scrcpy
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Genymobile
Android TV Black Video
Environment
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- scrcpy version: 2.2
- installation method: Windows release
- device model: Android TV Streamer (Hot Streamer)
- Android version: 10
Describe the bug I have an android tv streamer which I got from my tv provider that includes an already installed app of this tv provider (but I can still use the streamer as a normal android tv streamer). When I'm trying to connect to the streamer remotely through the IP address of the network (using the android "developer mode") it's working just fine (without the audio since it's not Android TV 11) and when I try to watch a channel from the app in the tv, the app itself work just fine (I can navigate between sections of the app and everything loads fine) but the player screen is black and I can not see the channel or episode I'm trying to watch. Every other element of the player (such as the current minute of the episode I'm watching and the time remaining) are ok and correct.
How can I fix this issue? Is there any solution?
I've also tried to record the screen with scrcpy --record=file.mp4 but it still recorded a black screen. When I tried to play another video I saw that the interface of the app (besides the video player) shows as normal. This is probably something with the player or the app?
Something similar here, using this app. All good when navigating etc., however the video stream is blacked out. When I have connection problem and lagging, the animation (a spinning circle) is visible on scrcpy, audio is fine as well, only the streamed video is missing.
Environment:
- OS: Windows 11 64-bit
- scrcpy version: 2.2
- installation method: Windows release
- device model: Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
- Android version: 12
It's probably something related to the DRM protection of the content. Maybe Android is thinking it's recording the screen, although it's just mirroring it?
Having experienced this problem, I found this issue report and I've now confirmed what I already suspected. This is indeed an HDCP / DRM issue. The same thing happens in Windows as well as other operating systems. The codec/decoding module that handles protected media blocks screen capture for many reasons.
It's no so much that it doesn't know the difference between streaming / mirroring the screen vs recording, it's intended function is to block all methods of screen capture. Digital rights and digital licensing is a strange thing. It can even be country restricted based on the provider not having the digital licensing rights to sublicense the content in other areas of the world – the studios that own the rights would want more money. Certain content is also cheaper to license in other areas of the world, as decided by the license holders. One could stream or mirror content that was licensed somewhere else, allowing them to access restricted content or access it cheaper. It's the same reason that VPNs and tunnels are blocked.
It's unfortunate. However, for what it's worth, I have had better luck with content protection when mirroring my screen using Link to Windows, and it even now supports streaming HD audio. The frame rate isn't great though, but it did work for several apps I tasted. That's not to say that the HDCP/DRM/WideVine won't get updated again to block Link to Windows. I also didn't test it on a lot of apps.
I hope this information helps everyone understand what's going on. This isn't a bug and scrcpy cannot really do anything it.
