TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I have my two TiVo boxes networked together so that I can watch programmes recorded on one on the other and vice versa. At least that's how it should work in theory but repeatedly I have been having a problem. Midway through watching a recording it stops and I get the message 'Network too slow'.

I am using a cat 5 wired connection via a superhub 2 and have checked that my plugs are properly connected. I can't find any explanation on the Virgin Media multiroom streaming troubleshooting pages. Can anyone offer any help?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Yes I have noticed this. Before the VM homeplug trial I used A TP-link games adapter and streamed over wi-fi. This seemed the only way to get a good connection. Then the homeplugs seemed to work (at least during the trial) but then went back to dropping the connection so back onto the TP-Link.

The only thing I havent tried is using an ethernet cable from the tivo to the router. (havent got a long enough one for a test.)

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I tried homeplugs but even though my home wiring was fairly new and in good condition I kept getting this problem. I switched to a 15 metre cat 5 wired solution for this reason. I would have thought a wired connection would be the most reliable. My internet connection through the superhub 2 seems rock solid - so why this 'Network too slow' problem?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

The only difference I see between what you do is that you use the Superhub and I use a Asus router and run the Superhub in modem mode.

Do you have Cisco or Samsung Tivos? I have Samsung. A 1TB and a 500GB one. I have a thought that I could drop an ethernet cable out of the window to connect it to the downstaris one and see what happens.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

It's strange to have issues when wired , I don't have a TiVo so can't comment on multiroom streaming with it.

Connectivity with wifi and homeplugs will always result in connection issues for some. I have my Sky Q Mini connected to my Sky Q hub with wifi using the mesh and it's been pretty problem free even more so since the latest firmware update.

Could it be a problem since the latest update if you have received it ?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I have two 1TB Cisco TiVos. Everything else apart from the multiroom streaming is working normally. In fact I was watching a recorded Sky Cinema HD film yesterday evening and the quality seemed very good - until I got the 'Network too slow' message and the recording stopped. This happened three times during a 2 hour film.

---------- Post added at 11:28 ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 ----------

The problem has me baffled. I would not have expected this kind of thing with a wired connection. I have not received the update yet.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

It might be a clash between as I did appear to some problems when the Tivos were on different updates.

I suspect that using the superhub doesnt help. I left an ethernet test between thwe tivos running while I went shopping ( found a long ethernet cable that I didnt know I had) and there were no problems. However I have the superhub in modem mode.;) and am using an Asus router running merlin firmware

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

You can run an Ethernet between two TiVos directly without going via hub/switch/whatever. It would be a good thing to try to rule out your SuperHub.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

That's something that hadn't occurred to me. Thanks, I'll give it a try this evening.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I tried this but got the message 'Network Problem - Unable to Find TiVo' (or words to that effect). I plugged the ethernet cable back into the superhub2 and it all appeared OK. I have yet to see if the original problem persists as I did not watch any streamed recordings yesterday evening. Any other ideas?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Hmm... maybe you have to reboot the TiVos after changing to a direct connection?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

A reboot did the trick. The other TiVo is now visible. I will try and view a recording this evening to see if I still get the interruption and 'Network too slow' notice.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I have the same problem, both of mine are connected via a gigabit switch through Cat 5e cables.

Its very irritating, since on restarting, the recording starts off from the beginning again (or wherever you last started it).

I can only assume that the buffer used for multi-room streaming is very small.

Colin

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

A direct TiVo to TiVo connection via a cat 5e cable is not the answer. I was watching a recording yesterday evening streamed from my second TiVo and it was interrupted by the familiar and unwelcome 'Network too slow' message. Pressing OK took me back to the start of the recording and I had to fast-forward to the point where I was interrupted. The fault must lie with the TiVo and its networking ability (or lack of). Everything else seems to be working normally.

This is a really annoying problem especially with the Olympic games upon us when, not being a sports fan, I plan to be watching a lot of recorded material. Has no one got a solution for it?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Ok, it's good to rule these things out.

Sounds like the sending TiVo isn't supplying data fast enough. Try a "Clear Thumb ratings & Suggestions" on it. (if you haven't already)

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I did this a couple of months ago when I read on the forum that this would speed up my sluggish TiVo (it didn't) but I will do so again. BTW, I don't use thumb ratings and switched off suggestions. I tried the feature when I first got TiVo but found the suggestions it made irrelevant.

I'll try viewing more recordings this evening. Fingers crossed.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

That's not the answer. I cleared thumb ratings and suggestions on both TiVos (just to be certain) and I am still getting the dreaded 'Network too slow' message on my cat 5e directly connected TiVo. Surely there must be a way to fix this.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

It isn't a known error as such. I've only ever seen that message when deliberately testing over a slow network. I've streamed HD recordings from one TiVo to three others simultaneously and not seen it. So you've got something unusual here.

Does it happen if you stream in the opposite direction? Does it happen on SD recordings or just HD?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

It happens in both directions. I have only noticed it on HD recordings as I rarely watch SD. I have noticed that it tends to happen between 8.00 and 9.00 pm but as I only watch TV in the evenings this might just be a coincidence. The worst problem I had was watching a Sky Cinema recording which stopped three times within an hour.

I first encountered the problem using Netgear homeplugs and upgraded to faster TP-Link ones but with no improvement. Next I tried a direct connection with a cat 5e cable via a gigabit switch with the same result. I am now using a 15 metre cat 5e direct TiVo to TiVo connection and still getting this problem.

One other thing to note - often when I first try and connect I get the message 'Unable to find network - try again'. I try again and it connects. All goes well for up to a couple of hours but sooner or later I get the 'Network too slow' message. I must then start the recording from the beginning and fast forward.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Ah, now that's interesting. It might be IR interference in the room slowing the sending TiVo. Try covering up the IR sensor on the front of the sending TiVo. The sensor is just to the left of the green power LED - lean a book against it or something.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Thanks, I'll give it a whirl.

I don't know if you can use the multiroom streaming with the sending TiVo switched off but I always leave it switched on. I do notice the next morning though that it has switched itself off. It must do this automatically after a set period. It did cross my mind that these 'Network too slow' events just might coincide with the sending TiVo switching off. This is something I've yet to check out.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

It should work with the sending box in standby, but it's possible you get a glitch as it goes into standby. If you want you can turn off auto power saving in Home -> Help&Settings ->Settings -> Devices

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Thanks again. With the Olympic games now with us I plan to be watching more recorded programmes than usual over the weekend as I'm not a big fan of sport. I hope this works.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

The problem persists. I even replaced my cat 5e cable with a new one, directly connected the two TiVos, set the sending TiVo to be always on, covered the IR receptor but I still cannot view streamed content between my TiVos without getting the dreaded 'Network too slow' message at some point. This happened three times in seven hours of viewing over the weekend - once on a BBC recording and twice on a Sky Cinema recording. It is intensely annoying. I'm out of ideas.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Curiouser and curiouser. I was streaming recordings from one TiVo to another over the weekend and I got the 'Network too slow' message three times within a two-hour period forcing me to restart and fast-forward to the point where I was interrupted each time. Then, wonder of wonders, I have watched more than six hours of streamed recordings over three evenings since then without a single blip. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a weekends only problem. Could it be a coincidence or has any one else experienced this?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Did you try the IR interference test I suggested earlier? That's exactly the sort of problem that causes intermittent slowness.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Yes, I tried it. The three 'Network too slow' blips happened while the IR was completely covered and the sending TiVo turned on permanently. As it seemed to be having no effect I uncovered it and since then - no blips. I'm hoping this continues. I will watch some more streamed recordings this evening and wait and see what happens over the weekend. It's a strange problem, that's for sure.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Try covering the IR receiver at the receiving end too

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Thanks, I'll give it a try, but surely that means that the TiVo I will be watching the recording on will be unresponsive to the remote? If it works it can't be a long term solution.

BTW, I did watch two hours of streamed recordings yesterday evening without a blip. That makes more than eight hours in total since I last encountered the problem.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

No, it's just part of the process of identifying the cause. If we can prove it is caused by IR interference, we can then work on eliminating the source of that interference (often it's an energy-saving bulb in the room, or the TV screen itself)

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

OK. I'll try it over the weekend. Thanks for your help with this, it's appreciated.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

After a trouble-free week of multi-room streaming the 'Network too slow' problem returned over the weekend - or Saturday evening, to be precise. The IR receptor is covered on the sending TiVo and I tried also covering the corresponding IR receptor on the receiving TiVo. I was about 30 minutes into a film when I got my first 'Network too slow' blip. I started again, fast-forwarded to the point where it had stopped and within 5 minutes the same thing happened again. I uncovered the IR receptor on the receiving TiVo and was able to watch the remainder of the film without problems. I tried the same thing on Sunday evening (receiving IR receptor uncovered) and there were no blips.

So, to sum up, weekday evenings no blips, Saturday evening multiple blips.

I am considering replacing my Cat 5e TiVo to TiVo directly connected cable with a Cat 6 cable to see if this helps. Any thoughts?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Cat 5e ought to be plenty good enough, but I suppose there's a slight chance it is faulty. But I'm starting to think it's more likely to be a fault with one of your TiVos. Not going to be easy to work out which, though.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Thanks again. I have tried two different cat 5e cables without improvement. I've just ordered a cat 6 and will try that.

I have two 1TB Cisco TiVos. I have not had the software update yet - I live in London (21). I don't know if the update includes networking improvements. If the new cable does not improve things it might very well be a faulty TiVo. I suspect the older of the two (the sending TiVo in the majority of problems) which is noticeably more sluggish that the newer one although it does have more recordings.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Not good news. I swapped my cat 5e cable for cat 6 and was interrupted twice within a two-hour period of multi-room streaming by the now familiar 'Network too slow (v69)' message forcing me to start again and fast-forward to the point where I was interrupted each time.

So, it seems it's not a cable problem, not a weekend-only problem, unlikely to be an IR problem, which leaves...???

This is driving me crazy. Where do I go from here?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I'm out of ideas. You'll have to ring the VM Faults team to progress it, though be aware they will probably want to replace the boxes so you'll lose your recordings.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

That's it replace the boxes so you have nothing to stream anyway.
Problem solved ;)

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

It looks like a classic Catch-22 problem.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Same problems for us. Not sure which make but using a 500GB and a 1TB box.

The 1TB is the sending unit using the VM supplied Netgear powerline adaptors, via a Linksys 8500 router and cat6 cable to the 500GB

Doesn't seem to happen as often as it does for Heavyside but definitely 2 or 3 times per week. What we do seem to get more often is 20/30 seconds of spinning circle (buffering?) at the start of the playback but not all the time?? I would say >90% of use is HD.

I've not seen the link on the powerline drop below 250Mb (normally much higher) and speed tests always exceed 100Mb so plenty of bandwidth.

As the 500GB box is in the loft it's not easy to swap them around but what I will do is try them on their own dedicated router to see if that has any impact.

Cheers

Grim

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

You heard it here first! :Sprint:

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

That's what you get when you think out-of-the-box. I'll see myself out. :D

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I think that the only thing you havent done is to put a router in and run the Superhub in modem mode. I have the upstairs tivo connected to the router and the downstairs connected to the router via 5G wifi. If if does fail I have found that it only goes back a few minutes when I restart the stream.

---------- Post added at 17:30 ---------- Previous post was at 17:28 ----------

I should say there are only two people living in the house so there is not a lot of activity happening on the network most of the time.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

My 'Network too slow' problem was happening even with a direct cat 6 TiVo to TiVo connection with no router in between. The problem is there with a router and without a router, with homeplugs and with three different cables, with the IR ports covered and uncovered. Having eliminated everything else the fault must lie with one (or both) of my TiVos.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Think I'm inclined to agree, issue last night while using a router just for the TiVos. I don't know if its a hardware or software fault though. Wouldn't be so bad if it remembered where playback had got to so you could just restart with no messing about.

Cheers

Grim

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I wonder if the problem lies in the way they do error recovery and because its a TCP/IP connection it tries to retransmit the non received packet whereas with normal video you see all the warts displayed on the screen.

I havent seen the failure recently but when it did I dont recall having to fast forward from the beginning. It seemed to get within a few minutes of the right place.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Does this mean that you had similar network glitches in the past but no longer have them? If so, what did you change to eliminate them?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

If only it was that easy :D

I recently bought a Roku device and very occasionally when streaming it also locks up with a network error.

I dont know whether its dependent on the amount of local traffic. It does seem quite lite here.

But as to what has changed I don't have a clue. I ought to document the changes but life's to short to bother with it.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

That was me grasping at straws, really. I will be getting a new main TV next month. In the meantime I plan to watch as many of my TiVo recordings as possible on the suspect (sending) box and then use the excuse of the new set to take the plunge and exchange the TiVo hoping the network problem goes with it.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Over the weekend one TiVo became 'invisible' to my other TiVo. It took a reboot before the receiving TiVo was able to 'see' it again. Another sign that one of my boxes is at fault for all the 'Network too slow' glitches I have been getting?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Streaming between Tivo's seems hit and miss. Why not keep things simple and a lot cheaper by using a wireless AV sender to send to another TV ? No extra box charge, no streaming charge, no restriction on channels. Works fine for me.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I can think of two reasons at least. You can only watch one channel thereby annoying all others in the household and you can only record 3 channels with one tivo.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Well I've got freeview as an option on both tv's. Can't think of a time where i've need to record more than 3 channels. Surely there's not enough time to watch it all and sleep, work, play etc.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

On certain evenings, you can get about five or six clashes at 9pm, and all the tuners are also in use during the 10-11pm hour, making the +1 option out of the question.

It does happen, although if you are lucky, you may find some programmes repeated during the week.

...And I'm quite fussy about what I watch!

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Most of the pay channels have multiple airings of a show and in HD I've never ever had an issue.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Yes, I have generally managed to resolve clashing problems, but it can sometimes take a while, particularly if a number of the programmes are on the main terrestrial channels.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

We got the TiVo update early hours of yesterday morning (30th August). Last night was by far the worst streaming experience to date - 3 failures in less than 10 mins so we gave up. Coincidence? Maybe but what ever it was enough to try my wife's patience and I came downstairs this morning to find her looking at SkyQ.

Cheers

Grim

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

You say that, and, TBH, in my case, 3 tuners is enough more often than not, but for a house with a couple of adults and two or three kids, 3 tuners may be a little restrictive.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

There is the problem of clipping. If, for example, you have padding set before and after a programme and decide to record one programme starting at, say, eight o'clock and another at ten o'clock and don't wish to clip them you will only effectively have one tuner available for anything you might wish to record at nine o'clock when, IMO, the most interesting programmes tend to go out.

I've had the software update for a couple of weeks now. I've found that it made no difference to my original multi-room streaming problem although on Monday evening I did manage to watch a streamed film of 2+ hours all the way through without the by now familiar 'Network too slow' message. Whatever is causing this is probably more fundamental than a software update. I suspect it might be a hardware fault. I'm waiting for a new TV to be installed next month when I plan to swap the suspect (sending) TiVo and see if that fixes the problem.

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Yesterday I had a new twist on my 'Network too slow' problem when, several minutes into a streamed recording, I got the message 'Unable to find TiVo' (or words to that effect). There was a fault number - it might have been V87 but I forgot to make a note of it. I reconnected and watched most of the recording before I got the now inevitable 'Network too slow' message a couple of minutes from the end.

Fed up I decided to watch some iPlayer. The TiVo app was buffering several times each minute and I switched to watching iPlayer on my smart TV app which worked without fault. I'm now wondering if the 'Network too slow' and 'Unable to find TiVo' problems and the buffering iPlayer are all connected.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

Finally I've swapped the old V+ for a second Tivo. One in the living room and one in the dining room. With the SH upstairs in the bedroom. Any other way to link them rather than ethernet or homeplug?

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

You can try a wireless access point. It will connect to your tivo via ethernet and the wirelessly connect to your router. I can't vouch for which is best or if any are incompatible (although I did have issues while testing a tplink model before taking it to my parents....where it works fine for their smart tv)

Re: TiVo Multiroom Streaming Problem
 

I use the tplink gaming adapter which works well for me. It will depend on your exact condtiions what works best.