Xbox extender freezes upon opening WMC

[merleau79]

Hello all. You'll see below that I am just learning about HTPC. I just discovered that you could set one up this past week so please be patient haha. I have been researching it as much as possible, but the lags are very frustrating.

I just borrowed a HDhomerun prime to test it out and see in I want that or the Ceton 6. I like it a lot, however, even though I was just using two turners my laptop and Xbox extender lagged tremendously. My laptop lagged somewhat on its own, but it wasn't too bad. The extender didn't work that great by itself. At first, I thought an extender could only display what your main HTPC was displaying.

My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 15R with a 2.30 Ghz (boost up to 2.7), i5 2410M, 4GB Ram, 64 bit. I'm not to sure if the Ethernet is a 1000G. My Xbox is pretty old (it was manufactured in 2007 and was one of my brothers old system). Also, my internet connection is 25mbps I really don't want to purchase a tower hard drive, but I will if I need to. My setup is pretty simple. It is just for my bedroom, but I want two screen to air different channels for when football season starts. I am moving this week where the modem will be 1 story below. Unfortunately, my router broke yesterday so I'm not too sure what to do. Perhaps a switch? My new place will have a 30mbps, but two others will be there as well.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

Brian

[blueiedgod]

A) Your internet speed has nothing do with WMC, unless you are streaming internet videos through it. All of your communications between tuners, HTPC and XBOX are on the internal network. You can sign up for dial up internet, and it won't make a difference.

B) You will need a router, unless you want to start assigning IP addresses your self. Without a router, only 1 device will be able to connect to the internet. Still not related to the communication speed between your TV devices.

C) How is your laptop HTPC connected to the network? Wired or wireless? Wireless does not work well for TV. You have to have a wired connection.

[merleau79]

Thanks for the reply.

A). As of right now I am just interested in watching live TV for my HTPC. Streaming Netflix hasn't really interested me that much.

B). I had a router until the power outage did something to it when it was updating. However, where I am moving to the modem and the router will be downstairs. So I'll have to get another router for my bedroom as well?

C). At first I had my laptop running wirelessly and it ran pretty smoothly. A few hiccups, but it was very watchable. Then I had my laptop and my Xbox 360 running. My Xbox 360 was plugged into the router and it basically didn't run at all. My laptop was still wireless and there was still a delay.

But this is where I am confused. I thought that the Xbox 360 only played what my laptop was playing. Or was the Xbox 360 picking up a tuner that was streaming to my laptop? If I have my laptop plugged in, will that help the Xbox 360 run more smoothly? Ideally, I would like my Xbox to watch one football game and have my laptop play another.

[Embiggens]

B). I had a router until the power outage did something to it when it was updating. However, where I am moving to the modem and the router will be downstairs. So I'll have to get another router for my bedroom as well?

So you have 1 wire running up to your bedroom as is? Then just get a switch (my understanding is that the cheaper, unmanaged is the best way to go and is what I use w/o problems though I use a different tuner) and wire in both your laptop and your xbox.

C). At first I had my laptop running wirelessly and it ran pretty smoothly. A few hiccups, but it was very watchable. Then I had my laptop and my Xbox 360 running. My Xbox 360 was plugged into the router and it basically didn't run at all. My laptop was still wireless and there was still a delay.

Your laptop is running full Media Center, your xbox is the extender, so your laptop is transmitting the actual media center extender 'stream' to the router and from there it's going to the xbox. If both are wired using a switch you should be in good shape. If only one can be wired you are probably much better off with the laptop wired.

Ideally, I would like my Xbox to watch one football game and have my laptop play another.

If you have a prime, you have 3 'tuners', so you could even record another game while doing that. In fact, football is awesome so you probably should do that. I would view it in this case as if all tuners are 'housed' in your laptop, and then what you're watching on your xbox is one of those tuners 'streaming' out to your xbox.

[merleau79]

So you have 1 wire running up to your bedroom as is? Then just get a switch (my understanding is that the cheaper, unmanaged is the best way to go and is what I use w/o problems though I use a different tuner) and wire in both your laptop and your xbox.

When, right now there is just a coax for the cable. I was thinking about getting a switch, but I wasn't entirely sure how it works. I just finished watching a few videos and looking at some diagrams. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a switch basically increases or maintains the speed from the modem to the router. So downstairs the modem will be beside the TV and the router will be next to the modem. Connect those two. Across the room the desktop (I won't be using this computer) can still receive the WiFi signal. Then just take a Cat5e ethernet cable and run it up my room where the switch will be. From here I can plug my laptop into and my Xbox 360 into. Is there a particular distance that the signal will be lost? Where I will have the switch shouldn't be more than 100ft.

Also, is there a particular switch that I should look for? I know that AC routers are the best, so I'm guessing that the switches are the same. However, the router where I'm moving to is probably not AC so a AC switch wouldn't be an upgrade. Probably a dual band will be sufficient?

Your laptop is running full Media Center, your xbox is the extender, so your laptop is transmitting the actual media center extender 'stream' to the router and from there it's going to the xbox. If both are wired using a switch you should be in good shape. If only one can be wired you are probably much better off with the laptop wired.

Ok, great. I wasn't sure if the Xbox was lagging because it was an older model (2007). I can always buy a newer model or pickup a used one on Ebay (although from what I have seen them are pretty close to what a new Xbox 360 is selling for.

If you have a prime, you have 3 'tuners', so you could even record another game while doing that. In fact, football is awesome so you probably should do that. I would view it in this case as if all tuners are 'housed' in your laptop, and then what you're watching on your xbox is one of those tuners 'streaming' out to your xbox.

I'm going to test out the Ceton 6 tuner to see which is better (if I get all of this figured out).

Ultimately, what I'm looking to do is get the nflsundayticket.tv and buy and Xbox One. Use the Xbox 360 as an extender onto the Xbox One WMC so you have actual DVR capabilities through the Xbox One. Where I am moving to I can pick up two difference local affifilates of CBS. I can use JRiver for one of these tuners. So, in theory, I can watch Sunday ticket on my main TV screen (watching the Steelers) then watch the OH CBS and Fox. Then switch over to the PA station of CBS and Fox. This will only work if they decide to put the Browns game on instead of the Steelers game (if the Browns game is on I should be able to watch the Steelers game on Sunday Ticket).

[mdavej]

If you don't want to run a new cable, you can do 100Mbps Ethernet over coax for about $20.

A switch is just a way to plug more things into your network. It doesn't do anything to the signal except make sure different ones don't interfere with each other.

I've never heard of the AC brand. I like Trendnet. They're cheap and work well.

If your Xbox is slow, then your laptop is to blame. The laptop is the server. The Xbox is just a dumb client.

[blueiedgod]

But this is where I am confused. I thought that the Xbox 360 only played what my laptop was playing. Or was the Xbox 360 picking up a tuner that was streaming to my laptop? If I have my laptop plugged in, will that help the Xbox 360 run more smoothly? Ideally, I would like my Xbox to watch one football game and have my laptop play another.

An extender will show the same or a different program, depending on how many tuners you have in your system.

An extender will not automatically show the same image on the connected screen as the host, but it can, if you choose to do so.

You can use the extender to view a different program than one being viewed on the host PC. It may be another live airing, recorded TV, downloaded file, or streaming from netflix.

A program recording initiated on the extender or the PC will be playable on either device, regardless where it was initiated from.

Stopping a recorded program mid play on one screen will allow you to resume playback from that spot at another screen (extender to PC, or PC to extender, or Extender to another extender).

You absolutely need a wired connection for best playback experience.

Routers have built in switches, usually 4 ports. Dedicated switches in most cases will be better at handling video traffic than routers that are also burdened with other duties.

Switch can be uplinked to any port on the router to expand your network, and give devices connected to the switch access to the internet and devices connected to the router.

[merleau79]

If you don't want to run a new cable, you can do 100Mbps Ethernet over coax for about $20.

Do you have an example of this? Or is this the Trendnet that you are talking about?

I've never heard of the AC brand. I like Trendnet. They're cheap and work well.

AC is just the new wifi standard speed. http://www.cnet.com/topics/networking/b ... /802-11ac/

If your Xbox is slow, then your laptop is to blame. The laptop is the server. The Xbox is just a dumb client.

Thanks for clearing that up. I didn't have my laptop wired, but my Xbox was.

[merleau79]

An extender will show the same or a different program, depending on how many tuners you have in your system.

An extender will not automatically show the same image on the connected screen as the host, but it can, if you choose to do so.

You can use the extender to view a different program than one being viewed on the host PC. It may be another live airing, recorded TV, downloaded file, or streaming from netflix.

A program recording initiated on the extender or the PC will be playable on either device, regardless where it was initiated from.

Stopping a recorded program mid play on one screen will allow you to resume playback from that spot at another screen (extender to PC, or PC to extender, or Extender to another extender).

Are these options found on the host PC's settings in WMC?

Routers have built in switches, usually 4 ports. Dedicated switches in most cases will be better at handling video traffic than routers that are also burdened with other duties.

Switch can be uplinked to any port on the router to expand your network, and give devices connected to the switch access to the internet and devices connected to the router.

That's what I was thinking. The 4 port router switches won't be enough. Dedicated switches, if I'm correct, basically have one task - manage the information in a particular port.

Hopefully I'll get all of this to work. I'll be trying it out on Tues and I'll let you know. Thanks for your help.

[Crash2009]

I setup a few of these this summer. Wireless AC has exceeded the speed of wired Gig networks. https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC68U/ The Asus model works well with the AC68 adapter. https://www.asus.com/Networking/PCEAC68/ A 1.3 Gbps stream will knock down a stray dog.

You might be able to upgrade the laptop with this https://www.asus.com/Networking/USBAC56/

[blueiedgod]

I setup a few of these this summer. Wireless AC has exceeded the speed of wired Gig networks. https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC68U/ The Asus model works well with the AC68 adapter. https://www.asus.com/Networking/PCEAC68/ A 1.3 Gbps stream will knock down a stray dog.

You might be able to upgrade the laptop with this https://www.asus.com/Networking/USBAC56/

Until your neighbor gets an AC wi-fi router and you are back to where you were with B, G, and N; Interference.

Run a LAN speed test on your wi-fi for a 10 GB file and see what the sustained speeds are. Not what the little notification icon in the lower right corner tells you.

[blueiedgod]

An extender will show the same or a different program, depending on how many tuners you have in your system.

An extender will not automatically show the same image on the connected screen as the host, but it can, if you choose to do so.

You can use the extender to view a different program than one being viewed on the host PC. It may be another live airing, recorded TV, downloaded file, or streaming from netflix.

A program recording initiated on the extender or the PC will be playable on either device, regardless where it was initiated from.

Stopping a recorded program mid play on one screen will allow you to resume playback from that spot at another screen (extender to PC, or PC to extender, or Extender to another extender).

Are these options found on the host PC's settings in WMC?

Routers have built in switches, usually 4 ports. Dedicated switches in most cases will be better at handling video traffic than routers that are also burdened with other duties.

Switch can be uplinked to any port on the router to expand your network, and give devices connected to the switch access to the internet and devices connected to the router.

That's what I was thinking. The 4 port router switches won't be enough. Dedicated switches, if I'm correct, basically have one task - manage the information in a particular port.

Hopefully I'll get all of this to work. I'll be trying it out on Tues and I'll let you know. Thanks for your help.

What settings?

Get an 8 port or 16 port switch, depending on what your may expand to. 8 probably will work for most people, but if you start adding network drops to different rooms (some rooms may get 2 network drops), adding more equipment like servers, NASes, etc... 16 port is a safe start.

I thought I was crazy buying a 24 port one, but I am down to 2 empty spots.

[merleau79]

Until your neighbor gets an AC wi-fi router and you are back to where you were with B, G, and N; Interference.

Run a LAN speed test on your wi-fi for a 10 GB file and see what the sustained speeds are. Not what the little notification icon in the lower right corner tells you.

So my dual band router will be good enough? I'm guessing so since you said that the speed of the internet does not matter.

What settings?

Get an 8 port or 16 port switch, depending on what your may expand to. 8 probably will work for most people, but if you start adding network drops to different rooms (some rooms may get 2 network drops), adding more equipment like servers, NASes, etc... 16 port is a safe start.

I thought I was crazy buying a 24 port one, but I am down to 2 empty spots.

You said that the extender can watch the same image as the host or watch a different program. I wasn't sure how to do it because one time it would show the same program and sometimes it would be different.

I got an 8 switch. Hopefully that'll be enough. I just have my TV, Xbox, laptop, Blu-ray player, and maybe one other thing. That sounds like quite a set-up that you have. I can't imagine having that many devices.

[barnabas1969]

You said that the extender can watch the same image as the host or watch a different program. I wasn't sure how to do it because one time it would show the same program and sometimes it would be different.

It's as easy as changing the channel, or selecting a recorded show to watch. You can select the same or different channels/shows on each extender/PC.

Now, if you are trying to run the PC and the extender in the same room... then you need to make some registry setting changes so that the PC and XBox respond to different remote controls.

[blueiedgod]

Until your neighbor gets an AC wi-fi router and you are back to where you were with B, G, and N; Interference.

Run a LAN speed test on your wi-fi for a 10 GB file and see what the sustained speeds are. Not what the little notification icon in the lower right corner tells you.

So my dual band router will be good enough? I'm guessing so since you said that the speed of the internet does not matter.

Any router will be fine for internet.

Internet connection speed has no effect on the internal network speed.

All of the TV signal communication between tuner, PC and extenders is done on the internal network.

Internet connection (external network) connection is only needed when updating the guide, or accessing internet feeds like youtube, amazon, netflix, etc.

The dual band or whatever next will be will always be susceptible to interference from other networks operating nearby. If wi-fi were as good as wired, as the manufacturers claim, corporations would be saving millions of dollars per year not having to wire offices, and would just use wi-fi, but in real world, wi-fi is not as reliable or secure as plain old twisted pairs of copper wires.

Traffic that is designed for transmission over wi-fi or otherwise unpredictable connection is buffered and played back from the buffer to smooth out the irregularities in the connection (netflix, youtube, amazon, unbox, voodoo... etc)

HDTV traffic is not designed to handle interruptions or irregularities in the connection. It is either there, or not. There is no buffer. Interruption in the connection will result in disconnect from the tuner/host.

What settings?

Get an 8 port or 16 port switch, depending on what your may expand to. 8 probably will work for most people, but if you start adding network drops to different rooms (some rooms may get 2 network drops), adding more equipment like servers, NASes, etc... 16 port is a safe start.

I thought I was crazy buying a 24 port one, but I am down to 2 empty spots.

You said that the extender can watch the same image as the host or watch a different program. I wasn't sure how to do it because one time it would show the same program and sometimes it would be different.

I got an 8 switch. Hopefully that'll be enough. I just have my TV, Xbox, laptop, Blu-ray player, and maybe one other thing. That sounds like quite a set-up that you have. I can't imagine having that many devices.

There are no settings. You use the remote to select what to watch on the extender, just like you do on the host PC.

I never said it is the same image. You can view the same channel on up to 6 screens at once, pause and rewind within the 40 minute buffer, while using single tuner to tune the program. They are not going to be in sync, since you can not possibly start them all up at the same time. You can play with the pause button to sync them, but it will never be identical, unless you are really good at the pause button.

Similarly, you can playback the same recorded or downloaded program on up to 6 screens at once, but they are not necessarily going to be in sync, since you will not start them up at the same time.

[Crash2009]

Until your neighbor gets an AC wi-fi router and you are back to where you were with B, G, and N; Interference.

Run a LAN speed test on your wi-fi for a 10 GB file and see what the sustained speeds are. Not what the little notification icon in the lower right corner tells you.

Are you suggesting we should go back to sending messages with pigeons?

[blueiedgod]

Until your neighbor gets an AC wi-fi router and you are back to where you were with B, G, and N; Interference.

Run a LAN speed test on your wi-fi for a 10 GB file and see what the sustained speeds are. Not what the little notification icon in the lower right corner tells you.

Are you suggesting we should go back to sending messages with pigeons?

If you can deduce that from what I said, then I did not get my point across.

Pigeons were subject to interference from hawks and other predatory animals, as well as the pigeon's own diversions from the planned route. That is why pigeon mail was not very reliable.

I am suggesting using wires for a reliable, consistent and secure connection.

[RyC]

I'm sorry I can't resist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers

[barnabas1969]

I'm sorry I can't resist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers

Hey... a method that the NSA can't snoop on!

[Crash2009]

Until your neighbor gets an AC wi-fi router and you are back to where you were with B, G, and N; Interference.

Run a LAN speed test on your wi-fi for a 10 GB file and see what the sustained speeds are. Not what the little notification icon in the lower right corner tells you.

Are you suggesting we should go back to sending messages with pigeons?

If you can deduce that from what I said, then I did not get my point across.

Pigeons were subject to interference from hawks and other predatory animals, as well as the pigeon's own diversions from the planned route. That is why pigeon mail was not very reliable.

I am suggesting using wires for a reliable, consistent and secure connection.

All I'm saying is the OP just wants to watch a little TV on his laptop, it was "his" suggestion of an AC router. Just because the neighbor "might" get the same thing and cause interference, and "maybe" some day somebody "might" try to throw a 10Gig file across the room, is a poor excuse not to have a WiFi setup that is many times better than plain old 2.4Ghz.

He all ready has 1 wire run to the bedroom, why not use it for a Dual Band or AC router and have everything right where you want it. 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz WiFi, and a 4 port switch. Live TV works fine on 5Ghz and I am 30 feet away from the router, and shooting through double 5/8 drywall, 18" of bricks, and an inch of plaster.