Streaming services have changed everything about the way that we enjoy TV. They are fast and immediate and offer you the chance to watch a wide array of programming without having to catch these shows on live TV. There are a few downsides to using streaming services to watch programming, but buffering can be one of them.
Buffering is caused in most cases by network issues or overloaded websites. There are a variety of things that you can do to improve the situation if you are struggling with this issue and it is ruining your TV-watching experience. Knowing more about buffering and why it happens can help you ensure that you don’t struggle with this issue while you are trying to enjoy your TV time.
Why Does Your TV Buffer?
Buffering is caused when the video that you are streaming cannot load fast enough to keep up with the rate of play. This causes the show to pause and the screen to freeze while the buffering process is done. Buffering allows enough data to load so that the show can pick back up and continue to play without lagging. This is most typically the result of a home network that is not up to the task of streaming video content, but there can be other reasons that your streaming experience is not ideal.
Other reasons that you might have issues with your show buffering are that the website that you are streaming from has become overwhelmed with viewers or there is a downtime or technical issue on the provider’s end. You might also have issues if you have a bad router or other problems related to your internet connection.
You will need to work to diagnose the reason for your buffering issue to be able to watch your TV show in peace. You can also try turning down the quality of the streaming content that you are watching and ceasing other processes that might be happening over your internet at the same time as you are streaming.
You could also try plugging the device that you are using to stream right into the router with an ethernet cable. This can usually give you a much faster connection than with Wi-Fi and might resolve your problem. There are also sometimes issues with “blackspots” in your Wi-Fi coverage due to the location of your router, which could be impacting your streaming service user.
Buffering Can be Annoying, But it Can Often be Fixed
If you have been struggling with your TV buffering on a regular basis as you are watching your favorite TV shows, there are some easy fixes that you can try to improve the situation. You might also want to reach out to your internet provider and make sure that you have the right internet package to allow for the kinds of streaming and internet use that you want to engage in each day.
Also, be sure that you check with the streaming service provider if you are running into issues with the performance of their product. They might be able to tell you more about the best practices that make using their service a breeze.
This article was last updated on August 29, 2023 .
