There’s nothing more frustrating than getting right to the end of a close game, only to see the spinning buffering wheel as your team goes for the winning shot.
Buffering and sluggish streaming are sometimes a sign of slow internet, but other factors could be at play, especially if you’re already connected to Geneseo Communications’ fiber network. Your streaming device or account settings could play a role in your playback quality. We’ve put together several tips to help optimize your streaming experience.
Streaming Devices
There are several different options for streaming TV these days, including smart TV apps, streaming sticks, gaming consoles, or casting from your phone. Each has tradeoffs in performance, cost, and convenience.
Smart TVs and streaming sticks are basically small computers. They are powered by small processors, and just like a laptop, they slow down over time and with use. Considering that they are often running a stream for hours on end, they can start to underperform and affect playback quality. On a smart TV, your picture may appear fine, meaning you may not suspect that the TV could be the problem.
One way to check on your TV or streaming stick is to feel the temperature after it has been running for a few hours. A very warm device could indicate that it is working harder than it should. Regular restarts help clear the cache and improve performance.
Even if the device itself still seems to be in good condition, many typically receive firmware updates for three to five years before they are no longer supported by the manufacturer or by the apps themselves. At this point, your older device may stop receiving updates, leading to slow or poor app performance.
If you’re operating with a smart TV and the picture is good while the interface is sluggish, you may not have to spend hundreds of dollars on a new TV. A streaming stick is a cheap fix ($30-$80) that could get you back to prime time perfection with one small device.
Streaming Settings
Most streaming apps let you control the playback quality settings. By default, an app’s streaming quality is likely set to “Auto.” Some let you change the quality on a scale from Low to High, while others read “SD” (Standard Definition) to “HD” (High Definition) to “UHD” (Ultra High Definition, or 4K).
If you have a connection that allows you the bandwidth to stream at the highest level without issue, we recommend manually setting your playback to the highest or best quality offered. (Keep in mind that some services require a higher subscription tier to access 4K content.)
Choosing Your Apps Wisely
The streaming market has expanded significantly. Most TV networks have their own apps, and dozens of free, ad-supported options have emerged with growing content libraries. As a viewer, this means you’re able to access a huge amount of content at little to no cost. But, it also means that you’re likely downloading more and more data to your streaming device.
First, if you’re looking to install a new “free” streaming app that you haven’t heard of, make sure it’s a legitimate application with good reviews. A quick online search should give you insight both on the quality of content in their library and on whether the publisher can be trusted. Don’t give bad actors and malicious software the opportunity to access your watch data, or even worse, your credit card information.
If you’re streaming on a smaller device, like a Roku or Amazon Fire streaming stick, we recommend doing a regular sweep of your apps and removing any that you haven’t used in a while. That extra space could help boost the device’s performance and speed up your navigation and load times.
Wired vs. Wireless
Most streaming devices operate on a wireless connection. While WiFi is convenient, it’s vulnerable to factors that impact your TV’s connection, including distance, walls, interference, and overall household network congestion.
Geneseo Communications recommends hardwiring your device to the internet with an ethernet cable, where possible. A wired connection can help ensure your equipment is getting the full speed your connection offers. Some streaming sticks do not have a built-in ethernet port and would require an inexpensive USP ethernet adapter.
Your Connection Is the Foundation
A great streaming experience starts with a fast, reliable internet connection. Fiber gives you the foundation to make the most out of every device and every stream.
One High-Definition stream can use anywhere from five to 10 megabits per second (Mbps) of bandwidth. A 4K stream can take 25 Mbps or more. If you’ve got multiple TVs streaming, plus other online activity from gaming, studying, working, or casually surfing, you could experience slowdowns with a lower-tiered connection.
Unlike most other internet services like cable, 5G home internet, or Starlink and other satellite services, fiber delivers symmetrical speeds. That means your upload speed is just as fast as your download speed. Your video calls, live gaming streams, and cloud backups that require uploading data all run as smoothly as anything you download.
With all that and the local Geneseo Communications team right here in your town, you’ll have the support behind you to make sure your entertainment experience is the best it can be.