Amazon is known for adapting to the needs of the market. Amazon managed to evolve from selling books to becoming one of the leading e-commerce sites in the world, and now it has its own video streaming service with premium content.
Subscribers to Amazon Prime can access Prime Video by adding it to their subscription.
Here’s What You Need to Know about Smart TVs and Amazon Prime Video:
Prime Video is an on-demand video streaming service from Amazon. It is available on different platforms, including smart TVs. You can find the Amazon Prime Video app in your smart TV’s app store.
1. How Do I Get Prime Video on My Smart TV?
Prime Video is an app you can download to your TV.
Like any other app on your smart TV, you can get Prime Video by downloading it from the app store of your TV.
2. Can You Sign Up for Prime Video on Your Smart TV?
You cannot sign up for Prime Video on your smart TV, you can only download the app and log in to an existing account.
You can only sign up for Prime Video when using a computer or smartphone. You will need to have an Amazon account in order to access Prime Video, which you can also sign up for on your computer or smartphone.
If you are new to Amazon Prime, you can opt for a free trial of the service and enjoy the benefits of a subscription for a limited time.
These benefits include free two-day shipping, access to Prime Music, the Kindle Owners Lending Library, and Prime Video.
3. Is Prime Video Free on Smart TVs?
You can install Prime Video without any costs, but you need to be subscribed to the service to use it.
4. Does Prime Video Have a Device Limit?
Prime Video lets you use up to three devices at the same time without having to make another account, but the same content cannot be streamed on more than two devices at the same time.
5. What Happens if You Exceed the Number of Devices Logged into Prime Video?
If you exceed the number of allowable devices in use, Prime Video will not allow the final device to stream video.
The same thing happens when a third device tries to watch a video that is being watched on two other devices. Prime Video only allows two instances of a video being streamed at the same time.
6. Can You Remove Devices Using Your Prime Video Account?
You can remove devices linked to your Prime Video account by logging in through a web browser or a smartphone and going to Settings.
You cannot manage your Prime Video account on your smart TV.
7. Are All Smart TVs Compatible with Prime Video?
All modern smart TVs will allow you to install Prime Video without any issues.
However, older smart TVs might not be able to install Prime Video, especially those that do not have App Stores.
8. My Smart TV Will Not Connect to Prime Video.
If your smart TV is not connecting to Prime Video, there are a few things to check.
- The first thing you should check is the status of your account. Make sure your payment details are updated.
- Then make sure your smart TV is connected to the Internet. Go to another app like YouTube and try to open it. If it doesn’t work either, the issue is probably your Internet connection.
- Check other Internet activities that are logged into your network. Sometimes, bandwidth-intensive activities, such as gaming or video conferences, can prevent Prime Video from streaming.
- Check if Prime Video works with your other devices, such as your smartphone or perhaps another smart TV. If it works there, then the problem lies with your TV.
- If you see that your smart TV is the root of the problem, you can restart the app or uninstall then reinstall Prime Video after restarting your smart TV.
- Some services may interfere with your Prime Video experience, including VPNs. You may want to disable them.
9. Why is Prime Video Not Working on My Smart TV?
Assuming your smart TV has Prime Video installed, the common reasons for it not to work are:
- Outdated payment information
- Lack of sufficient bandwidth to stream
- Device limit exceeded
10. Why is Prime Video Pixelated on My Smart TV?
Amazon recommends doing the following should you experience pixelated broadcasts:
- Close the Prime Video app on your device and restart it.
- Ensure that your device or web browser has the latest updates.
- Ensure that you are not using the same account on different devices.
- Ensure that any external device is connected to your TV or display using an HDMI cable that is compatible with HDCP 1.4 (for HD content) and HDCP 2.2 (for UHD or HDR content).
- Pause other Internet activity.
- Check your Internet connection.
- Update your connected device’s DNS settings on your smart TV.
- If you are attempting to control a device using Alexa, try to unpair, then re-pair the device.
- Disable any VPN or proxy servers.
11. Why is Prime Video Buffering on My Smart TV?
For buffering issues, Amazon recommends restarting your smart TV and Internet connections.
But, if the issue persists, Amazon suggests Force Stopping and clearing all data on the Prime Video app. According to Amazon, this troubleshooting method has resolved many issues encountered in the app.
The first thing to do it to make sure the TV is hardwired (uses a LAN cable) rather than connect wirelessly to the Internet.
12. How Much Bandwidth Do I Need for Prime Video?
To enjoy your viewing experience with Prime Video, Amazon recommends having a bandwidth of 900 Kbps for Standard Definition, 4.5 Mbps for High Definition, and 15 Mbps for 4k streaming.
13. Why Does My Smart TV Not Have the Prime Video App?
On many smart TVs, Prime Video is not included straight out of the box.
But don’t worry, as you can always download it from the app store of your smart TV.
14. Can I Download Prime Video Shows to My Smart TV?
You can only download videos from Prime Video on a smartphone or a computer that is running Windows 10.
You cannot download Prime VIdeo to your smart TV.
15. Do You Need a Smart TV to Watch Prime Video?
One great thing about services like Prime Video or Netflix is that you can view them on a variety of platforms, even while away from your smart TV.
As long as you have an Internet connection, you can watch content from Prime Video using your smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
You can also opt for streaming sticks or boxes, like the Roku or Amazon’s own Fire TV Stick.
16. How Do You Watch Prime Video on a Non-smart TV?
There are ways to access Prime Video even if you don’t have a smart TV.
As long as your TV has an HDMI port, you can watch Prime Video.
Here are the devices you can plug into your TV through the HDMI port for Prime video:
Streaming Boxes and Sticks
You can turn your ordinary High Definition TV into a smart TV when you plug a streaming box or stick through the HDMI port.
These devices act as a host for Prime Video. Popular options for streaming devices include the Apple TV, Roku Stick, Nvidia Shield, and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick.
Google Chromecast
Chromecast is just like a streaming stick, but instead, you use your smartphone or computer to “mirror.” With Chromecast, your smart device will display its screen onto your TV.
When you choose this method, your smartphone or computer basically serves as the remote control of the Chromecast.
Gaming Consoles
Prime Video has apps available for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 4, and the Playstation 5.
You can download the Prime Video app on the app store of the consoles. Depending on the device, you can navigate the controls using your gamepad or a dedicated remote control.
17. My Smart TV Goes Blank when I Select Prime Video
If your smart TV goes blank when you try to play Prime Video, it may be a firmware issue of the smart TV.
You can check your firmware version and make it a point to keep it up to date.
If this does not work, you should try clearing the cache of your smart TV.
There are many ways of doing this, and it will depend on the manufacturer of your smart TV.
According to many users of Prime Video, clearing the cache in the smart TV resolved this problem.
18. How Do I Sign in and out of Prime Video on My Smart TV?
You need to have a computer or smartphone on hand to sign in to Prime Video on your smart TV.
- When you click on sign-in on the Prime Video app, a code will be displayed on the screen. Copy this code and go to amazon.com/mytv.
- Sign in to your account and enter the code.
- Once you click Register Device, your Prime Video app will be updated and your smart TV is now registered to your account.
If you want to sign out of Prime Video on your smart TV, you can go to settings and click on Deregister Your Device.
- You will be asked if you want to remove your smart TV from your list of registered devices.
- Click on Ok if you wish to continue.
If you want to sign in again, you need to repeat the steps listed above to register your device on your smart TV.
19. My Smart TV Keeps Kicking Me Off Prime Video.
If your smart TV repeatedly kicks you off Prime Video, Amazon recommends deregistering the Smart TV in use and registering it again, using the steps listed in the question above.
You can also try force stopping the app and clearing the data and cache.
20. How Can I Watch Prime Video without a Smart TV?
As pointed out earlier, you can still watch content from Prime Video, even on a non-smart TV.
But if you don’t have a TV, there are still other ways to enjoy content from Prime Video.
Smartphone or Tablet
Using your smartphone or tablet to watch content on Prime Video is a convenient way to watch content on the go.
And when you feel the urge to watch, you can watch with the device speakers, or use headphones or earphones, so you don’t disturb people beside you in the coffee shop or the train.
And unlike the smart TV app, the mobile version of Prime Video lets you save content for offline viewing.
Instead of using up your data for high-quality streams, you can download your favorite titles and watch when you feel like it.
Computer
Another great way to enjoy Prime Video is through your computer.
If you use Windows 10, Prime Video has an app that lets you also download your favorite titles to your computer for offline viewing.
Should Windows 10 not be in your options, fret not, as you can still watch on your browser.
Prime Video works on the following browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Opera
It is recommended that you use the latest version of these browsers for the smoothest watching experience.
Also note that High Definition streaming is only available for Mac OS and Windows.
So, if you are using ChromeOS, Linux, or any other operating system, you are limited to Standard Definition streaming.
21. Can I Block Prime Video Access on My Smart TV?
You can block Prime Video on your smart TV.
The process will depend on the make and model of your smart TV.
You can read about blocking content in our article How To Block Content & Channels On Smart TVs.
22. Can You Set Up Parental Controls on Prime Video?
Prime Video lets you set parental controls so that you can limit the kind of content children may view.
- To set up Parental Controls on Prime Video, log into your account using a desktop browser.
- Go to Prime Video Settings and open Parental Controls.
- Open the Age Restriction and select which devices these settings will apply to.
Take note that the following devices have their own Parental Control Settings:
- Amazon Fire TV devices (Fire Stick, smart TV)
- Fire Tablets using Fire OS 5 or older
- Fire Phones
- Xbox 360 consoles
23. How Do I Cancel My Prime Video Subscription?
If you decide that Prime Video is not meant for you, you can always cancel your subscription.
To cancel, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Amazon account on your browser and look for Your Memberships and Subscriptions.
- Open Manage Subscription beside Prime Video, and click the link under Advance Controls, which will bring you to the main subscription page.
- You can end your subscription here.
Note that you will not get a refund for any unused days from the month that you decide to cancel your subscription.
24. Is Prime Video Better than Netflix?
When you compare the two services, one thing you will notice is that they both have content exclusive to their platforms.
Prime Video and Netflix can both stream in High Definition and can provide you with hours of entertainment.
So if you are looking at things from a content perspective, you can say they are at a tie with each other, which makes them equal, depending on what kind of content you are looking for.
But things change from a price perspective.
- Prime Video is an add-on to the Amazon Prime subscription. It costs $8.99 a month, which is on top of your Amazon Prime subscription, which starts at $119 annually. So in total, access to Prime Video is $127.99 annually.
- For that amount, you get to watch in High Definition and have up to three devices using Prime Video at the same time. And then, of course, you also get the convenience of Amazon Prime’s services, which are separate from Prime Video.
- Note that you can watch Prime Video content without an Amazon account, but if you plan on watching a lot of content, it is not very cost-effective, as you must pay for each piece of content individually.
Meanwhile, Netflix subscriptions start at $8.99 a month.
- While you only get one screen, you don’t have to pay for another subscription to use Netflix. It’s a flat rate.
- If you subscribe to the Premium plan of Netflix, that will set you back by $17.99 a month, which allows you to have four screens on one plan.
The deciding factor here would be the content that you gain access to and if you think an Amazon Prime subscription is worth it.
Final Thoughts:
Prime Video is a remarkable video streaming platform that works best if you are subscribed to the Amazon Prime services.
If you also seek entertainment from ebooks from Kindle and you plan to use Amazon’s other services, then it may make sense to use Prime Video as your choice for video subscription, given the cost and value it brings.
Sources:
Prime Video System Requirements for Computers
Is Amazon Deliberately Degrading Prime Video Streaming on Roku Devices and Smart TVs?
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