Fire TV

[novisnick]

Anybody running a Fire TV 4K? Theres a new update with more programming according to a source on YouTube.
How do you like the stick? I’ve enjoyed it and seems compatible to ATV4K in many ways. 
Tell me what you like and don’t like.
This thread is for all things Amazon (Fire TV) Standard and 4K

[405x5]

Aug 8, 2020 22:06:38 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Anybody running a Fire TV 4K? Theres a new update with more programming according to a source on YouTube.
How do you like the stick? I’ve enjoyed it and seems compatible to ATV4K in many ways. 
Tell me what you like and don’t like.
This thread is for all things Amazon (Fire TV) Standard and 4K

I got one for my Samsung flat screen that’s just old enough that it’s not “Smart” any longer. My wife now has a go to via the Firestick. She can stream without having to kick on the big system.
What I don’t like....NO OFF SWITCH.....just “sleeps”. So, if I really don’t want the thing talking to Amazon, I unplug the USB. The way of the world it seems.

[socketman]

I dont have the 4k but i have the standard one and so far i really like it. i am adding a provision for wired ethernet since wifi is a bit spotty. It streams off my server so much better than my xbox 360 which is awwesome. Have sideloaded some apps for very inexpensive access to NHL etc. I believe holding the home button down for extended period will allow a full shut down, a menu will appear.. Lots of info on youtube for things you can do with the 4k such as adding more system memmory and also storage for dvr purposes.

[405x5]

Aug 9, 2020 2:54:48 GMT -5 socketman said:

I dont have the 4k but i have the standard one and so far i really like it. i am adding a provision for wired ethernet since wifi is a bit spotty. It streams off my server so much better than my xbox 360 which is awwesome. Have sideloaded some apps for very inexpensive access to NHL etc. I believe holding the home button down for extended period will allow a full shut down, a menu will appear.. Lots of info on youtube for things you can do with the 4k such as adding more system memmory and also storage for dvr purposes.

I tried your shut down suggestion but no dice 🎲 with my stick. It’s a second generation I’ve had for a few years.

My real problem is something that has surprised me of late and that’s LEAKING ALKALINE BATTERIES!

We almost lost our Firestick to batteries that leak (Duracell Alkaline.) I was able to scrape and clean the spring loaded contacts and keep it going.
That was the third and last time I put important gadgets at risk with disposable alkaline and went total Eneloop recharge NIMH, which is something I started a while back but now I do it with everything.
And something else that’s trick for 9 Volt....Lithium Ion bats.
Can only use a L. I. charger 🔌 for those and replaced all the smoke detector batteries with those, courtesy Amazon.

Bill

[creimes]

I prefer my Shield Pro over my 4K Firestick in terms of performance and power but there is also a huge cost difference, for my main setup though I will gladly pay the difference to have a powerful fast running streamer, the 4K Firestick like most use them for is a good add on to a TV.

Chad

[405x5]

Aug 9, 2020 2:54:48 GMT -5 socketman said:

I dont have the 4k but i have the standard one and so far i really like it. i am adding a provision for wired ethernet since wifi is a bit spotty. It streams off my server so much better than my xbox 360 which is awwesome. Have sideloaded some apps for very inexpensive access to NHL etc. I believe holding the home button down for extended period will allow a full shut down, a menu will appear.. Lots of info on youtube for things you can do with the 4k such as adding more system memmory and also storage for dvr purposes.

I stand corrected!!
Was holding down the wrong button (not the “home” button. )
That being said, it’s still the sleep mode and not actually a shutdown.

Bill

[cgolf]

Differences, if any, between the Fire stick & Roku stick??

[bobcel]

I have 4 FireTV Sticks 4K and 1 NVIDIA Shield Pro 2019. The Shield is used on my main TV, I really like it as it has more processing power and the "AI-Enhanced" setting is impressive on lower resolution streams, 720 looks great and 1080 pretty close to 4K. On the other hand, the Firesticks are the latest versions and are pretty quick as well. I like the fact they can control the on/off and volume on the bedroom displays as none of these have any external sound solutions, just the TV's speakers. The only downside to the firestick is occasionally needing to be re-booted, otherwise they function very well.

[novisnick]

Need some help with my 4K fireatick. Is slow to respond and I have a direcr line of site. Its connected via Optical and HDMI4 on the TV as my UMC-200 doesn’t support 4K.
Also, my Harmony remote says that the Fire has no remote and that I cannot use it. How can I get my Harmony 650 to control the Fire. Any help would be appreciated.

[monkumonku]

Aug 16, 2020 16:41:40 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Need some help with my 4K fireatick. Is slow to respond and I have a direcr line of site. Its connected via Optical and HDMI4 on the TV as my UMC-200 doesn’t support 4K.
Also, my Harmony remote says that the Fire has no remote and that I cannot use it. How can I get my Harmony 650 to control the Fire. Any help would be appreciated.

Well I don't know if this helps. I have a Fire box, not the stick and it is controlled by Bluetooth. My older Harmony (I think it is a 620) can't control it but my newer Harmony Hub can. The Amazon remote stopped working a while ago. Or rather, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, more often it doesn't and it isn't the batteries. I don't know if your Harmony does Bluetooth but that could be the reason it can't control the Fire.

[creimes]

The 4K FireStick and remote are bluetooth between them, the more wireless and bluetooth signals you have in your house can directly affect each and every device if there are many things running that way, too much interference ?

[novisnick]

Didn’t know the FS was Bluetooth, thanks guys! So how does it control my UMC-200 and TV? 
monkumonku and creimes

[monkumonku]

Aug 16, 2020 22:25:59 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Didn’t know the FS was Bluetooth, thanks guys! So how does it control my UMC-200 and TV? 
monkumonku and creimes

You mean the Firestick controls your UMC-200 and TV? I have no idea.

[novisnick]

Aug 16, 2020 22:34:34 GMT -5 monkumonku said:

Aug 16, 2020 22:25:59 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Didn’t know the FS was Bluetooth, thanks guys! So how does it control my UMC-200 and TV? 
monkumonku and creimes

You mean the Firestick controls your UMC-200 and TV? I have no idea.

Yes sir.  Well, turns it on and volume. Maybe arc or cec is doing that. I don’t know. It doesn’t have full control but it does do some functions 

Firestick I was able to configure select, Emotiva UMC-200 from a menu

[creimes]

Aug 16, 2020 22:25:59 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Didn’t know the FS was Bluetooth, thanks guys! So how does it control my UMC-200 and TV? 
monkumonku and creimes

Yes it does have IR but the connection between the remote and firestick itself is bluetooth.

[klinemj]

Aug 16, 2020 22:40:44 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Aug 16, 2020 22:34:34 GMT -5 monkumonku said:

You mean the Firestick controls your UMC-200 and TV? I have no idea.

Yes sir.  Well, turns it on and volume. Maybe arc or cec is doing that. I don’t know. It doesn’t have full control but it does do some functions 

Firestick I was able to configure select, Emotiva UMC-200 from a menu

My Roku remote controls my TV (on/off and volume), but I'm not using ARC or CEC. I think the Roku remote is just finding the TV's IR code and using it to control the TV. It goes through this during setup of the Roku.

I bet the Firestick remote is doing the same thing on your TV and UMC-200.

Mark

[novisnick]

Aug 16, 2020 22:34:34 GMT -5 monkumonku said:

Aug 16, 2020 22:25:59 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Didn’t know the FS was Bluetooth, thanks guys! So how does it control my UMC-200 and TV? 
monkumonku and creimes

You mean the Firestick controls your UMC-200 and TV? I have no idea.

 Controls the volume, my Harmony does the heavy lifting of selecting the proper inputs/outputs.

[garbulky]

Any info or link to new about this new update?

[jmasterj]

Hi there Mr. President,

I don't have any solutions to your problem. I cut the cable well over a year ago, and I immediately purchased a fire tv stick 4K and I also purchased Amazon Prime. I jailhouse broke the fire stick using instructions found on you tube and I was enjoying new movies not yet in theaters. Some links play, but many do not, but surprisingly all the amazon prime videos play fine. With a lot of people now at home social distancing it seems my Century Link speed is slower, and I have channels freezing, dropping the sound, and the sports links play sometimes, I get so frustrated trying to watch a race. I have issues with my over the air broadcast as well, let the wind blow twenty to thirty miles per and the local channels drop out too, but I refuse to go back to cable they charge too much, over about eight years my cable bill went from $55.00 a month to over $200.00 so they pushed me out. So me and my fire stick have a "like, hate" relationship mostly hate. Hope you find a solution to your issues I'm suffering too.