Tivo+Netflix = Hard reset

Lykaon · 12-08-2008, 04:31 PM

So I just started playing with the new Netflix streaming today and it has been a nightmare. I'm able to get the code and view my queue quite easily, but no matter what movie I choose, the following happens:

* It says I have high quality and begins the bar at the bottom
* I get some audio that sounds like its from the middle of the movie (clearly not the beginning)
* The unit hard resets and goes through its extremely painful reboot process after less than 2 minutes of videoless playback (somtimes with odd 'beeping' throughout the audio).

I've done this 6 times now, all with the same result. Reading the other threads on the Netflix feature here, it sounds like most people are getting flawless results.

I don't have problems with anything else. I can stream YouTube, watch Amazon Unbox movies, and pretty much everything else I've tried with absolutely no issues.

I have Verizon FIOS, with 2 cable cards. I've had it running for almost a year now flawlessly. It is a TiVo Series 3.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

moyekj · 12-08-2008, 04:45 PM

Is your Tivo running software version 11.0.x? If not then that may explain the problem. It sounds to me like your Tivo doesn't know how to decode the Netflix stream properly which is something that was added in 11.0 software.

Lykaon · 12-08-2008, 04:47 PM

Yes it is. I don't think it would give me the Netflix option if it wasn't anyway.

But it is. I got the update, and the message about it and everything.

moyekj · 12-08-2008, 04:53 PM

Strange one. If you have a PC it may be worth while trying Netflix streaming on it just to confirm that you can play streams that way. At least that would confirm that internet service is not the source of the problem if it works.

Lykaon · 12-08-2008, 05:15 PM

That's a good idea. I have done that before as recently as yesterday. It works fine on my PC. And either way, it seems like pretty poor programming on TiVo's part to let whatever error is occurring to cause a hard reset. That basically should almost never happen, especially reliably.

I can reproduce the error every single time. Netflix streaming is 100% unusable for me.

moyekj · 12-08-2008, 06:09 PM

Just to rule out possibility that certain videos are causing this issue (highly unlikely given that you have chosen several already), try one that I know works for me:
Heroes Season 3, any of the episodes 1-7.

As a counter test, list one of the movies with which you have an issue and I can give it a shot on my S3.

dotorg · 12-08-2008, 06:12 PM

I'm having similar issues -- I was able to get it to start playing, but while watching an episode of SD TV, I had it literally crash three times.

The quality is pretty awful -- I have a 360, and the same show playing on the 360 is dramatically better. (I get half bars on the Tivo, versus full bars on the 360, both plugged into the same switch)

Unfortunately on the last crash, it seems to have hung something up on my account so I can't finish the show on the 360.

It might be usable in a pinch in my bedroom, but in my living room I think I'll be sticking to the 360's Netflix support. Now if only Netflix would realize the Tivo *isn't* playing right now ...

djwilso · 12-08-2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lykaon

So I just started playing with the new Netflix streaming today and it has been a nightmare. I'm able to get the code and view my queue quite easily, but no matter what movie I choose, the following happens:

* It says I have high quality and begins the bar at the bottom
* I get some audio that sounds like its from the middle of the movie (clearly not the beginning)
* The unit hard resets and goes through its extremely painful reboot process after less than 2 minutes of videoless playback (somtimes with odd 'beeping' throughout the audio).

I've done this 6 times now, all with the same result. Reading the other threads on the Netflix feature here, it sounds like most people are getting flawless results.

I don't have problems with anything else. I can stream YouTube, watch Amazon Unbox movies, and pretty much everything else I've tried with absolutely no issues.

I have Verizon FIOS, with 2 cable cards. I've had it running for almost a year now flawlessly. It is a TiVo Series 3.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

No ideas, just to comment that mine rebooted on me too.

I was going through testing which things were in HD and chose Heroes Season 3 - Episode 1. This worked fine. I clicked Left arrow out of the episode and went down to Episode 4.

This time, the time bar on the bottom appeared in a "paused" state, but the rest of the screen was black. The "testing" window never came up, and then the ORANGE light on the Series 3 unit's lower-right display (below the blue light that indicates network download activity) came on, and then in about another minute, the Series 3 crashed and rebooted.

Not good. Hope this does not keep up.

Dennis

jfischetti · 12-08-2008, 06:19 PM

I'm having a similar issue.

I chose a movie to play, and I got it to start, but within 5 seconds of play,
it crashed and went back to the TiVo Central Menu.

Now, whenever i choose "Video on Demand" menu, it says 'Please Wait', then reverts back to TiVo Central.

I rebooted the unit, and it doesn't help reset the ability to view the 'Video on Demand' menu.

Oh well.

dig_duggler · 12-08-2008, 06:36 PM

My unit has locked up 2x now while playing with it requiring a hard reboot (once with a black screen and once on 'Please Wait'). Didn't reboot itself, but nothing going so I had to.

Buggy.

Edit: make that 3x. I'm done with it for now.

Double Edit: make that 4x. Fool me once....

Bonanzaair · 12-08-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lykaon

I've done this 6 times now, all with the same result. Reading the other threads on the Netflix feature here, it sounds like most people are getting flawless results.

I don't have problems with anything else. I can stream YouTube, watch Amazon Unbox movies, and pretty much everything else I've tried with absolutely no issues.

It is a TiVo Series 3.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Same problem here - mine just doesn't reboot. I hit the TivoGuy on the remote and I go back to the main DVR screen. I think it's just a problem with our download. I'm calling Tivo tonight.

Bonanza

lacsap · 12-08-2008, 06:39 PM

Also, if you have a 4:3 display and you have HD content the playback squishes the picture rather than letterbox it... ick.

dig_duggler · 12-08-2008, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lacsap

Also, if you have a 4:3 display and you have HD content the playback squishes the picture rather than letterbox it... ick.

Not always. Happened to me first time with 30 rock, but next time it was fine.

Thing is definitely quirky.

dig_duggler · 12-08-2008, 06:44 PM

Can anyone get in now? I got a service unavailable screen and now I'm sitting at my 2nd 'Please Wait' with no response on the Video On Demand screen...

Lykaon · 12-08-2008, 06:54 PM

Service unavailable screen for me too. I can only hope that means they're fixing something.

I'll try watching Heroes Season 3 when I get a chance to make sure I'm not just picking bad videos. That probably won't be tonight, though, because I don't want my TiVo restarting when it's supposed to be recording Chuck & Heroes.

With others having similar problems, perhaps a fix is imminent.

Also, do all of you who have it working have a Series 3 (versus HD or HD XL)? I was wondering if that might be related.

moyekj · 12-08-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lykaon

Also, do all of you who have it working have a Series 3 (versus HD or HD XL)? I was wondering if that might be related.

Last night it was working fine on 2 S3s and an HDXL for me (I activated all 3 with Netflix and tested out a few streams with each).

Millionaire2K · 12-08-2008, 07:16 PM

Works for me.

BUT

My problem is audio related. If I watch with the audio going to tv via hdmi it sounds very bad. Kinda like its dragging. Like playing a record at the wrong speed. But if I use my stereo via optical it sounds fine.

bfdhe · 12-08-2008, 07:55 PM

Was watching the first episode of the first Season of Star Trek. TiVo froze about 2 minutes into it. Had to Hard Reboot.....

jfischetti · 12-08-2008, 08:03 PM

Following up on an earlier post....

I finally got in and played a few movies/TVshows

Overall, things looked good

1. The Office S4 HD looked great
2. 30 Rock S2 (says it was HD, but) didn't look HD
3. Pan's Labyrinth looked amazing in HD
4. Settled on Ratatouille and watched 15 mins before it stopped and got a Service Unavailable screen.

Hope they are load balancing the system.....

shelleye · 12-08-2008, 08:13 PM

Same problems here: start playing a movie and after about 4 minutes I get bumped back to "Please Wait" screen, then to Tivo central. Choose Netflix again, choose same movie, choose "resume" and get another 4 minutes, then bumped. I'm using Tivo HD with Tivo wireless G adapter with Good reception. Netflix streams beautifully to Roku box in another room, also using wireless G. Oh well. It will be great when it works.

enthalpy · 12-08-2008, 08:43 PM

This is why I come to these forums. It looks like I'm not the only one with problems. So -- is Netflix overloaded by all of us Tivo people?

My symptoms:
1) I've used Netflix "watch now" many times on my wireless laptop and it has worked very well.

2) I came home and fired Netflix + Tivo, very excited. 9 bars on the "quality" meter.

2 1/2) Huh. It worked for 10 minutes, then stopped. I went back to Tivo Central menu manually using the remote.

3) I chose a different movie from my watch now list. I only got sound.

4) I chose a third movie, watched fine for 20 minutes, boom, it crashed and it took me back to the tivo central menu.

5) Nice -- Netflix/Tivo knows where I stopped watching, it lets me start where it crashed.

6) Four more crashes, continue to watch the movie each time, but who wants to wade through the "please wait" stuff after each crash?

7) Now it is just stuck at "please wait" no matter what I do.

I feel like a beta user. Is this approved and released by Tivo?

bkdtv · 12-08-2008, 09:48 PM

TiVo is no doubt reading this thread, but if you don't at least mention the movie that caused problems for you, they can't duplicate the behavior and fix the problem.

If you are having a problem, please mention the specific title where you saw it.

mwp · 12-08-2008, 09:50 PM

I think we took down the netflix streaming server. lol

Maybe they were not prepaired for the bandwidth.

They should have left it in with us beta testers for a bit longer.

bkdtv · 12-08-2008, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwp

I think we took down the netflix streaming server. lol

Maybe they were not prepaired for the bandwidth.

They should have left it in with us beta testers for a bit longer.

Even a beta (assuming they had one) couldn't replicate launch traffic conditions.

It seems almost like the current version of the TiVo application was not written to properly handle poor and/or changing traffic conditions. I'm sure they will get it worked out in a few days.

mwp · 12-08-2008, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkdtv

Even a beta (assuming they had one) couldn't replicate launch traffic conditions.

It seems almost like the current version of the TiVo application was not written to properly handle poor and/or changing traffic conditions. I'm sure they will get it worked out in a few days.

im sure they will too.

Iv left it alone - what most should prolly do.

They will get it worked out.

djwilso · 12-09-2008, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwp

I think we took down the netflix streaming server. lol

Maybe they were not prepaired for the bandwidth.

They should have left it in with us beta testers for a bit longer.

No, I have to disagree there, because my Xbox and Roku boxes are both continuing to function perfectly. Wouldn't they be connecting to the same Netflix servers that the TiVos are using?

The Xbox is able to present content in HD easily with my Cox cable internet (12mbps down) where the TiVo (original Series 3, not HD/XL) is unable to in many cases, and the Roku, while it does not yet do HD, is as solid as a rock as always. No problem getting full-bandwidth streams going on it or the Xbox.

Twice today the TiVo left my Netflix account in a state where the other devices could not play since they thought that the TiVo was still playing something, even though it wasn't.

I thought I'd be able to sell my Roku box, but right now it's not looking that way at all. Hopefully TiVo will work out these problems as soon as they can.

Dennis

MickeS · 12-09-2008, 01:09 AM

I've now watched 2 full movies (in SD) without a hitch. So they did SOMETHING right.

Lykaon · 12-09-2008, 06:26 AM

Sorry that I haven't posted back with the movies that didn't work for me. That's obviously useful information that I failed to include in my original post.

I have tried to use the service with the following titles:
* Hatchet
* Finding Amanda
* I'm Reed Fish
* Eight Days a Week

All exhibited the same behavior indicated in my original post. They would sometimes produce audio, but eventually cause the entire unit to reboot itself -- not just exit to the TiVo scrreen -- completely reboot.

As one user suggested, I will try Heroes Season 3 this afternoon. The service was down last night when I tried.

shelleye · 12-09-2008, 06:46 AM

We tried "Happy Valentines Day Charlie Brown."

jzachariasen · 12-09-2008, 07:07 AM

I think it definitely had to do with us overworking the servers. They must not have properly anticipated how many TIVO users would watch a movie last night.

I was able to successfully without any problems watch Ghostbusters yesterday in the early afternoon (Pacific). At around 6pm I tried to watch another movie and never made it farther than about 4-5 minutes without being kicked back to the main menu. I think the time of day and server load was a majority of the problem considering how smoothly the first movie played.