How does BT Vision work?

Woody_Enfield · 09-12-2008, 13:39

How does BT Vision deliver broadcast quality full screen TV over a broadband connection when viewing video on the internet on the same connection is a fraction of the size, not as good quality and buffers?

ariusuk · 09-12-2008, 14:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody_Enfield

How does BT Vision deliver broadcast quality full screen TV over a broadband connection when viewing video on the internet on the same connection is a fraction of the size, not as good quality and buffers?

It doesn't.
The broadcast TV channels are delivered by your aerial - it's basic DTT.
Only the on-demand movies etc are delivered by broadband, and these can be locally cached.

Woody_Enfield · 09-12-2008, 14:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariusuk

It doesn't.
The broadcast TV channels are delivered by your aerial - it's basic DTT.
Only the on-demand movies etc are delivered by broadband, and these can be locally cached.

Ok, but what about services like Homechoice/Tiscalli?

Also, wouldn't it take weeks to cache films? Even one 4gb download takes ages.

Harlotqueen · 09-12-2008, 14:58

Depends - on an 8MegaBit and flawless connection downloads are up to 1Megabyte per second.

So 4 GB would take 4000 seconds or about 1hr 5mins

Of course in realtity with throttled connections from our ISPs thats not going to happen

ariusuk · 09-12-2008, 14:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody_Enfield

Ok, but what about services like Homechoice/Tiscalli?

Also, wouldn't it take weeks to cache films? Even one 4gb download takes ages.

Most of the movies are only going to have a bit rate of between 2-3mbits, so for most people they could be streamed live.

flashgordon1952 · 09-12-2008, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariusuk

It doesn't.
The broadcast TV channels are delivered by your aerial - it's basic DTT.
Only the on-demand movies etc are delivered by broadband, and these can be locally cached.

Yes totally agree Vision is great if yu wish to download films through your internet provider (BT) but because it uses the Antenna in your loft (should be outside antenna high gain) have to relie on the antenna itself for a good picture.
Here the signal is crap ! both sudbury and crystal palce is not very good at all. It would have been better in my view to have a cable connection for all the tv programs too not just for films.
BT has lost huge revenue potential by not doing this

i love sky · 09-12-2008, 15:29

What about if someone stopped BT Vision and is lefted with a box?

Can it be used as a Freeview Box still?

broxmouth · 05-07-2011, 21:42

Dear Shane,
I am on the point of quittting BT completely because it is driving me INSANE. I have a BT vision box - when I try to use it I get 'Error V404' - every time. This means the broadband is toi slow to load programmes.

It happened three weeks ago. My broadband download was as low as 200k per second. It is contracted to be a minimum of 2Mb per second. When I complained - after 2 hours on the phone to bloody India - hey presto by magic the broadband speed was SIX Megabtes the next day. Then - within a week it was down to a megabyte - now it is virtually useless.

What am I supposed to do? They just keep capping the speed until it is dead to all intents.

How do I send the useless BT Vision box back?

Graham

MP34L1fe · 06-07-2011, 04:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by broxmouth

Dear Shane,
I am on the point of quittting BT completely because it is driving me INSANE. I have a BT vision box - when I try to use it I get 'Error V404' - every time. This means the broadband is toi slow to load programmes.

It happened three weeks ago. My broadband download was as low as 200k per second. It is contracted to be a minimum of 2Mb per second. When I complained - after 2 hours on the phone to bloody India - hey presto by magic the broadband speed was SIX Megabtes the next day. Then - within a week it was down to a megabyte - now it is virtually useless.

What am I supposed to do? They just keep capping the speed until it is dead to all intents.

How do I send the useless BT Vision box back?

Graham

Hoe many sub sections have you cross-posted this in?? as said in another sub section mine works flawlessly seems to be a fault, it certainly won't be "capping"

intercept · 08-07-2011, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by i love sky

What about if someone stopped BT Vision and is lefted with a box?

Can it be used as a Freeview Box still?

Once your contract is over you can cancel your Vision subscriptions. Provided you keep your Vision box connected to BT Broadband it will continue to work as a Freeview PVR, plus you can PAYG for VOD as & when you choose to use it.

intercept · 08-07-2011, 11:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariusuk

Most of the movies are only going to have a bit rate of between 2-3mbits, so for most people they could be streamed live.

Its better than that - the video is around 1.6Mbit/s so that it can be used on a 2M line and still have a bit of headroom left for basic browsing. Obviously on a faster line you can watch VOD and do far more internet stuff at the same time.

intercept · 08-07-2011, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashgordon1952

Yes totally agree Vision is great if yu wish to download films through your internet provider (BT) but because it uses the Antenna in your loft (should be outside antenna high gain) have to relie on the antenna itself for a good picture.
Here the signal is crap ! both sudbury and crystal palce is not very good at all. It would have been better in my view to have a cable connection for all the tv programs too not just for films.
BT has lost huge revenue potential by not doing this

The antenna situation is yours to resolve. However BT has previously announced that it will provide premium TV channels via broadband in the future because the cost of doing it via DTT is cripplingly expensive.

whoever,hey · 10-07-2011, 19:54

wow, old thread revival!

stuntmaster · 11-07-2011, 12:38

yep, that said though if you are getting bad speeds here's a good checklist to do:

1. check to make sure nothing is constantly downloading, i.e torrents or very large downloads. this can trigger a tempory cap and can cause a bug sometimes which I'll explain in point 3. (to trigger the cap you have to have downed say the equivalent of 10 full DVD images of ubuntu say in a row.)

2. if not downloading, check the cables and reboot the hub. the HH2A sometimes gets stuck and a reboot kicks it in again. Also check your physical line cable for any breaks, and interference as this will cause errors on the hub, This reports back to the exchange in which then the safety lock engages thus caps your speed to around 2mb.

3. if the safety lock has engaged then your profile can get 'stuck' a call to be can reset the profile and unstick it. but if poin'ts 1 or 2 are causing the cap then it will only return.

4. if something else is causing the issue then get the bt engineer out.

i had an issue recently where my neighbour's builder removed by line off the wall and left it hanging over the main 240volt power line. errors like mad, since fixed it's been no issue.

09-12-2008, 13:39	#1
Woody_Enfield Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Enfield Lock Posts: 2,954	How does BT Vision work? How does BT Vision deliver broadcast quality full screen TV over a broadband connection when viewing video on the internet on the same connection is a fraction of the size, not as good quality and buffers?

09-12-2008, 15:14	#6
flashgordon1952 Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: brentwood essex Posts: 3,634	Vision or blindness Quote: Originally Posted by ariusuk It doesn't. The broadcast TV channels are delivered by your aerial - it's basic DTT. Only the on-demand movies etc are delivered by broadband, and these can be locally cached. Yes totally agree Vision is great if yu wish to download films through your internet provider (BT) but because it uses the Antenna in your loft (should be outside antenna high gain) have to relie on the antenna itself for a good picture. Here the signal is crap ! both sudbury and crystal palce is not very good at all. It would have been better in my view to have a cable connection for all the tv programs too not just for films. BT has lost huge revenue potential by not doing this

09-12-2008, 14:37	#2
ariusuk Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 13,393	Quote: Originally Posted by Woody_Enfield How does BT Vision deliver broadcast quality full screen TV over a broadband connection when viewing video on the internet on the same connection is a fraction of the size, not as good quality and buffers? It doesn't. The broadcast TV channels are delivered by your aerial - it's basic DTT. Only the on-demand movies etc are delivered by broadband, and these can be locally cached.

09-12-2008, 14:42	#3
Woody_Enfield Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Enfield Lock Posts: 2,954	Quote: Originally Posted by ariusuk It doesn't. The broadcast TV channels are delivered by your aerial - it's basic DTT. Only the on-demand movies etc are delivered by broadband, and these can be locally cached. Ok, but what about services like Homechoice/Tiscalli? Also, wouldn't it take weeks to cache films? Even one 4gb download takes ages.

09-12-2008, 14:58	#4
Harlotqueen Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,579	Depends - on an 8MegaBit and flawless connection downloads are up to 1Megabyte per second. So 4 GB would take 4000 seconds or about 1hr 5mins Of course in realtity with throttled connections from our ISPs thats not going to happen

09-12-2008, 14:59	#5
ariusuk Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 13,393	Quote: Originally Posted by Woody_Enfield Ok, but what about services like Homechoice/Tiscalli? Also, wouldn't it take weeks to cache films? Even one 4gb download takes ages. Most of the movies are only going to have a bit rate of between 2-3mbits, so for most people they could be streamed live.

09-12-2008, 15:29	#7
i love sky Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,957	What about if someone stopped BT Vision and is lefted with a box? Can it be used as a Freeview Box still?

05-07-2011, 21:42	#8
broxmouth Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 12	Dear Shane, I am on the point of quittting BT completely because it is driving me INSANE. I have a BT vision box - when I try to use it I get 'Error V404' - every time. This means the broadband is toi slow to load programmes. It happened three weeks ago. My broadband download was as low as 200k per second. It is contracted to be a minimum of 2Mb per second. When I complained - after 2 hours on the phone to bloody India - hey presto by magic the broadband speed was SIX Megabtes the next day. Then - within a week it was down to a megabyte - now it is virtually useless. What am I supposed to do? They just keep capping the speed until it is dead to all intents. How do I send the useless BT Vision box back? Graham

06-07-2011, 04:31	#9
MP34L1fe Inactive Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Stalybridge Posts: 678	Quote: Originally Posted by broxmouth Dear Shane, I am on the point of quittting BT completely because it is driving me INSANE. I have a BT vision box - when I try to use it I get 'Error V404' - every time. This means the broadband is toi slow to load programmes. It happened three weeks ago. My broadband download was as low as 200k per second. It is contracted to be a minimum of 2Mb per second. When I complained - after 2 hours on the phone to bloody India - hey presto by magic the broadband speed was SIX Megabtes the next day. Then - within a week it was down to a megabyte - now it is virtually useless. What am I supposed to do? They just keep capping the speed until it is dead to all intents. How do I send the useless BT Vision box back? Graham Hoe many sub sections have you cross-posted this in?? as said in another sub section mine works flawlessly seems to be a fault, it certainly won't be "capping"

08-07-2011, 11:27	#10
intercept Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 311	Quote: Originally Posted by i love sky What about if someone stopped BT Vision and is lefted with a box? Can it be used as a Freeview Box still? Once your contract is over you can cancel your Vision subscriptions. Provided you keep your Vision box connected to BT Broadband it will continue to work as a Freeview PVR, plus you can PAYG for VOD as & when you choose to use it.

08-07-2011, 11:30	#11
intercept Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 311	Quote: Originally Posted by ariusuk Most of the movies are only going to have a bit rate of between 2-3mbits, so for most people they could be streamed live. Its better than that - the video is around 1.6Mbit/s so that it can be used on a 2M line and still have a bit of headroom left for basic browsing. Obviously on a faster line you can watch VOD and do far more internet stuff at the same time.

08-07-2011, 11:33	#12
intercept Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 311	Quote: Originally Posted by flashgordon1952 Yes totally agree Vision is great if yu wish to download films through your internet provider (BT) but because it uses the Antenna in your loft (should be outside antenna high gain) have to relie on the antenna itself for a good picture. Here the signal is crap ! both sudbury and crystal palce is not very good at all. It would have been better in my view to have a cable connection for all the tv programs too not just for films. BT has lost huge revenue potential by not doing this The antenna situation is yours to resolve. However BT has previously announced that it will provide premium TV channels via broadband in the future because the cost of doing it via DTT is cripplingly expensive.

10-07-2011, 19:54	#13
whoever,hey Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 30,072	wow, old thread revival!

11-07-2011, 12:38	#14
stuntmaster Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Southampton - Hannington - TX Posts: 4,878	yep, that said though if you are getting bad speeds here's a good checklist to do: 1. check to make sure nothing is constantly downloading, i.e torrents or very large downloads. this can trigger a tempory cap and can cause a bug sometimes which I'll explain in point 3. (to trigger the cap you have to have downed say the equivalent of 10 full DVD images of ubuntu say in a row.) 2. if not downloading, check the cables and reboot the hub. the HH2A sometimes gets stuck and a reboot kicks it in again. Also check your physical line cable for any breaks, and interference as this will cause errors on the hub, This reports back to the exchange in which then the safety lock engages thus caps your speed to around 2mb. 3. if the safety lock has engaged then your profile can get 'stuck' a call to be can reset the profile and unstick it. but if poin'ts 1 or 2 are causing the cap then it will only return. 4. if something else is causing the issue then get the bt engineer out. i had an issue recently where my neighbour's builder removed by line off the wall and left it hanging over the main 240volt power line. errors like mad, since fixed it's been no issue.

DS Forums

How does BT Vision work?