The next thing I needed to try was check whether the network was fast enough to watch HD content on the Raspberry Pi, direct from the NAS. These are linked via 85Mbps Homeplugs, which should be fast enough, but I don’t seem to be getting anywhere even a decent ‘real world’ speed, never mind the theoretical maximum. At the ‘client’ end, the Homeplug is plugged in to one side of a dual socket, the other side being used for an extension that provides mains power to a router, the TV, HTPC, DVD player, PS2, Wii, Freesat tuner… that lot probably generates a fair bit of noise. I’ll rearrange the connections so the Homeplug is more isolated, when I can work up the enthusiasm.

At first attempt, the video I tried to watch was stopping to buffer several times a minute; completely unwatchable. Then I realised that the old HTPC was still powered up, with a BitTorrent server running and who knows what else going on. Turning this off seemed to be enough to make the difference, bringing the occurrence of buffering down to about once every five or ten minutes. Not good enough for the all-important ‘spousal acceptance’, but I was willing to put up with it for one show.

These problems should be solved after the weekend, as there’s a set of 500AV Homeplugs turning up, which should be more than capable of providing the necessary bandwidth. And I’ll have to rearrange a load of wiring anyway, when my broadband connection gets moved to BT Infinity, so it’ll be a good opportunity to optimise the network connection.

I was also hoping to be able to use a remote control directly via the TV without needing an IR receiver, but the TV’s too old to support the necessary standard (CEC). (Sounds like a good enough reason to buy a new TV to me…) I’ve got a USB-UIRT lying around somewhere, that should do the trick…