Upgrading Router - another 1080p stutter question!

[Petruchio]

Folks,

Please bear with me on this as I'm not 100% sure what the hell I'm talking about!

Here's the thing:

I have a 1TB iOmega Home Network Hard Drive which can stream at 300mbps. I keep all my music, photos and HD vids on it.

I have a Sony BDP-S570 (not sure how fast the ethernet is on this?).

I use an O2 Wireless Box II router (B/G rating)

I have connected the Hard Drive to the router via ethernet cable and then stream via wifi to the S570. 720p is absolutely perfect, but I get stutter on 1080p pictures. I know that the router only streams at up to 54mbps (and have confirmed via the settings that it is doing so), so I was thinking of upgrading to the O2 Wireless Box IV, which is an B/G/N router and streams at much faster rates (not sure how much??).

Would this solve the issue of stutter for me? Or is it a S570 issue?

Cheers for any advice!

NB I tried reading the other 1080p stutter thread, and even left a similar post, but I just got confused by the whole thing!

 

[The_Lhc]

Petruchio:
I have connected the Hard Drive to the router via ethernet cable and then stream via wifi to the S570. 720p is absolutely perfect, but I get stutter on 1080p pictures. I know that the router only streams at up to 54mbps (and have confirmed via the settings that it is doing so), so I was thinking of upgrading to the O2 Wireless Box IV, which is an B/G/N router and streams at much faster rates (not sure how much??).

Would this solve the issue of stutter for me? Or is it a S570 issue?

Cheers for any advice!

NB I tried reading the other 1080p stutter thread, and even left a similar post, but I just got confused by the whole thing!

The only way to find out is to wire the BDP-570 to the router as well, that way you take the wireless out completely, if the 1080p still stutters then going wireless won't help. Quicker and cheaper than getting a new router only to find out it doesn't make any difference.

 

[Petruchio]

I might try hard wiring, but the router and bluray are in different rooms (not to mention different floors)...

 

[Petruchio]

Right, I've just hardwired the router to the S570 and, sure enough, it plays stutter-free!

Thanks for your suggestion!

Sooo...I presume now the thing to do (seeing as I don't particularly want to hard wire something a flight of stairs and a couple of rooms away from the router!) is to get a router that can send wifi quicker than 54mbps, yes? Or might that not solve it (my worry is that the speed the S570 receives signals via ethernet is quicker than its wifi receiving speed.. if that makes sense)???

 

[nads]

it still may not help as you are trying to send a signal through walls and a ceiling. it may be more of a signal strength issue.

 

[The_Lhc]

Knowing how far the router is from the bdp might explain your trouble, it may be that the signal strength isn't strong enough to give you enough bandwidth to stream full HD. Is there anyway you can move the router closer to see if a stronger signal helps?

 

[Petruchio]

As the crow flies it's only about two meters away - due north! It is in the room directly above my AV kit so the signal doesn't travel far (but does have to go through a ceiling).

Incidentally I did put it back onto wireless when the router was still downstairs (after my wired experiment!) and it still stuttered with the router just a few feet away from the player.

Update: With the router back upstairs and on wifi the bluray shows it as a 93% signal strengh. Should that be good enough??

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Do you know anybody with a couple of these or similar so you can try it out.They just carry the signal through your mains supply.

 

[Petruchio]

Homeplugs - are they better than wifi?? I already have a homeplug connected to my Denon amp for internet radio, but that is only because the amp doesn't have wifi. I'll plug it into the Bluray and see if it makes a difference....

 

[cram]

Homeplugs better than wifi? In my experience no but very much depends on the wiring in your house and unfortunately without testing there is no way to know. Don't want to say it is impossible over WiFi but I think you will struggle with 1080p material even with N rated routers/extenders

 

[southdownswolf]

The company that I work for is a CCTV manufacturer and we are developing a product based around Homeplug for CCTV. We have tried various different Homeplug models whilst developing, but found the Maplins model particularly impressive so far. http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223818

 

[bob.g]

I tried wifi for my laptop and it struggled badly. Bought a pair of Homeplugs and problem solved, 100% signal. I still receive via wifi, but rebroadcast from the Homeplug in the same room. I also made sure I bought high speed ones that I can use when I upgrade my AV system next year.

 

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem a few days ago, as you will see from my thread down below.

I got 40 meters of ethernet, tacked to the skirting board, best thing I ever did.

I got better pics, and now going to sell my homeplugs

I watched an 11gb dts file with solid action from start to finish and no stutter at all, homeplugs will not stream 1080p stuff

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

canada16:

homeplugs will not stream 1080p stuff

I think you mean they did not in your situation.

Edit -nor his

 

[Petruchio]

canada16:

I had the same problem a few days ago, as you will see from my thread down below.

I got 40 meters of ethernet, tacked to the skirting board, best thing I ever did.

I got better pics, and now going to sell my homeplugs

I watched an 11gb dts file with solid action from start to finish and no stutter at all, homeplugs will not stream 1080p stuff

Had you tried an N router before doing the 40mtrs of Ethernet thing? I'd rather do it wifi if possible.

PS I tried the homeplugs (I have 85mbps ones) and, although better than my 54mbps wifi, it wasn't as good as hard-wired.

 

[nads]

the problem with WiFi is that there is just to much interference. all it is is a RF transmission. anything in the way will degrade the signal considerably , any other RF device will cause problems.

If you have to do WiFi maybe look at where things are and could they not be placed in other locations so that the player can stream wired?

 

[Chewy]

I can't imagine (and I'm sure someone may jump in and correct me) that you will be able to stream full HD 1080p video and HD audio track via a wireless signal. Even the new 'N' standard does not provide sufficient real world band width (even if theoreticalvalues suggest it can).

Home plugs are also too variable in general, simply turning on a washing machine while trying to stream can destroy the bandwidth. Fine for SD, but again, HD is pushing it.

There's no subsitiute for a hard wire (Cat5e or above) unfortunately at the minute. But given that long lengths of these cables are as cheap as chips, it should be a fairly esay solution providing you can site the cable without problems.

Hopefully the next generation of wireless standards will fix this.

 

[Petruchio]

My 1080p files don't have HD audio, just DTS or DD. Will Cat 5e handle HD audio and 1080p too? I dread to think the required bandwidth for that!! Yes, hard wiring is clearly a more reliable option but if I would much rather go for a wifi answer if poss.

1080p almost plays with my 54mbps, there's the odd stutter every 20 secs or so (enough to be really really annoying!!). I hope that upgrading to an N router might solve this. I'm gonna give it a go and report back.

 

[Petruchio]

I've upgraded my old "O2 Wireless Box II" to a brand new "O2 Wireless Box IV" router (B/G/N) - and problem solved!

I can now stream 1080p movies all over the house flawlessly. Best £25 I've ever spent!