WOL Wake on LAN

[Gizmowiz]

Hello,

Can the T2 or T4 go into deep showdown and then be told to wake up with a WOL packet?

I ask this as I want a solution that is "environmentally friendly", i.e. does not waste power until I need it on.

[prl]

... Can the T2 or T4 go into deep showdown and then be told to wake up with a WOL packet? ...

The T2 has no WOL capability. The T4 can go into shutdown and wake on LAN, but its power consumption is about the same as if it's in standby.

[Gizmowiz]

... Can the T2 or T4 go into deep showdown and then be told to wake up with a WOL packet? ...

The T2 has no WOL capability. The T4 can go into shutdown and wake on LAN, but its power consumption is about the same as if it's in standby.

Hello,

Power consumption same?

I was told that on "deep sleep" T4 draws about 1watt.
On "normal sleep/standby" is draws alot more.

Anyone measure what the T4 draws in its two sleep modes?

[prl]

... Can the T2 or T4 go into deep showdown and then be told to wake up with a WOL packet? ...

The T2 has no WOL capability. The T4 can go into shutdown and wake on LAN, but its power consumption is about the same as if it's in standby.

...
Power consumption same?

I was told that on "deep sleep" T4 draws about 1watt.
On "normal sleep/standby" is draws alot more.

That is normally correct, but it isn't if WOL is enabled.

Anyone measure what the T4 draws in its two sleep modes?

Yes, and the measured values are compatible with the published values, as long as WOL is not enabled.

The original information about the power consumption was posted by peteru in the beta tester's area when the T4 was still in closed beta. I'm sure he won't mind it being re-posted:

...
Enabling WOL causes the shutdown state to be pretty much the same as standby in terms of power consumption.

Code: Select all

T4 Power consumption (using Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM 2TB drive, model ST2000DM001-9YN1)

     Live TV             Live TV             Standby             Standby          Shutdown        Shutdown
(with HDD running)  (with HDD stopped)  (with HDD running)  (with HDD stopped)  (WOL enabled)  (WOL disabled)
------------------  ------------------  ------------------  ------------------  -------------  --------------
      35.7W               29.0W               33.2W               27.2W            25.8W            0.4W

Those figures would suggest that WOL is pretty much useless from a power consumption point of view.

[Gizmowiz]

Thanks.



Sounds like the BIOS is missing WOL signalling capabilities because at those power draws one would guess WOL is being implemented in the OS.

[prl]

You may be thinking of it as being too much like a PC.

[Gizmowiz]

You may be thinking of it as being too much like a PC.

Yeah I don't know what it is as I don't have one.

So I'm assuming, bad me

Was assuming that were it an embedded device with predefined IOs by way of hardware designed to work with each other component, then I was hoping power draw would have been much less when waiting on a WOL packet while in "deep sleep".
So yah assumed it was more of a PC design.

Does not make sense to have everything running to process WOL as WOL is designed to be very low level, layer 2 I think.

Guess it does not really matter now anyway as its using far to much power when in shutdown with WOL on mode.

[Gully]

Guess it does not really matter now anyway as its using far to much power when in shutdown with WOL on mode.

So what exactly were you trying to achieve, aside from power saving, by using WOL?

[Gizmowiz]

Guess it does not really matter now anyway as its using far to much power when in shutdown with WOL on mode.

So what exactly were you trying to achieve, aside from power saving, by using WOL?

Hi Gully.

List of PVR requirements:

1) Records TV shows that can be viewed later. (Confirmed)

2) Ability to watch the shows on ONE of multiple TVs. (Confirmed via a Kodi option here: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=10177&p=141223&hilit=kodi#p141223 )
Happy to look at other options of 2 that do not need DLNA.

3) Hibernates to a low power mode, prefer less than a Watt, and wakes up in preparation for PVR recordings

4) If the device needs to be "woken" up from point 3 then a way to do it remotely e.g. WOL packet.

[prl]

On the T4, item 4 is incompatible with item3. Item 4 is not available at all on the T2 (or T3).

Otherwise, item 3 is available on the T4 (and T2).

[MrQuade]

You can easily add Item 4 capabilities with a suitable IP to IR device, but the added expense and clutter is a bit of a pain in the proverbial, and it would be nice if the T4 had true WOL capabilities.

The Harmony hub based remotes can easily act in this role, but I believe you can buy many many similar/simpler/cheaper products that have a similar level of flexibility and configurability.

There may even be a basic device that is fixed function and can react to a simple WOL packet and send a pre-defined IR command (I haven't looked, but it seems like something that should be available).

[prl]

I rechecked power use on a T4 and I can confirm peteru's measurements: 30W fully running, 0W* in normal shutdown and 25W in shutdown with WOL enabled.

Even though it's using nearly full power in shutdown with WOL, it still takes the same time to start as from normal shutdown, about 60 sec.

The T series has no power state that corresponds to either of Windows Sleep or Hibernate states, or the OS X Sleep state.

* My power meter isn't as accurate was peteru's, so 0W here is fully compatible with peteru's measured 0.4W, and the latter is likely the correct value.

[peteru]

It's a hardware issue. It may even be a hardware bug, I don't know the exact details. The problem is that power has to be applied to the main board in order for WOL to work. I think it may be due to the GigE chip requiring 5V standby power, but the normal standby rail is 3.3V

[Gizmowiz]

Looks like the T2 and T4 will not meet my needs on the eco power side of things.
If anyone knows a solution please let me know. I appreciate this is a beyonwiz forum so if its a rival product please PM in the event that the discussion of rival products is not allowed.

Thanks all for your help and assistance in allowing me to analyse ability of the T4 and T2 to deliver on my requirements. I really wished they would as I would prefer to support a product with such a great online community.

[prl]

... If anyone knows a solution please let me know. I appreciate this is a beyonwiz forum so if its a rival product please PM in the event that the discussion of rival products is not allowed. ...

There's no need to discuss alternatives via PM. That would be fine to discuss on the forum. Outright advertising isn't.

You could also ask on the Whirlpool PVR forum.

[peteru]

While on paper your "eco requirements" seem totally reasonable, in practice many/most people end up not utilising this type of functionality and will often opt for the convenience of an "always on" solution - i.e. the Beyonwiz standby mode. The standby mode on the T4 delivers a great deal of functionality at what is, in the grand scheme of things, a modest power requirement.

If you find yourself under-whelmed by the capabilities and reliability of competing products, come back and re-consider the T2. Even without WOL, the T2 is a low power, yet capable device.

[Gizmowiz]

Yeah. I am a difficult requirements person

But for me to have an app on my phone that sends a WOL across my network to a device is not a big issue thing to do in prep to watch a movie and save our environment a little

BTW the lowest power consumption device I have found to date is a box that draws 10watts while on standby according to a review here:
http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/02/28/ ... -t2-tuner/

Any other alternatives?

[Gully]

Yeah. I am a difficult requirements person

But for me to have an app on my phone that sends a WOL across my network to a device is not a big issue thing to do in prep to watch a movie and save our environment a little

Any other alternatives?

There are phone apps that work with the T series that you can use to wake up any of the models across a network without using WOL.

[MrQuade]

There are phone apps that work with the T series that you can use to wake up any of the models across a network without using WOL.

Not from Deep Standby there isn't. The T series can't listen to the network from that state so there is no way to wake t via the network.

The only option is some kind of external device that you can use to trigger a wake-up via IR or controlling power to the Wiz.

[Gully]

There are phone apps that work with the T series that you can use to wake up any of the models across a network without using WOL.

Not from Deep Standby there isn't. The T series can't listen to the network from that state so there is no way to wake t via the network.

That's a shame.

[peteru]

Beyonwiz T2 with an old 1TB HDD during full operation draws 12W - 14W, depending on how hard you ask it to work.

When in standby, with HDD spun down, it draws 11W.

When shutdown, it draws less than 3W.

If you went with a diskless T2 or with the SSD option you could drop the power consumption a little lower.

The T2 uses the Ethernet controller integrated in the main chipset. I'm not 100% sure, but it is possible that the T2 hardware actually supports WOL. The functionality may not just not be exposed to the user.

[dRdoS7]

Hi,

Stick a few solar panels on the roof, get some batteries, a charge controller & and an inverter. Actually, you don't need an inverter if you're using a T2.

dRdoS7

[Gizmowiz]

Beyonwiz T2 with an old 1TB HDD during full operation draws 12W - 14W, depending on how hard you ask it to work.

When in standby, with HDD spun down, it draws 11W.

When shutdown, it draws less than 3W.

If you went with a diskless T2 or with the SSD option you could drop the power consumption a little lower.

The T2 uses the Ethernet controller integrated in the main chipset. I'm not 100% sure, but it is possible that the T2 hardware actually supports WOL. The functionality may not just not be exposed to the user.

Thats sounding like a good possibility.
What would be the chances of getting WOL to work on a T2, without it increasing power draw?

[stevebow]

I was told that on "deep sleep" T4 draws about 1watt.
On "normal sleep/standby" is draws alot more.

Anyone measure what the T4 draws in its two sleep modes?

I just wanted to add my own T4 power observations from here:

• On (normal use): 31.8W
  Standby HDD on: 27.8W (-4.0W, -12.6%)
  Standby HDD off: 25.7W (-6.1W, -19.2%)
  Deep-Standby/Shutdown: 0.2W (-31.6W, -99.4%)

When not in use I generally leave my T4 in deep-standby - it will still boot up to record set timers as required and then go back to deep-standby when done.

The down side is that there is a boot time of around 45-50 secs vs. the instant-on of regular standby, but I just put that down to the valves warming up.

Steve

[prl]

... I just put that down to the valves warming up. ...

Everything old is new again

[tezza007]

When not in use I generally leave my T4 in deep-standby - it will still boot up to record set timers as required and then go back to deep-standby when done.

The down side is that there is a boot time of around 45-50 secs vs. the instant-on of regular standby, but I just put that down to the valves warming up.

Steve

Lucky bugger; mine takes 118 seconds

[bruce]

...
Those figures would suggest that WOL is pretty much useless from a power consumption point of view.

Just did some measurements of the U4 (I couldn't find the consumption figures posted anywhere) and the situation has improved a bit. WOL still costs a lot more watts but there is a significant saving still.

U4 Power consumption (using Seagate Barracuda 4TB drive, model ST4000LM024)
On 18.0W
Standby 17.1W
Deep standby (WOL enabled) 8.0W
Deep standby (WOL disabled) 0.3W