One of the potential issues when playing videos in Stremio is the black screen problem, where only audio and subtitles are played. This problem is common on Android devices, such as mobiles, TV Boxes or Smart TVs, because the video contains a packaging codec like MKV.
What is the MKV format?
MKV is a video format where audio, video and subtitles are packaged separately in the same file. This format allows for content in multiple languages, replicating the experience of a physical Blu-ray disc.
Solution: Play in VLC
The most effective way to solve this problem is to redirect the playback of the content to an external player such as VLC. This player is multi-platform and supports almost all video formats, as it includes most audio and video codecs.
How to redirect Stremio playback to VLC?
- Install VLC on your Android device:
Access the Google Play Store and download and install the VLC application.
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Play the content in Stremio: Open the Stremio application and attempt to play the affected content.
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Observe the issue: When playing, you will notice that only the audio and subtitles are displayed, leaving the screen black.
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Configure the default player: Go to the top of the screen and locate the cone icon inside brackets (as shown in the image:
vlc stremio). -
Select VLC as the default player: In the list of installed players, select “VLC” and press the “ALWAYS” button, to always use VLC when encountering this problem.
With this method, you should no longer have the issue of nothing being displayed on screen when playing content in Stremio.