How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

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markfaix
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How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by markfaix »

After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
Flyer24
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by Flyer24 »

Wrong forum
Jags4186
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by Jags4186 »

markfaix wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:28 pm After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
There are no settings on your TV that will fix the issue and WiFi extenders are generally a waste of money. You need to either move the router closer to the TV or get a better router.
Trader Joe
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by Trader Joe »

markfaix wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:28 pm After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
Increase your internet speed.
Triple digit golfer
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by Triple digit golfer »

By herky jerky do you mean that the image isn't smooth, or do you mean that the actual signal seems to be skipping? If the former, I think it may be that you are watching in 30 frames per second instead of 60. You'd notice is big time for sports or watching the news scroll on the bottom of a news network like Fox News or CNN.

I don't know how to change it, but I would check to make sure that

1. Your TV is 60 fps.
2. YouTubeTV streams at 60 fps.
3. Your device supports 60 fps.

It may be a setting somewhere within the device but I'm not sure.

We tried Hulu Live TV and noticed this with sports. As it turned out, they don't (at least didn't at the time) broadcast in 60 fps, but 30.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by RickBoglehead »

Trader Joe wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:35 pm
Increase your internet speed.
You have no idea what speed they have.

Two devices work fine at that location, so speed is not the issue.
markfaix wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:28 pm After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
"Medium expensive" means nothing. What speed do you have?

If both your tablet and phone are using WiFi and not cellular, then the issue is with the TV. Try turning WiFI off in all your other devices and then try the TV. If it still doesn't work, then it is likely a weak WiFi connection to the TV, an FPS issue, or similar. Try deleting and re-establishing the connection on the TV.
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (streaming TV).
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michaelingp
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by michaelingp »

I never had good luck with Roku over Wifi and I have a pretty strong signal and very fast Internet. I finally had to run an Ethernet cable to the Roku, but I don't think your Streaming Stick has an Ethernet port. I doubt anyone here knows the answer just from your description, so you'll have to debug it yourself. The first thing I'd do is move the TV (with the streaming stick) close to the router. If that solves the problem, you know all is working but the Wifi signal is not strong enough.

If it works close to the router, I think it would be cheaper to get a Roku with an Ethernet port and run an Ethernet cable to the Roku from the router. If that's not possible, you'll have to improve your Wifi coverage, perhaps with one of the new "mesh" devices, but that can be expensive (> $200 probably) and technically complicated.

If it doesn't work close to the router, then there are a variety of possible causes, and you'll have to try them trial and error, hopefully with equipment you can borrow from friends. I doubt it's the TV or the router, so the Streaming Stick sounds like the most likely cause.

One reason this may be hard to solve is that it may work fine sometimes and not so good other times, which may lead you to blame the wrong component. You should run Internet Speed test repeatedly to see if your Internet connection varies much, and is as fast as you're paying for.
123
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by 123 »

How old is your wi-fi router? Most older routers support the B, G, and N wi-fi protocols but the newer AC protocol seems to work much better for video streaming in my experience (your TV with higher resolution likely requires more bandwidth than phone or tablet streaming).
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by German Expat »

There are 2 potential issues that can cause this:

1. problem with Internet connection

2. problem with wifi

You have to debug both independent.

For 1. if its possible get a long cable (you can just do an open run) and run it to the roku (or get the roku and tv close to the router). Also connect direct to your router (via cable) on your laptop and run a speedtest. E.g. use speedtest.net to see how good it is. If this works well then 2. is the problem. Also in 1. how old and what model is your router? What internet speed do you have from your provider?

For 2. Assuming 1. worked then its wifi. There are multiple ways to solve it but the best solution would be either
a) run a cable to the router
b) buy a good router and if you have a tricky situation (router far away) look at a mesh router system, e.g. google offers a good system. Also if the roku is an older model you could try a chromecast from google as well.
renue74
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by renue74 »

I had bought Sling TV for an airbnb property we own. The modem/router actually set within 5 ft. of the smart TV....but still sucked as far as picture quality and hang ups. After about an hour with the internet provider it wasnt fixed.

I ended up just connecting the TV directly to the modem with an ethernet cable and that fixed it. No problems since then.
SimonJester
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by SimonJester »

The biggest improvement I did with my streaming setup was to connect my streaming device (PS4) to my internet via a wired connection and not WIFI.
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yohac
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by yohac »

Speaking from personal experience, Roku sticks do not as much range as their boxes. And of course they have no cable connector. Definitely the first thing to check is whether moving the TV next to the router helps. If so, I'd probably just get a Roku Ultra rather than investing in repeaters, which tend to be iffy unless you spend a bundle.
bloom2708
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by bloom2708 »

Another thing to look at is the Noise Reduction settings on your TV. There are a bunch of different names (in your TV settings), but set Noise Reduction to Low or off and other related settings to "low". Play with different settings.

A 2 or 3 point Google Wifi router or similar mesh router might be a good idea. We have 3 hubs and 100mb cable internet. Streaming is great, but we use Playstation Vue. I think Vue has the best picture quality.

If it is worse on your local channels, I have noticed the broadcasting and re-transmitting of the locals tends to make them have a worse picture. I would guess that to send all around the globe fast enough the drop the fps down on the locals.

I prefer boxes to sticks. We started with 2 Amazon Fire TV boxes and 2 sticks. I replaced both the sticks because they were much slower. The picture quality was decent on the sticks, but navigating and loading was slower as they just don't have the same horsepower under the hood.
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by wolf359 »

German Expat wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:35 am There are 2 potential issues that can cause this:

1. problem with Internet connection

2. problem with wifi

You have to debug both independent.

For 1. if its possible get a long cable (you can just do an open run) and run it to the roku (or get the roku and tv close to the router). Also connect direct to your router (via cable) on your laptop and run a speedtest. E.g. use speedtest.net to see how good it is. If this works well then 2. is the problem. Also in 1. how old and what model is your router? What internet speed do you have from your provider?

For 2. Assuming 1. worked then its wifi. There are multiple ways to solve it but the best solution would be either
a) run a cable to the router
b) buy a good router and if you have a tricky situation (router far away) look at a mesh router system, e.g. google offers a good system. Also if the roku is an older model you could try a chromecast from google as well.
I agree with this post. However, note that some combinations of apps and devices are more tolerant of poor signals than others. We get much different performance from the app built into the TV versus a TiVo versus a Roku versus a laptop. In some cases it's the superior processing power or memory of a device; it may also be superior coding. Some devices have better receivers or antennae than others. (Roku boxes are better than Roku sticks)

Wired is better than WiFi. WiFi is very location dependent and technology dependent. There are apps for your phone that can let you map out WiFi signal strength. Sometimes just moving a device or transmitter over a few feet can make a significant difference (due to signals bouncing off of metal AC vents or other things inside the walls).

Hint for the Roku stick: Get an HDMI extender to move the stick away from the TV. This alone may improve your signal. The TV may block the signal, or the WiFi on the TV may interfere with the stick. I see that Roku may provide a free 4 inch Roku Stick HDMI Extender at https://my.roku.com/hdmi Not sure if this offer is still valid, but it looks like it is.

If you believe the issue is WiFi, consider holding off on upgrading the technology for as long as you can. There's a new WiFi standard that is coming out in 2019, called 802.11ax (WiFi 6). It's designed for performance in congested areas, speed, and security. Look for the "Certified for WiFi 6" logo. It works best when both the receiving devices and the transmitters are on the same technology (although there should still be improvements with just a new router.)

The reason to wait is that as it rolls out, new technology is priced at a premium. Even if you don't buy WiFi 6, the current technology should drop in price as the new version takes over the high end of the market. You don't want to pay for an expensive upgrade just to have the prices drop shortly afterwards.
scb175
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by scb175 »

Could be speed issue. Need to do a speed test in the Roku network settings. Should be 30mbit or higher.

To me, sounds like you have true motion activated on your TV. Look in the display settings and either turn it off or lower it. Drives me nuts as well. They call it the soap opera effect. Terrible with sports.
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by Smoke »

Not knowing what the OP's internet is like, I will remark I tried the streaming STICK a few yrs ago with terrible results over wifi.
I have a solid 200 megabit service that delivers 215 almost all the time.
I then got a roku premiere+ and no more wifi issues, maybe todays "sticks" are better I don't know.
I stream every night with no issues now.

My router and tv are in the same location. stick vs premiere+
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by inbox788 »

markfaix wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:28 pm After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
Agree with above, TV settings won't help streaming problems. Do you have a closer HDMI display or TV to test the stick closer to the router? Or another HDMI streaming device to same TV? You might be streaming 1080p or even 4k to the Ruku while only 480p or less to your phone and tablet. Try lower bandwidth stream to the Roku stick.

A bottleneck with the Roku processing, ISP speed or Wifi speed could any and all cause the type of issue you're describing, and it's a matter of figuring out which it is, and there may be more than one culprit.

Just a guess, but a different device would be my first change. Good luck tracking down and fixing the problem.
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by whodidntante »

It could be an issue of the wimpy processor on the Roku stick not being able to decode the stream in real-time, and is forced to skip frames. Youtube used to use VP9, not sure what they currently do. At any rate, wrong forum.
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by lostdog »

I had this similar issue with my Sony TV and Google Chromecast.

In the Sony TV settings I had to turn off a setting that smoothed out the frame rate to make it look like it was 120 frames. It had a special name that I can't remember. Once I turned this off it fixed it. I think the Sony software was interfering with the Chromecast frame rate.

Your Visio might have the same setting to make the frame rate smoother. Go ahead and look in the settings if your TV for something simar and turn it off. This might fix it.

I Googled it and it's called "smooth motion effect.". Below are the directions on how to turn it off.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.howtog ... io-tv/amp/
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by lostdog »

markfaix wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:28 pm After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
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mhalley
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by mhalley »

Another option would be to get an hdmi cable and move the stick so it can get a stronger signal from the router. The tv might be interfering with the signal. I do like the roku boxes better than the sick, but I have an older model.
If you have an android phone, get a WiFi analyzer app and see how the strength is at the site of the stick. You might also decrease the quality of the video stream.
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sunny_socal
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by sunny_socal »

I always use a wired ethernet connection for streaming. If your home is not wired, use a pair of these:
https://www.frys.com/product/7859069?st ... gKugvD_BwE
Image

And rather any "stick" I recommend either a full-size Roku, or better yet, an Nvidia Shield:
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/

Image


It supports all the major streaming apps and also native support for Kodi which by itself makes this unit worth it. (Kodi is a free streaming environment which can also host the usual streaming apps plus much more)


You'll never have problems again.
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F150HD
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by F150HD »

Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic.
not necessarily the router or signal. many TVs don't stream sports well due to low refresh rates. I'd lean at the TV being the issue first.
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by jebmke »

sunny_socal wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 6:39 am I always use a wired ethernet connection for streaming. If your home is not wired, use a pair of these:
https://www.frys.com/product/7859069?st ... gKugvD_BwE
Image

And rather any "stick" I recommend either a full-size Roku, or better yet, an Nvidia Shield:
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/

Image


It supports all the major streaming apps and also native support for Kodi which by itself makes this unit worth it. (Kodi is a free streaming environment which can also host the usual streaming apps plus much more)


You'll never have problems again.
I have a ROKU that feeds off a wireless access point connected to powerline adaptors that connect back to my main router. ISP delivers no more than 8mbs on a good day and we have no trouble streaming video. The powerline adaptors really need to be on the same side of the electrical bus to get maximum throughput.
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Steven in NC
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by Steven in NC »

Good luck as you try to get this resolved. I would go at this by getting the tv/roku and router closer together. I ended up running an ethernet drop to my TV room and moved my router into the same area as the TV. I am also a believer in getting a really good router.

I have also switched over to Amazon FireSTicks and TV. I kept having issues with my Roku products and my family hated the laggy remotes. The Amazon sticks/tv's have been really great products.

Good luck. Keep us posted as to how it turns out.
head gamez
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by head gamez »

Is the streaming stick getting power from the TV (via USB) or is it getting power from the wall adapter? Ive experienced similar issues in hotels with the stick powered by the TV. Seems to go away when I use the wall adapter.
wrongfunds
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by wrongfunds »

Only on BH somebody will recommend a $200 device to fix problems with a $35 device.
donaldfair71
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by donaldfair71 »

markfaix wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:28 pm After cutting the cord, I subscribed to YouTube TV with a Roku Streaming Stick+. Streaming to our 4 year old Vizio 52" TV has been problematic. Especially when watching sports, the images often become herky/jerky and robotic. I presume this is from buffering/interruptions in the streaming signal. I have tried to adjust the TV settings extensively without any improvement.

While the TV/Roku is relatively far from the router, I have no problems streaming over WiFi to my phone or tablet in the same location. Only the TV is the problem. I have the medium expensive internet plan with Xfinity.

Should I get a multiplier pod to amplify the WiFi signal? Or a different streaming device? Or a faster data plan? Suggestions are appreciated.
Had same issue. Powerline adapter solved all of that issue. Here's the one I got:

TP-Link AV1000Mbps Powerline WiFi... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725LPTZR?re ... b_ap_share
dumbmoney
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Re: How to fix jerky images on streaming TV?

Post by dumbmoney »

YouTube apps have a diagnostic mode called "stats for nerds" or something like that. It should tell you if you're getting 60fps etc.
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