wait for this current pass to cease and on eBay the stick goes! Should have got Amazon fire in the first place. 

[Anonymous User]

Did you resolve this problem as the same has just happened to me. Someone suggested factiry reset?