Videos keep freezing on smart tv when using power lines - what is the problem?

[Gmckinley]

Hi all,

I have a hitachi smart tv that is connected to my bt infinity broadband through power lines (TP Link TPTL-PA210KIT Nano 200Mbps Powerline Twin Pack).

The trouble I am having is video files I have on my PC downstairs are crashing on my tv when I am trying to stream them from the PC using the setup above.

I was wondering if anyone knew what the problem is likely to be. I am assuming the problem is not the broadband connection as my download and upload speeds are very high. I know I didn't pay top money for the tv (£180 for a 24 inch) and the power lines were around £30. Would one of these be the cause, or both? I was hoping I would be able to watch my dvd collection from my PC in my bedroom using this new tv, but it is Impossible at the minute do to the constant freezing of the screen.

If anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I need to invest in better power lines or tv.

Gemma

 

[Mushkins]

99%, it's the powerline adapters. The quality of that connection is entirely up to the whims of the wiring in your walls, and it's a very hit or miss technology. Might be ok for basic web browsing, but streaming high definition video over one is a different ballgame altogether. Can you run a really long network cable directly from your router to your TV just for some quick testing? That will at least rule out the tv or anything else on your network causing the issues.

 

[Gmckinley]

99%, it's the powerline adapters. The quality of that connection is entirely up to the whims of the wiring in your walls, and it's a very hit or miss technology. Might be ok for basic web browsing, but streaming high definition video over one is a different ballgame altogether. Can you run a really long network cable directly from your router to your TV just for some quick testing? That will at least rule out the tv or anything else on your network causing the issues.

I can easily take tv down to the PC tomorrow to link it directly and check streaming.

Would a wireless adaptor be more stable for streaming videos, plugged into the back of my tv and wirelessly linked to my bt infinity hub, rather than power lines?

Thanks gore replying to my post,
Gemma

 

[JackMDS]

Both Powerline and Wireless are vulnerable to Environmental Interferences that are different in nature.

If the Powerline does not work, try Wireless, or MOCA, or regular wire.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Do you have any dimmers by chance? Those wreck havoc on the electrical system in terms of interference.

 

[Eug]

That was the reason I finally bit the bullet and installed wired Gigabit Ethernet. Powerline was fine for surfing, but when it came to video playback it was unreliable. I could usually get more than 20 Mbps which is perfectly fine for even HD video, but every once in a while it'd drop well below 10 Mbps, and sometimes well below 5 Mbps --> stutter, lockups.

If you don't want to install wired Ethernet, I'd try wireless. Or if you already have cable lines in your place, try MoCA. Wireless still have interference and thus similar problems, but if it's not too far and the wireless equipment is good, then it may work much better for you. In my case I use wireless for HD streaming and it usually works well, but if I'm too far away I get the exact same problems.

 

[Emulex]

my u-verse has a moca setup using the RG-6 wiring in the house, it's like old school thin-ethernet (before 10base-T), every segment is a giant broadcast domain and it is half-duplex. It really stinks when you push it to its limits!

Maybe you should pair-bond multiple technologies to get the maximum performace, or better yet, buy 1mm flatwire cat6 and enjoy gigabit speeds!

 

[Eug]

my u-verse has a moca setup using the RG-6 wiring in the house, it's like old school thin-ethernet (before 10base-T), every segment is a giant broadcast domain and it is half-duplex. It really stinks when you push it to its limits!

Maybe you should pair-bond multiple technologies to get the maximum performace, or better yet, buy 1mm flatwire cat6 and enjoy gigabit speeds!

Well, MoCA is at least way faster than 10 Base T in basic home usage (ie. few clients). Same goes for the HomePNA over RG6 I tested in my house. I was getting ~70 Mbps over HomePNA. I don't use it though since I already have Gigabit, and unfortunately HomePNA and digital cable TV aren't supposed to coexist on the same line (unlike MoCA + digital cable).

P.S. My sis back in ancient times had the foresight to install network cabling throughout the house for her home build back when everyone else thought it was a total waste of time for residential. Her contractors thought was simply stupid to install networking cable, but did so anyway because she paid them.

Unfortunately, she installed coax for Token Ring. Doh! A few years later, Ethernet pretty much killed off Token Ring.