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At present I have a BT package for B/band, Calls and BT Vision which includes BT Sport. Everything we watch through the BT box is usually online although the rooftop ariel is connected to the BT box. We have just bought a new LED TV which is a smart TV. We have one daughter at home who also has a smart TV, which she watches purely online through the WiFi. The smart TV's give us most of the BT channels anyway so we are duplicating. We are noticing that if we watch Catchup TV, Now or Netflix the programmes regularly start to buffer, which interupts the viewing. We have download speeds of about 40mbs which is pretty good, and certainly good enough for us all to watch TV online, so why the buffering? This happens on our daughters' TV too. Could the router not be capable enough of putting out a sfficiently strong signal? In all honesty I am thinking of dumping the BT package and just watching normal channels, Freeview, Now and Netflix. The only problem is recording. I like to record certain things and then I can fast forward the adverts or through the usual dross from presenters. How can I do this without a box of some sort? If there is anyone out there who has a goos knowledge of this I would welcome some guidance.
Cheers Concrete
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Is the smart TV hard-wired to the router, or wifi ?
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Hi Rob, the router is in the dining room with an ethernet cable from it to a modem pluged into the mains. The signal is transmitted via the electric ring main to another modem behind the TV and BT box, which then has an ethernet cable into the BT box. There is a BT cable from the point the line enters the building to the rear of the TV. I put this in prior to laying an oak floor throughout, expecting to have internet TV at some point. The BT engineer said the cable was not correct as it was only 6 core. He then just installed the mains modems, which was quick. I later discovered the cable is an 8 core and is perfectly suitable. But that would have meant him connecting to the point at entry then fitting an outlet behind the TV. I just think he was a lazy so and so who could not be bothered to do the correct procedure. I have actually contemplated doing it myself at some point to see if it improves matters. If I could get the router behind the TV I can connect it physically and it will then be just below our daughters' room for the WiFi signal. Seems logical to me. Still might wish to dump BT Vision though and get some sort of other recording device if available.
Cheers Concrete
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My broadband download speed is approx, 12-15Mbs and we are able to watch streamed iPlayer or Netflix on two separate smart TV's at the same time with no buffering.
One is connected by WiFi, andthe other by TP link wired (via the ring-main).
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Hi nick, ours is via a ring main connection. I might try to turn off the BT box, disconnect the ariel and refix to the smart TV and see if the TV connects to the WiFi and see what we get. It could be that the BT kit is just not good enough. I also have several Sky boxes from previous flirtations. I was wondering if the Sky HD box would act simply as a recorder. Does anyone know? We still have the dish and cable with connectors behind the TV too. But I don't want to go back to Sky at all.
Cheers Concrete
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Only have Freeview via aerial, sorry (I don't 'do' Murdoch)!
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Firstly-I would make absolutely sure my router was plugged in to the telephone master switch--and was placed in the best position in the house without any hard walls between. Mine is under the stairs allowing good wifi almost everywhere( within reason).
I would then test my TV's and tv equipment using wifi only-one at a time. Even if i lived in a strong internet speed area I would only EVER expect to achieve a 100% non buffering situation if one tv was in use at any time--and if I still experienced buffering then i would check that all household owned smart phones, tablets and any other internet using devices were not quietly "processing in the background" and busy-ing up your wifi signal.
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I had lots of buffering issues last summer - bought a new Hub for £60 @ Currys & all was well.
I think there were too many devices trying to access the 5/6/7 year old hub that was supplied by TalkTalk.
Still only 5Mbps BB speed but the buffering issues are gone, line seldom drops - so good investment in the new HUB as it seems to make the best of the poor line speeds in my exchange area. 300 yards away I could have Fibre but that is a different exchange!
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You can lose alot of speed using 'homeplugs' to route via the mains wiring or using wifi. You can't beat a cable, no loss of speed and can't be affected by walls or interference.
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Thanks chaps, some food for thought. Firstly we do have 3 smart phones and an i pad within the home which all automatically connect to the wifi. These devices are not usually in use when watching evening tv, although the daughters i phone is used a lot. The router is in a fairly good spot but I am making enquiries to have a point installed behind the main tv and then it can be ethernet cabled to the set or the box. Then the router will be directly below daughters room so a good signal should ensue. We were told that anything above 2mbs is fine to live stream tv, so our 30 to 45mbs should be more than adequate. I think the BT kit is not the best and some of the problems lie there. I am not a fan of Sky either, Murdoch is not for me!!
Just wondered if the Sky HD box could be used as an independent recorder as opposed to a satelite tv connection. All boxes seem to be 'smart' but the new tv is smart too, so doubling up there. Will soldier on for now and probably dump BT when the latest price hike comes in.
Cheers Concrete
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Another thought to add to my previous. Of course--turning off your phones and tablet will put less pressure on your internet signal-however if that's not possible--check these devices carefully for open apps and UNcancelled internet searches which are continually processing in the background without you knowing it. One of the 2 Iphones in my house had over 40 open internet pages -which -when cancelled stopped BBC Iplayer buffering instantly . I also make it my business to close down my PC in the evening and CLEAR and close our Ipad which has been streaming radio all day!
Every little bit helps?
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One of the 2 Iphones in my house had over 40 open internet pages -which -when cancelled stopped BBC Iplayer buffering instantly .
You can have hundreads of pages open at sone time and use no internet at all - one of those pages must have been streaming somehting like a video in the background.
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Thanks Doubleug, I do clear SWMBO's i pad regularly and her i phone. I clear mine at every use. We have few apps and none that constantly use data. Anyway a BT engineer is calling tomorrow to fit a new socket outlet where the cable enters the house. Apparently the one we do have is incorrect. Hopefully I can get him to connect the cable I put in and we can have a hard wired outlet behind the TV and connect directly to the BT box or TV with an ethernet cable. Fingers crossed. Cheers Concrete
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Actually depends what you are watching, standard def programs need less MBs where Hi def channels/films need more because of the information needed to be reproduced quickly on tv
40mbs can easily be swallowed up between 2 tvs, a problem I had with BT, but they couldnt or wouldnt upgrade the package, so I switched to Sky, I know people do not like Sky but I have not looked back getting Sky Q, and using Fibre plus 80mbs actually getting 100 so no one is having problems, but I have 10 devices in my house so need it
If you reconnect the sky hd box it should work on freeview and record as long as the hard drive is still working
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Thank you bolt. Some very good comments. Will try out the Sky box in the next few weeks. Now Spring is here SWMBO has a long list of jobs I have been putting off. Hey Ho!
Cheers Concrete
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Just a thought. I ditched the box that Talktalk supplied when we had Broadand after about 15 minutes. It sucked, bought Netgear.
When we upgraded to Fibre again TT gave us a new router. Which I didn't even bother trying just dumped immediately and bought Netgear.
IMO you get what you pay for. Free stuff even from BT is probably built to a very low standard ie cheap .
Never had an issue with Netgear stuff.
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Thank Ethan, in my previous house we set up the broadband years ago and used Netgear routers. No problem at all. We did have Virgin fibre to property boundary though with a very good bandwidth which helps. Actually our BT system seems to have improved. The engineer came on Friday, tested the BB to the main inlet socket 40mbps. He then utlilised the 8 core cable I had installed beneath my oak floor and now the TV, BT box and router are all ethernet cabled directly to the hard wired data socket, which also gets 40mbps. All weekend no complaints from SWMBO and daughter about buffering or live streaming. They do annoy me though. They have the TV on i player, daughter has her i phone on constantly and SWMBO had her i pad on playing on e bay. I did read the riot act and told them to be more sensible in their use of broadband. Watch this space!! cheers Concrete
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. It could be that the BT kit is just not good enough. I also have several Sky boxes from previous flirtations. even once i called up sky customer services at their free number also I was wondering if the Sky HD box would act simply as a recorder. Does anyone know? We still have the dish and cable with connectors behind the TV too. But I don't want to go back to Sky at all.
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I do intend to try the Sky HD box out in the near future. We have the dish and cables with connectors. Someone in our local reckons it will work fine. He reckons you can watch all freeview and the box should record what you want. What you won't get is Sky or Catch up via the internet. I will try it and see, but just a little busy right now. There is also a box you can buy from Freesat which does all the smart tv functions throung the sat dish, so the sat dish must work as an ariel. We have a new smart tv so really only want a device to record things that are not always available on catch up or programmes where we want to skip the ads.
Cheers Concrete
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The Sky box will work with freeview as that was what it was designed to do, some only use it as freeview after cancelling a contract, but to record make sure both cables are connected as one is used for record- FF/Rewind of programs. wont matter which way round cables go
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The Sky box will work with freeview as that was what it was designed to do, some only use it as freeview after cancelling a contract, but to record make sure both cables are connected as one is used for record- FF/Rewind of programs. wont matter which way round cables go
I thought you could only watch without subscribing to Sky?
Also it's freesat from Sky not freeview - that's from your TV aerial
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The Sky box will work with freeview as that was what it was designed to do, some only use it as freeview after cancelling a contract, but to record make sure both cables are connected as one is used for record- FF/Rewind of programs. wont matter which way round cables go
I thought you could only watch without subscribing to Sky?
Also it's freesat from Sky not freeview - that's from your TV aerial
No, freeview. iirc you need a different decoder for freesat which comes from a dish,but different decoding..freeview is, or should be available on most boxes,no contract needed, if you had a contract with sky then cancel it, you still recieve freeview through sky
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Thank you bolt. That is what I was told too. Freeview is available to all, through an ariel, with a smart TV or a box (sky,bt,virgin etc) to enable a normat tv to be a smart tv. So the sky box connected to the dish should receive the normal tv channels plus freeview as the dish only acts as an ariel. But no sky programmes unless you subscribe. Definitely try it this week.
Cheers Concrete
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I think your getting confused, you get freeview through the dish, as sky have to transmit freeview contract or not.
so when you cancel the contract, sky revert box to freeview only, you actually do not need to use the earial
it has nothing to do with smart tv, smart tv is an internet connected device,thats why its called smart tv
earial connected to sky box is loop through as was the older video recorders so it doesnt need to be connected to sky box. connect direct to tv as I suspect it already is?
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Thanks bolt. Of course you are right we have had freeview previously with our plasma tv through the normal aerial. This is now connected to our smart tv via a splitter, with another aeriel connection going to the bt box. If we ditched the bt box and subscription then connected the sky box to our aeriel we should be able to record any standard or freeview channel. No need at all to connect the sky box to the dish? Cheers Concrete
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You need to reconnect the sky box to the satellite dish rather than the aerial even just to receive freeview channels on a box with expired sky subscription
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Thanks gp. Something I wouldn't have known. Cheers Concrete
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You need to reconnect the sky box to the satellite dish rather than the aerial even just to receive freeview channels on a box with expired sky subscription
Funny I thought I`d said that, both cables from dish for recording purposes
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