BDV-E370 BBC iPlayer buffers/freezes constantly

[peterbennett26]

I have the BDV-E370 sony player hard wired by top quality cable direct to the modem/router. The firmware on the sony is updated to the latest version. Programs from BBC's iPlayer constantly freeze or buffer making them unwatchable. However, whilst the bluray player is frozen I can start up my laptop connect to the modem/router by an inferior wireless connection and watch the same item on the laptop without any buffering/freezing at all. Just had to do it to watch Merlin episode 3.

My ISP is TalkTalk, but as I can watch the identical stream without problems on the laptop the fault can not be laid at their door, or that of the BBC's  server outfit (ATKAMA or something like that ?).

BTW I am watching at the same resolution on both kit, not HD one and SD on the other, both are SD.

It's not a recent fault but has been plaguing us for months and months, and we blamed TalkTalk originally, but a phone line fault has been resolved for two months now after new lines from the cabinet to a new  Master socket were provided by BT open reach.

Message was edited by: peterbennett26

[Pedro126]

Sony technical support suggested a full factory re-set and then re-updating the firmware.

I did this and it had no effect whatsoever on the problem. So still waiting for answers on this fairly common problem.

Message was edited by: Pedro126

[Catmambo]

Hi

No known issue with this model and iPlayer as far as I know. If it was a software bug on the device, then every single user who had a 2010 Blu-ray play would be experiencing the problem and this isn't the case.

Have you tried testing it via friends house or a totally differnt ISP and connection. Gut instinct is that its a localised connection issue or your ISP are traffic shaping the  data. JFYI BBC have around 650 versions of iPlayer, so even if one works, doesn''t mean that other will ( although of course they should) but then ISP's and a bunch of other network variables can impact on the service.

Hope this helps

[stwilli39]

I'm suffering from this problem right now. I think its only been a problem for me since after the recent (July 2014) iPlayer issues. I'm wondering how much of the iPlayer app is download each time it runs and that the problem lies in the downloaded behaviour rather than the boxes firmware (which is at the latest revision for the box).

Fwiw I also have a KDL40EX503 Bravia TV that has an iPlayer app with a different UI which works fine whilst the BDV-E370 keeps stalling.

Has this problem ever been solved?

[Anonymous]

Hi there

Are you using the USB Wifi dongle to this player or a LAN cable?

Have you tried a factory reset of the player?

Cheers

[stwilli39]

Hello Quinnicus,

I'm using a LAN cable via a devolo AV200 powerline setup that extends the coverage of the LAN in our house (cabled at both ends). Measured throughput over the powerline is a bit variable but generally exceeds 10Mbps. The devolo 'box' in the lounge that the TV is cabled to is also a wireless access point. Other devices (PC and Android phone/tablet) happily play from iPlayer via the same network path (just a WiFi last 'hop' rather than 'cabled').

iPlayer on the BDV-370 has been fine untill the July problems - SD was usually unproblematic, HD playback sometimes suffered buffering pauses - but we'd resort to SD if it became a problem. We've just upgrade to Infinity2 and have a rock solid 80Mbps dsl line rate into the house. I was expecting the buffering situation to improve (previously only about 3.5Mbps into the house). Unfortunately, the upgrade coincide with the iPlayer downtime (at least on Sony TV and BDV devices). The BDV has a more functional and friendly UI that the TV, plus it supports HD playback - so I use it by preference. However, its been unusable since our broadband upgrade and the July iPlayer probs. I don't think its a network/DSL problem at all - unless BT apply some bandwidth shapinging that specific to iPlayer and/or the Sony devices.

I have not as yet done a 'factory reset' on the BDV-E370. It is on my list of things to try, but the postings on most threads about this problem with various Sony Home Cinema devices suggest that it has no benefical effect (of course that might just be the folks it didn't work for). I'll give it a try and report back.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Hi there

As this problem is normally a local network issue - thanks for describing how it all connects for you.  However it doesnt appear to be a network issue for you

A factory reset normally clears any issues - I note it didnt work for one person on this thread, but thats about 3 years ago, so...

See how it goes 

Cheers

[stwilli39]

Well I've now done a full factory reset (all settings). I'd discribe the result as inconclusive. I have a watched a 1hr HD programme. Playback stalled at about 9 mins but resumed reasonably quickly. However playback stalled several more times before the end of the progarm. During a couple of stalls I did a speed test.net test over the same bit of LAN (is over the same power line adapter). That gave between 10 and 15 Mbps whilst playback was stalled.

Overall, the hour was less disturbed, but there were still stalls of a couple of minutes so I'm not sure that resetting has achieved much. But equally playback on this occasion was better. I'd be happier if I could watch an hours HD playback without stalls.

Thx

[stwilli39]

Seems to be working much better now... Just in time for BBC to indicate that iPlayer will be withdrawn from the device sometime in September. Masterpiece of timing. Don't know whether we can expect an update from Sony to support the new iPlayer version.

[Anonymous]

At least you get the satisfaction of "I did get it working!". 

In regards to the discontinuation, I have asked for details from Sony - when I get them, ill post back on the main thread : http://community.sony.co.uk/t5/televisions/bbc-iplayer-on-sony-bravia-discontinued-in-september/td-p...