An Amazon Signage Stick stuck on the Amazon logo or a black screen is almost always a power, update or HDMI problem, not a broken stick. Unplug it for one minute and plug it into a wall outlet with the adapter from the box. Then give it 10 minutes: it may be installing an update. If it is still stuck, plug it straight into the TV with no switch or splitter, and check the TV supports HDCP.
Logo, black screen or No Signal?
| What you see | What it means | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| The Amazon logo stays for more than a few minutes | The stick has not finished starting | Power, then time for an update |
| The logo appears, then disappears, then appears again | The stick restarts in a loop | Power |
| A black screen with no message, after the logo | The stick started, but the TV or something in between rejects its picture | HDMI and HDCP |
| "Installing" on screen after setup | The stick is installing an update and the CMS app | Wait 10 minutes or more |
| The TV says "No Signal" | The TV gets nothing on this input | No Signal or wrong input |
How to fix it
- Power-cycle the stick. Unplug the power adapter, wait one minute, plug it back in.
- Use the adapter from the box, in a wall outlet. Amazon warns that TV USB ports have limited power output. A stick short of power can stop at the logo or restart in a loop.
- Wait 10 minutes or more. After setup, a reset or a long time unplugged, the stick installs Fire OS updates and the CMS app before it shows anything. On a slow network it takes longer. Scheduled updates install between 2 am and 5 am local time.
- Plug the stick straight into the TV. Remove any HDMI switch, splitter, hub or extender. Amazon suggests testing both with and without an HDMI adapter or extender, and with a high-speed HDMI cable.
- Try another HDMI port, then another display.
- Check HDCP. The stick requires HDCP 2.0 or later (copy protection every device in the HDMI chain must support), and there is no way to turn it off. A display or splitter that fails the HDCP check shows a black screen or a stuck logo, with no warning. Check the display's manual for HDCP. Older commercial displays, projectors and cheap splitters are the usual culprits. A device sold as "4K" can still use an older HDCP version.
- Factory reset as the last step. If the stick is stuck on every display, reset it and set it up again.
If it is still stuck after a reset, on a different display, with a different cable and the original adapter, the stick is likely faulty. Contact Amazon Signage support at [email protected], or return it through Amazon.
Rolling out to several sites
Test one full chain (stick, adapter, cable and any splitter or extender) on the exact display model each site uses, then buy the same parts for every site. A chain that works on one display model can fail HDCP on another. Set each stick up and let it update at your desk before it ships, so the first start at the site is fast.
Where Brix fits
Brix can only help once the stick has started and paired. It cannot see a stick stuck on the logo. After pairing:
- The screen's outage history labels each gap: Power cut, Restarted, Switched off. Repeated restarts point at the power supply.
- A Screen restarts again and again alert rule catches a stick in a restart loop. See alerts and emergencies.
- If the screen is online and playing but the TV is dark, the fault is between the stick and the TV. Live preview shows what the stick is sending, and on a TV with HDMI-CEC the row reads TV off or TV on another input. Brix cannot detect an HDCP failure.
After a reset, the Brix screen keeps its name, content and schedule. Use Replace device on the screen and enter the new pairing code. See manage your screens.
FAQ
How long should the logo stay on screen?
A few seconds to about a minute on a normal start. During an update, 10 minutes or more.
Can I turn HDCP off?
No. Amazon states it cannot be disabled on the stick, and no signage app can turn it off.
If I swap displays, do I need to set the stick up again?
No. The stick keeps its Wi-Fi and its CMS pairing.
Start a free trial and pair the stick with Brix once it shows its pairing code.