Spin SP513-55N: Video play starts extremely slowly - both online and laptop stored content

BasSpin
BasSpin Member Posts: 6 New User
Hello all,

Since a few days, I have noticed something very annoying: videos take forever to start (but they do start eventually). This problem is for both online content (e.g. youtube, where it even says "if video playback doesn't start shortly, try restarting your device") and home made videos stored on my laptop's harddisk.

For the videos stored on my laptop, I have tried switching default video player (e.g. from " Films & TV"  to " Windows Media Player"), but the problem stays.

I have checked my internet connection and speed, which are both fine. Also, e.g. youtube plays fine on a cheap HP laptop that I have.

Once the video playback does start, it plays back fine. However, when you open up a different video the problem starts again. This is for both the online video content and video content stored on my harddisk.

I have also updated - via the Intel website and their tool - the driver for my Iris graphics card, but to no avail.

The problem looks very similar to the one posted here: Video Playback issues PH315-51 & PH317-52 (youtube video won't start & local video green screen) — Acer Community However, the "Acer Care Center" says my system is up to date. I am running BIOS V1.14

Any help is appreciated as this problem is driving me crazy and it's not something I would expect from such a high spec laptop.

Best Answer

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,912 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    It's weird, and a bit frustrating, when things fix themselves without a clue as to why. I doubt it was the recent file transfers...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.

Answers

  • Easwar
    Easwar Member Posts: 6,727 Guru
    Hi BasSpin,

    Free some memory space in HDD and check it.
  • BasSpin
    BasSpin Member Posts: 6 New User
    Hi Easwar,

    Thanks for you comment. I am not quite sure what you mean though with "free some memory space in HDD".

    My hard disk is still pretty empty I believe: total size is 475 GB of which 74.5 GB is used and 401 GB still free.

    Could you perhaps elaborate a bit on your recommendation?

    Cheers,
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,912 Trailblazer
    Try running virus/malware scans in case something is trying to connect to a bad network site before launching the videos. That could give as much as a 90 second delay.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • BasSpin
    BasSpin Member Posts: 6 New User
    Hello billsey,

    Thanks for the suggestion.

    I ran a full scan (McAfee Total Protection) and nothing was found.

    Also, when I switch off wifi (and bluetooth for that matter) and then try to play a video stored on my hard drive, the large time lag before it actually starts playing the video is still there.

    So I don't think my problem has to do with my laptop connecting to a bad network or something.

    Cheers,
  • Easwar
    Easwar Member Posts: 6,727 Guru
    Hi BasSpin,

    Did you play with different media player. 
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,912 Trailblazer
    Also give it a try in safe mode, just to remove any added apps from the picture.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • BasSpin
    BasSpin Member Posts: 6 New User
    Hello Easwar,

    Yes, I tried several media player, but there was no difference.
  • BasSpin
    BasSpin Member Posts: 6 New User
    To both Easwar and billsey,

    First of all, thanks once again for your efforts in helping me, much appreciated.

    Something strange happened yesterday. I was in a cafe and was connecting for the first time with this new laptop to an open guest network (the cafe's network), so then I thought: let's try using McAfee's VPN feature (also for the first time, by the way).
    Also, when connecting to the guest network and before I switched on McAfee VPN, the "Killer Intelligence Center" gave a cheery message that the network made use of the latest, fastest tech (I presume AX/Wifi 6).
    In any case, about 10 minutes later - after I had done some work - I thought, let's run a video on youtube, and guess what...the lag had disappeared! I then tried a home video stored on the hard disk: again, no more lag!

    I then tried with/without VPN: both instances no lag anymore. I then switched off the Wifi and tried a hard disk stored video: no lag anymore.

    I then went home and connected to my usual, home network (no AX/Wifi 6 tech, just N/AC): no lag anymore, everything worked as per normal.

    So, somehow the problem is resolved, but I have no clue why.

    The only additional thing I could think about is that I have recently transferred a lot of photos and videos from my iPhone to my laptop, so could it also be something to do with the indexing of (video) files? I know this seems strange and, as mentioned before, there is plenty of space left on my hard disk (and it also should be a fast hard disk). What do you think?

    Cheers,
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,912 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    It's weird, and a bit frustrating, when things fix themselves without a clue as to why. I doubt it was the recent file transfers...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • BasSpin
    BasSpin Member Posts: 6 New User
    Thanks once again to the both of you (billsey and Easwar).

    Here's hoping that the issue will not recur!

    Cheers,