Sony: Content buffering despite high speed connection.

simonmar

6 posts since
Jan 14, 2011

Written on Mar 5, 2011 2:37 PM

I'm not seeing the problem with BBC iPlayer any more, but I just tried LoveFilm HD trailers and it's still happening there. Here's a bandwidth graph while watching an HD trailer just now:

My network was otherwise quiet at the time, everything there is the communication between the BDP-S370 and LoveFilm's content server(s). My ISP is Vrgin Media 10Mbps, and at this time of day I'm getting nearly the full 10Mbps. There is obviously some kind of bandwidth throttling going on. This is exactly what I was seeing with iPlayer before. The bandwidth isn't enough to sustain playback, and the trailer stops to buffer after a while.

So, whatever fix the BBC did, looks like LoveFilm (and possibly other content networks?) need to do the same thing.

I don't actually care about watching trailers on LoveFilm, but I thought you ought to know.

Cascy24

8 posts since
Feb 6, 2011

Written on Mar 5, 2011 11:40 PM

Hi

I've been busy this week but tonight managed to watch my first HD programme on I-player since Christmas. I noticed that unlike all the other times the programme was actually buffering ahead of the content playing.

Maybe the BBC tweaks have sorted the problem once and for all.

catdevnull

6 posts since
Feb 14, 2011

Written on Mar 7, 2011 9:54 AM

I managed to watch Saturday's episode of Let's Dance For Comic Relief in SD (no HD avaliable) without any problems at the weekend.

I'm with Zen so I presume it can only be a tweak made by the BBC (or Akamai) that's fixed it.

Hopefully it's all resolved now.

neoskywalker

6 posts since
Jan 31, 2011

Written on Mar 7, 2011 10:25 AM

I've also managed to watch programmes with no buffering over the weekend, so all is looking good.

Thanks to Catmambo for progressing the issue with the BBC. Do you know the technical details of what changed to cause the problem?

David_Barrow

4 posts since
Jan 25, 2011

Written on Mar 11, 2011 5:28 PM

Interestingly, I've a KDL-32EX713 which has had a spate of "This content is not working" messages, Content buffering and totally black screens of late when viewing iplayer. Telling perhaps is that when I connect my laptop and place it next to the TV I can view the same content perfectly. So my wireless, router and broadband most be ok, the only difference is using iplayer from the BBC and iplayer from Sony - that later being unreliable.

bernardmalcolm

13 posts since
Dec 26, 2010

Written on Mar 19, 2011 12:26 PM

This happens on my 570 player and Bravia TV even though speed test shows a better rating than that needed for HD. No problems if reset to lower quality feed on i player and no problems with any other internet services.

paddywacx

3 posts since
Feb 5, 2011

Written on Apr 9, 2011 12:03 PM

Update as of 09 April.

There has been a marked improvement with the iPlayer on my Sony BDP-S570.

However I am still getting buffering issues, but usually not until half way through one hour shows.

Some half hour shows stall with around 5 mins to go.

Certainly not as bad as it was around Christmas, but not as perfect as when i first purchased the machine.

HD or SD, it doesnt seem to matter.

I am with O2 on about a 12meg line.

neoskywalker

6 posts since
Jan 31, 2011

Written on Jan 31, 2012 10:58 PM

This problem has started occuring to me again in the last week. iplayer programs will play for around 9 minutes then "hang" buffering. If I go back to the menu and select the program it will play instantly, fast forward to where it stopped last time start playing then after around 9 minutes stop again.

I'm still on O2, 6MB line and no other connection problems.

iplayer had been rock solid since this problem last year until last week.

Is anyone else seeing the same?

toml220

3 posts since
Feb 15, 2012

Written on Feb 15, 2012 4:58 PM

I'm having the same problem, iplayer on BDP-S370 seems increasingly liable to buffer, and usually I need to come out of the viewing screen and start watching again where I left off - generally I get around 5-10min of uninterrupted play before it freezes, but sometimes not even that. We generally watch at peak times, the problem isn't so bad in the daytime.

ISP: O2 Up to 20meg (The Works)

Wired connection BDP to router

Download speed test ~ 8meg

I tried reducing the video quality setting within the iplayer to 'standard' - this seems to help playback, but sound and video quality are disappointing.

From reading other forum posts it seems that it is likely related to shaping by the ISP - I dicussed this with O2 and they increased my package from 'All-Rounder' to 'The Works' but I am still getting plenty of buffering/stalling.

I suspect I need to look at an alternative ISP - does anyone have experience of ADSL24? They claim not to shape or throttle at all.

Or alternatively does anyone have experience of changing the network settings on the BDP to stream via a proxy server?

Catmambo

2,036 posts since
Aug 28, 2003

Written on Feb 15, 2012 5:15 PM

Hi

Firstly, my usual advice of worth checking you have the latest firmware and factory reset the device as well, just to flush any gremlins out of the system.

Assuming you have done that, your real internet speed looks fine and we can rule out a firmware issue I think as this would have been noted earlier. So gut instinct says its a localised probelm either with your ISP or with your home network as you say its beter during the day than at night -- if it was hardware then it would always be a problem. Assume you are connected via Ethernet or do you have the wifi dongle?

Normally O2 are pretty good, but might be worth seeing if there is anything else they can do from their end - line test, maybe test a static IP address out, reboot your connection from their end - I'm not an expert on all the options.

Google the 'BT iPlate' as well - if you don't have one of these fitted, then this might make a difference too - very cheap now, but can make a world of difference. You may not need one depending on the age of your house and telephone cabling, but worth checking..

Hope this helps

toml220

3 posts since
Feb 15, 2012

Written on Feb 15, 2012 11:52 PM

Thanks for the quick response!

Have tried getting O2 to try some things as you suggested but they said that if I can get broadband on my computers fine then it is not their problem as it is to do with 3rd party hardware. Not finding much incentive to change ISP to be honest. Have had some very competitive offers from Virgin Media through the door recently!

Just to confirm I have the latest firmware for the BDP.

Just a few other things I had seen online, I wondered if you could comment whether they (or variations on them) may help:

1.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/internet-ip-tv/1522573-internet-netflix-connection-issues-sony-bravia-ip-address-settings.html

This one suggests changing the primary and secondary DNS settings - have tried this one without any joy, still stalling after a few minutes

2.

Can't find the link but I saw one suggestion of using a proxy (webcache.virginmedia.com) with port 8080 in the network settings of the BDP. I don't really understand proxy servers, but gave it a go and it couldn't connect to the internet. Would there be a variation of this suitable for O2?

Will give the iPlate a go, but still not sure if that would help as a speed test consistantly shows between 7 and 8meg even at peak times.

I have tried 5 Demand and Lovefilm and they both seem fine.

Looking at earlier posts on this thread it did seem to specifically be an issue with iplayer - could a similar issue be going on here? Anyone else having problems?

p.s. yep it is a wired connection between router and BDP

Message was edited by: toml220

gb2012

7 posts since
Jan 5, 2011

Written on Feb 16, 2012 1:42 PM

toml220 -

For what it's worth it sounds like you're having exactly the same issues I experienced when I started this thread over a year ago. I found that all of the ISP suggestions were red herrings and that the problems all come down to Sony's implementation of their streaming players.

The reason for this conclusion is I've found that whilst my Sony Player is sulking all of the other streaming devices I have connected to the same network (Apple TV, iPad and PCs) are able to stream HD content via iTunes, iPlayer and Netflix without any problems.

Once you eliminate the impossible, what ever remains.....Sadly for me this means I've a fairly mediocre Bluray player.

verdig

7 posts since
Feb 17, 2012

Written on Feb 17, 2012 7:05 PM

BDP-S185 Blu-ray player

ISP: BE Broadband
Connection speed (from speedtest.net): 10.5 Mbps average
Only iPlayer has the problem. Channel 5 & Love Film previews work very well.
Firmware version: M09.R.0033 (01/02/2012), the very latest.
Can play iPlayer HD content fine on my PC.
Have reset the Bluray (and Router), but iPlayer still not working.

Was wondering if this was due to heavy demand, with it being the "half-term" school holidays?

It either barely reaches 1Mbps then stops or gives a "content error" message. Problem is both SD and HD content.

Working really well all the time for Channel 5 etc. Is up at around 6Mbps really fast and playing Channel 5 SD content just fine.

Hope there is a fix for this.

Message was edited by: verdig

anataboga

2 posts since
Feb 18, 2012

Written on Feb 18, 2012 12:38 PM

Getting the same issue here, not a BDP but a TV (cx523).

Have made sure it's on the latest firmware, done a factory reset, rebooted the router. Ethernet connection is not wireless but wired. 5od, LoveFilm and other Braiva Internet Video all work fine - it's just the iPlayer. Can't even listen to the radio on the iPlayer.

The iPlayer works find (HD or SD) from PC/iPad/iPhone.

Don't remeber a firmware update for a while now so could be a change in BBC iPlayer land?

----

Edit - just spotted those of us recently reporting the issue are on BeThere or O2, which are the same network.

This thread on the bethere forums suggests there are packet loss issues between Be and the beeb: https://avatar.bethere.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42324&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

So probably not Sony or the BBC streaming feeds at fault.

Message was edited by: anataboga

mikey_boy_uk

7 posts since
May 19, 2011

Written on Feb 19, 2012 2:33 PM

Hi,

I have a Sony Bravia KDL-32EX723. My ISP is Sky Broadband and I'm using a fully wired set-up (no wireless) with my broadband router plugged in to my master telephone socket.

I bought this TV in April 2011 and had no problem streaming HD content - however - recently, I've noticed that both the BBC iPlayer and the newly added BBC News video services are suffering from buffering issues.

I've now had to drop my default BBC iPlayer setting down to SD only.

Demand 5 appears to be playing without any problem.

Incidentally, reading a related post here (Written on 31-Dec-2011 11:00), I recently recall getting a similar 'web page' style error message when attempting to access the BBC iPlayer a couple of weeks ago - something I've never seen before. If I were to hazard a guess, I can vaguely recall playing HD content without any problems before this error message appeared a few times. This may be unrelated, but it seems a bit of a coincidence.

Message was edited by: mikey_boy_uk

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