FAO Mojo and other techie bods.

We just got fibre in the village and I've gone for the BT TV package.

Question - Do I leave the Smart Hub switched on 24/7 to ensure that I can record any late night programmes I have scheduled?? (I have been in the habit of switching it all off when I go to bed.)

I presume the Freeview channels will record OK without the hub, but the BT channels come via the internet so they won't record if the hub is switched off.

Am I correct so far?

Would it harm the Smart Hub to leave it switched on permanently? 

Many thanks.

Hi

Gromit wrote:I presume the Freeview channels will record OK without the hub, but the BT channels come via the internet so they won't record if the hub is switched off.
Am I correct so far? .

Yes!

Gromit wrote:Would it harm the Smart Hub to leave it switched on permanently? .

No – it’s designed to be left on.

In fact it’s not a good idea to switch the router off anyway, (some may dissagree) the system may think the connection is unstable. Not sure about BT fibre but with a standard phone line that can result on the speed dropping as the system tries to connect at a slower speed to compensate.

That said you may need to re-boot it ocassionally if it slows down or drops the connection.

Brod

Thanks Brod.

Confirmed what I thought, but it's all new to me and I'm trying to avoid reading the manual.
You lot would only take the Mick if I did that!! 

Agreed - generally they are best left turned on. Most fibre B/B is fibre to the cabinet and copper to your house, so the hub (and equipment in the roadside cabinet) still needs to "learn" the characteristics of the copper line, and if you turn it off an on regularly you may adversely affect that process. And, as you say, any PVR function may need access to the B/B side at any time.

Fortunately the power consumption of the most recent hubs is pretty low, so it's not going to consume too much power during the periods it is sitting there doing not much.

Hi

Gromit wrote:You lot would only take the Mick if I did that!!

Possibly but not me. I try to read the book "online" before purchasing anything expensive. I started after making a few bad purchases that I could have avoided had I read the book first.

Brod

brodco wrote:Hi

Gromit wrote:You lot would only take the Mick if I did that!!

Possibly but not me. I try to read the book "online" before purchasing anything expensive. I started after making a few bad purchases that I could have avoided had I read the book first.

Brod

Thanks to you too Mojo. Expert advice always appreciated. 

Brod - That's as good a reason as any for reading the book. I have done the same for a long time, and generally speaking it works.

For what it's worth, I agree too, (though I'm obviously miffed at not being mentioned in the 'Techie List' ).

I leave our router on all the time unless its performance deteriorates, whereupon a reboot normally fixes it.

If you leave it on permanently you will retain the same IP address as long as it's on, which can be handy.
It's also true that the exchange may use adaptive speed technology, and may reduce the speed if it thinks that it has it set too high and is causing problems. I've never had the speed reduced with our FTTC when rebooting.

meanchris wrote:For what it's worth, I agree too, (though I'm obviously miffed at not being mentioned in the 'Techie List' ).

Wot you moaning about, eh?
You were classed as an "other techie bod" which is the next best thing to a PhD. 

Never turn ours off, even when we are away.

Keep it on.

How could I control my heating and hot water without it?!

G

Just come back to this thread.

Thanks to all who gave advice. Have re-jigged the rat's nest behind the computer so the hub and phone can stay on while everything else is switched off.