Troubleshooting Black Screen Issues on Prime Video When Using External Monitors
If you’re experiencing a black screen while streaming Prime Video on your external monitor, you’re not alone. Many users with laptops and external displays encounter this problem, which can be particularly frustrating when trying to enjoy UHD or 4K content. Here, we’ll explore common causes and effective solutions to resolve this issue on a Windows-based HP laptop with an external Koorui monitor connected via HDMI.
Understanding the Issue
The core problem occurs when launching Prime Video in your web browser: the screen turns black, but the content is not visible until the tab is closed. This issue persists across browsers regardless of the type, indicating a possible compatibility or configuration problem with the display setup during streaming.
Key Details:
– Laptop: HP
– External Monitor: Koorui (connected via HDMI)
– HDMI Cable: Supports HDCP 1.4 and 2.2 (for HD and UHD/4K content)
– Behavior: Black screen on Prime Video playback, normal on laptop screen
– Troubleshooting: Setting external monitor as main display, disabling hardware acceleration, clearing cache, and history had no effect.
Potential Causes and Solutions
- HDCP Compliance and Content Protection
While your HDMI cable supports HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), compatibility issues can lead to black screens during HDCP-encrypted content streaming. Ensure that both your laptop’s graphics driver and monitor firmware support the necessary HDCP standards.
Solution:
– Update your graphics card drivers from the HP or GPU manufacturer’s website.
– Check the monitor’s firmware for updates, if available.
– Use certified HDMI cables that fully comply with HDCP standards.
- Display Configuration Settings
Sometimes, the way displays are configured can affect streaming performance.
Solution:
– Set your external monitor as the primary display in Windows Display settings.
– Disable Extended Mode and try using only the external monitor as the display.
– Adjust display resolution and refresh rate to compatible settings (preferably matching the monitor’s native resolution).
- Browser and Hardware Acceleration
Browser hardware acceleration can sometimes cause conflicts with external displays during HDCP-protected content playback.
Solution:
– Disable hardware acceleration in all your browsers:
– Chrome: Settings > Advanced > System > Disable “Use hardware acceleration when available.”
– Firefox: Options > General > Performance > Uncheck “Use recommended performance settings,” then disable hardware acceleration.
– Edge: Settings > System > Turn off “Use hardware acceleration when
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