Streaming video: I'm all confused

[ruxCYtable]

So a while back I got a blu-ray player with streaming capability. I assumed a wired connection would be faster and, since I already had an ethernet cable running to that room for my dish receiver, I hooked up a switch at that point to split it and wired it. It works great a lot of the time, but lately I've been getting some error messages (network is down, unable to connect to network etc.) and "reloading" in the middle of watching videos.

Yesterday wii got a Wii (see what I did there) and I enabled Netflix streaming on it. Although the quality isn't as good (Wii doesn't have HD capability and connects via RCA jacks) I seem to get a smoother, more reliable connection, even though that particular connection is wireless.

Is my wired connection split too many times and, therefore, being slowed down? I've got 3-4 devices wired to the router, including two sharing one router spot via switch from one room (sat box and blu ray).

Or is this all just a damn coincidence? Any opinions?

 

[kansascy]

So a while back I got a blu-ray player with streaming capability. I assumed a wired connection would be faster and, since I already had an ethernet cable running to that room for my dish receiver, I hooked up a switch at that point to split it and wired it. It works great a lot of the time, but lately I've been getting some error messages (network is down, unable to connect to network etc.) and "reloading" in the middle of watching videos.

Yesterday wii got a Wii (see what I did there) and I enabled Netflix streaming on it. Although the quality isn't as good (Wii doesn't have HD capability and connects via RCA jacks) I seem to get a smoother, more reliable connection, even though that particular connection is wireless.

Is my wired connection split too many times and, therefore, being slowed down? I've got 3-4 devices wired to the router, including two sharing one router spot via switch from one room (sat box and blu ray).

Or is this all just a damn coincidence? Any opinions?

Do you know:

1. Is your wired network 10 or 100 Mbit (10baseT or 100baseT)?
2. Did you add a switch or a hub?

 

[ruxCYtable]

Do you know:

1. Is your wired network 10 or 100 Mbit (10baseT or 100baseT)?
2. Did you add a switch or a hub?

Wow, you're already over my head, but here goes (copied and pasted from web)

1.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Interfaces[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4 x 10/100 Ethernet LAN (RJ-45)
1 x 10/100 Ethernet WAN (RJ-45)

2. It's a Linksys 10/100 workgroup switch
[/FONT]

 

[GeronimusClone]

I bought a Blu Ray this past weekend. The difference between Blu Ray and an upconverted DVD is hardly worth the extra money.

 

[dmclone]

I bought a Blu Ray this past weekend. The difference between Blu Ray and an upconverted DVD is hardly worth the extra money.

Size of TV?

 

[ruxCYtable]

I bought a Blu Ray this past weekend. The difference between Blu Ray and an upconverted DVD is hardly worth the extra money.

I agree it's not a huge difference, at least on the smaller 32" HDTV I have. I've heard the difference is more pronounced on a larger screen.

I've hardly used it at all for playing discs, though, I'd say 95% of the time it's been used for streaming.

 

[GeronimusClone]

Size of TV?

I have a 42, but I've seen it on 55 as well.

 

[dmclone]

I have a 42, but I've seen it on 55 as well.

That's crazy because on my 46" it's a huge difference.

 

[Flag Guy]

That's crazy because on my 46" it's a huge difference.

I'm mixed on it.

I don't neccesarily always notice the blu-ray difference vs some DVD's, though a number of my older ones or DVD's of TV's shows (M*A*S*H, some Family Guy) don't up-convert very well at all.

It seems to be somewhat hit and miss though... older DVD's don't do as well, some newer ones I sometimes question the difference and other times it seems pretty sweet

 

[ruxCYtable]

Do you know:

1. Is your wired network 10 or 100 Mbit (10baseT or 100baseT)?
2. Did you add a switch or a hub?

I have a wireless-g router. Should I upgrade to a wireless-n for $32?

 

[dmclone]

I have a wireless-g router. Should I upgrade to a wireless-n for $32?

Doubt that will help unless everything you're running is N compatible.

 

[ISUboi12]

Does the PS3 upconvert DVD's? The difference between a dvd and a blu ray on my PS3 is disgusting. The fuzzies on the DVD make me feel like I'm watching a VCR.

 

[Flag Guy]

Does the PS3 upconvert DVD's? The difference between a dvd and a blu ray on my PS3 is disgusting. The fuzzies on the DVD make me feel like I'm watching a VCR.

Good question... I still use my DVD player to play DVD's, so I can't say I've experimented with that to find out.

A quick google search is returning both answers, with more "official" answers leaning towards "No, it does not"

That said, there are different models of the PS3, so maybe it was added to later models


EDIT: Seems it was a firmware update to allow for it, so yes it should



That said, I get those fuzzies with my upscaling DVD player as well (Something from the Sony Bravia line, 2-3 years old).

Simple fact is upscaling does not replace true HD source material...

 

[JY07]

there's no reason the wired bluray player should have issues and your wireless wii be issue free... my guess is your bluray player just sucks

FOR EXAMPLE, I keep all of my music on another machine; if I stream that music from there to my laptop with windows media player, it's very choppy. If I play the music with something like winamp, it works just fine. so the connection's fine, it just depends on what i use to play the media. moral of the story: there's probably nothing wrong with your connection, it's just the software probably sucks on your bluray player.

*edit* although I guess since that connection's split before getting to the router (just re-read your post), that potentially could be where you're having problems.

 

[kansascy]

I have a wireless-g router. Should I upgrade to a wireless-n for $32?

I have a Samsung blu-ray that streams over wireless-g without any problems. Your blu-ray player may not be wireless N compatible anyway. But since you were able to find answers to the "over my head" questions, you've probably already checked that!

Your wired network should be fine, unless you have two computers talking to each other or a network disk on your network. Those things will share the network and take up some of its capability. If the WII runs OK wireless, then I would suggest trying the blu-ray wireless just to eliminate any chance there's something in the wired network. If that has the same problems then you know its the blu-ray player.