If the picture is sharp but the ball seems to jump across the screen, it is not buffering. It is a mismatch between the channel's frame rate and the rate your device sends to the TV.
The cause
European channels broadcast at 50 frames per second; North American channels at 60 (59.94). A device fixed at 60 Hz shows a 50 fps channel with a regular stutter that is most visible on sport.
Fixes
- Enable frame rate matching in the device or player (TiviMate: Settings, Playback, AFR; Apple TV: Match Frame Rate; Shield: Match content frame rate).
- If your device lacks it, set output to 50 Hz when watching mostly European sport.
- TV motion settings: try motion smoothing on Low or Off. Some like a little smoothing for sport; strong settings create the "soap opera" look.
- Choose the 50 fps or "HD+" version of a sports channel if your playlist offers several.
Still choppy?
If stutter comes with spinning circles, that is buffering; see buffering fixes.
Questions and answers
Why does football look jerky on IPTV?
Usually a frame-rate mismatch between a 50 fps channel and a 60 Hz output.
Should I turn on frame rate matching?
Yes for sport, if your TV switches modes cleanly.
Is motion smoothing good for sport?
A low setting can help; high settings look artificial.
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