Video Slow and Flickering on Android TV

[Thinspirit]

Plan

Premium

Country

Canada

Device

TCL Android TV

Operating System

Android TV

My Question or Issue

When trying to play videos in Spotify on my Android TV, the video is really slow, choppy, and flickers to black continuously. I have restarted the TV as well as uninstalled and reinstalled the Spotify app.

Anyway to resolve this? 

[Thinspirit]

Uninstall it and cast it to the TV from your phone instead

[Thinspirit]

I had actually already figured this out as the google casting works fine. You don't even need to uninstall. The phone gives you the option of how to cast to the device.

The issue is with the TCL software. Using Google Cast to stream the video works just fine.

[BlakeFitzgerald]

Ah that's good to hear. Yea for my tv I had to uninstall it. When the app
is left on my TCL tv but casting through my phone it still flickers.

[legauch3_]

I have this same issue on multiple TVs (1 TCL  and 2 Sony tv's). Casting from the phone app works fine, but playing video directly from the android tv app has always flickered and stuttered. It has never worked. All tv's are updated to the latest firmware provided and relatively new TVs (TCL is on android 11 and the Sony's are on Android 9 or 10). All other streaming apps for video and or sound have no issues similar to this and work fine. I have stupidly assumed for nearly 2 years now that Spotify would obviously know about the issue and be working on an update to fix this. It's annoying to have to always have my phone with me and sometimes it's low on battery and the cast will cut out... It's definitely a software issue on Spotify's end, same issue on TVs from different providers, and no other issues from other streaming apps. Wake up Spotify, or at least admit that you will at least look into some sort of fix. Absolving yourself of all responsibility is infuriating and all you seem to care about.

[user-removed]

The problem is still there since last year. I had an android tv box from my french operator where this problem existed, sometimes even the video won't play (only audio). So I thought maybe the problem was the device and bought a mi box, guess what ! STILL SAME PROBLEM. What bothers me the most is that everytime we report this issue to Spotify they suggest some stupid solutions (turn your tv off, ask your manufacturer...) as if we didn't think or tried everything. And by the way the ONLY APP THAT HAS THIS ISSUE IS SPOTIFY. 

Instead of trying to convince us that we're wrong, start fixing the issue.

Thank you 

[user-removed]

Quick Update :

As some mentioned here, the solution is to delete the app on your tv device and cast it from your phone 

[yvvi]

Have the same issue with MiBox, only spotify is messed up. 

But to cast from the phone is not a solution.  

The solution is to fix The Android tv app

[Lucas_vos]

If you don't really need the video of the thing you're trying to listen to, you could go to Spotify settings and leave it there (this worked for me). This is also a temporary solution, and the app still needs fixing.

[janpan]

It baffles me how someone can suggest "cast it to your tv".

That is NOT a solution and this thread should NOT be solved.

Let me explain. If you cast spotify to your TV, you can no longer use your phone, since it is casting. So if your phone starts ringing, or if you quickly need to respond to a text message, or anything like that becomes extremely uncomfortable!

Secondly, you loose quality. Your phone might have a different aspect ratio than your TV, as in my case, and thus it scales and looks like a bad version of 720p.

Not only that, but requiring a seperate phone, a completely seperate device is not an acceptable answer. It's the same thing if you ask me, in order to play spotify video podcasts on my tablet, I need to cast it via my phone.

FFS spotify fix**bleep**! It's 2023, hundreds of thousands if not millions of users who need this on their TV is stuck without this functionality. Same goes for the PS4 and PS5 app.

STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND STOP MARKING THREADS AS SOLVED IF IT IS NOT PROPERLY SOLVED.

I am a developer myself and cannot imagine that this has passed QA.

If there is a developer at spotify who is not drinking smoothies all day, please fix this issue. ITS BEEN YEARS!

[ThisSucks8]

No, instead Spotify chooses to spend millions on buying up podcast
exclusive right but won’t give its users a reasonable way to watch those
podcasters on a tv. I have stopped watching joe Rogan and other podcasts
because of this issue. And we’re the one **bleep**ing paying a monthly fee for
this**bleep**. Fix**bleep**!!!!!

[LucBR]

So... STOP PAYING!

I did.

[BlakeFitzgerald]

It baffles you that someone (me) found a way to essentially get it to work on my tv? An issue that i realised that others seemed to be having and I hadn't seen anyone mention casting it? Look, I get you're upset with spotify but don't take that out on me ok?

[BlakeFitzgerald]

It baffles you how someone (me) can have a problem with getting Spotify to work on their tv? Then discover that there are a bunch of us and I didn't noticed anyone mention the possibility of casting it as a possible work around to try and help strangers on the internet? I get you're annoyed with Spotify, but don't take that out on me mate.

[LucBR]

Casting it's not a solution!

If I wanted to cast, I would not be bother to the app's issue. That's the point.

I addressed this issue almost 2 years ago, if I remember correctly, and still nothing.

This is a forum to find solutions (when the company wants, and clearly Spotify doesn't care about this particular issue).

But, as I said earlier... Stop paying. When enough users check out, they are pretty quick to fix their BS apps and content. Netflix is a good example of that.

I already switched to another music service and Spotify now is exclusively to watch some of Joe Rogan episodes (because they have him hostage, but not for long, I hope)

[janpan]

I'm not taking it out on YOU, I just don't understand why the thread was SOLVED. The problem is still there 

[Thinspirit]

My understanding is that a team from TCL has to develop the TCL Spotify
app. When you stream from your phone, that is the one developed by Spotify
themselves. The TCL app isn't under their scope but accesses their service.
This means they don't really have much say in whether they can fix it.

That's why the solution is to cast it from your phone, it uses Spotify's
own software to watch it and that works fine so to Spotify, the case is
closed on their end
.

[1188996892]

Issue solved!

I have a mibox s to and same issue. Uninstalled spotify and just cast it from my phone and no more flickering. 

[user-removed]

Only reason I tolerate this issue that Spotify refuse to fix is because of their exclusivity with the Joe Rogan experience.  As a result of it I actually subscribe.  I've only been given the run around on this issue and only now after finding this thread I realise it's just a we don't care attitude from Spotify. 

Joe rogan is free so I will have a premium subscription to some other app.

[user-removed]

Google cast used to work but not any more

[user-removed]

Waste of time

[kondado]

Thank you SOOOOO much. Still the same issue in May 2023. Ridiculous Spotify!!!