> ## 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.

# Watch Live Streams: Chat, Tips & Quality on Hitorino

> Find and join live streams on Hitorino, participate in live chat, send tips to creators, and control stream quality for the smoothest viewing experience.

Watching a live stream on Hitorino puts you in the room with a creator in real time — you can chat with them and other viewers, cheer them on with tips, and experience content as it happens rather than after the fact. This page walks you through finding live content, getting the most out of the interactive features, and keeping your stream running smoothly.

## Finding Live Streams

Several places across Hitorino surface content that's live right now.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Home Feed" icon="house">
    Live streams from creators you follow appear at the very top of your feed with a red **LIVE** badge and a live viewer count.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Browse → Live Now" icon="signal-stream">
    Go to **Browse → Live Now** to see every active stream on the platform, filterable by category and sorted by viewer count or recency.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Following Sidebar" icon="sidebar">
    The left sidebar shows a real-time list of followed creators. A red dot next to a name means they're live — click it to jump in immediately.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Search Results" icon="magnifying-glass">
    Run any search and switch to the **Live Streams** tab to find active streams matching your keywords, even from creators you don't follow yet.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Enable **Live Alerts** on your mobile device in **Settings → Notifications** so Hitorino pushes an alert the moment a followed creator goes live, even when the app is in the background.
</Tip>

## Joining a Stream

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the stream page">
    Click on any live stream card or thumbnail. The player loads automatically — streams begin playing within a few seconds as the initial buffer fills.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Allow autoplay if prompted">
    If your browser blocks autoplay, click the **Play** button that appears on the player. To avoid this prompt in the future, allow autoplay for **hitorino.tv** in your browser's site settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go full screen (optional)">
    Click the **⛶ Full Screen** icon in the bottom-right corner of the player, or press **F** on your keyboard to toggle full-screen mode.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Adjust your layout">
    Drag the divider between the video player and the chat panel to resize them to your preference. Click **Chat →** to collapse the chat panel if you prefer a distraction-free view.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If a creator has set their stream to **Subscribers Only**, you'll see a lock icon and a prompt to subscribe before the player loads. Free content always shows a standard play button with no gate.
</Note>

## Live Chat

Live chat is the heartbeat of a Hitorino stream. It scrolls in real time alongside the video and lets you interact with the creator and fellow viewers.

### Sending a Message

1. Click the chat input field at the bottom of the chat panel (or press **C** to focus it from anywhere on the page).
2. Type your message — up to 500 characters.
3. Press **Enter** or click **Send**.

<Info>
  Chat has a per-user cooldown of a few seconds by default to keep conversations readable. Creators can adjust this limit or remove it entirely for subscribers.
</Info>

### Chat Features

<Accordion title="Emotes and reactions">
  Click the smiley face icon in the chat input to open the emote picker. You'll find global Hitorino emotes available to everyone, plus channel-specific emotes unlocked by subscribing to that creator. Type `:` followed by an emote name to search and autocomplete without leaving the keyboard.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Replying to a specific message">
  Hover over any chat message and click **Reply** to quote it in your response. The creator and other viewers will see the context of what you're responding to, making conversations easier to follow in fast-moving chat.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Chat modes set by the creator">
  Creators can enable special chat modes that affect how you participate:

  * **Slow Mode** — a cooldown between messages (e.g., one message every 30 seconds)
  * **Subscriber Only** — only subscribers can send messages; everyone can still read
  * **Verified Only** — only accounts with a verified email address can chat
  * **Emote Only** — messages must consist entirely of emotes

  A banner at the top of the chat panel always tells you which mode is active.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Moderating your own experience">
  You can personally block other viewers without affecting anyone else's chat. Hover over a username and click **Block User**. Their messages will be hidden for you only. Use **Report Message** for content that violates Hitorino's Community Guidelines.
</Accordion>

## Sending Tips and Donations

Tips are a direct way to support creators financially during a live stream. Every tip goes to the creator, minus standard payment processing fees.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the tip panel">
    Click the **💜 Tip** button above the chat input field. A tip drawer slides in from the right.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a tip amount">
    Select one of the preset amounts ($1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100) or click **Custom** and enter any amount from \$0.50 upward.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a message (optional)">
    Type a message up to 200 characters to accompany your tip. This message is highlighted in chat with your tip amount so the creator and viewers can see it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm payment">
    Select your saved payment method or add a new card. Review the total and click **Send Tip**. Your highlighted message appears in chat within seconds.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Tips are non-refundable once sent. Make sure you're on the correct creator's channel before confirming. Hitorino will never contact you to request a refund via chat or email on a creator's behalf.
</Warning>

<Tip>
  If you tip \$20 or more in a single transaction, your message is pinned at the top of chat for 60 seconds — giving it extra visibility during busy streams.
</Tip>

## Stream Quality Settings

Hitorino streams in up to 1080p60 depending on the creator's broadcast setup. You can let the platform choose the best quality automatically or lock it yourself.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open quality settings">
    Click the **⚙ Settings** gear icon in the bottom-right corner of the video player.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Quality">
    Click **Quality** in the settings menu. A list of available resolutions appears — options vary by stream but typically include:

    | Option | Resolution       | Best for                                 |
    | ------ | ---------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
    | Auto   | Dynamic          | Most viewers — adapts to your connection |
    | Source | Up to 1080p60    | Fast, stable connections                 |
    | 720p60 | 1280×720 @ 60fps | Good balance of clarity and data usage   |
    | 480p   | 854×480          | Slower connections or mobile data        |
    | 360p   | 640×360          | Minimal bandwidth, older devices         |
    | 160p   | 284×160          | Audio-focused viewing, very low data     |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm your selection">
    Click your chosen quality option. The player rebuffers briefly (usually under two seconds) and continues at the new quality.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  **Auto** quality uses adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) to monitor your connection speed in real time and switch quality levels seamlessly. If you're on a stable broadband connection, **Source** gives you the sharpest picture the creator is broadcasting.
</Info>

## Theater Mode and Pop-Out Player

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Theater Mode" icon="rectangle-wide">
    Press **T** or click the theater icon (next to the full-screen button) to expand the player across the full browser width while keeping the chat visible below.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pop-Out Player" icon="arrow-up-right-from-square">
    Click **⋯ More → Pop-Out Player** to open the stream in a small floating window you can move anywhere on your screen — great for multitasking.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Stream Delays and Buffering

Live streams have a small inherent latency between what the creator does and what you see. Hitorino offers two latency modes, set by the creator:

* **Low Latency** (\~2–5 seconds) — best for interactive streams where creator-viewer back-and-forth matters, like Q\&As or games.
* **Normal Latency** (\~10–15 seconds) — more stable on variable connections; better for music or art streams where interactivity is less critical.

If you experience buffering, try these steps in order:

1. Switch to a lower quality (e.g., 720p instead of Source).
2. Pause for five seconds to let the buffer refill, then press play.
3. Refresh the page — this reconnects you to the closest stream server.
4. Check that no other applications are consuming your bandwidth.