AppleTV Performance

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › AppleTV Performance

kiwicam

136 posts

Master Geek
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#215258 19-Jun-2017 14:50

I'm new to BigPipe and new to AppleTV so I don't have a lot to go on here, but I've found renting a movie very slow. We rented a movie (admittedly in HD) last night and it took about 15 minutes before we could start watching the movie while the AppleTV buffered. My only other experience with AppleTV has been at a friends and they didn't have this... with ADSL. I'm on Fibre so I expected better.

I saw a post on here were someone else had issues and DNS was part of the issue. I've been using OpenDNS so I changed back to the BigPipe DNS servers thinking CDN optimisation might be the issue - that made things worse. The initial estimate I had was 55 minutes till the movie could start, on BigPipe's DNS servers it was 3 hours - I didn't think either of these options was acceptable.

I have a support call raised with BigPipe but we're still working through the "can you run a speed test" steps at this stage - which look fine. Just wondering, does anyone else have issues with AppleTV Movies, Netflix is flawless? Are my expectations wrong?

Cameron

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939 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 112

#1803483 19-Jun-2017 14:53

No problem with my AT4 on ADSL at 15 Mbit/s. Both Netflix and HD iTunes movies start within a few seconds.

smalltrader

174 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 62

#1803488 19-Jun-2017 15:13

I am on Spark VDSL. Apple TV4 is loading Full HD movie from YouTube and Lightbox almost instantly. No problem here.

Your problem might be specific to Big Pipe.

Flickky

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#1803491 19-Jun-2017 15:16

Not saying environmental factors are the reason behind it, but I'm assuming you've tried via ethernet and/or streaming on other devices in your network are fine? Context helps in this situation.

Fwiw I have an Apple TV on Bigpipe UFB and have no speed issues, but we do use Google's DNS.

BuzzLightyear

416 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 106

#1803495 19-Jun-2017 15:20

Who's DNS do you have setup? I have noticed that the performance can be impacted by some DNS providers. If you are not using your ISP's default DNS servers it would be worth trying that first.

kiwicam

136 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 54

#1803496 19-Jun-2017 15:20

Thanks for confirming your experiences. It sounds like my expectations aren't the problem.

My Speedtest results are 60Mbit/s plus so it should be at least as good as your experiences.

I'll continue troubleshooting but I suspect it's either a BigPipe issue (CDN perhaps). The only other issue I can is that somehow my wired network is slower than my wireless - something I'm going to test tonight (I couldn't be bothered running a wired speedtest last night after the movie finished).

kiwicam

136 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 54

#1803500 19-Jun-2017 15:25

I'm using OpenDNS at the moment which I realise could affect the CDN optimisation, but using BigPipe's DNS servers was worse. The estimates on the AppleTV were 55 minutes to start the movie using OpenDNS or 3 hours while using BigPipe's DNS servers.

That's all the troubleshooting I could get my wife to sit through before I decided to wait it out :-) In the end it took about 15 minutes to start.

I've just remembered that this was the first rental we'd watched but we had watched a purchased movie earlier without issue - so maybe it was an isolated incident. I can't imagine rentals use a different distribution network to purchases??

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Dairyxox

1595 posts

Uber Geek
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#1803519 19-Jun-2017 15:55

When I was on Bigpipe 9 months ago, and using my Apple TV3 with ADSL (13/1Mbps) over wifi, I found streaming trailers to be slightly delayed (a few seconds) compared to Orcon ADSL, and buffered more.

I'm on 2degrees fibre now, and its a lot faster obviously.

kharris

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#1803548 19-Jun-2017 16:37

I'm not sure how your network is connected but ATV4 does not have Gb Ethernet... so depending on your Broadband speeds you may find it quicker to download rentals over wireless.

Kirk

trig42

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#1803551 19-Jun-2017 16:47

caminham:

Thanks for confirming your experiences. It sounds like my expectations aren't the problem.

My Speedtest results are 60Mbit/s plus so it should be at least as good as your experiences.

I'll continue troubleshooting but I suspect it's either a BigPipe issue (CDN perhaps). The only other issue I can is that somehow my wired network is slower than my wireless - something I'm going to test tonight (I couldn't be bothered running a wired speedtest last night after the movie finished).

What are you getting 60Mbits plus on in a speedtest? You should be getting very close to 100.

Are you testing over WiFi?

kharris

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#1803552 19-Jun-2017 16:51

trig42:

caminham:

Thanks for confirming your experiences. It sounds like my expectations aren't the problem.

My Speedtest results are 60Mbit/s plus so it should be at least as good as your experiences.

I'll continue troubleshooting but I suspect it's either a BigPipe issue (CDN perhaps). The only other issue I can is that somehow my wired network is slower than my wireless - something I'm going to test tonight (I couldn't be bothered running a wired speedtest last night after the movie finished).

What are you getting 60Mbits plus on in a speedtest? You should be getting very close to 100.

Are you testing over WiFi?

True, even 10/100 Ethernet should give you 93ish Mb

Kirk

Spyware

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#1803554 19-Jun-2017 16:54

Speedtest app shows 96/96 on my ATV4 via wire.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

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mdooher

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#1803558 19-Jun-2017 17:19

I have exactly the same problem. Only happens on bigpipe, I have tried it it at a friends on a different isp and no issue.

I too have tried changing DNS servers but like you it seems best on bigpipe's. Netflix, youtube etc no problem. It is just apple movies

Matthew

kiwicam

136 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 54

#1803571 19-Jun-2017 17:44

I've just been doing some of the speed tests and comparing Wireless with Wired and I can't get it to do it again. It's taking max 20seconds to start playing which I'm happy with. Must've just been solar flares last night.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Cameron

P.s. Speeds are better if I remove everything else, pretty close to the advertised performance.

kharris

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#1803734 20-Jun-2017 00:59

caminham: ....remove everything else......

What is the everything else you have to remove?

Kirk

RogerMellie

350 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 198

#1804021 20-Jun-2017 13:47

I have this problem as well and have commented on it here in the BigPipe forum. I also logged a ticket with them but they basically say that beyond doing a speedtest they can't do anything more.

AppleTV 3rd gen, connected via ethernet to HG656 modem/router. Have swapped cables etc..

The buffering delay is terrible.

Tried switching to Googles open DNS of 8.8.8.8 in the AppleTV's network settings, but no massive improvement.

I did not have this issue when with Orcon fibre between Dec 2013- June 2015.

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