Amazon Prime Video on nVidia shield ignoring VPN settings

by hvitserkur

Hi everyone,

I have a problem I have not seen others report anywhere. On my Nvidia shield my Amazon Prime Video app just stopped listening to my ExpressVPN VPN settings ("not available in your region"). The app opens but sees me like without VPN (so, almost no viewable content at all). Since this happens in mid-series it's an emergency of course :)

This started happening about 9 days ago, Nov 8 or 9, worked perfectly before that for a year or so. The ExpressVPN app was updated around that time but not 100% same time frame. Amazon Video app version is mid October.

The exact same setup still works fine for Amazon Video (and Netflix) on at least the following devices:

Samsung S8, ExpressVPN app 7.1.4 (same version as on shield) (or OpenVPN app using ExpressVPN service)
Windows 10, Chrome 70 browser, ExpressVPN app 6.7.1

(There is an amazing hassle installing a browser on nVidia shield now, was about to try that next - try Amazon Video on browser on the shield).

Nothing I have tried works (changing VPN modes in ExpressVPN, changing VPN servers, restarts, uninstalling Amazon Video updates etc.).

Any ideas? This is only reason for my Prime membership :/

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I cannot even cast my S8 video apps to the shield to temporarily solve the problem, I would have thought that was the easiest of all.

Thanks

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ProgrammerPlus

Just like Netflix even prime video blocks most VPNs. It's not ignoring your VPN... It's blocking it.

Neffy27

Exactly what /u/ProgrammerPlus said.

Amazon restricts its streaming services to it's products (Fire). Though they have an agreement with Roku. The consumer gets hurt in all this streaming box/stick wars among the companies.

Now, I have read a few times through the webs that a much older version of the Amazon apk will work if you can find it.

Edited: I stand corrected.

lurkerbutposter

My solution for streaming these days is not VPN but DNS routing. Check out www.unlocator.com Basically you manually configure your DNS and they use that to spoof the Geo block. Once you are passed the Geo block you have a direct streaming access. So you have your full bandwidth utilisation, unlike VPN that basically halves your available bandwidth. Oh and very difficult to detect unlike VPN connection. Works extremely well, and I even have been beta testing their Netflix region control. I can stream 4K Netflix from a US account here in the EU no sweat. Very good service all round.

sengboy120

besides ExpressVPN, does NordVpn or IPVanish work for Amazon Prime?

I have NordVpn and IPVanish.

undogo

Did you contact ExpressVPN? What did they have to say? Did you change to different city servers? I have noticed some servers operate differently from others. How are your permissions on your Shield set?

finnistre

mine still works with Getflix though its smart dns and also have prime membership.

cyberboss94

Hi, I have the exact same problem with my Nvidia Shield :(

I tried all their locations in the US with no luck however it works great on iPhone / iPad / macbook pro :(( It even works for Netflix on the Shield, only Amazon prime seem to block.

I subscribed expressVpn exclusively for this purpose (already had another VPN subscription).

Have you found a solution since then?