A stuttering picture, a loading circle and short freezes are the most common problems when watching internet television. In most cases the cause is in the home network, not in the service. Below are nine steps that solve most problems. Start with the first and move on until the picture is smooth.
1. Check your connection speed
Run an internet speed test on the device you watch on. Look at the download result. For HD you need roughly 8 to 10 Mb/s per device, and for 4K about 25 Mb/s. You will find more exact values in the article What internet speed do you need for IPTV.
2. Use a cable or the 5 GHz band
Wi-Fi is the most frequent culprit. If you can, connect the box or TV with an Ethernet cable. If a cable is not possible, join the 5 GHz network and move the router closer to the device.
3. Restart the router and the device
Unplug the router for about 30 seconds, plug it in again and wait for all the lights to settle. Also restart the TV, box or phone. This simple step removes many temporary errors.
4. Limit other use of the network
Big file downloads, game updates, cloud backups and video calls take bandwidth. Pause them while you watch and see if the picture is smoother.
5. Change the DNS servers
Sometimes setting public DNS servers instead of your provider's helps. You can enter for example 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. You find the setting in the network options of the device or router. If you see no difference, restore the previous settings.
6. Update the app and clear its cache
An old version of the app or a full cache can cause freezing. Check whether an update is available. On Android and Fire TV devices you can open Settings, Applications, choose the app and click Clear cache. If that does not help, reinstall the app.
7. Lower the picture quality or choose another stream
If the connection is on the edge, lower the quality in the app settings, for example from 4K to Full HD. Many apps also let you choose another server or version of a channel. A smooth HD picture is better than a stuttering 4K one.
8. Check whether a VPN slows the connection
If you use a VPN, switch it off for a moment and check the picture. A VPN adds delay and can lower speed, especially at peak hours. If it is better with the VPN off, try another VPN server or watch without it.
9. Check whether the problem is one channel or one time of day
Look for a pattern:
- One channel stutters while the others work? The problem may be in that particular broadcast.
- Everything stutters in the evening? Your provider's network is probably overloaded then, or your line is too slow.
- One device stutters? Focus on its app and its connection to the network.
Write down when and where the problem happens. It helps a lot in solving the matter.
When to write to support
If none of the steps helped, write to our support. To speed up the help, give us:
- the device model and the name of the app,
- the name of the channel that stutters,
- the time when the problem happens,
- the download speed test result and how you connect to the network.
With this information we find the cause much faster. Support is available around the clock.