Video playback issues can be caused by various factors, including browser updates, system updates, browser extensions, or connection-related issues. This guide will help you identify and resolve common playback problems.
📝 NOTE: One customer experiencing playback issues doesn't necessarily indicate a problem with Uscreen or your videos. We recommend trying basic troubleshooting first. If multiple customers report issues, please gather details and provide them to our Support team.
Understanding How Videos Are Delivered
Uscreen uses Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to deliver videos efficiently. CDNs store content on servers located strategically worldwide, delivering videos from the server closest to the viewer to reduce latency.
If a viewer is the first person in their geographic area to watch a specific video, the CDN may need to retrieve it from the original host server, which can take slightly longer. Subsequent viewers in that area will experience faster loading as the content is already cached.
Common Issues with CDN Caching
If you have a low number of viewers in specific geolocations, they may experience slight playback issues the first time they view a video, as the CDN has to find the video on the original host server.
When the second viewer in that geolocation views that video, the CDN will now have the video readily available, resulting in a smoother playback experience.
The fewer viewers you have in a specific geolocation, the more temporary playback issues those viewers may experience.
ℹ️ INFO: This is the same experience that industry leaders experience, such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc.
🔗 Learn more about Uscreen's CDN Caching Layer
Poor Internet Connectivity
In some cases, your viewers may have a poor internet connection when trying to view your content. They may not even be aware that their internet connection is experiencing issues until they try and play a video.
Recommended Troubleshooting
For Apps, have your viewer try and download the video for offline play
Make sure they are connected to Wi-Fi and not cellular data
Have the customer try playing the video on a lower-quality setting
The viewer might be trying to play the video at a higher quality than their internet or device can handle
Have users check their internet speed at different times of the day using Speedtest.net or Fast.com to observe if there's a pattern of connectivity issues
💡 TIP: Internet speeds can fluctuate throughout the day, especially during peak usage hours. If users notice consistent playback issues at specific times, it may be related to network congestion rather than an issue with the platform.
Common Playback Issues & Solutions
For Website Viewers
Try a lower quality setting
Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the video player
Select Quality and choose a lower resolution
Clear browser cache and cookies
For Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data
For Safari: Safari menu > Preferences > Advanced > Show Develop menu > Empty Caches
For Firefox: Menu > Settings > Privacy & Security > Clear Data
Try a different browser
Switch between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
Check your internet connection
Recommended speeds:
HD Video: 18-35 Mbps
SD Video: 1-18 Mbps
Restart your device and router
Unplug your router, wait 20-30 seconds, then plug it back in
Disable browser extensions
Try watching in an incognito/private browsing window
If that works, disable extensions one by one to identify the problematic one
For Mobile App Users
Switch and connect to Wi-Fi instead of cellular data
Update the app and device OS to the latest version
Try downloading the video for offline playback
Restart the app completely (close and reopen)
Free up storage space on your device
💡 TIP: For the best mobile experience, make sure you're using the latest version of the app. We regularly release updates that improve playback performance and fix known issues.
For Android & Chromecast Devices
Android devices may experience varying playback quality due to hardware and software fragmentation. To improve playback:
Disable battery optimization for the app if you're using battery drain prevention software
Try a lower quality setting (most app video playback is below 720p)
Check if your device is up-to-date and still supported by the manufacturer
📝 NOTE: Although Uscreen supports up to 60FPS, some Roku and Chromecast devices do not. If users experience stuttering issues on these devices and your content is rendered at 60FPS, change it to a maximum of 30FPS and replace the video.
HDR Video Issues
If you're experiencing color distortion issues, especially on mobile apps, it might be related to HDR videos.
Videos may appear washed out on mobile apps, but normal on the web
Skin tones might look yellowish or pale
The same video displays with different colors across various devices
Solutions:
Export videos in SDR format using Rec. 709 color space
Avoid using HDR color transfer functions like SMPTE2084
For existing HDR videos, convert them to SDR using video editing software
🔗 Learn more about Encoding Basics
Reporting Playback Issues
If multiple viewers are experiencing playback issues, please gather as much information below and share it with our Support team.
💡 TIP: Providing the information listed below helps our Support team diagnose the issue more accurately and provide a quicker solution. The more detailed information you can gather, the faster we can resolve playback problems.
Email used for the account in your store
Link/URL to the page with playback issues
Computer/Device OS Version
Browser Type and Version
Steps to reproduce the problem
Screenshots or short video recordings
Indicate whether the problem persists on different browsers
Indicate whether the problem persists on different devices and networks
Internet speed test results from Speedtest.net or Fast.com, preferably at different times of day
Save and record a HAR file while replicating the issue
🔗 Learn more about Troubleshooting Your Web Browser
📝 NOTE: Our team cannot investigate playback issues without any of the information above. Due to security and privacy, we cannot access end-user-specific device information.
FAQs
Why does my video look fine on my computer but blurry on Uscreen?
Why does my video look fine on my computer but blurry on Uscreen?
This could be due to encoding settings or bitrate issues. Make sure your video meets our recommended specifications, particularly the 5-10 Mbps bitrate for HD videos.
Can I upload 4K videos to Uscreen?
Can I upload 4K videos to Uscreen?
Uscreen does not currently support 4K or higher videos. We recommend 1080p/2K or smaller for optimal performance. While you can upload these videos, their output will be 1080p.
Why does video quality vary for different viewers?
Why does video quality vary for different viewers?
Video quality can vary based on the viewer's internet connection, device capabilities, and location relative to our CDN servers.
Why do videos buffer at the beginning?
Why do videos buffer at the beginning?
The embedded video player on iOS devices and Safari will always buffer three video segments before starting playback. These segments have a duration of about 2 seconds each, which gives a minimum latency of around 6 seconds.
Is there a way to preload content to the CDN?
Is there a way to preload content to the CDN?
The CDN automatically caches content as it's accessed. There's no manual preloading option, but you can visit pages yourself to initiate caching for important content.