Amazon Prime Video on Demand on Android TV Devices

[sidamos77]

The newest versions of Amazon Shop (Underground) and Amazon Video für Android 5.1 tablets do not play back at all with this exception:

V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673): =========================
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673): CRASH HAS OCCURRED
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673): java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.NullPointerException: The view cannot be found by given id: LeftNavSpacer
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.events.proxy.EventInvocation.doInvoke(EventInvocation.java:64)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.events.proxy.EventInvocation.access$000(EventInvocation.java:16)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.events.proxy.EventInvocation$1.run(EventInvocation.java:43)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:742)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:97)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:135)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5314)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:903)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:698)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673): Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: The view cannot be found by given id: LeftNavSpacer
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.util.ViewUtils.findViewById(ViewUtils.java:196)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.util.ViewUtils.findViewById(ViewUtils.java:221)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.xray.navbar.launcher.XrayNavbarCardPresenter$TitleViewPaddingAdjusterFactory.findView(XrayNavbarCardPresenter.java:888)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.xray.navbar.launcher.XrayNavbarCardPresenter$TitleViewPaddingAdjusterFactory.create(XrayNavbarCardPresenter.java:866)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.xray.navbar.launcher.XrayNavbarCardPresenter.initialize(XrayNavbarCardPresenter.java:295)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.client.activity.feature.PlaybackXrayFeature.prepareForPlayback(PlaybackXrayFeature.java:244)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.client.activity.feature.PlaybackXrayFeature.prepareForPlayback(PlaybackXrayFeature.java:189)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.playbackclient.activity.feature.PlaybackFeatureManager.prepareForPlayback(PlaybackFeatureManager.java:67)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.playbackclient.PlaybackProfileManager.prepareForPlayback(PlaybackProfileManager.java:106)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.playbackclient.PlaybackSession.preparePlaybackSession(PlaybackSession.java:556)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.playbackclient.PlaybackSession.onPrepared(PlaybackSession.java:485)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.playbackclient.BasePlaybackActivity$PlaybackActivityPresentationConsumer.onPrepared(BasePlaybackActivity.java:2171)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.playbackclient.BackgroundPlaybackDataConsumer$1.onPrepared(BackgroundPlaybackDataConsumer.java:355)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
V/com.amazon.device.crashmanager.AppFileArtifactSource(12673):  at com.amazon.avod.events.proxy.EventInvocation.doInvoke(EventInvocation.java:58)

 

[xaudiblex]

I would like to mention that this does work with Amazon Underground when paired with the older instant video app linked in the original post.

 

[will.blaschko]

I would like to mention that this does work with Amazon Underground when paired with the older instant video app linked in the original post.

Thanks for checking on this! In theory, most (all?) shop versions should work because I think they just handle authentication.

Unless someone beats me to it, my goal when I get back is to check which is the most recent version that works and then see if I can figure out how to make the current or Sony TV work as well .

 

[Santeno]

Sounds like you might have had a download error. I'd try to download the apk again and see if it works.

Thanks Will. The app worked fine on my Nexus Player, but Kept giving me the parsing error on my ADT-1. I noticed that when I viewed the apk on es on my Nexus Player you could see your icon for it, but on the ADT-1 all you see is the generic Android Icon for the file. I mentioned this to a dev friend who looked at the app and said to let you know that it is missing the lib files for the version of Android 5.0.1 that the ADT-1 runs. Apparently without those files it will continue to give the parsing error. Does that help at all?

 

[gottahavit]

@earl.grey & @nobo2k the new APK should have support for Amazon Prime Germany, in theory. The intents and data seem to be working correctly, but I don't have a German Prime account to test video playback with. Let me know if this works for you, if not, we'll figure something out.
@gottahavit I've exposed the video settings page of the Amazon VoD app, it's possible to change the settings to "Best," but I think that's still just 1080p high quality. I think it looks better than the default settings. The link is below all the video feeds in the "Settings" section.

Thanks, I think that adjusts bitrate but not upper resolution. Playing same program 1080p on my TV is night and day better. Thanks for trying though.

 

[xaudiblex]

Thanks for checking on this! In theory, most (all?) shop versions should work because I think they just handle authentication.

Unless someone beats me to it, my goal when I get back is to check which is the most recent version that works and then see if I can figure out how to make the current or Sony TV work as well .

That would make sense. The only version that hasn't been working for me is the newest 3.0 series of the instant video APK. I have only tested up to 3.0.63.239301 versions of the app. The app loads fine but I can't play any videos through the original app with a keyboard and mouse. It loads a blank screens, crashes, and kicks me back to the app. Ironically, the last version I had any success with was the one linked in the original post.

Tonight, I'll let you know which version of Amazon Underground I have installed. If there is an upgrade, I will take one for the team and find out if it works or not.

---------- Post added at 10:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:49 PM ----------

Okay. Ran some test & here are the results:

Amazon Underground
6.1.4.200 (Latest): Working

Amazon Instant Video
3.0.63.245601 (Latest): NOT working
3.0.57.32901: NOT working
3.0.57.30110: NOT working
2.0.45.1210: Working

 

[DaveTheRave]

Amazon Underground
6.1.4.200 (Latest): Working

Amazon Instant Video
3.0.63.245601 (Latest): NOT working
3.0.57.32901: NOT working
3.0.57.30110: NOT working
2.0.45.1210: Working

I can confirm, I did the same testing as xaudiblex, any version of the store (including Underground) works fine but all 3.0.X versions of Amazon Instant Video are not working with the app or standalone. It will simply try to load the title then exit.

 

[siddardhab]

Thank you very much.

I followed the instructions and got prime video working on Nvidia Shield for Amazon US. Great work.

 

[readonly24]

Hi,

first, thanks for your work and support.

I just installed everything and I was able to log into a german Prime account and play a video once. After that, I can select a video, but I only get the wait circle for a second or two, than I'm back in the movie selection.

Edit: APK Mirror is offline so I got the Amazon app from here

 

[nobo2k]

Hi,

thank you very much for the great application and the work in including uk/germany as well.
I was just able to test it again and it is still not working for me. When I use the applications from the linked post, I can launch your application (prime launcher) and select a movie - it switches over to the amazon application. The loading circle appears and then it just crashes on me.

How can I help to debug and fix it (if possible) ?

 

[will.blaschko]

Hi,

thank you very much for the great application and the work in including uk/germany as well.
I was just able to test it again and it is still not working for me. When I use the applications from the linked post, I can launch your application (prime launcher) and select a movie - it switches over to the amazon application. The loading circle appears and then it just crashes on me.

How can I help to debug and fix it (if possible) ?

Try clearing the data for both Amazon apps, for the moment it looks like that's helping.

If you can pull the whole log from when you launch the video until it returns to the launcher, that might be useful as well to debug. I have some ideas about how to make the app work with newer versions of the VoD but can't test yet.

 

[letsgoflyers81]

This works on my Nexus Player, except it crashes when I try to search. I can scroll through the listed movies and shows, but selecting the search icon crashes the app immediately.

 

[readonly24]

Try clearing the data for both Amazon apps, for the moment it looks like that's helping.

If I do so, I can watch exactly one movie, after that I only get the wait circle and get back to the movie selection. No error msg or so.

 

[nobo2k]

Try clearing the data for both Amazon apps, for the moment it looks like that's helping.

Clearing the data works - before I just cleared the cache.
Now I am with the same issue as most others:
I can play one movie (in SD quality) ... afterwards I experience the issue as before - the video application is initialized and then exits with "unfortunately this application has stopped" issue

This also happens when I change the settings from SD to BEST before launching a movie (directly after I cleared the data part)

If you can pull the whole log from when you launch the video until it returns to the launcher, that might be useful as well to debug. I have some ideas about how to make the app work with newer versions of the VoD but can't test yet.

I was trying to get a log with adb logcat but I couldn`t save it locally - any hints/tipps/links how to properly get the log of the shield so I can provide it to you?

Again thanks for the effort - please keep up this great work. Highly appreciate it

 

[will.blaschko]

This works on my Nexus Player, except it crashes when I try to search. I can scroll through the listed movies and shows, but selecting the search icon crashes the app immediately.

I'll add Crashlytics so I can track these crashes . Do you have a log by chance?

 

[will.blaschko]

Clearing the data works - before I just cleared the cache.
Now I am with the same issue as most others:
I can play one movie (in SD quality) ... afterwards I experience the issue as before - the video application is initialized and then exits with "unfortunately this application has stopped" issue

This also happens when I change the settings from SD to BEST before launching a movie (directly after I cleared the data part)



I was trying to get a log with adb logcat but I couldn`t save it locally - any hints/tipps/links how to properly get the log of the shield so I can provide it to you?

Again thanks for the effort - please keep up this great work. Highly appreciate it

I usually use android studio and copy/paste from the device monitor, but I know there are other tools out there as well.

See if this works for you: https://sites.google.com/site/androidhowto/how-to-1/save-logcat-to-a-text-file

 

[letsgoflyers81]

I'll add Crashlytics so I can track these crashes . Do you have a log by chance?

How wouldwould I do that? I haven't rooted or side loaded many apps on it.

 

[underworld1234]

You have done an amazing job on this app! By any chance, can you get close captions to work?
I figured it out. You just have to enable it for one video in the original app, and it enables it for all other videos.

Also, would it be possible to add purchased videos to view in this app?

Thanks again!

I enabled subtitles on my Fire Tablet (and I see subtitles there), but I still don't see subtitles using this app. What am I missing?

 

[xaudiblex]

I enabled subtitles on my Fire Tablet (and I see subtitles there), but I still don't see subtitles using this app. What am I missing?

You have to enable subtitles on the Shield TV (or Android TV Device itself) because it is a device specific setting. Its kind of hard to describe without screenshots but I'll do my best to guide you through it. You can enable captions by:

1) Starting up the official Amazon Instant Video app
2) Play any movie or show
3) Press the context menu button on a keyboard (or key combination ctrl + esc)
4) Click on CC
5) Enable it (and adjust settings if you desire)

 

[G8351427]

Thought I should point out to anyone that might be having problems. If you have tried getting this to work in the past and may have already sideloaded some Amazon apps, remove them and use the ones in the OP.

I seem to recall that Amazon had to republish a few of their apps when they got pulled from the Play Store and so now it seems they have more than on version floating around out there. I pulled the ones I got from Amazon directly and installed the ones that were distributed through the Play store.

It is now working for me on a Shield TV.