Error message about memory problem when streaming live/local broadcast on 4k Firestick

Channels Fire TV
#1

I was watching live TV last night and received an error message on the screen. I am not certain of the exact verbiage, but it was words to the effect of the 4k Firestick being low on memory with the suggestion of freeing up memory/storage.

I've used the 4k Firestick with my NAS for the past 9 months and never seen that type of message before. Any thoughts? For example, do I need to clear the cache on the Channels DVR server side? And if so, would that have any negative impact on my settings? Should I remove any apps on the Firestick that I only use very infrequently to free up more space on the firestick? I've probably got about 20 apps installed, which I didn't think that was an excessive amount, but not entirely sure.

I am not seeing the error message currently (at this moment), but just trying to gain some insight into what caused it to prevent future problems. Thanks.

PS on Channels DVR on my NAS - it shows "1.52GB on disc" in Settings under the Cache section.

#2

This comes from FireOS and is talking about the free space on your 4K stick.

#3

So it sounds like I just need to "uninstall" more apps on the 4k Firestick that I am not really using much. I always thought the 4k Firestick had plenty of room for installed apps (I had about 20 of them), but I guess space is more limited. I've already uninstalled a few and will take out more. Thanks.

#4

Clearing the Cache on the Apps also will release space.

#5

I will do that as well. I had no idea this was a problem on the 4k FIrestick for average users. I am 'not' a so called power user. Channels DVR is my 'go to app' along with Amazon Prime and Netflix. The remaining apps (of the 20 or so apps I had on there) are used infrequently, so I am deleting some of them all together and will clear the cache on the others but of course, not the data, for the ones I keep. Thanks.

#6

I am seeing this error a lot. I have plenty of free space on my firestick (multiple gigs). Perhaps the developers can confirm...
Could stream buffering eat-up the free memory? For example, I see this error when watching a channel for a long period (30min to an hour). I can see that I can rewind the content for the entire time I have been watching the channel. Is it possible the steam (rewind buffer) is being stored on the firestick instead of the NAS? If so, can I limit the length of the rewind buffer?

#7

The buffer is on the firestick.

#8

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like my theory is plausible. If I could limit the rewind buffer, I could further test the memory issues.

#9

It's not only possible, it is indeed the reality. And it cannot really be limited by the user, as it is determined by the storage space available returned by your client's OS.

#10

It would be nice if the low memory error can be avoided. Seems like an easy programming effort.

#11

Please submit diagnostics after seeing this message

#12

Thank you. I might have found something that mitigates the problem. I use my logitech remote to issue some additional commands when shutting down the TV: I send a home command to the fire stick, which exits out of Channels and also send a sleep command to the fire stick
. I have not seen the frequency of the low memory error that I did before. I am continuing to monitor and will send a diagnostics when happens again.

#13

I'm also getting this issue on 5 of my 7 FireTV 4K sticks around the home, which have never had the issue in almost 3 years, each stick runs the identical setup and apps, the only difference with the 2 sticks that are not seeing the error is that they are in my childrens bedrooms and they don't watch Channels so I am assuming its something relating to channels, the Channels app is installed on those 2 sticks but not opened or used, the kids just watch things via Plex streamed across the network they don't watch and live tv in their bedrooms.

The apps each tv has:

Channels
Plex
BBC iPlayer
ITV
All4
My5
Youtube

  • Photos / prime video and anything you can't remove - none of those apps are used

Each stick has over 3GB of space left which is over 50% free

I have also checked the Amazon forums and this issue doesn't seem to be happening anywhere outside of people using the Channels app.

I will try and submit diagnostics but the errors are sporadic and difficult to replicate, my wife said Channels often crashes when it happens too and the only way to get it responding again is a select and play 5 second reset

As mentioned above we have never had a critical space issue on the FTV 4K sticks previously despite running Channels on them, its only started happening since the latest update on the FTV

#14

Seems to me a lot of issues with the fire stick can be resolved by power cycling it. I think it's time I put mine on a smart plug and schedule it to power off/on once a week.

#15

The power cycling doesn't resolve the issue if done prior to the error, as in you could power cycly at say 1pm then sit and watch TV for an afternoon and the error would be there a few hours later.

I reset all the FTV's in the house on Sunday evening and the ones my wife had watched TV on during the day yesterday had all had this issue at some point.

It's difficult for me to pinpoint as I don't actually watch that much live TV myself but it appears to possibly be linked to Channels, from memory more so if the stream is paused and the screensaver is allowed to come on you can come back to it later and the error message has overlayed

#16

There is a fix for this in the beta apk

1 Like
#17

Sounds good, I'm always impressed how quickly you guys fix issues, any ideas how long it'll take for that to go from Beta to an app update?

I'm not sure it is of any use now if you've already figured the fix but I just submitted diagnostics after I came to a TV that hadn't been used this this morning and this message was displayed:

20210608_201401
20210608_2014013804Ɨ2100 2.75 MB

Just for completness this just shpws how much space I still have on my sticks:

20210608_201527
20210608_2015273840Ɨ2108 1.73 MB

#18

Hi everyone, Bought 2 Fire Sticks 4k a couple months ago, about the same time I signed up for channels,
Within about the last month Amazon sent out a update and since there are many amazon apps showing that you can't get rid of. I only have 2 apps of my own, one being Channels. I have the same error shown in this post. I have worked with Amazon's help center and they sent me new Fire Sticks and now the problem is worse. No matter what I do ( restart, reset to MFG default then reinstall channels the problem still happens frequently.
My questions are when will the fix mentioned be available to all, Will the app on the Roku ever be robust, or is there another device that does limit the bloat ware that channels works on? I think I'm ready to make a change from the fire sticks.
Any help please
Sid.

#19

It sounds like the Channels LiveTV buffer is taking up all the space.

#20

Hello,
I am having the exact same problem. Fire stick says Iā€™m low on storage space but have plenty of free space available. Is this fixed in the beta apk?
How would I go about downloading the beta?
Thanks.