As the title says: Pausing YouTube Playback results in a period of staggering playback without sound.
When restarting playback after pausing the video, WD TV Live plays fine for a few seconds. But then the audio disappears and shortly thereafter the video begins staggering and eventually freezes (most likely the unit has reached the end of the video buffered before pausing). A few more seconds pass and the video and audio is fine again.
Using YouTube to watch educational videos this is really annoying since most of the time you can’t just leave out parts of the information and still everything is just all good.
Obviously there is a buffering issue with the device when using the YouTube app which isn’t a problem when using YouTube on your computer’s internet browser.
I think a more specific (and I hope even more directly useful) question might be do you get the problem in BOTH YouTube apps that the WD has, or is this only tested so far in one of them?  Using the same video, I mean, so it’s a proper test.
The problem I described seems only to apply to the YouTube official app (red app icon in firmware 2.02.32). It pauses and restarts flawlessly in the WD YouTube app (black app icon in firmware 2.02.32). Furthermore, the following apps don’t appear to show the problem:
Metatube
Dailymotion
Playing a file that functions without a problem in the WD YouTube app will still fail in the official YouTube app.
I’ve tried several things to try to remedy the problem - unfortunately to no avail
The following was tried in the order given, but the problem persisted:
Device reset - keeping accounts and favorites.
Firmware downgrade to v2.01.86.
Device reset (full). Starting up on cabled network (only wireless before).
Upgrade back to newest firmware (v2.02.32). Still on cabled network.
*** Does anyone have a European WD Live TV box that does NOT display this problem? ***
Notes:
* I’m using the European version of the WD TV Live box.
* In both cases of flashing firmware, the unit went black after displaying “rebooting” for a while (after successfully having flashed firmware). Leaving the box for 10 minutes still didn’t make it reboot. It was not responding to the remote control while in this state. Eventually I turned it off and on again and it started up fine.
* Once after re-flashing the newest firmware (v2.02.32), the device suddenly rebooted only 1-3 seconds after having started playback in YouTube official app.
I’ve tried several things to try to remedy the problem - unfortunately to no avail
The following was tried in the order given, but the problem persisted:
Device reset - keeping accounts and favorites.
Sorry to jump in but may I ask how did you manage to log in to Youtube? Did you first logged in using the official or the custom YT app? And were you using a previous firmware or something? Is your email service from Google or something else?
Currently have no such problems described in the original post although I have not had to pause a Youtube video that much. But I remember having experienced inconsistencies after pausing a video for a relatively long time (something like 5-10 minutes) in either app but can’t remember which exactly. I also have noticed the custom version by WD has faster loading times but if I attempt to use it without a proper device restart (well-known memory dumping issue) it will be just as slow or even more erratic than the leanback version. I’m using firmware 2.01.86 by the way.
I don’t know how you conclude that I’ve logged into my YouTube account.
My first step:
Device reset - keeping accounts and favorites.
This only refers to the reset method chosen in the “Setup/System/Device Reset” menu. Here I used the option called “Reset All Settings Except Online Service Account and Shortcuts” (in firmware v2.02.32). This is what I refer to in your quoted text.
However, in firmware v2.02.32 in the YouTube Leanback app (official YouTube app) there is a “Sign in & Settings” option in the menu bar running top-to-bottom in the left side of the screen. Here you can log in to your account via a computer (you have to type in an activation code on the computer to log in on the device).
I don’t know how you conclude that I’ve logged into my YouTube account.
However, in firmware v2.02.32 in the YouTube Leanback app (official YouTube app) there is a “Sign in & Settings” option in the menu bar running top-to-bottom in the left side of the screen. Here you can log in to your account via a computer (you have to type in an activation code on the computer to log in on the device).
Are you using a European version of WD TV Live?
Is it generation 3?
Hi! Oh it’s because you said “keeping accounts and favorites” there, and since this topic is primarily about Youtube I thought you were also referring to your youtube account and credentials that might have been previously saved or something. You see I’m struggling trying to sign in using my existing account, and neither app is helping; the only way I can access my account and watch my videos is by pairing, which is not what I need right now. So yeah I was really hoping you were one who could sign in no problem and tell me what the heck is going on.
And no apparently mine is not an european version. PN: WDBHG70000NBK-02 and according to a moderator here it’s the north american model. I still have no idea what number “02” means though. Does yours happen to be “01” or something?
