Screen Freeze While Streaming Video!

[Matthew Still]

Hi,
http://www.tomshardware.com/articles/
Whenever I attempt to stream a video, whether it be on Netflix or YouTube, at least once during each video, I receive a 15-35 second freeze. The screen freezes, it does not turn black or distort at all. The audio however is weird. Sometimes it is completely cut off, sometimes you can hear the audio for the next scene in the video but it is horrendously distorted, and sometimes it is just white noise. I have updated my graphics card whenever one comes out, and this situation has persisted through all the updates. However, I have never updated the BIOS or really anything else besides the graphics card. My specs are below. Please help, this is becoming really annoying as you can imagine.

CPU: Intel i5 3500K
GPU: evga Nvidia GTX670
PSU: Corsair HX750 80 PLUS GOLD-MODULAR
MOBO: ASUS P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155
RAM: CORSAIR VENGEANCE 8GB (2X4GB) DDR3 1600MHZ
SSD: CORSAIR FORCE SERIES GT 90GB SATA 3
HDD: WD BLACK 1TB 7200RPM
MONITOR: ASUS VS248H-P 24" LCD

*all products were purchased in June 2012.
*computer assembled in June 2012.

 

[Matthew Still]

What browser are you using?

Do you have Adobe Flash Player up to date? Sometimes, it is trying to update itself, but fails for whatever reason. You might try updating it manually through the Adobe installer.

If you are using Internet Explorer, you might want to try using Firefox or Chrome and installing the proper Flash versions for them.

I have used chrome, ie, firefox, and safari. it does it on all four. i am about to try to update adobe manually. thanks

 

[Matthew Still]

What browser are you using?

Do you have Adobe Flash Player up to date? Sometimes, it is trying to update itself, but fails for whatever reason. You might try updating it manually through the Adobe installer.

If you are using Internet Explorer, you might want to try using Firefox or Chrome and installing the proper Flash versions for them.

whenever i go to the adobe flash player website, it tells me that i already have the plugin installed in google chrome and that it will update automatically. What should i do?

 

[Matthew Still]

Chrome is the only browser out of the 3 that has Flash player built into it. If it is not Flash player, it could have something to do with HTML5. Youtube has switched to HTML5 video streaming. I believe Netflix has done so or is planning on doing so soon (I do not use Netflix). If they haven't switched, then it uses Microsoft Silverlight. You have the option in youtube to switch back to Flash. Go to this site: http://www.youtube.com/html5 and if the button says switch back to HTML5 you are using Flash. If you are using HTML5, then you may need to update the entire browser.

When I visit the site you listed, it asks me if I would like to opt in to use HTML 5, so obviously i am using flash. Should i use HTML 5? Netflix, as far as I know, is still using Microsoft Silverlight. At least you have to download it in order to use anything Netflix provides on the PC. Thanks again

 

[Matthew Still]

It wouldn't hurt to try using HTML5 on youtube. If it does not improve the video playback, then you could at least rule out software on youtube. Does this happen on any other streaming sites? Have you tried Hulu or Crackle just to make sure it isn't only those two sites? Do you have any other plugins installed like an ad blocker or pop up blocker that could be blocking the video by mistake? Also, I don't know if it is related, but I always install the DIVX codec pack. http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/web-player

I have started using HTML 5 and it has not messed up yet. Granted, I have only watched like one or two videos since the switch. I am about to head over there are watch some more to see if it improves. I watch an episode of White Collar last evening on Netflix and only experienced a 2 or 3 second stutter-10x better than usual. I had an adblocker but deleted about two days ago. Whenever I attempt to download that DIVX codec pack it tells me that it is being blocked by a proxy or security setting and to try to download it offline. When I do so, everything works. Thank you so much for taking the time to assist me. I hope everything works out.

 

[Matthew Still]

It wouldn't hurt to try using HTML5 on youtube. If it does not improve the video playback, then you could at least rule out software on youtube. Does this happen on any other streaming sites? Have you tried Hulu or Crackle just to make sure it isn't only those two sites? Do you have any other plugins installed like an ad blocker or pop up blocker that could be blocking the video by mistake? Also, I don't know if it is related, but I always install the DIVX codec pack. http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/web-player

Bad news. I was just looking at some pictures on Google Images with Pandora open. I got the same freeze and sound as I would using YouTube. So now, it is YouTube, Netflix, and Pandora that cause this. However, Pandora freezes very, very, very rarely. Is the graphics card or driver used at all listening to Pandora?

 

[Matthew Still]

Pandora uses flash player and the only thing that would come close to using your GPU on it would be if you were using HDMI. But even then the GPU just re-routes the sound processing to the sound card through the HDMI port.

What operating system are you using? It sounds like you might need to do a fresh install of the OS. It could be some registry bug if you are using Windows. But, before you do that, you should run memtest86 just to make sure that your RAM is fine. http://www.memtest86.com/ Also, do you have any anti-virus or anti-spyware software such as MS security essentials for Win 7?

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate and AVG Anti-Virus Free 2013 as Virus/Spyware Protection. When I download the Ram test app and install it onto a USB, then go into the BIOS to change boot priority to boot from the USB, I do not see the USB as an available option. Do I need to format the USB a certain way in order to be able to boot from it? Also, I can understand how a clean install would be a good possible solution, but is there anything else you could think of that would help that does not involve so much time and trouble? Thank you so much!