Any regular YouTube watchers here? Having buffering problems

[fbrdphreak]

I watch a fair number of YouTube videos, from a few specific directors, on a regular basis. Thus, YouTube is (almost) as important to me as a content source as Netflix or Hulu.

Yet, I have pretty terrible performance watching YouTube videos, while Netflix and Hulu are spotless (so long as my connection isn't having an odd moment out, which it does).

Here's the details:

Time Warner 7mbps package (ugh)
Motorola-whatever modem
Linksys E3000 router (just upgraded from WRT54G-TM, had same issues then too)
New ThinkPad T410s laptop, using both Intel 6200 AGN WiFi and Ethernet

Now, occasionally the throughput of my connection just goes to shit and even Netflix looks like shit (switches to lower quality, won't stream HD to PC, etc). I know when this happens. But right now my connection is perfect and I can't just hit play on a YouTube video and watch without it having to buffer, FREQUENTLY.

If you right-click a YouTube video and hit "Show Video Info," you'll see the performance stats, including the streaming rate. Mine is at 0 more often than not, with occasional spikes in the 1000+ kbps range.

I have tried this connected to the router wirelessly, to the router wired, and direct to the modem. The problem appears unchanged.

I have noticed that I tend to have better performance if I watch a video while NOT logged in to YouTube (incognito-mode of Chrome actually). I'm sure YouTube has some pretty snazzy load balancing stuff to help prevent heavy watchers (which I doubt I qualify as) from eating all their capacity, so maybe this has something to do with it?

So, my purpose with this thread is to see if anyone else has these issues, if it's maybe related to my shitty ISP, or if anyone has any other suggestions. Time Warner support is my next stop, but I figured I'd set my expectations properly before I bark up that tree.

Thanks in advance

 

[Emulex]

use different dns servers

 

[wirednuts]

i had youtube problems too but i finally removed some redundant routers and re-crimped all the questionable cat5 connections and that solved my speed issues. comcast 6mb cable seems just as fast as their 20mb service thanks to speedboost. since you have already tried it with just the modem in the chain and nothing else (smart idea), then i would look into the modem's diagnostic webpage to see what quality of connection you are getting from time warner.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Thanks for the reminder of the DNS servers. I did try that by assigning a specific DNS server to my WiFi card, but that setting has since been reset. I imagine setting a specific DNS server in my router would be the ideal solution and will try that.

I have two sets of DNS servers to try, Google's free DNS project and servers I have access to through a paid VPN service. I'll give them a try soon and report back.

 

[mxnerd]

tracert www.youtube.com to find out whether any node between your computer and youtube is the culprit.

 

[dualsmp]

Youtube is pretty spotty with bandwidth and is never consistent. Some 1080p streams will lope along and buffer and buffer, and sometimes even 360p videos will lag. Other times there is plenty of bandwidth-- movie trailers always seem to have enough (maybe they are paying YT for priority). Noticed YT dropped the lowest resolution to 240p, but there is still lag on the YT network. I'm guessing they're trying to conserve bandwidth moving the default to 240p. There is no problem with my connect since I can down at nearly 1 Mb/s off Steam every time.

Edit: Also, have no problem with Hulu, or Vimeo as far as bandwidth.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Thanks for the info all.

I set my router to grab a static IP from TWC, which it pre-populated with the current IP it was assigned. I tried the Google DNS servers (http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/) first. The download seemed more steady, but very slow (300-500 kbps) and it would not play a video without buffering very early on.

I then tried the DNS servers offered by my paid VPN provider. These seem to be working rather well right now. The video I tried had a strong amount of consistent throughput (above 500 kbps at nearly all times with peaks in the 1000-3000 kbps range). Of course, it could just be a fluke with that video I tested, so I will report back with more varied findings later.

I also checked out the tracert and surprisingly the biggest latency was at Google's servers. All of TWC's servers pinged at 60ms or less, but Google's were generally all 100ms+. This was using either Google's or my VPN's DNS servers. I haven't tried it on TWC's DNS servers, but I imagine it would be the same.

Here's hoping I've found at least a better situation!

P.S. I think I forgot to mention, I generally watch videos at 480p due to buffering issues. I wouldn't mind being able to watch at 720p, but 1080p is generally a waste for me.

 

[Emulex]

the dns servers are geolocating to the cdn networks. so by moving around you are moving the distance of the cdn networks - also the cdn networks at such locations maybe saturated so by moving the dns servers you might force yourself to a more distant but less loaded cdn cluster.

 

[GTaudiophile]

It doesn't matter the machine, network, or location: I constantly have Youtube problems. The first 15-20 seconds load fine and then buffering stops. I have do all sorts of tricks for the thing to continue. It's royally annoying.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble.

And I tried a couple other videos with the private DNS servers and they too now have shitty performance.

Bah, screw it. Eff you YouTube, I'll just load a vid and walk away for 10-15 minutes so I can watch a 5 minute video :awe:

 

[fbrdphreak]

Here's another fun YouTube experience: I'm loading a couple videos in tabs in Chrome. (via WiFi and RR's speed test says I have 6+ Mbps of bandwidth right now) They are going ridiculously slow (300-500 kbps and no more). I am logged into my youtube account.

I open an incognito window (no cache or cookies stored) and one of those same videos starts loading at 1000+ kbps. Literally in the time that I wrote this, the incognito window has loaded more of the video than the main window did, despite the main window running for several minutes.

[Cartman]Srsly you guys, wtf [/Cartman]

 

[evilsaint]

Sorry to necro this but I happened to find it via a certain search engine owned by a company that owns Youtube (ironic, no?). The DNS suggestion fixed my buffering issues and I wanted to throw another one out there - OpenDNS. I've been using them for years and they've always been fantastic.