diff --git a/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.cpp b/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.cpp
index 72e6d4e..9c54c27 100644
--- a/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.cpp
+++ b/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
 #include "compat.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
-// about one second at 35mbit
-const uint RingBuffer::kBufferSize = 4 * 1024 * 1024;
+// about two seconds at 35mbit
+const uint RingBuffer::kBufferSize = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
 const int  RingBuffer::kDefaultOpenTimeout = 2000; // ms
 const int  RingBuffer::kLiveTVOpenTimeout  = 10000;
 
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ RingBuffer::RingBuffer(void) :
     ateof(false),             readsallowed(false),
     setswitchtonext(false),
     rawbitrate(8000),         playspeed(1.0f),
-    fill_threshold(65536),    fill_min(-1),
+    slow_threshold(65536),    very_slow_threshold(65536),
+    fill_min(-1),
     readblocksize(CHUNK),     wanttoread(0),
     numfailures(0),           commserror(false),
     oldfile(false),           livetvchain(NULL),
@@ -304,8 +305,9 @@ void RingBuffer::UpdatePlaySpeed(float play_speed)
 }
 
 /** \fn RingBuffer::CalcReadAheadThresh(void)
- *  \brief Calculates fill_min, fill_threshold, and readblocksize
- *         from the estimated effective bitrate of the stream.
+ *  \brief Calculates fill_min, slow_threshold, very_slow_threshold,
+ *         and readblocksize from the estimated effective bitrate
+ *         of the stream.
  *
  *   WARNING: Must be called with rwlock in write lock state.
  *
@@ -318,7 +320,8 @@ void RingBuffer::CalcReadAheadThresh(void)
     readblocksize  = max(readblocksize, CHUNK);
 
     // loop without sleeping if the buffered data is less than this
-    fill_threshold = kBufferSize / 8;
+    slow_threshold      = 1 * kBufferSize / 4;
+    very_slow_threshold = 7 * kBufferSize / 8;
 
     const uint KB32  =  32*1024;
     const uint KB64  =  64*1024;
@@ -345,7 +348,7 @@ void RingBuffer::CalcReadAheadThresh(void)
     VERBOSE(VB_FILE, LOC +
             QString("CalcReadAheadThresh(%1 Kb)\n\t\t\t -> "
                     "threshhold(%2 KB) min read(%3 KB) blk size(%4 KB)")
-            .arg(estbitrate).arg(fill_threshold/1024)
+            .arg(estbitrate).arg(very_slow_threshold/1024)
             .arg(fill_min/1024).arg(readblocksize/1024));
 }
 
@@ -834,9 +837,13 @@ void RingBuffer::run(void)
         {
             // yield if we have nothing to do...
             if (!request_pause &&
-                (used >= fill_threshold || ateof || setswitchtonext))
+                (used >= very_slow_threshold || ateof || setswitchtonext))
             {
-                generalWait.wait(&rwlock, 1000);
+                generalWait.wait(&rwlock, 500);
+            }
+            else if (used >= slow_threshold)
+            {
+                generalWait.wait(&rwlock, 50);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.h b/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.h
index 69a5c0b..4dce566 100644
--- a/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.h
+++ b/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/ringbuffer.h
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ class MTV_PUBLIC RingBuffer : protected QThread
     bool      ignorereadahead;    // protected by rwlock
     uint      rawbitrate;         // protected by rwlock
     float     playspeed;          // protected by rwlock
-    int       fill_threshold;     // protected by rwlock
+    int       slow_threshold;     // protected by rwlock
+    int       very_slow_threshold;// protected by rwlock
     int       fill_min;           // protected by rwlock
     int       readblocksize;      // protected by rwlock
     int       wanttoread;         // protected by rwlock