Troubleshooting SlingPlayer for iPad video issues

Symptoms of poor video quality

• Video interrupted by the spinning wheel ... sometimes displaying a blank or black screen;

• Jerky playback, with many skips;

• A combination of the above, or any symptom where a feature does not behave as expected.

Solutions for poor video quality

Here's how to solve problems with poor video quality.

First: Count the green dots

SlingPlayer for iPad uses green dots to tell you about streaming:

1. Tap the screen to show the controls.

2. Tap the Menu button (from the upper row of buttons: the leftmost button, with three horizontal bars).

3. Tap Aspect.

4. How many green dots are in the lower left corner?

Second: Let the dots be your guide

If you see ...	Then ...
	There are only a few reasons you will see one dot when using SlingPlayer for iPad: You may have used the Quality button to switch to SQ (Standard Quality) mode. In the Settings screen, you may have set the Video Quality on Cellular/Video Quality on Wifi setting to SQ (Standard Quality) (see "Got regular problems with network speed?", below). You might be running the SlingPlayer for iPhone app on your iPad with an older Slingbox.
	Your Slingbox isn't fully-configured for Internet Viewing ... here's how to fix it: From your Windows or Mac OS computer, launch Setup on Slingbox.com. (There's a direct link to the right.) Select your Slingbox (if you have more than one). Click Set Up Internet Viewing. Follow the onscreen steps to fully configure your Slingbox for Internet Viewing, including setting up your router manually if you're asked to.
	All is properly set up. You should be able to use HQ (High Quality) video mode and see excellent video quality. If not, your network download speeds might not meet the needed requirements (see related articles below). Try the steps below.
	If you see four dots, it's a situation similar to seeing two dots (above). While the video quality that you see with four dots may be better than with two dots ... ... if you're still not satisfied with video quality, follow the configuration steps for two dots, above.

Third: Try AUTO or SQ (Standard Quality) video mode

If you set SlingPlayer for iPad for HQ (High Quality) video mode, that's what it tries to show you ... even if network conditions aren't good enough. Result? Poor video quality. Change to AUTO or SQ (Standard Quality) viewing instead.

To switch to SQ (Standard Quality) viewing:

1. Tap Quality (It displays the currently-selected quality setting and defaults to AUTO), then tap SQ (Standard Quality):
   

Going forward

Here are a few additional things to consider.

Changed locations, or think network conditions have improved?

• You can always try switching back to AUTO or HQ (High Quality) viewing ... just tap the Quality button to make the choice.

Got regular problems with network speed?

• You'll probably want to set the Video Quality on Cellular/Video Quality on Wifi setting to Auto. (You'd need to do that for both the Cellular and the Wifi settings.) Auto is the best choice because it allows SlingPlayer for iPad to change the Quality setting as network conditions require. You could also select SQ (Standard Quality). But then you'd not see HQ (High Quality) video unless you chose it manually ... even if network conditions allowed.