Amazon Fire

anglian
anglian Forum Participant Posts: 46
edited October 2020 in Parts & Accessories #1

We have an Amazon Fire TV stick that we use with an Avtex TV.  WE are having a few issues with the streaming of BBC Iplayer using this stick. The WiFi signal is excellent [we have a 4G mobile mini] and no problems at all using that for Zoom sessions; its just the streaming off the TV.

Could this be because we are trying to stream in HD? As this seemed to be the suggestion that came up on the TV. If so, has anyone else managed to stream successfully using the Firestick? Or knows how to alter the definition?

Comments

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2020 #2

    We have an Avtex TV, Amazon Firestick and EE Wifi mini and it works perfectly - the Wifi mini seems to pull in a much stronger signal than either of our phones. We can watch all the catch-up channels plus Amazon Prime, Netflix etc without any problems and it doesn't make any difference whether it's HD or not. It has even worked in the nether regions of North Yorkshire were the 4g signal is notoriously 'variable'!

    It would be helpful to know exactly what your problem is - are you getting a signal at all - is it just buffering etc?

    Forgive me asking the obvious - but are you pressing the 'Source' button on the handset and then selecting HDMI 1/2 depending on which HDMI port you have plugged the Firestick into?

     

     

  • anglian
    anglian Forum Participant Posts: 46
    edited October 2020 #3

    Thanks Richard. We do use source to select the HDMI and we get the choice of Amazon etc and Iplayer, but after a while the screen starts buffering and a message appears saying ‘ check your internet connection’ though the mini is still showing a strong signal. WE also had the same issue in another part of the country a few weeks ago that showed a similar strong 4G. It only seems to have happened after we bought this new Avtex TV which is why we thought there maybe a link.

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2020 #4

    I've just checked the spec of our TV - L247DRS and there's no mention of HD, whereas the L249DRS - the current version - makes a great play of it being HD - so it looks as if the HD thing might be the issue.

    That said, doesn't it depend on what quality the picture is being transmitted in and I would have thought most transmissions were non-HD and therefore it ought to work most of the time.

    Although I am by no means an expert in these matters (in fact, the opposite!), it sounds to me as if whilst there might be a reasonable signal strength, the bandwidth isn't that high, causing the buffering.

    I am sure there will be someone far more knowledgeable along to assist in due course.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2020 #5

    Certainly when you are close to the edge of signal areas bandwidth can be a problem. We stayed at Malvern recently and I had a 4G signal on my phone. When I downloaded my paper it took ages, rather than the normal minute. On checking the download speed with an App it showed only just above a 1MB, rather than the 20MB or so it shows at home.

  • anglian
    anglian Forum Participant Posts: 46
    edited October 2020 #6

    Thank you both. WE think it maybe to do with the HD as we have checked the download speed which is 2.85. According to the detail we need 1.5 to stream, upwards of 2.8 if streaming in HD, so back to see if we can alter that somehow by re-reading the manuals [it is raining!]

  • anglian
    anglian Forum Participant Posts: 46
    edited October 2020 #7

    Well, we looked and we haven’t solved the streaming issue, but we have solved another as we couldn’t record one programme and watch another....but that is because we thought we had bought an Avtex Pro, but the one in our box is an Avtex9 series though the box doesn’t say that...so back to the shop. [Its still raining]