Problem with EE TV dropping connection intermitedly only when using mini tv box

[dongavin1]

I have this unusual issue that for 4 weeks the tech team haven't been able to help with. I have a tv box pro connected to superfibre 100mbs+ via power link and that works fine, and has done for two years with a bt tv box pro.   However once I introduced a ee mini tv box, I will get the error message IPC6023.  It will happen intermittently. Maybe it's good for half an hour. maybe 5 minutes but it will happen on both boxes when both are in use. which is very annoying. 

I have experimented with everything, wifi connections, on one and not the other. I have factory reset both boxes numerous times. cleared data in ee tv app on both. Factory reset the route. Tried the old bt tv box I haven't returned yet and same issue. Openreach engineers have been and there is no issue with the internet. all other devices either through wifi or power link work fine. Powerlinks are fine, brand new. 

The only thing that resolved it was when I unplugged the tv mini box. Even on standby the issue happens. It just seems like they interfere with each other over the same network or something its bizarre. 

What could be the issue? is it just not possible to use the mini tv box as thats the current status. 

[Midnight_Voice]

@dongavin1 

It sounds exactly like the Box Mini is faulty, in not handling multicast correctly, and that will pull down the Box Pro.

You said you swapped in your old BT box and got the same issue. I presume you swapped it in for the Box Pro.

Can you try swapping it in for the Box Mini instead? (If that’s out on WiFi, you may have to connect the BT Box to where the Ethernet cable is, and put the Box Pro in for the Box Mini).

If the two-box setup works OK, you will have pretty much isolated it to the Box Mini. And while is has a fault that seems to survive a reset, it’s unlikely to survive swapping that Box Mini out for a replacement from EETV 😛

[dongavin1]

Thanks for the reply.  I did do this, I swapped the BT box for the box mini and unfortunately the error message came up again. 

Perhaps it's not possible to have both a box pro and box mini by using powerlinks?

[Midnight_Voice]

@dongavin1 

Are the power links supplied by EETV, or at least approved by them?

And in one place you seem to say that the Box Pro has worked fine for two years over powerlinks, and then that the powerlinks are brand new.

So you changed the powerlinks, or what, and are we still comparing apples with apples (small a)?

[dongavin1]

Yes power links supplied by EETV. 

Yes the BT pro box worked fine for 2 years with bt broadband using power links supplied by BT. (APR 2022-NOV 2024)

Now the EE pro box works fine with new power links supplied by EE.  (since DEC 2024)

The error message only occurs if there is another box (now I have tested the old BT pro box and the mini box) plugged in. Even on standby it causes an issue.  

This is using a powerlink,or if one is connected through wifi. So if there are two tv boxes on this broadband connection there is a problem. The problem is on both boxes with that error message. 

[Profile closed]

@dongavin1 

Do you have anything else on your network that could be interfering?

I'm not sure about the latest versions, but when I had an original SONOS One it had an update and suddenly I couldn't watch TV. 

I had to basically work my way around the network disconnecting one thing at a time until I found it was the culprit.

Also, with powerline adapters  in use it could be anything that causes interference on the electrical circuit, or even the adapters themselves that may need to be reset or even replaced.

[dongavin1]

I'm not sure, I have Mac mini and iPhone. but you may be onto something as when I disconnect the tv mini box the error message goes away.

Yeh, could it be the issue with both boxes using power line adapters that it interferes with each other? 

I use the power line adapters supplied by EE and they are pretty new and I have reset them. 

A EE engineer suggested it could be the router on a home visit and was perplexed and couldn't figure it out. 

[Profile closed]

@dongavin1 

There may be nothing wrong with the power adapters, it could be interference on the mains which the adapters can’t filter.

Is there anyway to take them out of the equation and test using only WiFi?

[Midnight_Voice]

@dongavin1 

Are the PLAs each in their own wall socket, and not in an extension lead or multi plug?

These are things that are known to upset PLAs.

[Jones01]

@dongavin1 

It might be that your broadband has insufficient bandwidth for two IPTV boxes connected by PLAs. You mention a broadband speed of 100+Mbps. Is that measurement taken from a device connected to the PLA that you normally use for your TV boxes?

How are your TV boxes connected? Do they each have their own PLA?

PLAs are useful devices, but they can be problematic.The latest ones are better, but generally they reduce broadband speed and they don't manage network traffic very efficiently if they are connected to more than one receiving device.

When you connect one of your boxes to WiFi, is that your router's WiFi or have your PLAs got WiFi?