Netflix failures through TIVO

[rmitch40]

I have to turn my tivo box off and on almost every day in order to clear Netflix error messages. Doesn't happen for any other apps (e.g. Prime, BBC iPlayer). I have spoken to Netflix direct, who's answer was to (wait for it).... turn the box off and on.

Completely boiling my brain. Why/how can this happen with only one app? And what can I do to sort it? New box?

[walshy252]

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@David_Bn wrote:

Thanks for your post on our Community Forums @walshy252, and a very warm welcome to you.

Sorry to hear of the issues with the On Demand and Applications.

Can you confirm if the set top box is connected to the router via Ethernet cable or via Wi-Fi?

If this is via Ethernet cable, is this with the cable we provided or one you have purchased?

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

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Hi David

The connection is via Wi-Fi, there is no practical way of maintaining a wired connection as the box and router are on opposite sides of the room. We have a 2nd V6 box in another room in the house which does not have these issues.

[David_Bn]

Thanks for coming back to me @walshy252.

Is it possible to switch the boxes over to see if the fault follows the set top box? It would be handy to eliminate any faults that may be with the cabling to the set top box.

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[walshy252]

Hi David,

Yes I've now tried every possible combination of boxes and cables with the tv and the same error message appears for all on demand services requiring a reset of the tivo box to get them going again.

At a loss of where to go next

[Kain_W]

Thanks for the responses on this walshy252,

So we can investigate this further I've dropped you a PM.

The message will appear within the purple envelope icon.

Regards,

[Roger_Gooner]

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@walshy252 wrote:

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@David_Bn wrote:

Thanks for your post on our Community Forums @walshy252, and a very warm welcome to you.

Sorry to hear of the issues with the On Demand and Applications.

Can you confirm if the set top box is connected to the router via Ethernet cable or via Wi-Fi?

If this is via Ethernet cable, is this with the cable we provided or one you have purchased?

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

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Hi David

The connection is via Wi-Fi, there is no practical way of maintaining a wired connection as the box and router are on opposite sides of the room.

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That's not true as at least one hole had to be drilled through a wall to get the coaxial cable to the other room. If a coaxial cable can be installed so can an Ethernet cable.

[walshy252]

Thanks for your opinion. The co-ax was run under the floor which has now been relaid so there is no practical way of running ethernet to the box.

[Roger_Gooner]

There's always an alternative, such as running the cable along a skirting board and drilling through an internal wall.

[walshy252]

You're right, alternatively I could just lay the cable along floor through the middle of the room and avoid the need for any DIY.. I take the view however that the top broadband package and WiFi enabled box less than 5m away should be able to provide the stable connection I expect and not require a reset every day to keep on demand services running. Maybe my expectation is unreasonable.

Let's see what the Virgin team come back with. From this thread and others it seems like this isn't an isolated issue.

[Robert_P]

Hello walshy252

Sorry to hear of the issues experienced with your wireless signal and connection, we appreciate the frustration this can cause and you raising it via the forums. Welcome to the community.

From looking at the connection and equipment there does appear to be some issues regarding the upstream which may explain the problems, speed wise everything seems fine barring a loss of service yesterday for a while. I will send you a Private Message to get some more details from you to look into this further.

Rob

[paulmapp8306]

Ok  Ive had the same problem.   Same Netflix error code, same spinning circle and unable to play content.  Also had the same on Amazon Prime.

I have found the culprit - and work arounds but its a PITA - so to inform others, and also to ask for any other work arounds.....

It seems its HDCP related.   Cables are all good, My surroun dprocessor is 2.3 and the virgin box is 2.2 - but that should be fine as 2.3 is backward compatible to 2.2.   The error comes when taking the virgin box out of standy....it seems the V6 doesnt instigate a handshake at that point - only when turning on from cold.   My particular processor (and it may be just my make - Denon - or all) looses the connection when the V6 stops sending data - and when it restarts doesnt get that  handshake - so things theres no HDCP, hence not playing the content.

So - my work around was instead of sending all my sources to the surround processor and a single video link to the TV (as the TV is mounted high - its only 1 cable which is preferable) Ive taken teh virgin feed to the TV first, and use ARC to bring audio back to the processor..

couple of issues here though.  First a minor one, audio is slightly out of sync - i mean VERY slightly (my wife doesnt see it - I can just but Im an engineer and OCD lol).  More importantly though - There is a similar problem to the HDCP to processor problem, in that when Netflix (virgin doesnt do this, not tried the others yet) comes out of its long pause state (after a few seconds the picture goes dull and the program info is shown), again it doesnt instigate a handshake, and my sony TV has lost the video in so I get no audio...  Thats not just from the ARC but the TVs own speakers too.

Changing HDMI input to any other and back on the TV and I get sound again (as its forcing it to check for audio I guess).

So - to get round THIS, Ive had to turn auto channel selection off on the surround processor (so ARC doesnt change the input to TV), Run the video direct to the TV, and audio via the optical out direct to the processor.   Again not ideal as optical doesnt carry all formats - so it not as good for sound.  HOWEVER it does solve all the issues of rebooting, or constantly switching channels.

Longer term, I think Im going to revert to the original everything to the surround processor and single cable to the TV, BUT use the smart TV for apps (netflix, iplayer, ITV-X etc - NOT sure if I can run prime, Ive not found it yet and that would be a stumbling block as Prime also causes the security freeze).  Its these services carrying protected 4K material causing the "cold start the Virgin box" fix, and I don thave the sound issues either (I can turn auto switching back on so when in smart TV mode, sound uses the ARC channel correctly).

So - at least I know whats causing problems, and it seems it IS the V6 box ultimately, as its not forcing re-connection when coming out of pause or standby,,,,  if it DID then non of the problems would happen.  BUT at least I have isolated the issues and found work arounds - even if not ideal.

If anyone has other fix's I havent tried (turning HDCP off somehow?  or forcing handshakes etc) Id love to hear them - or even other wiring/connection solutions I could try.  I just want the best possible audio and picture with no freeze/loss problems.