safari slow video download

Question

safari slow video download

I have been having a problem with slow video downloads in Safari for months now. If I try to play a Youtube video, I can use the Develop menu to open the page in Chrome and watch the video, and when I return to Safari, it won't even have started playing yet. I have done all of the usual stuff like deleting the plist file, reset Safari, make sure I'm not on the HTML5 trial at Youtube, etc. Speed tests show that my download speed is close to 3 MB/sec. Also, it is not limited to Youtube, almos all video acts this way. Any suggestions?

Posted on May 17, 2012 11:37 AM

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Answer 1

May 17, 2012 12:22 PM in response to Chris Canaday

HI Chrsi...

Speed tests show that my download speed is close to 3 MB/sec.

That's a pretty slow internet connection, especially for streaming YouTube content. You may not be able to view YouTube video due to such a slow connection, but try the folllowing anyway.

Most YouTube content requires the Flash plugin... try troubleshooting.

First, uninstall the Flash plugin then reinstall new > Troubleshoot Flash Player | Mac OS

Launch Safari From your Safari menu bar click Safari > Empty Cache

Now try a video.

BTW... if you have the ClickToFlash extension installed, that can prevent Flash based video from streaming. It can also be installed as a plugin in /Library/Internet-Plug-Ins.

And check to see if Safari is running in 32 bit mode. Right or control click the Safari icon in your Applications folder then click Get Info. If the box next to: Open in 32 bit mode is selected, deselect, quit then relaunch Safari.

Helps to tell us which Mac OS X you have installed and in this case, which version of Safari. 🙂

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Answer 2

May 17, 2012 3:49 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks for the reply Carolyn, I appreciate your help.

Reinstalled Flash version: 11.2.202.235

Mac OS 10.6.8 (64-bit)

Safari Version: 5.1.7 (6534.57.2)

ClickToFlash has been disabled for a week or two and I have cleared the cache multiple times. Not running in 32 bit mode. I also deleted all local Flash files. Negligably faster.

According to AT&T tech support, this is normal speed for their DSL. Maybe it's time I switch to cable.

I don't mind a little load time but in Safari, it may take 10 minutes to download and play a two minute video, while Chrome starts playing almost immediately and continues with no interruption. I also use Chrome to play streaming stuff like TV show online, etc.

I also notice that if I use Safari for more than a few hours, it begins to slow down (scrolling, changging tabs, etc.) and I get the spinning disk often. Restarting Safari usually fixes this. Don't know if there is any relation to the video problem, though.

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Answer 3

May 17, 2012 3:56 PM in response to Chris Canaday

Definitely time to switch to a broadband connection.

I also notice that if I use Safari for more than a few hours, it begins to slow down

Empty the Safari cache more often.

Chris ... how much free space on the startup disk?

Right or control click the MacintoshHD icon. Click Get Info. In the Get Info window you will see Capacity and Available. Make sure there's a minimum of 15% free disk space.

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Answer 4

May 19, 2012 1:26 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

I have about 70GB free on a 320GB hard drive.

I have cleared the cach multiple times over the past couple of weeks adn it seems to have no effect. What I don't like about doing it is the fact that I lose all of the settings on pages I use often for my job search.

I just opened a random Youtube video and started it downloading in Safari. In the meantime, I opened the same video in Chrome. After watching the video in Chrome, I returned to Safari and it had only downloaded about 20 seconds of the two minute video. I guesss I'll have to use Chrome for video and Safari for everything else. I just don't like Chrome very much.

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