Issue: Playback interruptions: video sputters or freezes while it appears to load

Troubleshooting Tips:

Tip #1:  Check to ensure you have sufficient bandwidth

• Lack of available bandwidth is often the cause of buffering. 
• It’s generally recommended that your bandwidth be twice your broadcast bitrate. If you plan to deliver a higher resolution stream at 4K, you may even want to consider two and a half times the bitrate to play it safe.

Tip #2:  Poor Wi-Fi

• Network conditions are impossible to predict, so if you do intend to use Wi-Fi for your streaming event, be sure your router is up to date, in good working condition, and in close proximity for the strongest signal possible.
• Remove any unnecessary devices connected to the network.
• It’s generally recommended that your bandwidth be twice your broadcast bitrate. If you plan to deliver a higher resolution stream at 4K, you may even want to consider two and a half times the bitrate to play it safe.
•  Lastly, we recommend having a plan in place to use a network cable should any Wi-Fi issues pop up.

Tip #3:  Clean the browser cache

• If your browser is overloaded with temporary data, it’s a good idea to occasionally clear the cache to avoid buffering.
• Cached files can become corrupted. And if you have bad data in the browser’s local memory, your streaming performance could be negatively impacted.

Tip #4:  Reduce the Video Quality

• If the quality of the video is more than your network can support, lowering the bitrate from the source can be a quick buffering solution for the video publisher.
• If you're experiencing issues such as video frames dropping, your server could be struggling to transfer a certain amount of data.

Tip #5:  Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR)

• ABR is standard practice to reduce buffering at the player and delivers the highest quality video for all viewers.
• Configure a SMIL file in Streaming Engine will provide multiple video resolutions and bitrates for any viewers who may have poor network conditions or are watching from a mobile device.

Tip #6:  Use a CDN

• Delivering your video over a CDN is an effective strategy to prevent buffering because it allows you to cache content closer to the viewers who are connecting over long distances.
• Attempting to stream a bulky video file directly from your local server to the viewer can often result in buffering. A CDN can make video delivery more reliable and efficient.

Tip #7:  Update your Graphics card drivers

• A high-quality streaming experience can depend on the performance of your graphic card. You’ll want to avoid using outdated graphic drivers that can present limitations.
• Newer versions of graphics cards offer an architecture that enables accelerated transcoding at greater scale and speed.