How To Fix DirecTV Stream On Demand Not Working?

When DirecTV stream on demand not working there are quite a few things to inspect and possibly localize the root of the problem.

DirecTV on-demand streaming is available from a variety of sources.

You can get on-demand streaming through the DirecTV application or watch the desired program through your DirecTV receiver.

This is why in this post we’re about to help TV/mobile/DVR and web DirecTV users.

Your on-demand DirecTV stream might not be working due to a problem with the internet or an issue with the DVR/receiver. All pending updates must be applied and any involved devices have to be restarted for the stream to work properly.

Types of DirecTV Stream Issues?

There are three main categories of issues and your problem is definitely related to one of them.

Let’s take a closer look to help you determine where the issue is coming from.

#1 – DirecTV Stream Buffering

The buffering is one of the most frequently encountered problems with live streams and the main suspect is your internet.

Here are occasions in which your DirecTV stream will buffer:

• Slow internet connection
• Your internet keeps disconnecting
• Problem with the WiFi of your device

#2 – DirecTV Stream Freezing

When the streams are constantly freezing on a single frame, that suggests that there is a problem with your device.

In some cases, it could be your browser, in other cases, it could be your TV. The most common approach here is to reduce the usage of your device.

#3 DirecTV Stream Not Starting

Whenever the stream won’t even start there are not many possibilities.

On-demand DirecTV streaming will not even start to play when you don’t have a DirecTV subscription or it has expired.

Other occasions would be when your device/browser does not support video players.

Note: Online DirecTV on-demand streams work only with Google browsers, therefore, Google Chrome.

How To Fix When DirecTV Stream On Demand Not Working?

There are many solutions for you to attempt to fix the DirecTV streaming issue.

Make sure to follow the solutions in order for best effect at troubleshooting.

Solution #1 Restart DirecTV & Device

Since you could be watching DirecTV streaming on-demand on various devices, this solution combines them all.

It does not matter whether you’re having issues on TV, a mobile device, or a computer, restarting the application/browser should be your very first step.

In addition, you should also reboot the device that you’re viewing DirecTV from.

Also known as a “power cycle”, this method will reboot ALL services, and hopefully, you’ll be able to watch DirecTV streams once you’re ready.

To restart the DirecTV application simply close and re-open the software. The same goes for DirecTV on-demand streams on a browser.

To power cycle your receiver device, you’ll need to unplug it from the power source for about 60 seconds.

Solution #2 Reconnect Device To Internet

Unlike regular Live-TV streaming, DirecTV on-demand requires an internet connection to play your favorite content.

Since there are different devices that you can use for on-demand streaming, you should make sure that you’re connected to WiFi or via an Ethernet cable.

• TV users can connect to the internet through Settings > Network > WiFi.
• PC users can connect to the internet via Ethernet cable or WiFi dongle.
• DVR users should connect their devices to the internet through an Ethernet cable.
• Mobile device users should connect to the internet from Settings > WiFi.

Remember that getting connected to the internet is only half of the job. Sometimes your network router could be emitting WiFi, but in case there is an outage, there would be no internet.

It’s essential to confirm that your internet is working, before proceeding any further.

Note: DirecTV on-demand can also be streamed by using cellular data (3G/4G/5G).

Solution #3 Reinstall The DirecTV STREAM App

For mobile and television DirecTV users, there is a simple way to solve streaming problems.

In most cases where the application simply does not work or the content is freezing/buffering, reinstallation of the application always helps.

Cleanly Install DirecTV STREAM On A TV

Reinstalling the application on a TV is simple.

You should first entirely delete the software by reaching into the TV application settings and then re-downloading the DirecTV app from the application store.

Cleanly Install DirecTV On A Mobile

On mobile, re-installing an application is easier. Simply go to the Settings > Applications > Delete DirecTV STREAM.

Then, from the dedicated application store, re-download the DirecTV app and log in to your account.

Tip: For PC users, the recommendation is to use Google Chrome and clear the browser's cookies and cached data.

Solution #4 Clear DVRs Cache

For users receiving a DirecTV on a cable box, a streaming problem commonly occurs whenever there are corrupted files.

Such data can interfere with the proper function of the DirecTV streaming, thus, your content might be lagging, buffering, or not even starting.

Here is how to clear the cached data on a DVR:

1. Log in to your DirecTV account on the web page.
2. Locate and choose Manage Package.
3. Navigate to the Mange Receivers.
4. Choose a Refresh Receiver.
5. The On-demand service will be interrupted during the refresh.

For application users on a TV or mobile, clearing the cache is possible by reaching into the device’s settings, selecting the application, and erasing the cache.

Note: Clearing DirecTV's cache will log you out of your account for the selected device.

Solution #5 Update DirecTV Receiver

It does not matter whether you’re receiving a DirecTV stream on a DVR, TV, or on mobile.

Each of the receivers can either be updated internally (the OS) or simply the DirecTV application.

You should check everything:

1. Update TV firmware.
2. Update Application firmware.
3. Update mobile OS.
4. Update mobile application.
5. Update DVR firmware.

Depending on what receiver you’re having, you should update both the application and source device in any way possible.

It was proven that out-of-date versions lack compatibility with the receivers so you should definitely attempt to apply any pending updates.

Tip: For Desktop DirecTV users, updates won't be possible, instead, they should test with a different machine.

Solution #6 Reset DirecTV Receiver

The factory reset is a last-resort measure and will help users that use a DVR to stream on-demand DirecTV content.

Many issues can develop with the cable box over time and a reset will reinstall the device operating system and solve many potential issues.

Here is how to reset your DirecTV DVR:

1. Open the front flip-back panel on the DVR.
2. Push the red Reset Button for 3 seconds.
3. A blue screen should appear stating “Refiring Backup”.
4. Wait for a few minutes until the “Self-Check” completes.

Shortly after your DVR should be reset and will acquire the signal and come back online.

Alert: For users having the application on TV or mobile, the factory reset should not be undertaken, in case the problem appears only with one application.

Quick Recap:

The DirecTV stream on-demand won’t work without an active internet connection or when the OS firmware is not up-to-date. To solve the problem, DirecTV applications should be re-installed and their cached data erased.

Read Next: DirecTV Stream Not Working On Chrome?

Last Thoughts:

When DirecTV stream on demand not working suddenly, you should know that sometimes the signal could just be lost.

It could be either a local area outage or a thunderstorm, where the stream could be interrupted regardless of the receiver you use.

For further assistance, you can contact DirecTV customer support and report your issue.