All posts tagged: buffering

These Roku secret menus fixed my buffering problem in minutes

These Roku secret menus fixed my buffering problem in minutes

Published by skeptic

When people ask me for a streaming device recommendation, I almost always suggest a Roku (because not everyone needs a streaming device with 256 CPU cores). This is because Roku devices are reliable, easy to use, not expensive, and most importantly, they work with every streaming service you could ever want. And there are even multiple uses for old Roku devices. But what happens when your Roku is not working properly, and you need to troubleshoot your connection? Well, it turns out that Roku has built-in secret menus, only accessible by tapping a combination of keys on your remote, that gives you advanced diagnostics and tools to help you maximize the performance of your Roku. Here’s how to access some of those menus. Related Don’t Skip These Roku TV and Streaming Stick Settings Boost the performance of your Roku device with these simple settings tweaks. If you know the right buttons to press Credit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf In order to open any of these hidden menus, you simply need to enter the key combinations with …

Your router’s band steering might be the reason your TV keeps buffering

Your router’s band steering might be the reason your TV keeps buffering

Published by skeptic

Technology should be simple. It is rarely easy and that isn’t a surprise. But when you hand the controls over to the technology, you’d assume it would make the smartest decisions, right? I could be talking about using a chatbot or LLM to answer questions. Sometimes they get it right and sometimes they get it wrong. I could also be talking about needing to connect multiple hubs just to connect one smart home device to another. There are easier ways around this, but certain devices make it more difficult than others. But what I’m really referring to is ensuring your smart TV is streaming as optimally as it possibly can. Sometimes, your router is actually working against you to prevent that. Related The Wi-Fi channel your router chose is probably the worst one Just because your router can pick a channel, doesn’t mean it should. Band-steering and what it means for your traffic Your settings could be incorrect You may not realize it, but your Wi-Fi has multiple bands that devices can join. If you …

I changed 3 settings in Plex and my streams immediately stopped buffering

I changed 3 settings in Plex and my streams immediately stopped buffering

Published by skeptic

In the past, I’ve sat down to watch something on Plex, only to be met with endless buffering — and it turns out I’m not alone. A quick check on Reddit revealed scores of posts dating back years seeking help with this very issue. It’s especially annoying, as streaming apps are supposed to “just work” straight out of the box with minimal tweaking, regardless of the device or network conditions (although a few handy setup tips never hurt). However, as I found out, this lies at the root of the problem. It turns out that, by default, my Plex server seemed overly cautious by lowering quality, forcing unnecessary transcoding, or using safe network settings, so while my hardware was perfectly capable and my internet was fast enough, my streams still stuttered. Thankfully, with a few small tweaks to the settings, I saw an immediate difference, with smoother playback, faster start times, and no buffering. OS MacOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android Plex is a powerful media management and streaming service that centralizes your personal media—like movies, …