In this guide
Buffering is the complaint that spoils an evening fastest. The good news is that most of it comes from a few causes you can check in order. Work through the list below, one step at a time, and note which change helps.
Step 1: Measure the device, not the router
Run a speed test on the screen itself, using its network settings or a test app, and aim for about 20 megabits per second for each Full HD stream and 35 or more for 4K. A test on a phone next to the router will not tell you what the television gets across the house.
Step 2: Choose a wired or 5 GHz connection
A network cable is the most reliable link. If that is not possible, make sure the device uses the 5 GHz band of your router, and move the router or the device so the signal is strong. Walls, microwaves and neighbours’ networks all slow Wi-Fi.
Step 3: Lower the quality
If a 4K channel stutters, switch to the Full HD version of the same channel. This is often the quickest fix on a busy evening.
Step 4: Close what else is running
Other streams, downloads and video calls on the same network share your connection. Pause large downloads while you watch, and close other apps on the device.
Step 5: Restart the app and the device
Restart the CatchOn TV app first, then the device if the problem continues. A restart clears temporary faults that a long session can cause.
Step 6: Check the guide and the channel
If one channel buffers and others do not, the problem may be with that channel. If a whole group stops together, it may be a temporary fault on the service side.
When to ask for help
If the picture still stalls after these steps, open a support ticket with the channel name, the time it happened, the device and the speed test result. The team can check the stream and tell you what it sees.
The short version
Measure on the device, use a wired or 5 GHz link, lower the quality, close other traffic, restart, and then ask for help with the details. Our stable streaming guide goes into more depth.