Slow Remote response when streaming

[mkedda]

Hello. PLEASE HELP ME! I AM READY TO DITCH THIS WHOLE INSTALLATION.

I have 2 HC-300s. I am using an apple tv to stream videos from my NAS to the Apple TV running xbmc. I also have a cable box, bluray etc hooked up to the HC-200. IF I use the remote with the bluray or cable box I have NO problems. Its quick and reliable.

The controller with the receiver and the devices I mentioned is the zerserver and the main controlller. The other controller downstair is the zigbee controller.

PROBLEM: If I am streaming a high bit rate movie from to the Apple TV, the control4 remote takes nearly 30 seconds to respond, if it responds at all. If I use the ipad/iphone xbmc remote to control the xbmc it responds instantly. So, I know its not a network bandwidth issue.

What is wrong with the C4 unit during high traffic? Why can't it respond as quickly?

NEW INFORMATION:

When I am in composer and I double click the driver name, the control4 remote control box shows up. Clicking on the remote keys results in immediate reponse from the xbmc. It seems this suggests that teh problem is the remote control getting the signal to the controller.

Thanks

[RyanE]

If you have slow / no response from your ZigBee nodes, the first thing I'd check is what channel the ZigBee is on. If it's on a channel that is heavily saturated with Wi-Fi, it'd be better to change the channel to something that's outside of WiFi range, like channel 25 if you're on ZigBee Pro, 14 if you're on Embernet.

We typically only have this issue at shows, where you can see hundreds of WiFi access points from the Control4 booth. It's pretty rare at home, but I suppose if you have a strong enough WiFi signal, it could be the issue, and it can't hurt to try.

RyanE

[mkedda]

ok. I will give that a try. however, the xbmc on appletv is running wired not wireless. So, why would that make a difference?

[Cyknight]

Another possibility is that your network can't handle the load somewhere along the line - you do mention it happens only when streaming media.

I know you mention iphone etc work fine but consider the path from that downstairs controller to what ever hub the main controller is on.

If, say, the wifi AP is in the same network switch as the main controller, that communication may be fine. But the second controller (the point where all the ZigBee communication comes in) can't - perhaps because the nas is using the same line and switch as that controller?.

Don't disregard networking in this just because you MyHome devices work fine.

[mkedda]

good points... i am not talking about using the MyHome at all. I am talking about using the XBMC Ios App. I also have gigabit infrastructure and devices running at 100Mbit. I have tested network throughput and dont see degredation.

Any other suggestions to test network issues?

[Cyknight]

Sorry missed the xmbc reference, although the general point remains.

Degradation may not show the NAS choking or bottle-necking a single line in all scenarios. Throughput as such may be running at full speed, but if the NAS stream is somehow taking up all the throughput...

Note that I'm not saying it IS the network, just that some things working fine on a network doesn't exclude the network being the problem area.

Question - while streaming the movie, is the slow response on the appleTV only, or, when the stream remains playing, can you switch to the cable box and control it just fine.

This may help zoning in on the problem area.

[mkedda]

All good ideas and I plan to check on them this evening.

One correction to my earlier post. The Zigbee Controller is connected to the same switch as the Apple TV. The ZAP Coordinator is connected to the same switch as the NAS. If there were a likely bottleneck I would guess it would at the switch with the ZAP and NAS.

[Cyknight]

Mind you, could be either one, as data for both the video and control communication is going through both switches.

[thecodeman]

You really should have one switch with everything plugged into it if possible. The bottleneck is very likely the connection between your switches if they are cascading or the router if the router is feeding both switches.

router

|

switch

|

switch

or

router

| |

switch switch

[mkedda]

My network layout is somewhat dictated by distance.

I have 1 wireless AP/router(Gb)

| |

switch(Gb) switch(Gb)

/ | | \

c4 atv/xbmc(MB) NAS(Gb) c4 (zap)

zigbe

[mkedda]

I tried to stream a movie and then switch to a cable input. I was easily able to use the the remote to change channels. This was a IR connection, not an IP one.

[Cyknight]

In that case - especially if the cable box is controlled using the controller doing zserver - the issue lies likely at the appleTV. Could be that it's just getting too much data to respond (IP driver for ATV) or it's just generally too busy (IR driver for ATV) and slow to repond to commands.

You may want to see if using a different switch at the ATV helps - it may very well do so. If possible, temp move the AP over to the other location, if that improves the reaction time, networking is to blame for sure.

Codeman is absolutely correct that best practice is to have one central switch, and just one line coming off your router to that switch (nothing else connected on the router - other than a modem of course). In fact, it's best not to use the wifi on the router to begin with but a separate wifi AP on the switch. Most consumer grade routers are...well consumer grade and having all in one just doesn't cut it.

Best-best practice is actually : modem (not built in) - WIRED router - Switch - everything (including any and all wifi APs).

But reality doesn't always follow best practice.

A quick improvement in your scenario would be to feed the router into a switch in the same location, then feed both "remote" switches into it and add a separate dedicated AP where reasonably central (any of the 3 switches).

This way the ONLY traffic going through the router is internet traffic, all local communication will by-pass the router. Again, not ideal, but unless you can pull wires...

You could possibly see fair improvement for $150 or less (50-60 small Gb switch, 80-100 good quality AP).

Of course this is meant as an improvement on a non-ideal situation - not saying this is the go-to way if you're wiring things up from the ground.

[mkedda]

I added some info to the frist post.

It turns out that using the remote oontrol in composer results in immediate response from the xbmc. DOes this mean the problem is the remote communicating to the controller?

[Cyknight]

Possibly. Remains odd that other devices remain properly controlled.

[mkedda]

Any ideas on how to troubleshoot the connection between the remote and the controller?

[Cyknight]

I'd start with getting it out of the mesh, the project and re identify it, set the ZigBee channel to 25 (outside of WiFi range). There's also some checks that can be done using network tools and other composer tools, although they are limited and all this requires composer Pro.