★★★★★ An Amazon Fire TV review will not answer these 40 questions. Get the truth from people who own an Amazon Fire TV , including the fact that it won't...
QUESTION: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IF ANY BETWEEN AMAZON FIRE TV AND OTHER BOXES? I'M NEW TO STREAMING TV JUST TRYING TO GET THE BETTER UNIT. THANKS IN ADVANCE.
• Your question is: What is the difference between Amazon Fire TV box, stick, or other boxes such as a Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast Stick or using a DVD player with streaming service or a game console with streaming capabilities. With all these streaming options, competition is fierce, but content is king. Since Roku is the most comparable than I will use that as a side-by-side but afterwards, I'm throwing in another option. As of today, Fire Tv does not get a fully functioning YouTube. What is available, often crashes. The YouTube app for Fire Tv page is full of complaints. YouTube has come a long way since the days of uploading videos of your friend crashing his bmx into a tree and ranks up there with Netflix and Hulu. For anyone who uses YouTube often, they will understand that living without it is not an option. For some, solving the issue of not having full-functioning YouTube on Fire is sometimes solved by sideloading KODI or Plex, a sometimes fee service used to upload and organize media content from places like YouTube but you have to get the YouTube plug-in for PLex or KODI to access it. Last I heard though, Amazon Fire is no longer or will no longer be making KODI available because of its ease of access to pirated content. Like any app on a phone or device, sideload apps like KODI or Plex update and change their features which can sometimes cause issues, issues which can cause users to have trouble accessing their content. There is a history of complaints about this. Additionally, there are sometimes fees. For that reason, I just want the channel not a problematic journey to a backdoor to get me to the channel, a door that could jam and may stop working or charge me a fee to get it - just give me the darn channel! Having the YouTube channel on Roku also allows me to cast directly to it from the YouTube app on my android tablet or phone. From what I've read, doing a search on the YouTube app for Fire TV is a letter-by-letter scroll and select adventure. Being able to scroll my subscriptions or type in a search using the app on my smartphone then casting my selection to the channel on Roku eliminates that headache entirely. But what really got me with Roku is the Firefox app. I understand this is available on Fire as well, so is the allcast app or airplay app if you are on ios phone but the negative reviews far outweigh the better ones. I can pull up the Firefox browser on my android smartphone and play a video content and then cast it to my Roku using the Firefox app on Roku - personally, I have never had an issue with doing that or with a video timing out. Also, I can cast from my phone but I don't have to keep that screen on my phone dedicated, I can make a call, browse, play a game. I don't know how that would work with Fire TV but worth finding out. This is also the same concept as a Chromecast stick using a chrome browser on my smartphone, also a Mac or iphone can airplay to AppleTv, I found that Roku suited my personal preferences overall since we are an android household. Last year I took a long look at Chromecast stick to have in a spare room but it fell short in many ways which, I"m sorry I can't remember. If Fire ever works out the bugs with YouTube and getting a browser app I can cast to without having to sideload Plex or KODI then I'll consider it but so far, as I'm in the market for another streaming box and stopping by to see if Fire has improved, it looks like it hasn't figured it all out quite yet. There are all these blogs and comments on how to get out of Fire what you get directly with Roku. What a hassle - sticking with Roku. Lastly, I have never had these reload issue or everything else people complain about with Fire. I'm a long time Prime customer and keep waiting and cheering for Fire to outpace the rest but so far it's not happened. But I'll keep checking! One last option to consider is the one I finally took. Once I cut the cord I started to look around at all of my options. About that time, TV's were getting smarter, coming out with browsers installed with the TV but for an enormous amount of money. So I started to think about that and the future of media and decided to get smart also, find away to max my content without cable. After careful thought and a lot of research and reading. I went out and bought an Acer Chromebook and hooked it up to my 48" TV with an HDMI cable and got a wireless keyboard and mouse off Amazon. I use the Chromebook as a dedicated device for all of my streaming services except for Sling TV, which I recently activated on Roku. By doing this, I don't have to find ways to play content on my TV via a streaming device, content that is readily available online and then some. A dedicated browser hooked to a TV is definitely one of the smartest things to do especially if you have Netflix - and this is my favorite part. When you use Netflix on a streaming device you get the library of the country you are in but if you watch Netflix on your computer, a browser with the Hola.org - that is a VPN (virtual private network) extension - you can change the country you are in via Hola.org and get a different library since Netflix does not have the same library in every country. That is included in the already monthly fee, you just re-sign-in from each time you change country or region, Netflix always recognizes you. Netflix is aware of this and does not discourage people from it, rather they use it as a sales tactic since people in China, for instance, do not get Netflix but by using a VPN a non-Netflix audience gains access which in turn gives Netflix a massive audience of millions that will one day be customers once their service is available in that region. In media news, Hollywood Reporter last year was keeping tabs on the wordy brawl bwtween Netflix and Hulu. The use of VPN has been a cause of stink and word-slinging between Netflix and Hulu since Hulu does not allow access to their content using a VPN. So it makes them look like party-poopers and they are hating that and criticizing Netflix for allowing it! But for us, for me, by using my Chromebook, a dedicated browser hooked to my TV and using a VPN, I get Netflix in Germany, France, UK, Australia, Argentina, Spain, Canada, Chile', New Zealand, Belgium, Netherlands...and on and on and on . The list is endless, or at least until you run out of countries! For non-English countries, this is especially beneficial for a multilingual household since with cable, you have to pay extra for the foreign channels. The Netflix in Argentina for example, will have English speaking American programming but also programming native to that country. The same for France, Germany, Japan, and so on. Australia is English speaking, has Hollywood movies and popular American television shows but the foreign content is native to that country, having also all of the popular Australian movies or tv shows. Doing this, using a Chromebook, I have multiplied my Netflix library several times over and still pay the same flat monthly rate I was paying before I added the use of a VPN online. As for my library list, what I can watch in one country may not be available in another. For example, in Netflix France library, they have the first five seasons of CBS The Big Bang Theory - no one else has that, not even CBS. Other services, you have to buy the digital season or pay per episode. But not on Netflix France! Furthermore, whatever list I'm building, if those movies or TV series is available in a different country as well as on my US library, my list follows me to each country as long as it is there also. I don't have to rewrite a list for each place, although I will add what I don't have in the US. Even better, sometimes a popular US show is available overseas before it is in the US. I notice this often. In the UK, they (Netflix) were airing 'Better Call Saul' next day, or next morning for me. I don't have cable so I don't get AMC but I have Netflix UK! lol It's very cool. For anyone who wants to go this route, there is a search website called Flixsearch. What it does is, you type in a movie or actor or keyword that you are looking for. Flixsearch will give you all of the results after a search across all regions and let you know which region or country that selection is available, sometimes it can be anywhere from three countries to ten different countries so that selection follows you to each country once you add it to your Netflix library. But you can't get VPN or change countries in Netflix on a streaming dedicated box like Fire TV or Roku. You have to be online. If anyone is serious about expanding content, controlling content and especially controlling cost, quit trying to find ways to put on your TV screen what you can get online or out of a streaming box, and sometimes with fees, and just hook up a Chromebook. It solved everything for me and it is so much better, safer than a laptop since all it is is a dedicated browser, no files to infect with trojans or virus. I will never go back to using a streaming device again, except in spare rooms which is why I'm looking for one now. And since some people are really keen on using headphones for watching loud movies with heart racing dramas and things explode while the kids are sleeping, my Chromebook has Bluetooth so I use an LG Bluetooth surround-sound headset that doesn't need to hook into a remote control. If you would like to read more about comparisons of all of streaming players, the popular and reliable CNet Tech magazine online has some recent and very honest, unbiased reviews; guiding the reader on what the benefits and downsides are to each device. CNet recognizes that not everyone in their audience is tech-savvy and they are mindful of that, making their information clear and comprehensible. It's a lot of information, but a lot is out there! Hope this helps - good luck!
• The Fire TV box has voice search so just say "Prime only" to eliminate rental/purchase results. You can add it to the stick or use an app but is included with the box. The Fire TV box can be placed anywhere. The stick may not get the best WiFi signal behind a TV as many have reported. The Fire TV box has more memory and better for DSL or slower broadband connections and you can add 128G for app storage. If you have a much faster connection, the Fire TV will do 4K. Many of those services are coming on line and Amazon is upgrading very quickly. The Fire TV box is faster than the stick, both in selecting a movie or playing games. The Fire TV box has the ability to use ethernet for the fastest throughput and security. The Fire TV box is better suited to high end audio receivers or even soundbars as it is more flexible. It also can send audio to a blu-tooth device which the stick can not do. The stick requires all components to pass Dolby Digital Plus only. The Fire TV box has Free Time for kids as well as Minecraft. Those are not on the stick. I own both devices and prefer the box. The stick is best suited for a secondary TV.
• I am very new to streaming too. As of two days ago. You have to be careful about "how much data are you streaming". Cell phone are usually 2 to 5 Gigabytes and from what I have read that could be 2-3 highdef movies per month. Centurylink basically does not limit you to the amount of data per month. Other services do monitor you and a low end cable ISP may not let you stream..Amazon Prime membership does let you stream movies from thier library and Netflix does charge you a monthly fee $8.99 or 11.99 for the new 4k movies but they requires a 4K TV and there is not much on 4K yet. Probably be a year or two for 4K. So streaming is the movie is streamed (downloaded to you) like a theater. The smaller the screen you watch the less high definition you need. A phone sized screen does not need HD. A 55-65-75-120 inch television needs HD streaming 1080x768.
• I have tried many different boxes , Amazon Fire Tv is by far the fastest and most stable system I have used. Real easy to load programs like Kodi. Excellent box.
• does it get basic network tv channels?
• Just got ours hooked up. All the reviews said to use this instead of a Roku.
QUESTION: IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE TV'S DO YOU NEED A SEPERATE FIRE BOX FOR EACH TV?
• You can use one box and move from TV to TV or buy as many as you need. Your choice.
• I believe so, yes.
• Unless you wish to move them around, get a separate box for each tv
• If you had some sort of cable adapter it may work.Check the cables on fire tv If you had an adapter cable to attach to cables of fire tv, it may work. I can't say for sure. Interesting question though.
• Yes
QUESTION: COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY I SHOULD PAY $50 FOR THIS UNIT INSTEAD OF THE STICK. THANKS.
• The Fire TV box has voice search so just say "Prime only" to eliminate rental/purchase results. You can add it to the stick or use an app but is included with the box. The Fire TV box can be placed anywhere. The stick may not get the best WiFi signal behind a TV as many have reported. The Fire TV box has more memory and better for DSL or slower broadband connections and you can add 128G for app storage. If you have a much faster connection, the Fire TV will do 4K. Many of those services are coming on line and Amazon is upgrading very quickly. The Fire TV box is faster than the stick, both in selecting a movie or playing games. The Fire TV box has the ability to use ethernet for the fastest throughput and security. The Fire TV box is better suited to high end audio receivers or even soundbars as it is more flexible. It also can send audio to a blu-tooth device which the stick can not do. The stick requires all components to pass Dolby Digital Plus only. The Fire TV box has Free Time for kids as well as Minecraft. Those are not on the stick. I own both devices and prefer the box. The stick is best suited for a secondary TV.
• This unit works so much faster than the stick...the stick lags and buffers way to much and gets annoying..this is worth the extra money
• I have both the stick and the 'box'...have never experienced any lagging or buffering with either. The stick works perfectly.
• plays 4K, voice command to everything means no typing to search for shows. Not to mention lightning speed streaming and expandable memory to 120gigs with a sd card.
• The FireTV supports both WiFi and LAN connections. I believe the Fire Stick only supports WiFi, no LAN.
• I agree with all three answers below. I'm loving the box. it's still cheaper then Apple TV which is $169 and does not support 4k at this time. I also just bought the game controller. Can't wait to try it out.
• The Fire TV streamer is ethernet enabled giving a faster connection with less potential buffering.
• Apps running better on Fire Tv such as Hulu and Sling tv
• I started off with the stick and am happy with it. However, I saw the box on sale and decided to upgrade. I have found that I like the box better because of the faster processor and the ethernet/wired connection. The voice feature is nice, but I'm sure it will wear off in time. I like the micro-SD slot to expand the memory, that should be interesting as well. I have also been told that if the stick is plugged directly into the back of the TV, that some TVs will have EMFs that will degrade the WIFI signal. I'm not sure if this is true or not, but its something to consider. Hope this helps..
• Ignoring the sales specifications I have both and the lag between the stick and this is barely noticeable if at all. The big difference for me is that this has an etherport and USB port. The ether connection is nice but I haven't had any issues with the wireless on the stick. The USB port is great for a wireless keyboard or external Fat32 formatted drive that you could use with KODI , which also works equally well on both the device.
QUESTION: WHAT IS INCLUDED WITH THE PRICE?
• Included in the Box: Amazon Fire TV Amazon Fire TV Voice Remote Power adapter 2 AAA batteries
• What's in the picture, batteries for the remote and a power cord. You supply the hdmi cord.
• just the box then it one price for prime then Netflix and if you what hull it total about $30 a month but amazon one fee at once after you pay that maybe $20 a month there is no reason to have cable for movie this is all you need and it better
QUESTION: IS THERE A MONTHLY SUBCRIPTION TO USING FIRE? ARE THE APPS ON IT FREE TO USE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NETFLIX/AMAZON? I DON'T HAVE CABLE, IS IT WORTH IT?
• There is no fee for owning or using the Fire TV. Optional services can have fees and those services do not have long term commitment. If you use a digital antenna for free local broadcasts in HD and Hulu Plus, you can have a cable like service. I spend 8 to 20/mo and have lots to watch. There are thousands of apps and 3 to 4 added every day. Some have a cost and some are free. I enjoy getting movies that are brand new for about the same price as a couple theater tickets and can watch them forever. Rentals are super cheap. 3 to 4 bucks, or less than a tub of popcorn at the theater and no waiting in line.
• For me cutting cable it was worth it. Amazon with a yearly Subscription fee. Netflix and Hulu have monthly fees but many other apps for free.
• no charge to use the fire media player.I only use it for Netflix etc and it works superbly.HD sound it missing though
• We cut the cord last spring and have never looked back. The Fire has been the answer for us. Lots of free content with Amazon Prime (highly recommend Prime). Netflix, which runs easily thru the Fire, is our movie and show source. Dive-in!
• No monthly fee. If you have Amazon Prime there are shows and movies included with Prime.
• To use the device itself, no. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus and other have subscription fee but it sounds like you've got a grasp on that already.
• In Brief: No there is not a monthly subscription for Amazon fire tv. However, all apps are may cost you something. It depends on if you are currently a amazon prime member and or a netflix member or Hulu. If you are already a member of these services you do not have to pay to have them shown on fire tv. The only app I have purchased was Sling Tv, which granted me all the channels my wife likes and espn, for only $20. What is nice with this system is that you can spend as much or as little as you like. It is up to you to spend the money for the apps or not. Currently I am spending aprox. $50 per month for tv+movie including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sling TV. Finally is it worth it? I can not answer this question for you, I can only tell you that I am saving $120 per month not having cable and I get everything cable gave me. On the downside sometimes streaming is slow and the system will kick you out, but I blame that on the internet service(comcast for me).
QUESTION: WILL IT WORK IN MEXICO?
• No,not yet, and probably not for a while.
• I'm not sure, it uses internet. So if you have internet you should good to go.
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201624360
• I'm not sure however, if Internet is available it's very possible. Very cool if work in the tourist towns. Pls leave an update with your experience.... . .
QUESTION: I HAVE A SAMSUNG SMART T.V. I HAVE PRIME, HULU AND NETFLIX. WOULD THIS STILL BE A GOOD BUY.
• At the sale price, it's a steal. 4K UHD and 4,000+ apps and you can enter your email password for all your services and watch with Alexa to switch on or off your lights and check the score of your favorite team. Seems like a deal to me.
• You do not need this device if you have a smart tv because you can download the apps on your tv. This device is for a regular tv that does not have built in wi fi. A smart tv has built in wi fi. So you do not need the fire tv. If you have a tv at home that has a hdmi port that is not a smart tv, then this would be a great buy.
• It's a good buy only bcuz you get the benefit of future updates from fire tv
• If you are not happy with the apps on your smart tv or your tv is missing apps for services then yes otherwise no.
• Yes, a smart TV already supports most apps. You don't need another device to stream through. Do it directly through the TV.
• I really depends on how your interface on the smart TV works for you. Technically speaking you have already have some of what the Fire TV has for apps. I do find that I get better picture quality with the Fire TV than I did with another box. Buffering seems to be slightly better as well. If you have a lower speed DSL you may be disappointed. I believe my issue with loosing connection has more to do with my internet speed than actually loosing connection. This version of the Fire TV also offer games by larger name developer as well. If your buying exclusively for those three apps if your current picture quality is good and the interface works for you I would hold off until another app or channel comes along that your TV doesn't offer
• It's on sale at the moment, so it's a decent price. Are you happy with prime, hulu, netflix or do you need any of the other primary benefits it offers (e.g. are you buying a 4K TV/Projector soon? Are you interested in any of the features of the Amazon Echo, many of which are available on the Fire TV? Do you have an Amazon Prime account? If so, free prime music is available). I would look at the feature list and see if there is anything you really need? I may pick up one for the music, but we already own a Roku, so there isn't much else we need that this offers right now. Plus it's still a relatively new product, so they're working out some of the kinks. :)
QUESTION: I DON'T SEE DISCOVERY CHANNEL IN THE DESCRIPTION, CAN I GET DISCOVERY CHANNEL WITH FIRE TV?
• http://www.hulu.com/search?q=Discovery+Channel Hulu Plus is 7.99/mo with well over 100 networks.
• It is on one of the availble apps that you can add to Fire TV
• It is not a cable replacement and there are a few add-on fee apps are available but the Discover Channel is not currently supported. History Channel Specials are available to rent if that will help.
QUESTION: I HAVE THE ORIGINAL FIRE BOX AND I LOVE IT. I DON'T SEE WHY I SHOULD UPGRADE BUT WHAT IS 4K AND HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE IT?
• Right now is not a good time to up-grade your Fire TV. In fact you will probably fall out of love with it. 4K TV's have even better resolution like the difference between DVD and Blue Ray. You would know if you have one because it would have drained your wallet. The 2nd gen Fire TV has problems with the remote, video in 4K and audio in Dolby and multi channel issues. Fixes are scheduled over the next 4 weeks, so best to wait.
• I wouldn't buy it for the 4k as the technology is limited. The box is much faster and hardware is a significant improvement.
• 4K is the new UHD (Ultra High Definition) TV, i.e. the standard HD TV displays up to 1080p resolution, while the UHD TV displays up to 2160p resolution. The commercials say that the UHD TV is 4 times the resolution of the HD TV, which in my opinion is just pure lie as 2160p resolution is is not 4 times more, but just 2 times more that the standard HD TV with 1080p resolution. So, long story short, if you have an UHD TV, it may be worth to upgrade to the latest Fire TV, but if your TV is standard HD TV, there is no sense of upgrading as you won't be able to watch the UHD movies in the first place...
• In order to watch 4k your internet connection must be at a minimum of 12 to 14 mps and your TV of course 4K capable.
• I was in the same boat as you. I quickly decided to upgrade -- my information technology background told me that faster and more capacity is always the thing to choose. I've had problems with this new box, however. Very tricky & frustrating set-up process -- whereas I had zero problems with the original device. It is a faster processor but there's a lag time on a lot of the selections. I decided to keep the original box plugged into my entertainment complex. So it's been a bit of a disappointment. Can't honestly recommend this upgrade to anyone who is satisfied with the original device. I have confidence that Amazon will fix the quirks over time but . . . for the moment, don't bother unless you need the capacity.
QUESTION: WHERE CAN I FIND ALL THE APPS WHICH THIS DEVICE SUPPORTS? THANKS.
• https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=sv_mas_4?ie=UTF8&node=10208590011
• Please go to http://www.amazon.com Web Site and search for "fire tv apps".
• You can find them in the Amazon app store on the fire tv device. Or check out the fire tv page on amazon for featured supports app.
QUESTION: DOES IT WORK WITH COX CABLE?
• The Fire TV uses the internet and is independent of any cable/sat service. In fact, you can simply use a digital antenna for your local free broadcasts in HD and use the Fire TV for movies. Most do drop expensive packages when they can get over 100 networks for 8/mo and no long term commitment.
• No it connects via HDMI & either Wifi or hardwired through an ethernet cord... It will transform a TV / Monitor with a HDMI port into a "smart tv". You can download specific tv networks apps once you set it up, along with prime video, netflix, etc. Some cable providers have apps so you can login & have your normal tv channels. However if you buy this additional piece of hardware AmazonBasics Ultra Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna, 50 Mile Range (Latest Version) you can apparently use a cox cable input on your tv, also allowing you to receive local HD channels for free... If you buy a gaming controller Amazon Fire TV Game Controller (Only Compatible with the All-New Amazon Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD) or two you can also use the fire tv for a game console.. There is also a ton of apps & games you can download. Hopefully this helps some people. Christopher Clemons
• Do you mean, "Does it work with Cox Cable Internet"? Postings on the web say, YES. It's very much like a Roku or Apple TV. However, I'm not sure if the various cable network apps (Food, ESPN, etc) list Cox as a provider. Perhaps another purchaser will answer that.
• If by "Cox Cable," you mean Cox high speed Internet, the answer is "yes." I do not know what speeds are available with Cox, but I would not recommend Fire TV with speeds less than 10Mbps, which I consider marginal.
QUESTION: INCLUDES FOX NEWS?
• There is a free FOX News app written by FOX. It's not live stream like CBS News or live ticker like NBC. But with the Fire TV just use the voice search and the app will pop up for you to load.
• As long as you download the app you can watch just about anything. Most major outlets and media companies have their own apps to stream through.
• I seem to remember seeing an App for this.
• It does but you should watch something less bias :P
QUESTION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMAZON FIRE TV AND AMAZON FIRE TV STICK
• The Fire TV box has voice search so just say "Prime only" to eliminate rental/purchase results. You can add it to the stick or use an app but is included with the box. The Fire TV box can be placed anywhere. The stick may not get the best WiFi signal behind a TV as many have reported. The Fire TV box has more memory and better for DSL or slower broadband connections and you can add 128G for app storage. If you have a much faster connection, the Fire TV will do 4K. Many of those services are coming on line and Amazon is upgrading very quickly. The Fire TV box is faster than the stick, both in selecting a movie or playing games. The Fire TV box has the ability to use ethernet for the fastest throughput and security. The Fire TV box is better suited to high end audio receivers or even soundbars as it is more flexible. It also can send audio to a blu-tooth device which the stick can not do. The stick requires all components to pass Dolby Digital Plus only. The Fire TV box has Free Time for kids as well as Minecraft. Those are not on the stick. I own both devices and prefer the box. The stick is best suited for a secondary TV.
• Spped is light years faster on box and it has more storage.
• just to clarify, both the fire stick and the fire TV need HDMI. the stick also requires a USB for power
• The Amazon Fire has two primary physical differences: 1) The Fire connects to the monitor using HDMI instead of USB; the TV stick uses USB port. 2) The Fire has the ability to connect to the internet using either WiFi or CAT5e/CAT6. The Stick can only connect to the internet using WiFi. As far as performance, I am not sure; I do not have the TV stick. I am very happy with my Fire. In general terms electrical terms, HDMI will always out perform a USB solution from a PHY perspective.
QUESTION: WILL THE NEW AMAZON FIRE TV WORK IF CONNECTED TO A RECIEVER WITH HDMI PASS THROUGH?
• The 2nd Gen has lot's of issues with Dolby and multi channel pass through. There are fixes that are scheduled over the next 4 weeks. So best to wait till the Fire OS 5 (lollypop) issues are solved.
• I don't have mine hooked up that way. No if no reason why it wouldnt
• Yes. That's how I had mine hooked up before I returned it. Have fun getting the battery cover off... Rich
QUESTION: CAN READ A MOVIE FROM CLOUD LIKE WESTERN DIGITAL MY BOOK LIVE, CONECTED TO THE SAME HOME ROUTER?
• The Fire TV doesn't directly read shared files on a network, but there are apps for it which can do that. I used to use a WD TV Live! to access network files, but it started to die on me, and I have since replaced it with the Fire TV, after having been impressed with the Fire TV Stick. To access media on my network, I now use Plex, a free media server that can be accessed by almost anything, including the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, with the Plex app. Note there is a small catch - to play back media on the Fire TV, you'll either need to have a Plex Pass subscription (which I'm considering, for a number of reasons), or you can do a one-time unlock of that feature for, I believe, about $4.99. Note that the purchase is linked to your Amazon account, so in my case, that single purchase unlocked it for both my Fire TV and my Fire TV Stick. Also, there are other Android apps for handling local playback of network files, some of which are likely available for the Fire TV through Amazon's app store, but I have not used them to offer a recommendation for or against them. I had been pondering using Plex for a while, and finally did so several months ago, and have found it to be fantastic for cataloging and presenting my local media, and allowing me to access it both while on my local network, as well as remotely. I don't mean to sound like a Plex spokesperson here - just a happy user who found it to be my currently preferred way if accessing my local network media from my Fire TV. I'd suggest looking into it, and also looking into other Fire TV compatible apps that may also serve your needs.
• yes...I play everything video wise on mine with XBMC/Kodi but I play it from my networked storage. Thats not really cloud, but I think that is what your asking.
QUESTION: CAN ONE BOX GO TO ALL TVS IN HOUSE
• One box per TV.
• if you have a splitter for hdmi and wire each tv with the hdmi cables, It can be moved to each tv.
• No
• You'd need to get an HDMI splitter to achieve this, but even then, depending on the distance, your remote wouldn't likely work everywhere. You could always use the remote app for your phone/tablet, but at that point, it would just make more sense to buy more of these, or its cheaper Stick cousin.
QUESTION: DO I NEED A SUBSCRIPTION FOR EACH APP TO WATCH THE PROGRAMMING?
• It depends on who wrote the app. All the Amazon apps use your account and no need to do anything but click on it. Apps written for media (movie/TV/music) can be free like Crackle/Smithsonian. Some use an account to provide better usability like YouTube. It's optional, but signing into your Google account will bring your subscriptions and recommendations. Premium services or Buffet (all-you-can-watch) services often have a subscription and a fee. Typically 8~12/mo. with no long term commitment. So you can add or drop at your convenience. To add or drop, go to your Amazon account App section and click on Do Not Auto-renew. You can still watch till your subscription expires and Amazon will send an email to remind you.
• You don't have to have a subscription for Hulu Plus or Netflix, but it certainly helps. The free versions of those apps are limited. For other apps, yes, you do have to have a subscription. I only use Fire TV primarily for Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. A few free games we downloaded are fun also. We plug in our USB stick or external harddrive to the Fire TV and view pictures on the big screen tv as well. Play mp4 music files and/or vid files from the usb drive too.
• Some apps will provide no subscription content but it is limited. If your Prime subscription isn't enough Hulu and Netflix are good additions.
• Yes & no. Yes if it's a channel you pay from your cable tv or DirectTv like FX or HBOgo,Showtime,etc. No if its a free based app or free channel like PBS maybe CBS.ABC,NBC. I know NBC news headlines work for free, For HBO, I go to HBO go & sign in & enter in my provider( DirectTv,useremail & password) to get access to streaming movies.
QUESTION: IS THERE A LIST OF NON SUBSCRIPTION, OR FREE APPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE
• If you click on the fire tv apps, you can sort for free on the left hand side. There were 2,800 last time I looked.
• The best I can find is at this link: http://www.amazon.com/b?node=10208590011 Scan through the list. Each app is clearly noted as free or otherwise. Thanks.
• No list, you can get most anything you want to see free...
QUESTION: I WANT TO USE THIS ON MORE THAN ONE TV IN MY HOME. CAN IT BE DONE, IF I WANTED TO HOOK UP FOUR TV'S DO I NEED ONE OR MORE BOXES. OR FIRE STICKS?
• It wouldn't be optimal but I suppose you could use an HDMI switch to run the box's output to multiple TVs. The remote is RF, not IR, so the remote & box don't have to be "line of sight" to work. The problem is, by the time you buy the HDMI switch and all the long HDMI cables you, seriously, might as well have just bought a box for each TV. Not to mention the fact that, once your HDMI cable gets longer than about 40-50' you start having issues. The signal may be too weak (requiring the additional expense of an HDMI signal booster) and HDMI cables that long have to be replaced often (which is absurdly expensive at those lengths).
• One TV per box or stick AFAIK.
• Depends upon how much money you want to spend. Technically, it can be connected to more than 1 device, however, the equipment to do it would cost you more than just buying more "Amazon Fire" devices. HDMI distribution systems are not cheap; you may also have "digital rights" problems.
• I was using the Stick with a splitter to TVs. It stopped working and I am not sure if the spitter went bad but it worked for a while. Make sure you get a splitter and not a switch as they are not bidirectional. A splitter increases HDMI outputs (from a device to multiple tvs/monitors) whereas a switch increases inputs (multiple output devices to a single tv - that usually does not have enough HDMI inputs). Most of them, if not all require to be plugged into an electrical outlet I got something like this (search Amazon for B0088HP93A) supports two outputs but you can find different that support more outputs
QUESTION: AM I ABLE TO KEEP MY TIME WARNER INTERNET SERVICES A D STILL USE THE FIRE BOX OR SIX?
• You need internet for the Fire TV series.
• You will need to keep Internet service to use the fire TV features
• yes, you will need to keep either time warner or another company for internet service to make Fire TV work. you then can use the apps they provide for either movies, TV news or games. or for additional selections you can add Hulu or Sling TV for prime shows.
QUESTION: WHY DO SOME PEOPLE PREFER THE FIRST GENERATION FIRE TV OVER THIS NEW IMPROVED SECOND GENERATION ONE?
• The new generation is really for 4k tv's, and is more like a Iphone for your TV. You can hit the speaker button and ask questions "what's the weather today? Add this to my shopping list, play this artist". The older generation plays HD video in 1080p you can still use the speaker button to search for movies, apps, and music, but the new one has more voice commands. Basically if you buy 4k moives on amazon and have a 4k tv then the new generation is for you if not then the old generation is for you either way there both great and work great
• The new generation is really for 4k tv's, and is more like a Iphone for your TV. You can hit the speaker button and ask questions "what's the weather today? Add this to my shopping list, play this artist". The older generation plays HD video in 1080p you can still use the speaker button to search for movies, apps, and music, but the new one has more voice commands. Basically if you buy 4k moives on amazon and have a 4k tv then the new generation is for you if not then the old generation is for you either way there both great and work great
• I will never buy the 1st generation after reading the specs. https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/devices/fire-tv/docs/device-and-platform-specifications Quad Core vs Dual Core not match.
• Amazon got rid of optical audio out. So when I like to play Pandora on my stereo and shut my tv off - I can't do that with the new one unless I buy a bluetooth adapter for my old school stereo receiver....
QUESTION: DO I NEED CABLE ACCESS TO PURCHASE THIS DEVICE
• You don't need to have cable TV, but you need to have the internet. Also, I have a lot of problems mostly with HULU, but also sometimes some of the apps just close/ crash for no reason. Now in am going in the tech support circle, called amazon, they referred me to hulu. Spoke to hulu, they refered me to the internet provider.
• No you don't. You just wireless internet. George
• Nope, just Internet access.
QUESTION: WHAT IS A AMAZON FIRE STICK, AND DOES IT REPLACE A SATALITE CONNECTION LIKE DIRECT TV?
• The fire tv stick (or box) is Not a cable/sat box. It uses apps to receive internet content. It is not tied to a provider. It does not have rental fees for the device. It does not have any long term commitments. It does not have any ever increasing prices. It does not have shopping shows. It does not have local broadcasts so you need a digital antenna for them. Most content is recorded on the internet with commercials removed so hour shows can be watched in 45 minutes, but there are exceptions. There are apps with live content, but the vast majority is a day/week or more after national broadcast like the world's biggest TiVo.
• No it is a streaming device so you can purchase apps like Hulu and sling tv. Have had it a few weeks. Cable is superior to fire stick but you will save money with Amazon Fire stick and apps. Hope that helps
• It is a Internet device. If you get good internet you can watch lots of stuff. I have not found a way to watch the big networks live as of yet. This will not replace the dish yet but maybe one day we will get TV channels a la carte
• Amazon fire stick is a streaming media device preferably for those with Amazon Prime membership. It will not replace a satallite connection because you will not be able to watch all the channels you have with satellite. Fire TV allows you to stream programming from Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, etc. This requires subscription fees as well as a high speed internet connection. It will not be free, but if you are willing to cut your programming by getting rid of satellite you will save money. That is if you can avoid renting new releases or other shows.
QUESTION: DO I NEED TO BUY A SEPARATE WIRE FOR A WALL MOUNTED TV? (FOR LENGTH)
• You will need to buy a HDMI cable, if you don't already have one, to go from your Fire TV to your TV. The length will depend on how far away you are from it. Also the power cable for the Fire TV will need to be able to reach to your outlet or have an extension cord available.
• There is an HDMI cable that connects from the Fire TV to your television they are avalable in various lengths
QUESTION: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STICK AND TV?
• Amazon gives you a nice matrix on the web page that gives you a breakdown of the differences. Primarily the TV gives you expandable memory for downloadable content, an ethernet port, better hardware (processing, memory, 4k, and wi-fi), etc. I've even seen somewhere that TV will support Atmos, but haven't been able to confirm it with Amazon, so take that with a grain of salt. If you want this for casual use, get the stick. If you're going hard core video and audio, get the TV.
• The Fire TV box has voice search so just say "Prime only" to eliminate rental/purchase results. You can add it to the stick or use an app but is included with the box. The Fire TV box can be placed anywhere. The stick may not get the best WiFi signal behind a TV as many have reported. The Fire TV box has more memory and better for DSL or slower broadband connections and you can add 128G for app storage. If you have a much faster connection, the Fire TV will do 4K. Many of those services are coming on line and Amazon is upgrading very quickly. The Fire TV box is faster than the stick, both in selecting a movie or playing games. The Fire TV box has the ability to use ethernet for the fastest throughput and security. The Fire TV box is better suited to high end audio receivers or even soundbars as it is more flexible. It also can send audio to a blu-tooth device which the stick can not do. The stick requires all components to pass Dolby Digital Plus only. The Fire TV box has Free Time for kids as well as Minecraft. Those are not on the stick. I own both devices and prefer the box. The stick is best suited for a secondary TV.
QUESTION: WILL THE FIRE TV WORK IN COUNTRIES OTHER THAN THE US, SAY IN AFRICA? OR WHAT CAN I DO TO USE IT IN AFRICA?
• These are the countries the Fire TV works in so far.... https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201624360
• As long as you have an Internet connection you should be able to use Fire tv anywhere exactly the same way you would use it anywhere else.
QUESTION: DO YOU GET CHANNELS LIKE ABC OR DO YOU NEED THE ANTENNA TO GET THAT? ALSO, DO YOU RECOMMEND GETTING BOTH HULU AND NETFLIX? OR JUST ONE OF THEM?
• You use a digital antenna plugged into the coax on the back of your set for local broadcasts. Those signals are free and in digital HD. Hulu give the most current shows, many 1 day after broadcast and over 100 networks. Hulu is voice searchable from the main menu. So it would be my 1st choice. You can also get Showtime with Hulu for 8.99 or a buck less than the Netflix new price. You can watch live from either east or west coast feeds or a big selection of movies and series. Also voice searchable from the main menu. Netflix is not voice searchable so I dropped them.
• I have not tried ABC yet. My wife likes to watch CNN and my kids like to watch history channels. The cable in my area is more than $50 which will be increased next year. I signed the sling so I got Amazon FireTV for $49.99. There are a lot of movies at Amazon Prime and there are a lot movies on an app called tubiTV(may not spell correctly.It is recommended app by amazon appstore). I don't watch a lot movies so I did not sign either netflix or hulu. I am thinking to have an antenna if we want some local channels. But there is very few channels on air here. I am also planning to explorer some TV apps during the Thanksgiving holiday after purchasing a sd card. Overall I am very satisfied with Amazon TV. But it depends on your need. I don't get any kickback from Amazon but I think it is a good alternative to the cable program for my family. It saves us more than $30/month.
QUESTION: CAN I ACCESS MY ITUNES ACCOUNT WITH FIRE TV? I HATE TO HAVE TO RE-PURCHASE ALL OF THE MOVIES I ALREADY HAVE ON MY ITUNE ACCOUNT
• Nope. iTunes is proprietary and only works dependably with an Apple product. There are apps for the Fire TV, but none have more than 3 stars.
• No can't access iTunes, it's android box. be careful with the new fire TV Box has a lot of bugs, just wait awhile if you want to purchase the fire TV box until a major upgrade is done.
QUESTION: CAN YOU WATCH OR GET REGULAR TV CHANNELS WITH THIS OR DO YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR TO GET REGULAR TV. THANK YOU
• Hello Tom, the services available on amazon fire are some free programming through some apps, but the primary programming comes through netflix, amazon prime, hulu, and sling tv. If you want standard television programming--like you'd basic cable, sling tv is a good solution. Keep in mind though, this device generally facilitates programming but doesn't really come with "free" programming.
• no you can not, regular tv by digital converter box, cable, or sat
• My day job is doing tech support for a cable provider so I know the answer to this question. You can only watch streaming services over Amazon Fire TV. Regular TV channels are downloaded from satellites to cable providers who then send the channels to a customer's home over Coax cables or Fiber Optic. If you drop you cable service you lose all the regular TV channels. This limitation is true rather you have Apple TV, Chromecast, even Smart Blu-Ray Players and Smart TVs.
• The Fire TV uses the internet and apps for content. Not channels. For your local broadcasts in HD, just use an antenna and no internet needed. For current network shows Hulu has over 100 networks and costs 7.99/mo. They are much like you had TiVoed them and not live. So you have to pay a bit less than a cable service charges for box rental. Sounds fair to me.
• No
• No
• No
• Hey Tom no extra pay or set up on regular tv channels-firetv is excellent great buy-go for it Jim evans
QUESTION: CAN WE WATCH T.V. CHANNELS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST?
• Personally, I haven't tried, but, I'm sure there's an app available. The best thing about the Amazon Fire TV is that you can side load an app that might not be available on the appstore.
• That I'm not sure of. Sorry.
• IslamBox for Fire TV
• [Deleted by the author on Oct 31, 2015 5:51:50 PM PDT]
QUESTION: I SEE THIS NEW ONE DOESN'T HAVE THAT WHITE LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME, SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF IT IS OFF? SURE WISH THEY HAD A TURN OFF PLAYER BUTTON.
• Touch the Home button twice and select Sleep to turn it off. Touch the remote (any button) to turn on. That way you don't have to go to the device to do anything.
• It goes to "sleep" mode after a while. Just touch the large round "Select" button to wake it up
• If I remember correctly,it goes into sleep mode after a user set time. My light goes out after an hour or two of non use. I think you can also manually go to "sleep" thru the menu. Hope this helps..
• As far as I've found there is no "off". It's like a Roku, when it's not actively in use it goes into a standby or sleep mode.
• Hello, these units are powered all the time but go to sleep mode if the HDMI port does not have activity, this happens when the TV is OFF, each Fire TV generation has a different timer set. With that said, the main difference is that the previous version had the whit LED ON when you were using the FIRE TV on this one it doesn't. Probably the design Team has a good explanation for this decision. If you want to know that the unit is OFF you may have to turn the TV and check. Please take a look at this information: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201452430 Regards
QUESTION: DO YOU HAVE TO BUY A HDMI CABLE
• Yes. That's the only thing Amazon does not know. How long a cord you need for your home theater system. If you are planning on 4K, be sure it's HDCP 2.2 compliant. If you are going to wire it to your router or switch (like I do) you will need a cat 5 cable.
• Yes
• Yes
• yes
• Yes, but Amazon had a 2-for-one deal around $5-$7 total. They work fine.
• The box does not come with a hdmi cable.
• Yes
QUESTION: CAN THIS BE USED ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD OR JUST IN THE UNITED STATES
• There are other countries Amazon has set up the Fire TV to work in addition to the U.S. https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201624360 Any country with Amazon Prime Instant Video can use the Fire TV.
• I am outside the USA and I expect it to work in the Bahamas, as many others do. Have not set it up yet. Not sure about country's like Europe where there TV signals are diferant like Pal. Try google it, is my answer for more details.
• As long as you have a valid Amazon Account. Have the device registered with Amazon and Have Amazon activate the device (give them the number located outside the box used to ship the Amazon Fire Device.) The only other requirement would be an adequate internet connection (Wi-Fi Wireless connection or Direct connection to the device) and that's it. Note: The device will not work if its not activated at Amazon (Give them the number on the box) and you need to register the device otherwise none of the other services like HULU, NETFLIX, SLING TV, or even Amazon Prime Time will not work. So register the device and have it activated by Amazon............
• Good question. There are restrictions in some countries depending on the provider. Have not taken it outside the United States but I know it works in my hotel room in Arkansas.
QUESTION: CAN I CONNECT THIS TO A TV THAT DOESN'T HAVE A USB PORT?
• A USB port is not required (or needed). An HDMI input on your TV is all you need. The Fire TV is not compatible with analog sets, only digital like most current streaming devices.
• Yes
• Absolutely. It uses an HDMI port for input to the tv.
• All you need is a hdmi port and cable .
• You need a HDMI port. Do not need a USB port.
• Yes. All you need is an HDMI port.
QUESTION: DO YOU NEED WIFI IN ADDITION TO REGULAR INTERNET?
• The Fire TV can use a wired ethernet and you can run a wire directly from your router. No need for WiFi. Click on comment if you need help doing that.
• No, you can use either wired or wireless.
• As previous comments have said, you can go wired or wireless. If you go wired, your Fire TV needs to be in such a location that you can run an Ethernet cable to your router and an hdmi cable to your tv.
• Yes, I would highly recommend using wifi. If you have internet just purchase a $30 wireless router and don't forget to set securities parameter
• It depends on your desired setup. My Fire TV is connected to the internet via cable from my DSL modem, and to my TV via HDMI cable. Everything runs just fine. If you have Fios or some other really high speed internet services within your location, you could potentially connect the Fire TV to your TV with HDMI, then connect wirelessly to your home router. My DSL speed is really low, so that isn't a good option for me.
• Either, you can bring the signal in via either wifi or hard wired. I prefer hard wired connection for fastest possible throughput.
• No, all you need is Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Either will work just fine...
• If you don't have wifi you can connect the FireTv using an Ethernet cable directly from the router to the Fire TV box and set it up that way. The instructions are included in the box on how to do it
QUESTION: I HAVE A GFM TV THAT IS A 2007. IT DOES HAVE AN HDMI SPOT, DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THAT OLD OF A TV WILL WORK WELL ENOUGH FOR THE AMAZON FIRE?
• yes, it should work fine.. it will not get better display then it already has, might be more clear, but will still be the same tv.. hope that helps
• Call AF customer service and give then the make and model of your set. They can look it up for you.
• As long as it has an HDMI port it will work.
QUESTION: I HAVE READ DIFFERENT REVIEWS THAT ARE SPLITTING ON HOW MUCH A MONTH DOES THIS COST? SOME ARE SAYING NOTHING AND OTHERS ARE REPORTING THERE IS A FEE.
• There is no monthly fee for this device. However, if you want to watch Amzon Prime o Netflix or Hulu etc you have to pay their monthly fees respctively...
• There is no monthly fee for the device, but the use some streaming services do incur a fee.
• There is no monthly cost associated with the Amazon Fire TV. You pay for the initial hardware purchase and that's it. Now, if you want to purchase or rent movies, TV programs, etc. when using the device -- then, obviously, you would pay a per-item fee. Another instance of fees arising would be if you decide to join Amazon Prime -- that has an annual fee only. So it costs me nothing to own the device beyond the initial purchase. I've generally enjoyed my Amazon Fire TV but the newest model has definitely had some problems. I left the original device connected in addition to the new edition. The original one seems more reliable at this point. Longer-term, I'm sure Amazon will solve the problems that exist with the second version.
• There is only a fee for some apps. If you want to access prime video app then it's $99 a year but you also get free shipping on things you buy on Amazon. It's totally worth the fee. I love my fire box. It also streams 4K for those that have a 4K tv.
QUESTION: I CAN NOT OPEN CONTROL TO INSERT BATTERIES
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201452700
• Bad design for sure. I lifted the end away from the arrow slightly along the seam then pushed. It opened about an inch? Then lifted off. Good luck. Fire TV is great even if putting the batteries in the remote is somewhat tough. Worth it.
QUESTION: IS THIS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CABLE TV?
• It is for me with a digital antenna for local stations. If you don't get an antenna, you won't get live local and major networks. In that case you can get a minimum cable package but not save as much. I spend 10 to 20/mo for all my TV viewing and have something to watch all the time.
• That's how I am using it. It works for me because I have Prime so there's a good selection of movies, workout videos, tv shows without paying for extra subscriptions if I don't want to. I also got a digital antena. A lot cheaper than cable.
• You have to pay for CURRENT TV shows. You can get hula on fire box for 7.99 a and get all the current TV shows. Also you can get sling TV for the same price and get live tv. I have prime and hula together. Prime gives you tons of free movies and free non current TV shows. You will have to buy a TV pass off prime for CURRENT TV shows. Not sure of the cost of that. This box is the best streamer you can get IMO. It DEFINITELY has the best picture especially if you go through prime and you get lots of free music and some decent free games. It has the talking remote that works very well.
• It's an alternative like Netflix or Hulu are. All you need is an internet connection that is 3Mb/s or better. You won't have all the same programs as cable either. Amazon Prime has a lot of movies and tv shows available.
QUESTION: WILL IT RECORD SHOWS ON TV/SLING/HULU FOR PLAYBACK LATER?
• No. It is only for playback. You'd need to buy a separate device to record shows.
• No, it doesn't have any record features. If you have a Prime Membership there are many shows you can stream from Amazon. The same with Hulu.
• Tablo ota dvr is probably what you need in addition to Fire TV for recording and play back at later date. Someone else may know more on this subject
QUESTION: WHAT IS THE AMAZON ASIN NUMBER FOR THIS PRODUCT?
• The ASIN is B00U3FPN4U
Lowest price as of today is on Amazon.com, click here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U3FPN4U/?tag=blog-amazonbasics-answers-20
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