Channel not playing, freezing or buffering: what to check
When a channel does not play, Tivelio first retries by itself, with longer and longer delays, then shows a message that stays on screen as long as the error lasts. Most of the time the stream itself is down or refused at the provider, and no setting can bring it back. A few settings on your side can still help when the stream starts badly or keeps cutting out.
What you see
At the bottom of the player, a message followed by press OK to retry on a TV or a computer, or tap to retry on a phone or a tablet. Pressing OK, tapping the picture or choosing Retry starts the channel again.
Android phones and tablets, Android TV, Chromebooks and Fire TV show the most precise messages:
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stream not available | The server answers that this stream does not exist: the channel is off air at the provider, or has been removed. |
| Access denied | The server refuses the stream: too many connections, subscription expired, app or network refused. The server does not say which. |
| Too many connections | The server asks to slow down. |
| Connection error | No connection to the server, or the server is in error. |
| Connection timeout | The server did not answer in time. |
| Invalid stream | The server sent a web page instead of the video. |
| Invalid playlist | The stream data is malformed. |
| Unsupported format | The device cannot play this video or audio format. |
| Cannot decode stream | The device’s decoder could not start. |
On every device, two more messages:
- Playback stalled: the picture stopped moving forward, without any error from the player;
- Stream ended: the stream stopped on its own, well before its end.
On iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Windows and Linux, the player does not give the cause of an error: the message is usually Playback error. On Mac, Windows and Linux, Video player unavailable. Reinstall the app means that the video player built into Tivelio could not load: reinstall the app from tivelio.com.
The causes, most common first
- The channel is down at the provider: the stream does not exist any more, or starts then freezes. It is the most frequent case, and it often concerns one channel only.
- Too many simultaneous connections: your subscription allows a limited number of screens, and another device or app is using the same account. Usually Access denied.
- The subscription has expired or the account is blocked: every channel fails, usually with Access denied.
- The network: weak Wi-Fi, not enough bandwidth, or a network that slows down or blocks this traffic. The stream keeps buffering or times out.
- The provider’s server is overloaded, often at peak times: timeouts and server errors.
- The provider refuses the app (User-Agent): Access denied, or a server that cannot be reached.
- A stream format that suits the device badly (TS or HLS), or a video format the device cannot decode.
What you can check yourself
- One channel or all of them? If only one channel fails, its stream is at fault on the provider’s side. If all fail, look at the account, your network or the provider’s server.
- Other screens on the same account: close them, wait a minute or two, then try again.
- The account: in Accounts, open it and choose Refresh now. If the account has expired or been suspended, the message says so (Xtream login not working).
- Settings › Player › Live streams › Live stream format: Automatic, TS or HLS, for the live channels of an Xtream account. The row appears only when your provider allows at least two formats that the device can play, and applies the next time a channel starts. On iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, HLS is the default.
- Settings › Player › Live streams › Buffering: from Low latency to Very stable, or Custom buffering from 1 to 30 seconds. More reserve means fewer interruptions and a slower start. Live channels only.
- Settings › Player › Provider connection › User-Agent: if your provider refuses Tivelio, try VLC or a browser.
- Another network, your phone’s hotspot for example: if the channel plays there, your usual network is involved.
- Cannot decode stream or Unsupported format: restart the device; if the message comes back on that channel only, its video format does not suit this device.
What depends on your provider
The streams, their availability, their quality, the number of simultaneous connections and the apps the server accepts all depend on your provider. Tivelio is a player: it provides no channels, no subscription, and cannot repair a stream that is down or refused at the provider. The automatic retries help after a short cut; they do not bring back a channel that is off air.
Contact support
If a channel plays in another app on the same device but not in Tivelio, write to support@tivelio.com with the device, the app version shown in Settings › About, the exact message, and whether it concerns one channel or all of them. Never send us your provider’s password.