Video Stuttering on webOS 4.x

Web App Development
1

Hello,

We are currently experiencing persistent video playback issues on LG Smart TVs running webOS 4.x with Shaka-Player. We would appreciate your assistance in diagnosing and resolving these problems.

Affected Devices:
LG TV models from 2018-2020 with webOS 4.x

Symptoms:
* Video freezes and stutters approximately every 15-30 seconds, with about 0.5 seconds of backward jump
* Frame rate drops to around 14 FPS during playback (compared to 54 FPS during buffering)
* These issues occur with both live streams and VOD content
* Problems are present with and without DRM (Widevine)

Test Environment:
* Model: LG OLED55B8SLC
* Firmware: 05.50.15
* SDK Version: 4.4.0
* Video Format: DASH
* Player: Shaka Player (versions 3.2.0, 4.3.5, 4.7.1, 4.7.8, 4.10.5, 4.10.9, 4.13.1, 4.16)

Tests Conducted:
* Adjusted Shaka-Player option `streaming.stallEnabled: false` (which reduced stutters temporarily, but issue reappeared)
* Reduced buffer sizes (24 seconds forward, 0 seconds backward)
* Disabled DRM (Widevine) — no change in stuttering pattern
* Noted that webOS 24+ TVs do not exhibit these issues under identical setups

Related Community Reports:

Based on community forum reports, we have observed that this issue is not specific to Shaka Player. Similar stuttering and performance issues have been reported by developers using Dash.js and other DASH players on webOS 4.x. This strongly suggests that the root cause lies within the webOS 4.x platform itself, specifically related to MSE (Media Source Extensions) performance or H.264 decoding capabilities, rather than being player-specific.
Given that these issues seem related to known performance limitations on webOS 4.x, we are seeking your guidance on potential solutions, workarounds, or best practices to mitigate the performance degradation. :slight_smile:

Questions:

  • What is the recommended video buffer size for webOS 4.x? We currently use 60 seconds forward buffer (we also try with 24 seconds). Should this be reduced?
  • Does webOS 4.x perform aggressive garbage collection during video playback that could interfere with decoding?
  • Are there any known issues with Widevine DRM on webOS 4.x that could cause video stuttering or increased CPU usage during playback?
  • Are firmware updates planned for webOS 4.x that would improve MSE/H.264 performance?
  • Given the MSE performance limitations on webOS 4.x, would you recommend migrating to HLS with PlayReady DRM as the only viable long-term solution?

We appreciate your support and any guidance you can provide to help us improve the playback experience on these devices.

Best regards,