> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://start.hitorino.tv/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fix Buffering, Black Screens & Playback on Hitorino

> Resolve buffering, stuttering, black screens, audio/video sync problems, and mobile playback issues on Hitorino with step-by-step fixes.

Playback problems on Hitorino usually come down to one of three things: your internet connection, your browser environment, or the stream itself. Work through the sections below in order — most viewers resolve their issue within the first two steps without needing to contact support.

<Note>
  Before diving into troubleshooting, check the [Hitorino Status Page](https://status.hitorino.tv) to confirm there are no active incidents or scheduled maintenance windows affecting playback.
</Note>

## Buffering and Stuttering

Buffering is the most common playback complaint and is almost always caused by a mismatch between the stream's bitrate and your available bandwidth.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Lower the stream quality">
    Click the **gear icon** (⚙️) in the video player, select **Quality**, and choose a lower resolution — try **720p** or **480p** first. Hitorino streams at multiple quality levels simultaneously, so stepping down immediately reduces the data your connection needs to receive.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run a speed test">
    Visit [fast.com](https://fast.com) or [speedtest.net](https://speedtest.net) and run a test. For reliable playback you need:

    * **480p** — at least 3 Mbps download
    * **720p** — at least 6 Mbps download
    * **1080p** — at least 12 Mbps download
    * **1080p60 / Source** — at least 20 Mbps download

    If your speed falls below these thresholds, the problem is your connection, not Hitorino.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch to a wired connection">
    Wi-Fi introduces packet loss and latency spikes that cause intermittent buffering even on fast connections. Plug directly into your router with an Ethernet cable and reload the stream.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Close bandwidth-heavy applications">
    Other apps on your network — cloud backups, torrents, video calls, and game downloads — compete for the same bandwidth. Pause or close them, then check playback again.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Clear your browser cache">
    A bloated or corrupted cache can throttle media loading. In most browsers press **Ctrl + Shift + Delete** (Windows) or **Cmd + Shift + Delete** (Mac), select **Cached images and files**, and clear the data. Reload the stream page.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Enable **Low Latency Mode** in your player settings only if you need real-time interaction. Turning it **off** gives Hitorino a larger buffer to work with, which significantly reduces stuttering on congested networks.
</Tip>

***

## Stream Won't Load

If the player shows a spinner indefinitely, a black screen with no error, or an explicit "Stream Unavailable" message, work through these steps.

<Accordion title="Check whether the stream is live">
  The player will display a loading state even when a channel is offline. Confirm the creator is actually broadcasting by checking their channel page — a red **LIVE** badge appears next to their avatar when a stream is active. If the badge is absent, the creator may have ended the stream or not started it yet.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Disable browser extensions">
  Ad blockers, VPNs, and privacy extensions frequently interfere with the video delivery network (CDN) that Hitorino uses. Disable all extensions and reload the page. If playback works, re-enable extensions one at a time to find the culprit.

  The most common offenders are:

  * uBlock Origin (add `hitorino.tv` to your allowlist)
  * Privacy Badger
  * Ghostery
  * Any VPN browser extension routing traffic through a blocked region
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Try a different browser">
  Hitorino's player is tested on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. If you're using a less common browser, switch to one of those. If you're already on a supported browser, try a different one to rule out a browser-specific bug.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Disable hardware acceleration">
  Hardware acceleration offloads video decoding to your GPU. On some machines this causes decoding errors that prevent the stream from rendering.

  **Chrome:** Settings → System → uncheck **Use hardware acceleration when available**, then relaunch.

  **Firefox:** Settings → General → Performance → uncheck **Use recommended performance settings** → uncheck **Use hardware acceleration when available**, then relaunch.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Flush your DNS cache">
  A stale DNS entry can prevent your browser from reaching Hitorino's servers.

  **Windows:** Open Command Prompt and run `ipconfig /flushdns`

  **Mac:** Open Terminal and run `sudo dscacheutil -flushcache && sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder`

  **Linux:** Run `sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches`

  After flushing, reload the stream page.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Check your firewall or antivirus">
  Corporate firewalls and aggressive antivirus software sometimes block the WebSocket connections Hitorino uses for low-latency streaming. Try disabling your firewall or antivirus temporarily to test. If that resolves it, add `*.hitorino.tv` to your firewall's allowlist rather than leaving it disabled.
</Accordion>

***

## Audio/Video Out of Sync

A/V sync issues almost always originate on the creator's side (encoder misconfiguration), but a few client-side steps can help.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Refresh the stream">
    Press **F5** or click your browser's refresh button. The player will reconnect to the stream and resync audio and video tracks from the beginning of the current segment.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch quality levels and switch back">
    Open the quality menu, select any different resolution, wait three seconds, then switch back to your preferred quality. This forces the player to reinitialize the audio and video decoders in sync.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Disable audio enhancements">
    Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and other spatial audio drivers can introduce audio processing delays that shift sync. Right-click your speaker icon → **Sound settings** → **Device properties** → **Additional device properties** → **Enhancements** tab → check **Disable all enhancements**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Try a different browser or disable hardware acceleration">
    GPU-accelerated video decoding can occasionally introduce frame timing drift. Disable hardware acceleration (see the steps above) or switch browsers to verify.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If the sync issue persists across multiple browsers and devices, the problem is on the creator's end — their encoder is misconfigured. Consider letting the creator know in their chat so they can restart their stream.
</Note>

***

## Black Screen

A black screen with audio playing is a video-decoding problem. A black screen with no audio at all usually means the stream hasn't loaded.

<Accordion title="Black screen with audio">
  Your browser is receiving the stream but can't decode the video track. Try these fixes in order:

  1. **Disable hardware acceleration** (see the steps in the "Stream Won't Load" section above).
  2. **Update your GPU drivers.** Visit your GPU manufacturer's site (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and install the latest driver.
  3. **Update your browser** to the latest stable release.
  4. **Try a different browser** — if Chrome shows a black screen but Firefox plays fine, your Chrome installation or GPU driver has a codec conflict.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Black screen with no audio">
  1. Confirm the stream is still live (refresh the channel page).
  2. Check your internet connection — run a speed test.
  3. Clear your browser cache and cookies.
  4. Disable all browser extensions and reload.
  5. If none of those work, try opening the stream in a private/incognito window to rule out a profile-specific issue.
</Accordion>

***

## Mobile App Issues

The Hitorino mobile app (iOS and Android) has its own playback engine separate from the browser player.

<Accordion title="Buffering on mobile">
  1. Open **Settings** in the Hitorino app and navigate to **Playback**.
  2. Set **Video Quality** to **Auto** — this lets the app dynamically adjust to your signal strength.
  3. Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data (or vice versa) to determine which connection performs better.
  4. Close any other streaming apps running in the background.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="App crashes during playback">
  1. **Force-close** the app completely and relaunch it.
  2. **Update the app** — open the App Store or Google Play and install any available updates.
  3. **Restart your device** to clear cached memory that may be interfering with the video renderer.
  4. **Reinstall the app** if crashes persist after updating. Your account data and subscriptions are stored server-side and won't be affected.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Stream won't load on mobile data">
  Some mobile carriers use data compression proxies that break HLS video streams. Toggle **Airplane Mode** on for five seconds, then off again — this re-establishes your data connection and often bypasses the proxy. Alternatively, enable a VPN on your device to route around your carrier's compression.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="No sound on iOS">
  Check that your iPhone's **Ring/Silent switch** (the physical toggle on the left side) is set to ring mode. Hitorino respects the iOS silent mode setting. Also ensure the in-app volume slider is not at zero.
</Accordion>

***

## Still Having Trouble?

If you've worked through all the steps above and playback still isn't working, gather the following before contacting support — it significantly speeds up diagnosis:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="What to collect" icon="clipboard-list">
    * Your browser name and version
    * Your operating system
    * The channel URL where the issue occurs
    * A screenshot or screen recording of the error
    * Your approximate download speed from speedtest.net
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contact support" icon="headset">
    Open a ticket at **support.hitorino.tv** or use the in-app **Help** button. Include the details listed here and our team will respond within 24 hours.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>