[BUG]: Videos buffering like crazy

[wiseprimordial]

Checklist

• [x] I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - which I could contribute my information to.
• [x] I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• [x] I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• [x] This issue contains only one bug.

Affected version

30.19

Device Type

Smart TV/Box

Affected Android

Google Tv Android 14

Steps to reproduce the bug

Click on any video and set the quality to 1080p or higher and the video will enter an endless loop of buffering.

Lowering the video quality to 720p or lower seems to fix it.

Actual behavior

Since about a week or so the buffering has become endless. Majority of videos tend to buffer at 1080p or higher.

Something which I found interesting is that when I tested two very similar videos (same length, 4K, same codec): One played perfectly while the other kept buffering every second of the video.

Tested on both stable and beta builds — same issue.

Additional information

I have tested my internet across multiple devices and haven't found anything amiss with my network quality (Which includes speed tests and downloading stuff).

I have also tried using an ethernet cable but that didn't help.

Other streaming services (Amazon Prime and Crunchyroll for instance) don't seem to have the same issue.

Device: Sony Bravia

Internet: 300mbps fiber

[jaywhyenecks]

Same issue..."playback buffering fix" on every video...600mbps fiber...never been an issue before this newest release

[cynister76]

Having crazy buffering issues in my firestick, too. :(

[jaywhyenecks]

Videos still buffering at videos highest quality (4K 60) and have to drop the quality to 2K...then it still buffers

Only "fix" is to back out of the video and play it at a lower resolution

[jaywhyenecks]

I've noticed when there's a lot of action in the video, it will buffer immediately

[Ingineerix]

Same here, if I drop the res down to 1080/720 that usually works. I subscribe to premium, so I doubt it's related to adblock,. I can watch the same videos at any resolution in Firefox with the YT web client and have no issues.