iPad Air How to Show Prime Videos Streamed via an iPad and HDMI Cable on Our TV: Screen is Blank.

[JPandBrighton]

On Friday, we successfully showed an Amazon Prime Video (Professor T - PBS) using an iPad Air with an Apple Lightning to HDMI converter and the HDMI cable plugged into our TV. It worked fine, with clear video and sound through the TV.

When we tried to watch again on Sunday, we got the audio through the TV but only a blank screen on the TV. This seems to be the case only for Amazon Prime videos: the iPad's home screen will display on the TV and we can watch YouTube videos on the TV this way with no problems.

We would appreciate any guidance you can provide to help us use our TV to watch Prime shows. We do not have broadband; we connect to the Internet via mobile devices like phones and iPads

Thank you.

 

[sparksd]

Have you tried Safari instead of Amazon's app for viewing the video? It has the benefit of supporting 1080p while the Prime app will only display 720p - why I quit using it and switched to the browser.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Have you tried Safari instead of Amazon's app for viewing the video? It has the benefit of supporting 1080p while the Prime app will only display 720p - why I quit using it and switched to the browser.

Do browsers like Chrome offer anything higher than 1080p?

 

[sparksd]

Do browsers like Chrome offer anything higher than 1080p?

No.

 

[Christopher Kim]

Were you trying to watch the exact same type of show on Prime or something different? If you re-watch the exact same episode that worked successfully, does it always work?

Thinking whether it's an HDMI handshake issue - which lightning > HDMI converter are you using? I know sometimes, certain streaming services have more stringent HDMI handshake requirements than others. Whenever I hear of the normal iPad iOS screen mirroring fine, but when outputting a video it not working (and only blank screen shows), it sounds like it could be something related to that?

 

[JPandBrighton]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies.
* We are using an Apple brand Lightning to HDMI converter
* We are also using the Safari browser to access the Prime Video content
This reminds me of some descriptions I have seen of HDCP issues, but we viewed our first video with no problems.
Any suggestions about how to Watch Prime Videos or our TV without WiFi? Thanks again.

 

[Matthew196]

Im betting Amazon dont want you to be able to use a Apple product to stream there videos to TVs and they want you to buy there Amazon Fire Stick to use these features! Which can be done you will just have to enable your iPhones hotspot to use data and connect your Firestick to the wireless from your iphone and then you can stream videos. in the long run its better to buy the Firestick (and its cheaper vs the GENUINE Apple Lightning to HDMI connector which costs about $50) because then you can stream to your TV in full High Definition vs using a iPhone's connection!

https://www.amazon.com/all-new-fire...7047422&sprefix=fire,instant-video,187&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/fire-tv-stic...7047422&sprefix=fire,instant-video,187&sr=8-2

 

[sparksd]

Im betting Amazon dont want you to be able to use a Apple product to stream there videos to TVs and they want you to buy there Amazon Fire Stick to use these features! Which can be done you will just have to enable your iPhones hotspot to use data and connect your Firestick to the wireless from your iphone and then you can stream videos. in the long run its better to buy the Firestick (and its cheaper vs the GENUINE Apple Lightning to HDMI connector which costs about $50) because then you can stream to your TV in full High Definition vs using a iPhone's connection!

https://www.amazon.com/all-new-fire-tv-stick-4k-with-alexa-voice-remote/dp/B08XVYZ1Y5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OYG8Z3KCEAJS&keywords=fire+stick&qid=1637047422&sprefix=fire,instant-video,187&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/fire-tv-stick-with-3rd-gen-alexa-voice-remote/dp/B08C1W5N87/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3OYG8Z3KCEAJS&keywords=fire+stick&qid=1637047422&sprefix=fire,instant-video,187&sr=8-2

No, Prime does not restrict the streaming (I know xfinity does).

 

[Matthew196]

I do know that some Lightning to HDMI adapters dont work with Amazon Prime, here's proof its right in the instructions...

 

[sparksd]

I do know that some Lightning to HDMI adapters dont work with Amazon Prime, here's proof its right in the instructions...
View attachment 1911475

Yeah, it does appear to be an HDCP issue with the Lightning adapters (I no longer have my Apple dongle and use USB-C with a newer iPad). A Fire Stick is a good option (I have one). There is a newer model out and it's still only $35 -

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MQZXN1X

Big upside for the Fire Stick is its support for higher resolution.

 

[DiegoA]

Im betting Amazon dont want you to be able to use a Apple product to stream there videos to TVs and they want you to buy there Amazon Fire Stick to use these features! Which can be done you will just have to enable your iPhones hotspot to use data and connect your Firestick to the wireless from your iphone and then you can stream videos. in the long run its better to buy the Firestick (and its cheaper vs the GENUINE Apple Lightning to HDMI connector which costs about $50) because then you can stream to your TV in full High Definition vs using a iPhone's connection!

https://www.amazon.com/all-new-fire-tv-stick-4k-with-alexa-voice-remote/dp/B08XVYZ1Y5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OYG8Z3KCEAJS&keywords=fire+stick&qid=1637047422&sprefix=fire,instant-video,187&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/fire-tv-stick-with-3rd-gen-alexa-voice-remote/dp/B08C1W5N87/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3OYG8Z3KCEAJS&keywords=fire+stick&qid=1637047422&sprefix=fire,instant-video,187&sr=8-2

The only problem with connecting via hotspot is that most cell services limit the amount of hotspot data you can use. The most I've seen is 40 gigs - that won't last long if you're watching many movies. Using an HDMI to USB-c cable and a later iPad without the lightning port (and an unlimited data on main device plan) works without problems and without using hotspot data.
I wonder if a lightning to USB-C adapter (and this HDMI to USB-C cable) would get around the DRM restrictions on the Apple lightning to HDMI adapter?