Amazon Instant Video - poor picture quality and endless buffering

jdp1962 · Oct 25, 2016

I've just signed up for Amazon Prime in anticipation of the new Clarkson, Hammond and May show, The Grand Tour, which begins streaming on 18 November.

I have two Panasonic SMART TVs, both with the Amazon Instant Video app. I've registered them successfully, but when I try to watch anything, the picture is grainy, and the stream buffers to a halt every few seconds.

Has anyone else had a similar experience, and if so, were you able to fix it?

Thanks

Jeff

azibux1 · Oct 25, 2016

I've noticed the grainy image quality with Netflix and Prime Instant Video... BUT Netflix sorts itself out within a matter of seconds, sometimes before you even notice it. I have noticed that Prime Instant Video takes a longer time (around 30 seconds) to sort itself out but after that it does play smoothly for me.

Have you got it on a wired or wireless connection to the TV? Wireless signal / available bandwidth on the channel is maybe letting you down

jdp1962 · Oct 25, 2016

Thanks for the reply. I should have added that both are full wired via ethernet, and my home broadband has no problem with streaming Netflix or downloading Sky On Demand.

Nilz · Oct 25, 2016

Have you got the latest firmware on the TV and the app too??

I have both Netflix and Amazon video running through a fire stick and they run without any probs.

jdp1962 · Oct 25, 2016

I know the TVs' respective firmware are both up to date, not sure about updating the apps separately.

I just ran the Grand Tour trailer on the PC and it's fine. Also did a internet speed check, and it peaked at 14.7 mb/s. I don't really want to have a Firestick poking out of the back of the TV if I can avoid it, as it's wall-mounted. Youtube runs fine using the TV app; it's just this bloomin' Amazon thing that's flaky. I'm thinking I could end up watching episode one and then cancelling within the 30 days..

Nilz · Oct 26, 2016

Maybe its just the amazon video app that doesnt run properly through the TV, I have spoken to a few people recently where in built apps just dont work properly on smart tvs, whereas on other devices they work fine.

Another option could be to try it on your phone or ipad or another device which you can then cast to the TV if its available to you.

Have you had a look on the avforums website, theres often very good and up to date info on there about these sort of issue.

The firestick does have an extension adaptor that comes in the box which can enable it to 'hang loose' rather than poke out, so could be an option.

I would go down the route of checking the app is upto date as they are always doing updated for 'bugs'.

Let us know how you get on.

jdp1962 · Oct 26, 2016

Nilz said:
Maybe its just the amazon video app that doesnt run properly through the TV, I have spoken to a few people recently where in built apps just dont work properly on smart tvs, whereas on other devices they work fine.

Another option could be to try it on your phone or ipad or another device which you can then cast to the TV if its available to you.

Have you had a look on the avforums website, theres often very good and up to date info on there about these sort of issue.

The firestick does have an extension adaptor that comes in the box which can enable it to 'hang loose' rather than poke out, so could be an option.

I would go down the route of checking the app is upto date as they are always doing updated for 'bugs'.

Let us know how you get on.

Yup, I'm a member of AVforums too, lots of useful comments over there. Even with extension, Firestick's not an option as I've no spare HDMI inputs. Next job is to find out how to update individual apps on the TVs, bearing in mind the firmware on both is current.

azibux1 · Oct 26, 2016

Sorry forgot to check back here earlier as I don't normally frequent this area of the forum

Hmm I'm a bit out of ideas then. Unless, you could go down the route of HDMI switch + fire TV stick

But obviously it would be nice if it worked properly from your TV

jdp1962 · Oct 26, 2016

So I'm trying to update the app, and it seems you have to uninstall it and then download it afresh from the Panasonic app store. So I do the uninstall only to find that before I can download, I must first register an account with the Panasonic Home Cloud. I do that, go back to the store and again try to download the app. Now it tells me to log in to my Home Cloud. I try to do that and it tells me the server isn't working and I should try again later. Graaaaah!!

Nilz · Oct 27, 2016

Great!!!

So frustrating!!

Are you able to login to the Home Cloud on a PC and download it to a USB, then install it off that??

Im not sure if thats an option, I dont have a smart TV, as I just find the interface and feel of it not very user friendly, I have previously used a mini tablet and casted that to the TV if i needed any smart facility on the TV (quite rare).

Obviously not saying to go down that route but I just find that a TV should be for picture alone, if you want good sound get a seperate setup, if you want smart facility use a laptop/ipad etc, in the case of Smart TVs i feel it should be a case of less is more.

Maybe look into the option of updating via USB.

Also does it have to be downloaded from the home cloud site, maybe there is a mirror site which you maybe able to access from the browser on the TV to see if that lets you get to it.

Sorry dude, running out of ideas.....

Keep us posted as will be interesting to see how you get on.

Nilz · Oct 27, 2016

Just been reading up actually about the Panasonic Smart Features, they are not very straightforward and apparently they need to contact a server to enable the apps, which is what is causing the issue!!

jdp1962 · Oct 27, 2016

OK, so a few minutes after ranting last night, i succeeded in reinstalling the app, and it's exactly the same, slow, laggy and buffering. So I'm going to give it up as a bad job, and watch The Grand Tour on my pc. That's not ideal, but it does at least feed to a 24-inch HD monitor.

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Amazon Instant Video - poor picture quality and endless buffering

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man

azibux1

Registered User

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man

Nilz

Defo worth the wait :)

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man

Nilz

Defo worth the wait :)

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man

azibux1

Registered User

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man

Nilz

Defo worth the wait :)

Nilz

Defo worth the wait :)

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man

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