Problem streaming video on Nexus 7

[-zed]

Turning off Wi-Fi optimization seemed to help for a while but the problem came back. Hmmmm.

Thanks turning off WiFi optimization solved YouTube slow buffering issue on my Nexus 7.

This seems to have solved the problem for me too. Thanks

 

[halifaxk9]

Mine was totally locking up after about 25-30 minutes of WiFi playback. Thanks to the advice here I went into apps and shut Dow a few that were running in the background and it solved the problem. Thanks guys.

 

[ClaytonsCreations]

Turned off the WiFi optimization. It is at least making it work some what. Before it would basically refuse to buffer anything. I have the original Nexus 7 8gig. And this has been driving me crazy. I will try updates uninstall maybe.

 

[Eduardo06sp]

How does Wi-Fi optimization work?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[Zachary Smith]

Thank the heavens. Eureka. Its fixed

 

[hillbui]

I had the same issue as everyone here. However after disabling the YouTube updates onthe YouTube app I've noticed a great improvement! I recommend doing this! If not than call tech support.

 

[lewie61]

My wife and I both have Nexus 7s and started to see the same YouTube eternal buffering problem this week. We were also getting very slow app downloads from Play. After searching here and everywhere else, I uninstalled the YouTube app updates and then turned off WiFi Optimization and saw instant improvement in WiFi data speeds. YouTube was smooth again. Out of curiosity I updated the YouTube app and left Optimization off and all continued to be well. Then I turned Optimization back on and the WiFi performance held up. This was on both of the tablets. It makes me wonder about whether the drop in WiFi performance may have been a matter of toggling Optimization off and then back on after any Android system update. We'll see how the data speed holds up.

Update: Unfortunately we experienced the same YouTube buffering and app download problems last night even after I rebooted my WiFi router. Then it, again, mysteriously cleared up. I don't think it's my router as all of our other other WiFi devices (I-Touch, Win7 Laptop, Razr Maxx phone) have no problems. For laughs and giggles, I reset my cable modem and router this morning and changed to channel 6 from channel 11. I have no idea as to whether this will make any difference but my years in IT taught me that anything is possible and that sometimes anyone of a number of corrective steps may solve a problem without your knowing which one specifically did the trick.

 

[ArchieBalfour]

Same issues here, running a full album on YouTube on my iPhone and it's perfect. Appalling on my Nexus 7.

Wasn't' always the case, got worse in the last few months but is now completely unbearable. Tried pretty much every online suggestion to no avail. Was told this device was far better value than iPad and initially the advice was spot on but now it's not even close to being on-par with my phone and no one seems to have a definitive solution, despite thousands of users with the same issue. Deplorable from Google.

 

[Nigel Selwood]

I'd like to echo the points made by other users of N7's about streaming issues. How can Google allow their forefront tablet to have so many problems when streaming YouTube is a major factor in owning a tablet in the first place !!! I have also turned off background apps, uninstalled updates and have no Wi-Fi issue so the N7 is clearly the root of the matter. Why has no-one from Google addressed this yet ? We can't all be having isolated issues now can we ? Do post if you've any updates on this issue :-/

 

[rhinoishere]

After owning a Nexus 7 for at least 6 months, I finally decided to get to the root of this issue. Due to past experiences I knew it had nothing to do with anything to do with the network... router, wifi connection, etc. It also had nothing to do with the Wifi optimization setting. And uninstalling the YouTube updates, clearing cache/data, etc etc did not help at all. Today someone emailed me a link to a YouTube video... and when I play the video in YouTube, it stops at the same spot EVERY time - 1:08. This doesn't surprise me, however, as I'm not sure if I've ever seen a full YouTube video on the device. It always crashes after about a minute or so into the video. So instead I let another app run the video, namely BSPlayer Free. It plays the entire video no problem. Twice. One more time, I load it up again in the YouTube app... crashes, 1:08. So, it's just something jacked with the YouTube app, which is ironic... for a couple reasons. Anyways, hope that helps someone.

 

[Tacoboy68]

Make sure that you are not running any other apps in the background, as streaming video uses up a lot of your tablets ram (random access memory). To check for this all you have to do is download a task manager app from the google play store, then kill all the apps that you dont need running. Also turn of notifications from all apps that you dont need notifications running on. For example, you want to check for email notifications, but not a game such as angry birds (because honestly who plays angry birds anymore) hope this helps you out!

Also, check me out on youtube once you get this problem fixed: tacoboy68 - YouTube

 

[repligation]

After owning a Nexus 7 for at least 6 months, I finally decided to get to the root of this issue. Due to past experiences I knew it had nothing to do with anything to do with the network... router, wifi connection, etc. It also had nothing to do with the Wifi optimization setting. And uninstalling the YouTube updates, clearing cache/data, etc etc did not help at all. Today someone emailed me a link to a YouTube video... and when I play the video in YouTube, it stops at the same spot EVERY time - 1:08. This doesn't surprise me, however, as I'm not sure if I've ever seen a full YouTube video on the device. It always crashes after about a minute or so into the video. So instead I let another app run the video, namely BSPlayer Free. It plays the entire video no problem. Twice. One more time, I load it up again in the YouTube app... crashes, 1:08. So, it's just something jacked with the YouTube app, which is ironic... for a couple reasons. Anyways, hope that helps someone.

When you opt to use BSPlayer to stream the video, does it resort to using software decoding? I have my suspicion that the difficulty with the YouTube app may be from a problem with the hardware video decoding in the Nexus 7.

YouTube video demonstrating video hardware decoding problems on the N7.
YouTube video demonstrating video hardware decoding problems on the N7.

Ever since I switched to BSPlayer, I haven't encountered any problems with streaming video to my N7, but it does switch to software decoding in many situations.

However, the YouTube app still buffers and stops frequently to this day.

The other hardware issue that I think might be making it even worse is a lousy wifi antenna and its location. The wifi antenna is located in the upper left with N7 oriented vertically and facing you. If you put the N7 in your lap in landscape there is a good possibility that you will significantly weaken the signal strength because the wifi antenna is now in the bottom left.

 

[bharding08]

atleast you can use the youtube app. My nexus 7 2nd generation cant even play youtube videos in the app for some reason. Can't figure it out.

 

[Leo Fernig]

Exactly the same problem: streaming video completely garbled.
Started about 10 days after I bought the the Nexus

 

[J Boomspar]

I got this problem, I think, since KitKat.

I tried:
- factory settings Youtube and (important) don't update Youtube when updates are available (in playstore);
- disable wifi optimalization;
- disabled dhcp and use static IP with Googles DNS1 8.8.8.8 and DNS2 8.8.4.4;
- removed unused apps

But I still have the problem.

Then I discovered someting: When I have bluetooth ON. I got the problem. When it's off; no problem!!

Can anyone confirm this with his own device?

Too bad cause I want my sound over Bluetooth to my AV receiver...

 

[jtap32]

When Bluetooth is off no problems too. I can leave the Bluetooth on, but it can't be connected wirelessly to a speaker for it to work with youtube videos. I have to use a wire and connect the nexus 7 to a speaker for the YouTube videos to stream without buffering and stalling. Defeats the purpose. I'm thinking its an update because it never happened before.

 

[breadtree]

Gave my kids a Nexus 7 at Christmas. YouTube has never worked, which is a big problem. They use my wife's iPad all the time for 2 activities: playing minecraft and watching minecraft videos on YouTube. So most of the value prop of having a 2nd tablet is out the window if the N7 doesn't work. [Yes, I realize my kids are spoiled.]

Anyway, today I:
- turned wifi optimization off
- confirmed bluetooth off
- cleared data/cache and went back to 'factory' version of YouTube

I've never side-loaded Flash onto the N7 and my kids are 8 and 6 so I'm pretty sure they didn't either.

My fear is that having recently purchased the N7, the version of YouTube loaded contains whatever bugs others have had problems with.

I have had 2 straight Android devices and have rebelled against the Apple monoculture. This one is making me look pretty dumb.

 

[jfd3]

Hi,
I have a N7 2013 and have the youtube buffering issue. For yucks, I launched youtube via the chrome browser, and it played the video with out a hitch. I am convinced its the built in app. Period.

 

[Michel D Uccle]

J Boomspar, thank you so much for sharing your great tip: I disabled the Bluetooth and no more problem. THANKS. Merci

The Bluetooth had many problems on Android. Lolipop 5.1 did not resolve all. What a shame on Google, a bit amateur. Bluetooth is such a basic function in a mobile OS. How come that these bright Google engineers still cannot fix it. And no user support from Google either. You are left alone with these beta products. Google is staying a Beta company (feature coded in their DNA