Virgin Media Community

[Rajxix70]

I have 2 Tivo V6 boxes and 2 smart TVs.  All are connected via CAT 6a Ethernet and Gigbit switches.  Wifi is only used for tablets and mobile phones.

My Internet package is M350 Fibre Broadband with actual speed varying from 330Mbps to 415Mbps consistently. So no complaints there.

My issue is using Netflix via my V6 boxes, I consistently get lower bitrate speed (thus lower image quality) than if I use the Netflix app via my smart TVs.  Both Smart TVs use Google/Android TV.

Example: Old Guard on Netflix via Smart TV's ~15.00Mbps/2160.  Via either V6 box ~11.25Mbps.

Bitrate reading have been taken by calling up Netflix's info/status within the app via the "info" or "i+" button on the corresponding remote control.

Can anybody tell me what's going on here?

I prefer to consume content via my V6 box's rather than the built in features on my TVs due to the convenience of the V6 boxes all-in-one features and remote control.

Thanks in advance.

[John_GS]

Hi Rajxix70

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. My apologies for this, how are the V6 boxes connected to the internet please, via Ethernet or wireless? 

Kind regards,

[Rajxix70]

Hi John,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

All the V6 boxes are connected via CAT6a S/FTP shielded ethernet cables, which patch into 8port Gigabit switches and then onto either a couple of of switches or directly into a patch panel.

I've banished Wi-Fi anywhere humanly possible under my roof, and I won't sully my property with any of that "Powerline" witchcraft. 😜

I finding it fascinating, yet annoyingly and a little confusing that my Google/Android TV's haven't ,manifested anything similar, as they share  switches with the v6 boxes and anything else at that moment that requires the internet.

Kind Regards,

Rajxix70.

[Roger_Gooner · Accepted solution]

You are comparing apples with pears. Netflix from your TVs use the public Internet whereas VM is a Netflix CDN partner and delivers content via its own servers over the closed VM network.

[ozsat]

I just tried streaming Stranger Things in Netflix on a V6 and the download speed in Netfix indicated 18.12/2160 - so not a V6 issue itself.

Does you stream pickup after a minute or so?

[Zach_R]

Hi @Rajxix70,

Thank you for expanding on this. Can you confirm for us what diagnostics and troubleshooting you've performed thus far in an effort to try and remedy this?

Thanks,
 

[Rajxix70]

I've rebooted both the v6 boxes and the Android/Google TV's.  Restarted my router AND switched off WiFi and disconnected all other devices on my network that require Internet access (to negate any bandwidth leaching).

I've then pinged a set IP address and run a TraceRoute to see if there is any packet loss.  The address used 8.8.8.8.

I have also run Netflix's own network test on each device. On the v6 boxes I get approx 120-123Mbps, on the Android/Google devices I get around 290-320Mbps.

Is there anything I'm missing?

[Roger_Gooner]

Do this test: bypass all intermediate devices with the V6 connected directly to the hub with an Ethernet cable.

[Rajxix70]

I've just tried that, no difference.  Still a lower bitrate than the Google/Android TVs.

[ozsat]

I just played 'Old Guard' on Netflix on a V6 and within 20 seconds it was up to 17.93Mpbs / 2160