With each new generation of games consoles they become more extensive in their abilities, and today, far from just machines to play games, they are multi-talented devices that can form the central component of your digital entertainment. With internet connection built in they are now devices that are as at home streaming video as they are playing the latest game. Here we are going to have a look at the best ways to improve your YouTube watching experience, and how to avoid the most common problems. (Click here to learn how to use YouTube app and how to play YouTube videos offline on game consoles.)
- Part 1. Tips to Improve YouTube Viewing Experience on Game Devices
- Part 2. Solutions to YouTube Playback Problems on Game Devices
iTube Studio - Best YouTube Video Downloader for Game Devices
You might want to consider downloading the YouTube video to watch offline on game devices. Try out iTube Studio for Mac (or iTube Studio for Windows) to download YouTube videos for free. And it comes with a built-in HD media player that allows you to play YouTube with ease.
Part 1. Top 5 Tips and Tricks for Viewing YouTube Videos on Game Consoles
Tip 1. Use your mobile device as a remote control
For both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, you can download an app to your mobile device, whether it is a phone or tablet, Android, Windows or iOS, and use it as a fully functional remote control for your games console. Download the app from your platforms app store, SmartGlass for Xbox One and The PlayStation App for the PlayStation 4, connect it to your games console and off you go.
Tip 2. Use an Ethernet connection
Wi-Fi is great, a convenient and easy to manage way to connect your games console to the internet, however for streaming high definition YouTube videos, an Ethernet cable can provide a more stable and faster connection to get the best out of streaming media.
Tip 3. YouTube on the PS4
With no sign of an official app some may think you cannot access YouTube on a PlayStation4. However, you can! Simply point the PS4 browser at www.youtube.com/tv and enjoy YouTube on the PlayStation 4.
Tip 4. Sign in
To get the best out of YouTube on your games console, sign in with your Google account to get access to your subscriptions, history and favorites.
Tip 5. Set your resolution
YouTube does a good job of detecting how fast your connection is and setting a resolution to fit without buffering most of the time, but you can restrict your YouTube videos to a certain resolution if you want in the app settings to ensure it sticks below a certain resolution limit. (More YouTube Playback Tips)
Part 2. Solve the Possible Problems When Playing YouTube Videos on Game Devices
Problem 1. Buffering problems in videos
This is usually caused by trying to view videos at too high a resolution. You can go through the Settings to adjust video resolution to ensure it better matches your connection speed.
Problem 2. Trouble signing in on a games console
To sign into your google account on the PlayStation 3 app is a two stage process. Once the signing in is completed you will be provided with an activation code. You can then visit www.youtube.com/activate on your desktop or laptop and input the code to connect your PlayStation 3 to your YouTube account.
Problem 3. Unable to play videos
If you are having trouble playing videos at all, there are a couple of options. First check that the network connection is active, and if that is not a problem, ensure that the video is not set at too high a resolution (1080p on a Wii for instance).
Problem 4. Intermittent video playing
Check that your games console is fully updates with the latest system updates to ensure best playback of YouTube videos. This can be done in the "Settings" menu of any of the consoles. Look for the "Check for updates" option to check manually, or select auto update to ensure your console is always kept up to date with the latest changes.
Problem 5. Cannot access YouTube videos through the browser
This is a common issue with most games consoles, as they lack flash support. You can go to www.youtube.com/tv instead to watch the non-flash version of YouTube which works on all consoles.