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BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

C1Rider
Grafter
Posts: 190
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎06-01-2015

BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Hello,

Until recently watching BBC IPlayer was OK, now I am getting a 'pause' in the audio and sometimes the picture freezes briefly.

This does not happen with other services, only BBC IPlayer.

I have monitored the download bandwidth via my router and it reports a fluctuation in the bandwidth; it ranges from 8mb/9mb to zero; the audio pause and freezing usually happens shortly after the bandwidth shows zero.

On other service it remains steady around 1.80/2mb bandwidth.

My download speed average is around 8mb.

 

8 REPLIES 8
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
Thanks: 9,535
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Hi,

I think you need to look at the possibility of a speed issue here - see the speed issues thread below.  How are you measuring bandwidth?  Is that actual bandwidth or available bandwidth - that is bandwidth not being utilised?  8Mbps makes me wonder if you are on 20CN?

Please use the following links to check the services available and their estimated speeds. From the first link, please record and report back the distance from the exchange. The second link advises of which fibre services (if any) are available on your line and their anticipated speed.


 

Please perform a quiet line test - dial 17070 select option 2 using a corded phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket. It should be silent. A noisy phone line (or no dial tone) will have a marked adverse impact on the performance of broadband.

If the line is noisy or there is no dial tone, then a PHONE LINE fault needs to be raised with your phone provider. If this is PlusNet, you can report a fault on line using the button below.


 

Please post your router stats; for PN TG582n and 2704n routers use the buttons below, for other routers look at the Kitz link.

Also run a BT Wholesale speed test (ideally using an Ethernet wired PC with the WiFi turned off) then run the further diagnostics and post the results here. DO NOT REBOOT the router!

Also find your CURRENT SPEED (PlusNet line profile) from the PlusNet user portal - you will need to log in.


 Which router are you using?

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

C1Rider
Grafter
Posts: 190
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎06-01-2015

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Hello,

Thanks for the info.

Using the link it shows 11000 for ADSL+2 and 8000 for the rest.

Router is Asus AC68U and 17070 is quiet.

It appears odd to me that the BBC IPlayer goes up and down like a yo-yo and other services remain at a constant level.

Perhaps the recent IPlayer changes don't agree with my receiver ( Humax  DTRT1000 ) , and ex BT box and I'd like

to find out why.

 

 

 

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
Thanks: 9,535
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Without all of the requested information, I cannot assist.  You'll need to wait until a staffer is available to look at data from the back end systems.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 26,563
Thanks: 10,265
Fixes: 1,599
Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Hi there,

 

I'm sorry to hear you're having streaming problems.

 

Your download speed is where I'd expect for the line speed your router is in sync at.

 
  Upstream DSL Link Information Downstream DSL Link Information
Loop Loss: 17.3 30.6
SNR Margin: 6.0 13.0
Errored Seconds: 5 1
HEC Errors: 10  
Cell Count: 3084335 4814255
Speed: 1151 9166

Is it an HD program that's buffering on iPlayer? And, when you watch things via other services, are they also HD/in the same definition? I've reset your line to try to bring down the SNR Margin, which may slightly boost up your Speed (sync rate).

 

In about 4 hours time, can you turn your router off for 10 seconds and then back on?

 

Anoush

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
Thanks: 9,535
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

@Gandalf,

Thank you for those stats - they disclose a lot!

First question really is why is the SNRM so high?  The reported SNRM might imply a target of 12dB which is twice the norm.  Is there a history of frequent disconnections on this line?  Do they show any patterns?

A reset to 2dB might deliver an additional 3Mbps, but that would still be way short of the expectation for a 30dB attenuated line.

 

@C1Rider,

Is the device you are running iPlayer on wifi or Ethernet connected?  Next time it slows down can you please immediately do a QLT?  This is a useful diagnostic to do at regular intervals.  Intermittent noisy lines are not uncommon.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

C1Rider
Grafter
Posts: 190
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎06-01-2015

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Thanks for the replies.

The content is taken from the " catchup " option on my box and is not HD.

I'll check things in a few hours as suggested.

Interestingly, viewing BBC IPlayer on a PC does not give the break in audio or picture freeze although the bandwidth

indicator still goes up and down; I'm guessing now that it is something that my Humax box doesn't like, or do properly.

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 26,563
Thanks: 10,265
Fixes: 1,599
Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'


@C1Rider wrote:
Interestingly, viewing BBC IPlayer on a PC does not give the break in audio or picture freeze although the bandwidth

indicator still goes up and down; I'm guessing now that it is something that my Humax box doesn't like, or do properly.


Possibly, but hopefully the reset will make things a bit faster for you.

 

@Townman wrote:

@Gandalf,

Thank you for those stats - they disclose a lot!

First question really is why is the SNRM so high?  The reported SNRM might imply a target of 12dB which is twice the norm.  Is there a history of frequent disconnections on this line?  Do they show any patterns?

A reset to 2dB might deliver an additional 3Mbps, but that would still be way short of the expectation for a 30dB attenuated line.

There are a few drops in the past few days but nothing dramatically bad so far.

My recommendation is to see how things go after the SNR reset.

If the drops continue, it may be worth going through the checks here and getting an engineer involved if things don't improve.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
C1Rider
Grafter
Posts: 190
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎06-01-2015

Re: BBC iPlayer 'Hicup'

Well, Waited for approximately 4 hours and tried a download/stream from BBCIPlayer and I still got the breaks although they were not as many as previously.

Will check again later; in the meantime if there are two programs I want to watch, I'll watch the BBC one live and then watch the ITV one on replay.

I should have said there's no WiFi connection(s) involved.

My uneducated guess is the BBC IPlayer just keeps sending stuff and my Humax box can't cope.