I think the gear only shows for videos in your library, i.e., those you have bought. I have found no way to force SD for Amazon streaming. I think that would help with the hesitation. I think Amazon is being "helpful" by always choosing the HD setting if it seems possible--which it must be when we start viewing. Later the HD selection is a problem when Hughes can't deliver data fast enough. I have set SD for all my Netflix viewing and it mostly works fine, even in high traffic times. But I can find no way to force SD for streaming video.
When streaming in HD do you turn off (or pause) the Video Data Saver? The VDS deliberately throttles your speed while streaming in order to save data, and it throttles the speed to such that is amenable to SD, but not HD. Turning it off (or pausing it) may help with the buffering while trying to stream in HD.
You can do so in the Video Settings section of the HughesNet Usage Meter, or by signing into the HughesNet MyAccount site and clicking on the Settings tab.
Shocked why anyone would want to stream HD with limited satellite data to begin with. That said, Amazon streaming seams to stink no matter what definition I try. Gets back to the technology they are using.
Edit: And possibly lack of server capacity. Me thinks a combination of the two. Really don't think streaming is their highest priority.
It boggles the mind, esp. when HD is not necessary to enjoy a show. As for Amazon, I've had some luck lately, with streaming starting shakily and very pixelated and then normalising, but of all the services I use to stream, they're the most unfriendly, and I think you're right, it's not a priority for the company.
@BirdDog wrote:Shocked why anyone would want to stream HD with limited satellite data to begin with. That said, Amazon streaming seams to stink no matter what definition I try. Gets back to the technology they are using.
Edit: And possibly lack of server capacity. Me thinks a combination of the two. Really don't think streaming is their highest priority.