How To Fix Live Stream Disconnecting & Reconnecting Issue

Wed, Sep 21, 2022 10:06 PM

In the U.S. since 2010, almost 14 million have cut the cord, preferring the frugal freedom of streaming over conventional television services. Streamers can watch their favorite shows, movies, original series, and more at their convenience, with over-the-top services like Netflix, Hulu, and DIRECTV NOW. However, one thing many streamers probably didn't plan on watching was their use of data.

It can use a lot of data to stream all of your TV, and quick. Some internet providers limit monthly data use to 1 TB or lower, and when you go over, they can throttle speeds or charge fees. It could be just as cost-effective to retain your TV subscription, considering the fees and annoyance of the slow internet.

There are some ways, however, after cutting the cable, to make sure that data limits are not a concern. The trick is to know how much data you are using, and if you are using too much, how to cut back.

Does streaming take advantage of a lot of data?

Streaming, while you're not saving a file to your hard drive, is theoretically a way of downloading. Streaming a song requires storage, just as when you buy a song, and the amount of data used for downloading vs. streaming is exactly the same. So if you stream a large file, like a 30-minute HD TV show, you might be able to use a large chunk of data. Estimated data consumption for 1 streaming hour:

• Music - 115 MB

• SD Video - 1 GB

• HD Video - 3 GB

• 4K Ultra-HD Video - 7 GB

At first, 1 GB might not seem like much here and there, but when you remember how much you stream, plus all the other stuff you use the internet for, such as social media, education, gaming, Wi-Fi cameras, etc., it can add up quickly to data usage.

How to Monitor Your Data Usage

Data capped connection by internet providers should provide a simple way for you to keep up with the amount of data you have used for the month. HughesNet, for instance, shows you through their HughesNet Mobile app how much data you've used and how much is left in your account. Other providers, such as Cox and Xfinity, have similar apps, and from your provider's website, you will possibly also track your data use.

Make it a routine to review the use of data at least once a week, so that at the end of the month there are no surprises. Or, instead of having to monitor your data use daily, see if your internet provider allows you to set reminders when you have reached or exceeded your data cap to warn you. Under account settings, Internet providers such as AT&T and Xfinity allow you to opt for data use and warnings.

One way to keep your data use in check is to look up how much information you have used during a "binge-watching" session. Long streaming TV sessions will cause an increase in data use, and getting an understanding of how much data binge-watching requires will help you keep your monthly data cap aware of it.

Related: How Much Data Does YouTube Actually Use?

Keeping your data usage in check while streaming TV

If you think you're dangerously close to the cap when testing your data use, or you just want to remain well below the mark, there are a few ways to cut back on the data you use when streaming.

Stream in SD only when you can (and want)

There's nothing like watching a newly released 4K blockbuster, but do you really need to watch the Friends re-run in HD? Or how about when you have the TV on when doing chores or going to sleep as background noise? Probably not.

You can save a lot of data by being careful about what you watch in HD or 4K. In your account settings, most streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu, let you select the video quality. You can set the streaming performance to low (0.3 GB/hour per device), medium (0.7 GB/hour per device), or high (3-7 GB/hour per device) with Netflix.

With your streaming service, explore the account settings and set the quality of the video accordingly. You may be disappointed with your TV cutting back on HD, but you'll be thanked for your internet.

Your streaming app or device should be off

Both devices and services for streaming are a little different. Although some feature your TV's auto-shut-off or a turn-off, some can keep the stream alive long after you stop watching, eating up your data without even knowing it.

Make sure that if you've finished watching, the streaming system you use is off. Streaming systems run off the power of your TV in certain ways, so merely turning off your TV would also cut power to the unit. Make sure the software you use to stream is closed when watching on your phone, tablet, or device, not only minimized but still open and probably streaming.

If you keep them on ("Are you still watching?"), Netflix, DIRECTV NOW, and other streaming services will eventually stop streaming, but usually only after a few hours have passed. That's a few hours of data loss. The good news is that most of these services allow you to turn off the autoplay features.

Use antenna for Local Live TV

You can watch live local channels by selecting streaming services such as DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live, and YouTube TV, but you don't need a stream of data for that. Remember antennas for TV? They're free to pick up lots of local networks.

For about $20, you can get a quality antenna and it will give you a secure, data-free source for local programming. Even newer antennas are capable of an HD display, so you can watch HD quality local news, sports broadcasts, primetime TV, and more without burning valuable data.

Download Videos

Here is a pro tip for parents: download the show/movie your child is watching 24/7. In essence, you can only use the information once, and they can watch as much as they like (or are authorized to) without using more information each time they watch. You may have to pay for the download, but as Frozen streamed non-stop for two weeks, it beats going over your data cap.

For music, the same goes. Only download them if you pay for a music streaming service but find yourself listening to the same 12 tracks. That way, without using much info, you can listen to them on repeat.

Choose an internet with no data cap

Not having one, to begin with, is the easiest way to beat data caps.

For internet providers that do have a data limit, the most common is 1 TB per month, which is still a lot of details. With a monthly data limit starting at 10 to 40 GB per month, satellite internet providers are an exception, but if you have HughesNet or Viasat, you'll want to keep a closer eye on your data use.

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