Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

[calseeor]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

i used the Buffalo ethernet converters with great success.

they accept 3rd party updates if so inclined.

you mentioned you are not a networking person, but do you know if you have security settings on the equipment?

did you turn off all the networking equipment and restart them (one at a time) to get good DHCP ip's?

it could be the game adapter is trying to use an IP already in use by another device...???

Yeah - I do have security and know how to set up devices to work on my network (I have 4 other wireless devices running fine). I've since returned the game adapter (Vudu said it may not work with Vudu even if I were able to get the device working on just my pc or xbox anyhow.).

I made sure the device was using an IP address outside of the range of my DHCP settings. When that failed, I set it to one of the IPs within my DHCP range. When that failed, I set the device from static to obtain IP (which meant I could no longer log into it via my PC since I wouldn't know the IP) and that also failed.

I also went out and tried powerline adapters as has been suggested many times. Did not work. After readjusting the way my living room electric was set up, I could not get a signal. So I took both powerline adapters into the computer room and plugged them both into the same outlet (one on top, one on bottom) and they still didn't work. I've no idea why that would be unless one of them was defective. Besides that, they caused a ticking noise to come through my computer speakers (even when it was just one of them plugged in my computer room).

So basically I am still unable to use my Vudu.

I really do hope there will be a future version of vudu that comes with both the ethernet port and built in wireless to help people get around this. Not every household has their Internet setup in their living room and not all people are computer/network literate enough to hack something together if it doesnt work out of the box. This is my only complaint about Vudu so far - sadly for me, its a big enough one that I can't use it.

I don't have the time (or desire, really) to be driving back and forth to Best Buy or Circuit City and trying each of their wireless bridge devices until I find one that works and the ones recommended by Vudu (at least via telephone) are not carried in store anymore. Looks like I'm going to have to shell out $305 for an electrician to come and run set up a jack between my upstairs computer room and my downstairs living room. This is turning into one expensive movie watching scenario.

On a good note, I did connect Vudu to my network upstairs and let it download my two free Bourne movies. I checked out the first 5 minutes of the second one on my TV and it looked good. Better than I expected in all aspects except for dark shades (but I think that it a limitation of my plasma tv and not the quality of the movie). So I am very pleased with the way the movies look. Now if only I could actually set it up so I could use it.

[NA9D]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Odd your powerline adapters didn't work. Very odd. You know, we could see about getting you a Linksys router flashed with the 3rd party firmware that you could easily put into client mode. I'd be more than happy to set that up for you. You could order the router, have it shipped to me, I'd flash it and send it to you all configured and ready to go.

I still think hard wired ethernet is best but I'm willing to help out any way I can.

[calseeor]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Odd your powerline adapters didn't work. Very odd. You know, we could see about getting you a Linksys router flashed with the 3rd party firmware that you could easily put into client mode. I'd be more than happy to set that up for you. You could order the router, have it shipped to me, I'd flash it and send it to you all configured and ready to go.

I still think hard wired ethernet is best but I'm willing to help out any way I can.

Thanks very much! That is a nice offer. If I end up not going the Ethernet route (the electrician blew me off yesterday and didn't even call) I will probably take you up on that.

Thanks again.

--Eryk the Anomoly

[NA9D]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Hey when your powerline adapters didn't work, did you plug them DIRECTLY into the wall socket or did you use a power strip. If you used a power strip that would explain why they didn't work...

[calseeor]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Hey when your powerline adapters didn't work, did you plug them DIRECTLY into the wall socket or did you use a power strip. If you used a power strip that would explain why they didn't work...

in the outlets directly. No powerstrip. Even in the same outlet (one on top one on bottom).

[NA9D]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

in the outlets directly. No powerstrip. Even in the same outlet (one on top one on bottom).

You said that previously. I missed that. Sorry...

I hope Vudu does come out with either a wireless box or a wireless adapter at some point. It is needed.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

in the outlets directly. No powerstrip. Even in the same outlet (one on top one on bottom).

Just out of curiosity, is there some reason you wouldn't consider using the Sonos wireless bridge?? It works great for me and I've mentioned it several times to multiple people and always get a cool reception to it.

[calseeor]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Just out of curiosity, is there some reason you wouldn't consider using the Sonos wireless bridge?? It works great for me and I've mentioned it several times to multiple people and always get a cool reception to it.

No reason in particular. Just I've never heard of Sonos before and was trying to use stuff that was recommended by Vudu. This "should" all be solved this coming week when I pay for an ethernet jack to be added to my living room from my PC room. A bit pricey but it should work with no hassle.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

No reason in particular. Just I've never heard of Sonos before and was trying to use stuff that was recommended by Vudu. This "should" all be solved this coming week when I pay for an ethernet jack to be added to my living room from my PC room. A bit pricey but it should work with no hassle.

Thanks for your feedback.

So NA9D is there a process for VUDU evaluating and certifying stuff like this?

I don't sell this stuff, so I don't have any stake in it. It's just between this site and the Directv site, it's amazing how many posts are out there with people that have this connectivity issue. And it just feels weird reading all of them when it only took me about 2 days to get the Zonebridges shipped to me and about 10-15 minutes to get it unpacked and working.

[Nded]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Thanks for your feedback.

So NA9D is there a process for VUDU evaluating and certifying stuff like this?

I don't sell this stuff, so I don't have any stake in it. It's just between this site and the Directv site, it's amazing how many posts are out there with people that have this connectivity issue. And it just feels weird reading all of them when it only took me about 2 days to get the Zonebridges shipped to me and about 10-15 minutes to get it unpacked and working.

What would you estimate to be the street price for a pair of Zonebridge devices?

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Interesting, I always thought it was because there was a Hemi under the hood.

Anyways I really like it and recommend it. It's so easy, even a Cave Man can use it!! No need to mess with security settings and TCP/IP addresses, etc.

It comes with 2 ports, but you can easily connect a hub to it to get even more ports.

If you buy it online from Sonos direct, the minimum cost to get it to work would be $198 ($99/ZoneBridge, minimum 2 required).

(Here I go selling bridges again!! )

This is what I paid direct. If there is a street price, one would think something equal to or less than this.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

What would you estimate to be the street price for a pair of Zonebridge devices?

Just as an aside. They make and sell a music media sharing set top box to share the music on your computer as well as the internet services like Rhaspody, Internet Radio, and Napter throughout the home. They use the "Zone" moniker to describe each seperate room or location in your home.

But they were having exactly the same problem as Directv and VUDU in that their box could not connect to the internet wirelessly, you have to physically plug at least one of their devices into your router with an ethernet connector.

The problem appears universal in that as more internet devices make there way into the living room, the internet connection seems to be the most problematic aspect of getting them to work, because most internet access is in the home office where the computer is located.

So what they did to solve the problem was to make their own internet bridge to get the internet connection to their set boxes located in the living room and other "media zones".

They designed the Zonebridge to do this and is a very recent addition to their product line.

But they also made it so that it bridged vanilla internet so that it will work with any other internet device, besides their own. They advertise it as such and I think they were very smart in doing so.

I tried to find out how it works, but I just ran into the son of Shultzy there and didn't make any progress.

But at least for me it works Great!!!

[MaxH]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

BINGO!!!! I'm so proud of you!!!

There are several neighbors that have unsecured WIFI next to me.

So I connected my Notebook to their WIFI network and used the instructions I found from SONOS to turn my notebook into a bridge. Then I plugged in a hub into the Ethernet connector on my notebook and then connected one of the ports from the hub to my router.

And then I had free INTERNET throughout my house!!

I don't know if doing that is illegal or not but I don't think it's really moral to steal from thy neighbor (desperate housewives is another story for later). So even though I don't condone doing it, it was a fun and interesting excerise.

Hats off to MaxH

Well, you're not alone, but you might get in trouble for it.

[aaronwt]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

You can pick up a wireless bridge for under $100 online if I remember correctly when I was looking at them a year ago.

[NA9D]

Re: Vudu almost here - need some preperation help

Well, you're not alone, but you might get in trouble for it.

I think that case in Tampa Bay was thrown out...