Prime videos restricted at 720p on Microsoft Edge. Why?

[ridibunda]

This topic is not about decryption/hacking, etc. So it is not against the forum rules.

I am trying to understand the nature of streaming.

It is said that Microsoft's Edge browser has the support for Prime's 1080p videos (And also for Netflix. I can watch Netflix 1080p on Edge, no problem about that)

I have an Amazon Prime account and set "the best" video quality. I have an internet speed of 35 mbps. At each content, I tried to watch the highest quality available but Prime always sent me the one at 720p.

Via Developer Tools, I found mpd files and noticed that there are 12 video streams for my favorite-list contents (as written in the mpd):

video_1.mp4 - 400x224, bandwidth="100000" - 100 kbps
video_2.mp4 - 512x288, bandwidth="150000" - 150 kbps
video_3.mp4 - 640x360, bandwidth="300000" - 300 kbps
video_4.mp4 - 704x396, bandwidth="501000" - 500 kbps
video_5.mp4 - 704x396, bandwidth="800000" - 800 kbps
video_6.mp4 - 960x540, bandwidth="1001000" - 1000 kbps
video_7.mp4 - 960x540, bandwidth="1500000" - 1500 kbps
video_8.mp4 - 1280x720, bandwidth="2000000" - 2000 kbps
video_9.mp4 - 1280x720, bandwidth="3000000" - 3000 kbps
video_10.mp4 - 1920x1080, bandwidth="4000000" - 4000 kbps
video_11.mp4 - 1920x1080, bandwidth="8000000" - 8000 kbps
video_12.mp4 - 1920x1080, bandwidth="15000000" - 15000 kbps

The stream sent to me was "video_8.mp4" as "the best" video format.

Enabling/disabling hardware accelaration did not change anything.

OK, I understand Chrome, Firefox and Opera's restrictions, because they support only L3. You can't get even a 1080p Netflix on those.

But why am I also restricted at 720p on Edge? "Prime disabled 1080p support for Edge" or what?

MPD file indicates that Amazon Prime contents are using both PlayReady and Widevine. If you have a L1-support or a PR-support, you are able to watch the contents. No computer has L1-support, so the only way for PC is PR-support.

Intel's 7th-8th-9th-10th-11th Gen graphic processors have Playready 3.0 decryption module and I have such a GPU.

It is said that, with Edge, we should be able to watch even 4K-UHD contents (which are protected by PlayReady 3.0). But I don't get even 1080p at Edge. I couldn't figure it out.

With such a hardware and internet connection, I expected Prime would stream me "video_12.mp4 - 1920x1080" which is protected by PlayReady 3.0 and Widevine L1. And I expected to watch it via my GPU's PlayReady support and also for Microsoft's "official" support.

Prime does not stream me any "high quality" content, like 1080p videos with Dolby Digital Plus (DD+, EAC3) sounds. Low bitrate AAC sound and video at low resolution are incoming at "the best" stream setting.

[4kblurayguru]

What is your display? 720 or 1080? did you go full screen? did you do a speed test while watching? did you try multiple movies?

[ridibunda]

Yes, I did everything you wrote. My monitor is 720p.


Edit: I connected my PC to a 1920x1080 TV via HDMI, nothing changed. Prime is always sending 720p video for "the best" quality. It's not related with a possible "screen resolution detection".

Latest chromium-based Edge browser does not support PlayReady 3.0 decryption, I'm sure about that now.

I won't download and test Prime and Netflix apps from Microsoft Store, because I don't know how to inspect them (like Dev Tools in browsers).

[Anonymous84]

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[ridibunda]

You're clueless.
Contact Prime support via officially established channels, they have customer service available. They don't reply here.

"Clueless"...

Well then, I should ask Amazon Customer Service, "Hey, why don't you stream me the highest quality, video_12.mp4 in the mpd?" and you think they will really answer that

First read what I wrote above.

If you don't understand anything, don't answer the thread. Very simple.

[ridibunda]

To reach UHD contents, I installed "Prime Video for Windows" application from Microsoft Store.

At first, it gave me that error on each content:

We're experiencing a problem playing this video. For assistance, please go to www.primevideo.com/help

I contacted to Prime and requested them to deal with it. On the web I noticed many people complaining about the same issue.

The Prime Guy replied like "There are many people in the software team, it will take some time"...

Today I tried once more. I was able to open the videos, but not UHD (When you log out and log in again, the playback error is gone, very weird)

Prime App's player reports a "HD" content (just like in the web browser). I have no idea if that "HD" stream is 1080p or 720p. I am unable to inspect Prime App's background, there is no "Developer Tools" for this.

If I'm not doing anything wrong, Intel and Microsoft must be liars about PlayReady 3.0 decryption module for UHD contents of Prime and Netflix. I am unable to get UHD contents on my computer, even though I have a Prime account and the proper hardware.

Now I will try it on a Philips 4K UltraHD TV with a Prime App pre-installed, and will see what happens.

[4kblurayguru]

Your hardware doesn't match, install prime app on your HDTV. The html5 player is adaptive, the faster the internet is, the higher bitrate you get however you need the display to match and you need to be fullscreen. Install the prime app from microsoft store will not give you 4K if you have 720p display.

[bamboobali]

ridibunda:

I have no idea if that "HD" stream is 1080p or 720p

For me, when using a 'normal' (non-Edge) browser the Amazon player puts the letters "HD" on the bottom of the screen when it's playing 720p, and it puts the letters "HD 1080" on the screen when it's playing 1080p.

4kblurayguru:

you need the display to match and you need to be fullscreen

For me, this is the only way I ever see the letters "HD 1080" at the bottom of the screen - no dev tools open in the browser or anything, just the full screen available to the player,

[ridibunda]

On my 4K TV with Prime App pre-installed, Prime perfectly streams UHD contents with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound.

The TV notifies me if a Dolby Vision content is played (Wow, I've finally experienced DoVi)... If no notification, then HDR format is either HDR10 or HDR10+, not DoVi.

But on my PC (with PlayReady decryption module in its graphics processor), the situation is like "Amazon does not like the monitor".

I think they want a "perfect chain" - not only a graphics processor with the Playready CDM or HDCP 2.2 support, but also a HDR-supported monitor.

Otherwise, they send you 720p which is definitely in SDR.

If you have a modern GPU, 2016 or newer, and a HDR-supported monitor, you can try your luck on your computer. With a 720p monitor, I am giving up I will enjoy the TV app.