BillBullock

I have tested the video handling on my computers and they are both capable of streaming HD video. The problem lies somewhere else therefore.

1Steve

Out of interest I signed up for a free test of smartdnsproxy and I get HD quality on iPlayer so it is not smartdns causing you problems

BillBullock

What is your setup, PC connected to smart TV with HDMI cable, and ethernet cable between router and PC like mine? Only streamed HD test videos, available on the internet, play in HD on my TV.

1Steve

I have just recently bought a new Mini PC with UHD graphics which is connected to my router by ethernet cable and to the tv by HDMI. Tv is UHD 55"
My older Mini PC has only HD graphics and it huffed and puffed and got a bit overheated with the UHD TV so that's why I got a new one. iPlayer on the old Mini was also in HD.
My Tv is a smart TV but I do not connect it to the internet

BillBullock

Thanks 1Steve. Maybe I need to upgrade my mini PC and TV to UHD some time. Then, like you, I will get HD from iPlayer as was the case with satellite reception on the Icecrypt 1600 receiver. Otherwise I will be stuck with SD which I suppose is quite acceptable.

wellinever

Noticing that when using Iplayer on a VPN, it will run perfectly in HD for about 3 or 4 minutes then the VPN stops.
But for example do not get that issue when watching C4, just finished watching a film on 4 for 2 hours without a stop or degrding of picture. Thought I would look at HIGNFU and cuts off after 3/4 mins. Connects again but does same again after 4/4 mins//any suggestions?
Changed the protocol from IKEv2 to TCP/Wireguard/WStunnel/Stealth but same issue on all

1Steve

Are you sure it is the VPN that stops? I use 2 browsers, Chrome and Firefox. If I am surfing without VPN and connect to BBC it will place a bbc.com cookie in my cache. Then if I switch on the VPN and start watching iplayer it will run for a few minutes then stop. Then if I delete the bbc.com cookies it will run again no problems which makes me think it logs your ip address in the bbc.com cookie. So I now only watch bbc on Firefox using the VPN and do normal surfing in Chrome. You need to allow cookies or it will ask you to login each time you want to watch iplayer. The bbc.co.uk cookie is the one you want to get stored when using the VPN.
I am not a protocol expert and don't recognise the ones you quoted, I use Openvpn TCP protocol and have no problems.

BillBullock

Very interesting and useful information Steve. Thanks.

BillBullock

What make and model of mini PC did you buy? Mine is several years' old and might need upgrading.

wellinever

Remember this is all on an android phone. Yes I am sure it is the VPN that stops, the screen goes black and circle (trying to connect comes up), at same time the VPN icon goes off and when I open the VPN app sure enough it needs to be re connected to London VPN. But reconnect and return to Iplayer, and after maybe 20 seconds it starts where it left off. SO I must have maintained connection to Iplayer, without the need to log back on. I use WIndscribe VPN, which gives you all those Protocols to try, though it recommends KEV2.

1Steve

Ok I did not realise it was a phone you were watching on. Possibly the cookies store info about what you are watching as I often watch half of something and the next night when I open the same program it starts where I finished off the previous night. Not 100% sure it is stored in a cookie, maybe it is stored in your account on the BBC server, dunno .

fergus

I am making some assumptions here and someone may already have advised this. If you are using the phone to watch TV, then I presume you are connecting the phone to the router via wifi. On the router you may or may not be able to set the DNS. However, on the phone, which I am presuming you are connecting to the router via Wifi, you need to go to the advanced settings on the wifi connection and set the DCHP to static and use the settings for the VPN. Otherwise you may inadvertently be telling Iplayer that you are not in the UK as the data requests are sent from the router. Hope that is useful.

Ajmandon

First positive report from "south Portugal" , doesn,t specify exactly where ....... 110cm dish, SNR (quality) 37% and AGC (strength) 66% .... at mid day... on the face of it not a great signal but apparently decoded ok.

I'm struggling with dish alignment at the moment (not helped by a dodgy hip ! ). The guy I have used, many years ago, no longer appears to be available. Does anyone know of someone around the central algarve who can do dish alignment? ... Thanks

BillBullock

Try Henrique on 917550968. I have used him several times and he is always busy. Please let me know if he responds and how you get on with the alignment. That signal strength looks a bit low.

Ajmandon

Thanks, I'm waiting on one enquiry but I don't expect a positive response, I'll give Henrique a call in the next day or so.

Yes. However signal data alone can be very misleading, it depends so much on what instrument / receiver is used to measure it ....... what is more important is the picture on the screen!