# Streaming service showing black when using "print screen"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2017, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255 "2017-08-21T05:33:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255/1 "2017-08-21T05:33:49Z")

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I just asked a question in the Game of Thrones thread. I wanted to upload a relevant screenshot to illustrate who I meant, but my service (Now TV) provides only a black box when I “print screen”. Do you know how they do that and any way to bypass it?

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255/2 "2017-08-21T08:12:05Z")

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Hi

Could you please provide a few details about your setup? Are you streaming Now Tv using a Windows PC, or some other setup? Which software are you using to view it? Have you also tried using a utility like Fraps or Greenshot to take the screenshot?

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255/3 "2017-08-21T08:38:36Z")

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Windows PC in a stand alone player that I had to download from them. The only method I used was the PrtScr button, as it’s the only one I’ve ever used.

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**Author:** ![vtxrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d26b3c/32.png) [@vtxrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vtxrider)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255/4 "2017-08-21T14:46:42Z")

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Why not just take a picture of the screen with your camera phone?

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**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-service-showing-black-when-using-print-screen/794255/5 "2017-08-21T15:11:41Z")

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This is typically caused by the application passing the video stream directly to the video card (standard hardware acceleration). Windows simply provides a bit of screen area (black square) where the video card takes over.

You can turn off hardware acceleration in your display settings for a short while (it will be unbearably slow and choppy), and that will allow you to get a screenshot.