Apple TV Buffering

It’s been a while since anyone has posted about this but I stumbled across this thread today as I’m having these issues. Everything else works fine but Apple TV will buffer to no end. I can’t watch anything on it without getting annoyed and turning it off. Why is this still a problem?!

Posted on Apr 4, 2023 10:20 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jun 27, 2023 7:41 AM

  1. I tried all of these things before posting here
  2. Neither myself nor OP indicated they have an Apple TV
  3. My other comment got deleted (thanks for reporting it) - I do not have a wireless network, my TV is hardwired
  4. I am not running a VPN
  5. Why are you so unwilling to entertain the idea that this might be an issue on the app's side? Given the flood of people here with the same issue, perhaps that might be the logical conclusion?
87 replies

Oct 16, 2023 1:34 PM in response to Kellen4

I posted this last week and as of today 10/16/23 still no fix and nothing from Apple.

Hello, I was having the same issue with my Samsung tv and was able to talk with someone in chat about it 2 weeks ago, they told me their senior advisors are aware of the issue and were working on a solution. I had been able to watch movies since last year until 2 weeks ago when I would continually get the buffering wheel and then the message that said," Video not available". I talked with tech support yesterday and they told me that the senior advisors said the Apple Tv+ app is not working on Samsung, Roku and Brava Tv's. Looking at some of the other chats in the community it looks like there's a bigger problem with the Apple app.

It's not a bandwith issue.

Oct 16, 2023 2:52 PM in response to Isabell237

It's good that you shared, much the same' Buffering question & remarks

which many of us have questioned with Apple Service for months.


This Forum, often, explains our

missing experience with Apple

Service & Physical Product(s).


We learn by trying, then this forum

educates us.


Product Materials and Apple Messaging are, at times, insufficient for operational faults. That's when this 'real advantage' here with experienced advice can

inform and guide us to resolution.


Three Cheers to the Contributors

who help turn our questions into

problem resolution!


Nov 3, 2023 3:00 PM in response to Saltgrass

Buffering, for my AppleTV 4K, began after AppleTV+ appeared on my HomeScreen in June 2023.


I discovered I could Select AppleTV+ Menu actions once I 'subscribed' to AppleTV+. But, Buffering DID NOT occur while using AppleTV+.


Only the 4 apps I'd used for several years were buffering: Paramount+,

PBS, Prime Video and the YouTube

free app ALL Buffered!


Reading messages from others on

discussions.apple.com, revealed

AppleTV+ is NOT a app, but is part

of the 'AppleTV 4K OPERATING SYSTEM'.


I've Turned Off every AppleTV 4K SETTING I didn't need, then OffLoaded in (Settings, General, USAGE, Manage Storage) the

3-apps I was not using. Buffering still occurred, but not as often AND for

Shorter time.


Eventually, after talking with a Apple

Help Agent, he agreed to send our

discussion to Apple Engineering to

question: Does AppleTV+ Presence

in my AppleTV 4K Operating System

create a 'constant data load' due to

AppleTV+ constant programming

updates?


It's been just over one week now.

I've received no response. So, I followed advice from 'discussions'

here to increase my BandWidth.


My increase from 50Mbps to 60Mbps 'has' reduced Buffering.

Now Buffering interruptions are

infrequent and very short.


It seems my modern equipment:

SONY 4K TV, Up to Date Ethernet

and HDMI Cables which I Tested with my Klein Cable/Port Tester, AND 60Mbps Signal aren't good enough for AppleTV 4K Streaming.


It might be time to find better service

and equipment elsewhere.


Nov 3, 2023 3:56 PM in response to ChipDale

I am receiving a new TV on Monday, Nov 5th. When I get that set up, I can do some testing on various streaming sites regarding operation of the AppleTV 4K device.


I have looked at my system when streaming 2K content. The bandwidth will pulse every 6 or 7 seconds and may be 4 Mbps or as high as 40 Mbps. I will assume with 4K content, it will need to double that bandwidth or pulse more often, especially if Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision are involved.


If your total bandwidth is only 60 Mbps, you don't have much overhead available.

Nov 3, 2023 5:15 PM in response to Kellen4

I believe most UHD Streaming is 'surmounting the upper threshold'

of our BandWidth 'if' we fail to adjust

our Equipment and Multiple Unit(s)

Streaming Simultaneously.


That's why my ISP-NID, Apple Router, AppleTV 4K, Compliant Ethernet and HDMI ports and Cables

have been Test Confirmed by me.


I'm fortunate to be a 'Single User' so I alone use my BandWidth.


Early 1990's HomeComputers, ISP's

and WiFi were oftenI, I conducted a Drive Around with my LapTop to discover what WiFi Signals were 'open to invasion'. Printers were the

greatest number of unprotected WiFi

then. I suspect many Business, Local

Government and Residential Users

had not read their Equipment Manuals then.


Today's Senior Citizens are stuck in the Dial-Up, CableTV and DSL days

because ISP's are STILL USING 1990's TERMS such as 'MoDem, Up/Download Speed' when ISP NID,

and BandWidth are the ACTUAL

Correct Terms.


Dumbing Down such fundamental information may help SELL Service & Equipment to uninformed Customers. But ISP's lie when using those 1990's Terms to describe FibreOptic Signal and Home Connectivity.


When Service is SOLD, Customer

SUPPORT is a BIG part of that Sale!

Nov 7, 2023 10:48 AM in response to ChipDale

I was checking my new TV so it seems AppleTV 4K will pulse up to 40 Mbps when streaming 2K media. When I went to 4K, it went over 100 Mbps at some points.


Prime video only pulses up to about 14 Mbps. It is hard to draw a conclusion when the stream is pulsing but AppleTV 4K seems to avoid the buffering, because it can recover quickly when streaming from AppleTV +. It seems Prime video, being hosted by AppleTV 4K, doesn't have that capability, but to be fair, I did not see any buffering there either.


Since this is just info, maybe I can find another, more recent thread.

Nov 12, 2023 2:45 AM in response to Kellen4

As a streaming service Apple TV+ is rancid garbage. And yes I mean the app, even if you’re using an Apple TV, Apple TV+ is an app that runs on the operating system, it is not part of the OS but it’s good to know apples support employees are as full of s*** as their streaming service. I have a 1GBPS connection wired directly to my TV, I have 600 mbps throughput with 2ms ping speed, I can stream 4K gaming without a single hiccup. I have used multiple devices from Samsung tv to Sony tv to PS5 to an iPhone, a roku box, a windows pc. The buffering is so bad I can’t watch a show. Foundation is too terrible an adaptation to suffer through 10 prolonged buffering incidents in the first 4 minutes. Apple needs to fix their BS, this is the wealthiest company in the world and they can’t match the experience of my friends plex server on their hone broadband 2 continents over. An absolute joke.

Nov 12, 2023 9:43 AM in response to IanCosgrove

I suppose I need to get the App and try that.


I discovered, during my setup of AppleTV 4K, the cable wiring can make a heck of a difference. While trying 3 different connection options, my system was buffering and stuttering along with audio problems. The stream would pulse as high as 400 Mbps.


Once I got the correct configuration, the pulse now goes up to 40 Mbps and the picture and audio are stable. I know folks using the App can't suffer from connection issues but maybe something else like that, is interfering. You might also try watching something from iTunes to see how your system handles that.

Nov 14, 2023 9:28 AM in response to Lauren2424

I normally use the physical AppleTV 4K device which works fine, but I have been trying to get the AppleTV App to run. The App will not work on my TV because it is a Google version so I can't install it there.


When I download it on Windows 11 23H2, it crashes when I try to play anything. It should be noted, the version is shown as "Preview", and a warning states it may not run as expected. The faulting module is shown as combase.dll in the Event Viewer.


Since most of the App users are probably using one on their TVs, possibly the same thing is going on with them.


I was able to play a movie I had purchased with iTunes, and it ran fine, although it wasn't the full 4K version.


This is just follow-on information which may help verify the situation.




Nov 26, 2023 7:24 PM in response to Saltgrass

I'm Alerting those of Us using a 'CoAxial Cable Signal' from a 'ISP

Company CoAxial Service Box', On

or In Our Home.


Check Your 'CoAxial Service Box' to

'Confirm a BOND TO EARTH GROUND-WIRE(typically Copper but

Stranded Copper or Steel may be used according to National Electrical

Code) is in place and FIRMLY BONDED TO EARTH GROUND!


Earth Ground may be a Buried Copper or Steel Water Supply Pipe, or a Galvanized Steel Rod driven into the earth to NEC required depth.


Our ISP, Power Company, LandLine

Phone Company, AND Satellite TV Company, place the 'Earth Ground, from Their Service Entry to

one of those 'Pipe, Galvanized Stake, or other NEC approved 'Earth Ground' devices.


Remember TV Antennas atop our Roof, or Tower mount? Earth Ground

Bare Copper Wire(No Smaller in Diameter than Number-6 Wire) was

always in place for Electrical Safety.


People mounted TV Antenna in their

Attic too which were NEC Required

to be Bonded to Earth Ground for

Safety AND Reliable 'Atmospheric

TV Signal'.


IF EARTH GROUND IS DAMAGED OR

MISSING, A TV ANTENNA, or ISP ENTRY BOX is a Electrical Hazard AND must be corrected for Safety and 'Proper Signal Delivery'.


Such 'Missing or Damaged Earth Ground' may, as well, Diminish BandWidth delivery to 'Our In Home

Connected Devices'.

After almost Six Months of Signal

Buffering in My Home, THIS BROKEN

EARTH GROUND IS LIKELY AT FAULT because CoAxial Cable at the ISP Box, AND Inside My Home, uses

the Earth Ground as a Electrical Signal Reference.


I picked the wrong time to get my ISP to Dispatch a Technician to replace my Severed Ground Bond

though. It's been 6-Days, still NO

FIX. Last Service Rep did send my

Repair Request UP TO THE SERVICE

MANAGER though. I expect that's a

Person in my Town; I can see Their

'Local Network Distribution Building

NODE' across the two Farm Fields behind my Home.


Check your EARTH BOND if All Other

Measures Fail to Fix 'Loss of Signal

Buffering'!


Good Troubleshooting to You!

ChipDale



Nov 26, 2023 9:21 PM in response to lyall144

I will ask you, since this forum is in regard to the AppleTV device, and not the AppleTV app, which one are you talking about?


I can suggest one thing, if you are using an AVR, that you need remove the power from the AVR so as to let it reboot. If you are using the App on a smart TV, it may be the same situation.


If you have a 50 Mbps internet connection or less, I might expect your situation to be normal.

Apple TV Buffering

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