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Smart TV streaming

LocutusOfBorg

Free speech is more important than your feelings
Original poster
Pub Member / Supporter
Aug 2, 2009
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USA
I've been trying to find info and maybe a solution to my smart TV's poor streaming performance - the vizio tv has a speed test utility and it shows less than a 5Mb connection on a 100 Mb service - a pc attached to the same router gives a speed of 100 Mb from 2 different sources - it's not an ethernet cable problem - and the tv's wifi gives the same results. Netflix seems to be able to adapt to this but Amazon streaming starts out really crummy for about a couple of minutes and then becomes watchable. I'd get a Roku but there's no available HDMI ports since the only 2 are in use. I guess I can go get a stereo amplifier that can switch HDMI to compensate for lack of HDMI ports - a new TV would probably cost more than a new amplifier. My current amplifier doesn't have HDMI at all.
 
Have you checked whether the TV software is up to date? Maybe a known bug.

When I first got my LG UH8500 the update utility found nothing but there was a newer version on their support website, I was able to install it from a USB drive.
 
Does the TV have Component Inputs? If so, can any of the existing HDMI-connected devices be switched to component to free up an HDMI port for the Roku?

FWIW: I've never found Smart TV streaming apps to be worth the hassle. Maybe newer TVs do a better job, but I've tried both Samsung and Sony TVs from 2010 through 2015 and found the experience frustrating.
 
I suppose if I look hard enough I'd find a switch that'll work with 4K even though I have only 1080p devices right now.
 
 
Are you using the network test on the TV? That's well known to badly misreport speeds (it typically reads about 11.75Mb/s for me; I have a 50 Mb/s connection. I wonder if they mean 15 MB/s instead). I wouldn't take what it reports seriously.
 
I also have a Vizio new smart TV, Ethernet connected. Runs Netflix fine, but will not run Pluto TV no matter what. Hardwired Roku Premiere runs fine. I have the extreme 300Mbps down plan, granted none of my devices can really handle that speed, but the plan has unlimited data and the speeds typically max out on any device around 150Mbps down and 30 up. I saw yesterday where it said it was doing an automatic update of channels, but Pluto TV still doesn't play. I just run it through my Roku.
 
Can you force a software update to the tv?
 
andy_horton said:
Not sure. Read manual...no help. Not much other than hooking it up, which is fairly simple. I've looked through all menus, didn't see an option for force update
Click to expand...
All you can do is Check for Updates. If your firmware is older than what is in queue it will update.
 
Reactions: andy_horton
Bobby said:
All you can do is Check for Updates. If your firmware is older than what is in queue it will update.
Click to expand...
Thanks. That would explain why it auto updated the other day. Took about 20 seconds to run through everything. Just a small bar at bottom of tv didn't affect my OTA reception.
 
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