Issue with Samsung Note 8 not mirroring video of "some" Prime Video movies?

[DGMAX]

Reason for the question, my son signed up for Amazon Prime and was trying to enjoy some of the movies available with Prime Video when it was discovered that some movies would not display the video portion (audio works fine) when mirroring the downloaded in-app (“Prime Video”) movies from a Samsung Note 8 phone (SM-N950U) to my Samsung 75” 4K TV, (M/N - UN75JU7100FXZA). It was also tried over an HDMI cable and adapter to the same TV from the same phone with the same results, (audio, but no video). The same movies play fine on the phone screen. It was noted that the movies which would NOT play the video to the TV were all labeled as "Amazon Original". Movies which are not labeled as “Amazon Original” play completely fine without issue on the Note 8 phone screen and when mirrored to, or sent over HDMI cable, to the same TV. It does not appear to be related to the resolution quality as some show as 1080, HD and/or 4K (all were downloaded as “Best” available). We tested one of the same Prime Video movies labeled as "Amazon Original" with a Samsung S10+ (SM-G973U) mirrored to the same Samsung 75" TV and the movie played fine, both with SmartView and over HDMI cable. Compared the settings on the two devices and did not find a setting that may be set differently and causing the issue. The problem is still only with "Amazon Original" movies, others play just fine.

What are we missing?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! First, try clearing the app cache/data for Prime Video in Settings>Apps​.

 

[DGMAX]

I appreciate the "welcome"! Hopefully there is enough experience here to solve just about any issue!! We have tried clearing the cache (did not help), but not the data since that will delete all the downloaded movies. At my location the movies must be viewed via download within the Prime Video app since the internet is slow (ATT DSL is the best currently available here). We do plan on deleting everything, including the app, and reinstalling/reloading it all next time the phone is around some good broadband service.

Thanks!!

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm, I wonder if it has anything to do with mirroring the downloaded movies rather than streaming them. If possible, see if you can test it while streaming (like at a friend's house with faster internet).

 

[DGMAX]

OK, I tried mirroring while streaming instead of playing from download within app, still does not display the video component of movies marked as "Amazon Original". I tried several of each, with the same results, only the ones without the "original" label will play. I also completely deleted the Prime Video App, completed some updates on the phone, reinstalled the prime app and re-downloaded a couple movies, one marked original, one not. Same results, no video when playing the the "original", but the other plays just fine. But here is a real kicker, I was at another location when I reloaded the app and grabbed the movies, both movies mirrored just fine to a Samsung 85" TV located there. Leads me to believe it is some sort of issue between the Note 8 and 75" Samsung device transfer here, driven by a difference in the file format of the Prime movies labeled as "Original" and those that are not. Thanks again for the help!

 

[B. Diddy]

See if this helps: https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/tv/screen-mirror-has-sound-but-no-video/td-p/1838586

 

[DGMAX]

Yea, I went through that thread (and several others) earlier but did not find a solution for my particular issue. The Note 8 mirroring option is labeled Smart View, and it works fine with my 75" Samsung TV on Netflix movies, YouTube videos, and "most" Amazon, Prime Video, movies, just not the Prime movies marked "Amazon Original". Yet an S10+ phone mirrors the "Original" movies just fine to the same TV. And as mentioned earlier, my Note 8 mirrors the "Original" movies to a different Samsung TV (85") just fine! Crazy!!

 

[DGMAX]

BTW, I may not have mentioned it but, with the Note 8, Smart View is "Miracast". And my Note 8 is connecting and casting to the 75" TV fine. When I try to view "Amazon Original" movies, I do see the Prime Video splash screen overlay information, just not the video of the movie itself. Without disconnecting the Smart View/Miracast, I can switch to a different movie (one not marked "Amazon Original") and it plays the video content just fine.

 

[DGMAX]

Also, I did try playing an "Amazon Original" movie straight from the Samsung 75" TV's embedded "Prime Video" app (streaming directly on the TV without the Note 8 in the picture) and the movie played fine. This leads me to believe it is the Note 8 blocking the video content due to some coding difference (DRM?) on the "Amazon Original" movies verses other available movies. Problem is I can't "stream" because of my crappy slow and limited data internet. I need to solve the issue so I can play all movies from within the app (downloaded when I have access to good fast internet).

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm, that is really odd. Have you already tried requesting a chat or call from Amazon's support team in the Help & Feedback section of the Prime Video app's settings?

 

[DGMAX]

I started to, but then with the S10+ mirroring all Prime movies fine, and the Note 8 mirroring all Prime movies fine to a different TV, evidence started mounting that it may be an issue with either my TV, or the Note 8, I hesitated. I think the only thing I might possibly learn is about the movie file formatting, if they will even release that type info about their movies.

 

[B. Diddy]

It may be an issue with the phone or the TV, but in relation to the Prime Video app (since it only seems to happen with Amazon Originals), so I think it's still worth asking. They might be useless, but who knows, you might get an agent who is familiar with the issue!

 

[DGMAX]

They said the movies file formats are the same. Went on to say the problem appears to be with the Smart View/Miracast app on the Note 8 (something I suspected). Now I just have to figure out how to update or totally reinstall that app on the phone. I looked earlier and it did not appear to be listed on the app page.

 

[B. Diddy]

It looks like the Smart View app was removed from the Galaxy Store a while ago, replaced by SmartThings: https://screenrant.com/samsung-smart-app-view-smartthings-replacement-explained/. Is that installed on your phone?

 

[L0n3N1nja]

My Note 8 and Roku TV do the exact same thing while my Note 20 Ultra works.

I believe it's a DRM issue and there is no getting around it. Amazon used to block prime from casting to none Fire Stick devices because they were being anti competitive. It got bad enough Google blocked YouTube from working on Amazon products because Amazon wouldn't allow casting to Chromecast or sell Google products on Amazon.com. There are a ton of complaints online from 2019 about it not working with Chromecast and a ton of complaints online from 2020 with a lack of Roku support. Roku and Samsung are both Miracast as is Amazons own Fire Stick, they were blocking the service.

I've used Samsungs screen mirroring via miracast since the Galaxy S3 when Samsung sold their own miracast adapter to plug into a TV back in 2012, most streaming apps used to do the same thing, black screen but the menu and sound would work and it was always a DRM issue.

Thinking back on it a few years ago Amazon video gave a black screen on all videos via Miracast, not just the exclusives. I remember this being an issue on my S7 with a Belkin Miracast adapter back in 2016/2017.

My best guess is when the Note 8 released Amazon was actively blocking it from working, and have since began to play nice which is why the Note 20 and S10 work but they never approved the older phones to work so they don't.

My phone, my app, everything's up to date. I've hit a wall where I believe it's impossible but I'd love to see someone prove me wrong.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Just checked with my desktop, video errors out and gives a playback error the moment my computer connects to my TV, won't even give me audio. Lol

 

[B. Diddy]

Just checked with my desktop, video errors out and gives a playback error the moment my computer connects to my TV, won't even give me audio. Lol

Does it matter if you install SmartThings (if possible)?

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Also confirmed if I cast to my computer and use it as a monitor I get audio and no video, on both the Note 8 and Note 20.

Busted out the ancient Note 3, oddly videos work on it, but it was also released prior to the Amazon Fire TV. Amazon would have had zero reason to block it from working.

I'm 99% certain Amazon started blocking all devices that competed with their Fire Stick at one point.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Does it matter if you install SmartThings (if possible)?

I've never used smart things, it isn't even on my Note 20. I'll download it on my Note 8 and see if it makes a difference.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Smart things shows all my connected devices including my TV and when I click connect it just uses the normal smart view and still doesn't work. It plays audio and shows the interface and subtitles but the video only plays on the phone screen.