The greatest thing about modern television is that we have more than six working channels! Whatever we want to watch, we can, with our choice of streaming service and device. So, since we have better TV services, why do we still have TV problems? Specifically, frequent buffering.
Smart TVs buffer whenever the internet or Wi-Fi supplies are low or when the router, TV, or streaming device are outdated. Solutions to these problems include moving your router, hardwiring your tv to the internet, and upgrading your equipment.
Keep reading to learn more potential solutions to your buffering problem and what can cause it.
Why is My Smart TV Constantly Buffering?
There are eight common reasons why your smart TV starts frequently buffering caused by 1 of 2 primary factors: your internet or the quality of your hardware.
Problems that cause buffering under the internet or hardware include,
● A slow internet speed
● A disrupted internet connection
● Having too many devices using the internet all at once
● Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) doesn’t provide enough bandwidth
● A weak Wi-Fi signal
● Faulty or damaged equipment
● Outdated network
● Outdated equipment
Do any of these problems sound familiar with problems you have with your current streaming device? It might make you ask if different devices are less vulnerable to these issues.
Would Buffering Stop if I Switched Streaming Services/Devices?
Whether you use the Roku box, the Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, or Nvidia, they all require a stable internet connection at sufficient speeds to stream the content you want. So if your ISP causes your connection issues, switching your streaming device won’t fix the buffering problem.
What Causes TVs to Buffer?
To fix a problem, you have to know what the problem is. We all know what buffering looks like every time the video we were enjoying suddenly stops, and a circle of death appears on the screen.
The cause behind the buffering icon is that your TV or computer isn’t able to download the data to execute the task(s) you want quickly enough. The pause is your computer or streaming device working to collect enough data to keep playing the program. This doesn’t happen if your streaming device can download the video ahead of time, but when faced with a continually buffering service, it might make you wonder if it was worth switching from cable.
Do Non-Smart TVs Buffer?
Older TVs indeed hooked up to cable never buffer. After all, they don’t include streamed content from streaming services. However, before you consider going back to the older TV setup, remember what it was like.
Older TVs were still able to lose their signal. So, instead of seeing one of the buffering circles, you saw a black screen with a box that said “no signal.”
For the latest generation reading this article, this was much worse than a buffering streaming service. Why? Because the content you were watching continued to play from the channel it was on, meaning for every moment the TV’s signal was down, you were missing your show.
These older TVs had plenty of ways to lose signal, just like today’s modern TVs Wi-Fi issues, such as,
● The cable box overheating
● The set-top box has to be turned off and on again to update
● The HDMI cable was loose
● Or a large bird perched on top of your satellite.
How to Stop Your TV From Buffering
Now that we know the common causes of buffering issues, we need solutions.
Create a Hardwired Connection Between Your TV and the Internet
Routers aren’t able to give the same reliable Wi-Fi throughout the house. The bigger the house or, the farther away your TV is from the router, the spottier your connection. You can fix this problem by putting the router close to your TV or connecting your TV with an ethernet cable. The cable connects you directly to the internet so that you don’t have to rely on weak Wi-Fi.
Shut Down Other Tasks Using the Internet
You may have a router that cannot communicate with many devices at once. The data available gets caught in a tug-of-war between the devices, slowing down your Wi-Fi. Another solution to this problem is to upgrade your router that can connect to more devices.
Watch in a Lower Resolution
If your TV cannot play in 4k HD resolution because it takes so much data, try downgrading to the SD to decrease the necessary data.
Pause and Let Your Device Catch Up
Even with the best technology and the greatest 5G network, you can still encounter buffering because of intense weather or a problem on the end of your service provider or streaming service. When this happens, pause your content for at least a few minutes to give your TV a chance to collect the data it needs or for the provider/service to fix its problem.
Reboot the Network
There is always one off-and-on-again solution. Rebooting your router will reconnect you to the Internet and Wi-Fi, hopefully with a better connection. Similarly, turning your streaming device off, waiting 10 seconds, and turning it back on might fix any issues with the device. This is called a power cycle.
Upgrade Your Broadband Service
If the previous efforts don’t help, the next step is to look into upgrading your service provider. If necessity demands you use the cheapest provider, you will get what you paid for, like minimal data. It’s possible not to get what you paid too, which means you might be able to find a more reliable provider at a cheaper bill.
Conclusion
If you need more solutions, you can look into powerline extenders or installing the access point close to your TV. If none of these helps you, consider calling professional help.
