4K content memory fragmentation viewing countermeasures

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a playback module of a computing system, a trigger to increase a resolution of media to be displayed from a first resolution to a second resolution;

determining, by the playback module of the computing system and based at least in part on a predetermined specification of an amount of memory mapped to the second resolution, a minimum buffer that corresponds to the amount of memory mapped to the second resolution, wherein the predetermined specification is a hardware specification;

transmitting, by the playback module of the computing system, a buffer query to a hardware module of the computing system, the buffer query indicating the minimum buffer;

receiving, by the playback module of the computing system, a buffer response from the hardware module of the computing system, the buffer response indicating whether the minimum buffer is available; and

in response to the buffer response indicating that the minimum buffer is available, causing, by the playback module of the computing system, the media to be displayed at the second resolution.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the buffer response indicating that the minimum buffer is unavailable:

causing, by the playback module of the computing system, the media to be displayed at the first resolution.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first resolution is at least one of 1080p or 720p, and the second resolution is 4K.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimum buffer corresponds to at least one continuous block of random access memory.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer query is transmitted to the hardware module of the computing system using an application programming interface.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the computing system, a first bandwidth for wireless communications via a wireless network;

detecting, by the computing system, an increase in the first bandwidth for wireless communications to a second bandwidth; and

determining, by the playback module of the computing system, that the second bandwidth is above a certain threshold such that the media may be displayed at the second resolution.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the computing system transmits a buffer request in response to determining that the second bandwidth is above the certain threshold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger comprises a change in bandwidth available to the computing system via a network.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the buffer response indicating that the minimum buffer is available:

receiving, from the hardware module of the computing system, a location of a continuous block of memory within a computer-readable memory corresponding to the minimum buffer, and

causing, by the playback module, data associated with the media to be stored in at least a portion of the continuous block of memory.

10 . A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a hardware module, configured to access data indicating a status of one or more hardware components of the system;

a playback module, configured to cause media to be displayed by the system; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the system, cause the system to perform operations to:

receive, by the playback module, a trigger to increase a resolution of media to be displayed from a first resolution to a second resolution;

determine, by the playback module and based at least in part on a predetermined specification of an amount of memory mapped to the second resolution, a minimum buffer that corresponds to the amount of memory mapped to the second resolution, wherein the predetermined specification is a hardware specification;

transmit, by the playback module, a buffer query to the hardware module, the buffer query indicating the minimum buffer;

receive, by the playback module, a buffer response from the hardware module of the system, the buffer response indicating whether the minimum buffer is available; and

in response to the buffer response indicating that the minimum buffer is available, causing, by the playback module, the media to be displayed at the second resolution.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first resolution is at least one of 1080p or 720p, and the second resolution is 4K.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the buffer query comprises respective buffer sizes associated with at least one of the first resolution or the second resolution.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first resolution is determined at least in part by an available bandwidth of a network.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the system further performs operations to:

determine a first bandwidth for wireless communications via a wireless network;

detect an increase in the first bandwidth for wireless communications to a second bandwidth; and

determine, by the playback module, that the second bandwidth is above a certain threshold such that the media may be displayed at the second resolution.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the playback module transmits the buffer query in response to determining that the second bandwidth is above the certain threshold.

16 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a playback module of a computing system, a trigger to increase a resolution of media to be displayed from a first resolution to a second resolution;

determining, by the playback module of the computing system and based at least in part on a predetermined specification of an amount of memory mapped to the second resolution, a minimum buffer that corresponds to the amount of memory mapped to the second resolution, wherein the predetermined specification is a hardware specification;

transmitting, by the playback module of the computing system, a buffer query to a hardware module of the computing system, the buffer query indicating the minimum buffer;

receiving, by the playback module of the computing system, a buffer response from the hardware module of the computing system, the buffer response indicating whether the minimum buffer is available; and

in response to the buffer response indicating that the minimum buffer is available:

causing, by the playback module of the computing system, the media to be displayed at the second resolution.

17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the minimum buffer corresponds to a plurality of continuous blocks of random access memory.

18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the buffer query is transmitted to the hardware module of the computing system using an application programming interface.

19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining, by the computing system, a first bandwidth for wireless communications via a wireless network;

detecting, by the computing system, an increase in the first bandwidth for wireless communications to a second bandwidth; and

determining, by the playback module of the computing system, that the second bandwidth is above a certain threshold such that the media may be displayed at the second resolution.

20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising:

in response to the buffer response indicating that the minimum buffer is available:

receiving, from the hardware module of the computing system, a location of a continuous block of memory within a computer-readable memory corresponding to the minimum buffer,

causing, by the playback module, data associated with the media to be stored in at least a portion of the continuous block of memory.