Portal loads channels but video freezes every few seconds — fix found

[MeshMaster]

Opening this discussion to share what I've learned and hear from others with similar experiences.

 

[DVR_Dan]

Portal connects and I can see all channels but every stream freezes every few seconds.

 

[sarah_tech]

This sounds like a buffer size issue rather than a connection issue.

 

[PatriciaHD]

Where do I adjust buffer size on MAG?

 

[DianaTV]

In the portal settings (not the MAG system settings). Look for Playback or Video settings.

 

[NickCable]

Different portals put it in different places. Search for anything related to Buffer or Streaming.

 

[MaryLogin]

I found a Buffer Size option set to Auto. Changing it helped significantly.

 

[AndroidBox_Tim]

What did you change it to?

 

[MeshMaster]

Set it to 10MB. For HD streams this gives enough buffer to smooth over brief network hiccups.

 

[LauraApps]

Too small a buffer = frequent micro-freezes. Too large = longer initial load time.

 

[NetNerd92]

The 5-10MB range is generally a good balance for most home connections.

 

[PatriciaHD]

Also check if the freeze pattern is consistent (every X seconds) vs random.

 

[PatriciaHD]

Consistent freeze interval can indicate a specific encoding or CDN issue on that channel.

 

[chris_tv]

Mine was completely random — definitely a buffering issue, not an encoding issue.

 

[BufferKiller]

After adjusting buffer to 8MB the freezing went from every few seconds to maybe once per hour.

 

[BettyStream]

Not perfect but much better. Will experiment with larger buffer values.