Live TV buffers like crazy no matter what client or bandwidth

Server Version#: 1.21.0.3711
Player Version#: 8.10.0 android
Tuner Make/Model: hauppauge WinTV-quadHD USB
Guide/Lineup name: dont know
Using XMLTV?: dont know
Channel number/Name: any

Doesnt matter what client (web, android, fire stick, Roku)
Doesnt matter bandwidth (local net, internet, cell)

it always buffers. tried knocking it down to lower res doesnt matter. tried auto, doesnt matter

wintv 10 plays fine any channel

Plex sees the tuner no problem and scans it no problem

-edit- I should add movies that are in the library including tv shows play fine. Just live TV is the issue (same problems with recorded live TV)

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Just tried Emby and it works flawlessly. Ugg plex you killing me bud

Yea, ebr at Emby has a really slick Android TV app. I think the reason his app doesn’t buffer is because he has an option to stream direct or allow for RW/FF. If you turn on RW/FF it takes much longer to connect, but I still don’t think it’s as bad as Plex.

Same issue here!! Just started a few days ago from what I can tell.

Server windows 10, Plex version 1.21.1.3766

Multiple clients, roku, android, fire stick 4k. All latest client.

No issues with playback of media, just live tv.

I restored a full windows backup from a week ago, older server version, worked for about an hour, then same issues. Network restarted. Not the problem.

What gives, Plex? If I need to send airlogs let me know what I need to do please!

Yeah it’s frustrating. Emby just works with same settings

Same tuner & same problem on Web & Roku PLEX. Ruled out anti-virus & firewall. Restored to default settings. Reinstalled tuner. 40GB free on server drive. Keep updating PLEX software. Tried going back several updates. Continuing problem. Other suggestions?

Plex is working on fixing this continuing problem that came up a few months ago. It does buffer quite a bit more than it used to. Hopefully in the next couple months this will be fixed but they don’t have an ETA. As others have stated Emby is a good solution as it doesn’t buffer pretty much at all… but it has its own issues especially with Roku.

Okay, this has been driving me nuts for the longest time but I may have found a “solution”. This will probably sound crazy, but if I open up the Plex website on my actual Plex Server (localhost:32400), then click on the “Settings” icon top-right (looks like a wrench and a screwdriver), then head over to the “Transcoder” page and just leave it there, then all-of-a-sudden, my PC clients that are streaming Live TV stop stuttering/buffering! As soon as I go back to the server and close the browser, the clients start buffering again. My setup: Server is Linux (Elementary OS) and live TV is via HD Homerun and Antenna.

Sounds a little wonky. But I’m giving it a shot to see if it’ll alleviate some of the buffering on clients… And so far it hasn’t buffered LOL.

Nevermind to 40 minutes but it started micro buffering. But it was worth a shot.

This did not work for me. I keep upgrading to each new Plex version. Does it make sense to go back to a previous version to see if it will work as it once did?

My Live TV stream stutters a lot, I’d say for 5 seconds every 5-10 minutes. I haven’t found any particular pattern yet. My server runs on Windows 10, I have an HD HomeRun Quatro.

There’s a little deviation from what everybody else is reporting. It happens only on my Apple TV HD (connected using Ethernet).
The Apple TV is the only client where Live TV shows the stuttering. If I play something else on the Apple TV using Plex, it works fine. If I use the HD HomeRun app on the Apple TV, it streams fine.

Using a different client (Samsung Smart TV via Ethernet, Plex on my MacBook via Wi-Fi) shows no stuttering for Live TV.

Any advice?

I have pretty much given up on watching TV live on Plex, at some point it will buffer even on the main TV that has a wired connection to the server. Considering how long Plex takes to start up a channel, it’s just not acceptable. Then for some reason even if it’s a little blip they want to put a big orange circle in the middle of the screen, just to let you know it buffered.

I use the Channels app or the live streaming in catch up apps that work much better for watching live TV.

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Do you get the buffering on recordings, too? My recorded shows play back with buffering. I assumed it was because it was recorded that way. Do your recordings play back smoothly?

The recordings play back fine for me, it’s just watching live.

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