Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K update screen. Again, the user interface is very similar to the other Fire TV devices that have already been released by Amazon. As of this review, one app that is not showing up in the Amazon App store is the popular file manager ES File Explorer. Amazon Fire TV User Guides. Fire TV Cube (2nd Generation) Quick Start Guide; Fire TV Stick 4K. Fire TV Stick 4K Quick Start Guide; Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Generation) Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Generation) Quick Start Guide (PDF). Amazon Fire Game Controller Quick Start Guide (PDF).
Every time you travel or walk past a group of people, it’s highly possible that they are watching something on their smartphone. Streaming video has been a push to Digital Entertainment industry’s flight. With Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and other popular streaming apps, the popularity has reached another level. With the boom in this technology, the streaming video devices have been introduced and are prevailing. Though, with a lot of devices in the market, it has become utterly confusing which device to choose?
One of the prevalent options is Amazon Fire Stick. It is pocket-friendly, the streaming device plugs into an HDMI port directly, therefore acquires less space, making it a convenient option.
Well, this is not it about Amazon Fire Stick, there is a lot more to it!
In this post, we will take a look at Amazon Fire TV Stick, how it works, what is important to know about the device.
What Is the Amazon Fire TV Stick?
Amazon Fire TV stick is a video streaming device powered by Amazon. One of the specialties of the device is video content. The content on it comes from Amazon, you can view TV shows, movies and originals on Amazon Prime Video.
Before going too deep, let’s take a peek into its history!
Amazon first introduced a digital player with a micro-console remote in April 2014. A device which could deliver audio/video content streamed using the internet. Later on, Amazon thought of a portable device and in November 2014, it released Fire TV Stick.
To operate Amazon Fire TV Stick, you need a TV with HDCP-compatible HDMI port, which is easy to find in any TV. To set it up, you need to connect a micro USB power cable & select Wifi network.
Along with the device, Alexa Voice Remote is also included. It enables users to navigate the Fire Stick interface, also it helps you interact with digital assistant Alexa.
Being able to use Alexa has opened up to various commands and one of them is the ability to play music with just a press on microphone button and voice command.
What are the Configuration & Dimensions?
It has 1GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage, weighs 0.9 oz. It uses a Broadcom BCM28155 dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 processor & a Broadcom VideoCore IV GPU. The Wireless hardware consists of dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi with 2×2 MIMO & Bluetooth 3.0
As per the name, Amazon Fire Stick looks like a USB flash drive. It’s 3.4 in length and 1.2 inches in width.
How the Amazon Fire TV Stick Works?
The first step is to log in to your Amazon account and pair Alexa voice remote.
There are six major sections to explore: Search, Home, Movies, TV Shows, Apps, and Settings. Users will always start at the Home section. To move across the different sections and content, you’ll use the navigation trackpad on the remote. The centre of the trackpad is used as the select button.
Instead of needing to use the different buttons on the remote itself, you can accomplish a large number of tasks by pressing the microphone button and speaking to Alexa. You can use voice commands to play a movie or TV show, search for content, search within apps, control playback, launch apps, control live TV apps, and more.
What Do You Need to Know about the Fire TV Stick?
There are a lot of things that you need to know about Amazon Fire TV Stick to understand it better.
Amazon Stick allows you to access different apps to download. The device can run Android. In other words, you can sideload Android apps to your Amazon Fire Stick. You can do it using Android Phone but can also be done on PC, Mac or Linux.
- One of the easiest app to sideloading is a web browser. Some of the best working Amazon Fire TV Stick browsers are Silk and Firefox.
- The Fire Stick offers parental controls Similar to other Amazon hardware products. While you set up, the device lets you set a 5-digit PIN password. This PIN will be needed whenever a content rated Teen is played or any purchase being made.
- Though Fire Stick comes with Alexa Voice Remote you necessarily don’t need it to control the Fire TV Stick. You need to download the Amazon Fire TV Remote app for Android or iOS. The app works using on-screen navigation, and also supports voice search.
- If you have an Amazon Echo device, then you can connect it to Fire TV Stick & control the streaming device using your voice.
Buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick
If you think you like Amazon Fire TV Stick, you have two options to choose from. You can get the device from Amazon itself. However, you can also buy it from third-party retailers.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K offers Ultra HD content to any compatible 4K TV. It comes with a better Wi-Fi antenna design. The second gen Alexa Voice Remote provides a physical power button & volume controls.
If you have just an HD TV, then the first Gen Amazon Fire TV Stick is better and also cost less and provide the same content and apps. With standard Amazon Fire TV Stick, you will get the older Alexa Voice Remote.
What Do You Get In The Box?
Whether you buy the standard version or 2nd gen, both of them comes with Fire TV Stick, two AAA batteries, the Alexa Voice Remote, an HDMI Extender and a power adapter. The HDMI extender gives you a better Wi-Fi reception.
So, that’s it, folks! Amazon Fire Stick is one of the best ways to bring out the best in streaming videos and watching other entertaining content. Whether it is size or the price, Amazon Fire TV Stick is best of all. Well, that’s our views, tell us yours in the comment section below.
Are you considering buying an Amazon Fire TV Stick but want to make sure it’s right for you? Or maybe you already have the latest Amazon Fire TV stick, but you’re not quite sure what you can do with it?
In this guide we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Amazon’s Fire TV Stick so that you walk away feeling like a pro.
Amazon Fire Stick 4k Instructions
What is an Amazon Fire TV Stick and what does it do?
In 2014, Amazon unveiled the Amazon Fire TV (1st Generation). A plug-in box that could be used to provide entertainment by streaming shows and apps to a TV.
Later that year, Amazon released the Amazon Fire TV Stick. Whereas the Fire TV is a set box, the Fire TV Stick, as the name suggests, is a plug-in stick.
As well as being smaller in size, the TV Stick or “Firestick” as it’s been dubbed, has similar functionality to its big brother. Able to stream TV shows and channels, it can also be remotely powered and some even have voice capabilities. However, it does have slightly less power than the TV Box.
Amazon Fire TV device comparison:
To go back to the original question, an Amazon Fire TV Stick is a slightly watered down version (but one that’s still extremely powerful) of the Amazon TV Box. A media player that allows you to connect a TV to the internet.
The Amazon Fire Stick Basic Edition (around $50) is an even cheaper 'plug and play' device for streaming Netflix or something on Amazon Prime. However, this comes without a search function or voice control, so trying to find a specific app or game can be really difficult.
Uses for the Amazon Fire TV Stick:
- Watching Netflix, or another internet streaming service
- Voice search from a TV
- Connecting to games or YouTube from a TV
- To share photos to a TV screen
- Gaming (although Amazon is quoted as saying it does not intend the Fire TV to compete with gaming consoles per se)
Where to buy and how to set up an Amazon Fire TV Stick
Is it difficult to buy and set up an Amazon Fire TV Stick? In a nutshell, no. These types of media devices are made to be set up by anyone in their home so you can bet they’re going to be pretty simple to get going.
You can buy an Amazon Fire TV Stick from pretty much any hardware store. Here are a few examples of stockists:
From the UK:
From the US:
How to buy an Amazon Fire TV Stick in a location where it’s unavailable
If you reside in a country such as Thailand or New Zealand, you may find yourself unable to get Amazon to ship out a Fire TV Box or Stick. We have found a way around this in the past by ordering from B&H link here.
How to setup your Fire TV Stick
Before you set up your Amazon Fire TV Stick check you have everything you need including:
- A compatible TV - this is any TV that has HD or UHD plus a HDMI port (most TV screens today will have this)
- A wireless internet connection
- An Amazon account. You don’t have to be an Amazon Prime customer to use the Amazon Fire TV Stick but you do have to have a regular Amazon account. If you don’t have one, don’t worry, you can create this on setup.
- 2 AAA batteries for your TV Stick remote
Here are the steps you need to get things setup:
1. Add power
Plug the power adaptor into your TV Stick and plug the other end into a power outlet.
Then ensure your TV Stick is turned “on”.
2. Attach to your TV’s HDMI port
Plug the Fire TV Stick directly into the HDMI port on the back of your TV, or use a HDMI extender if you don’t want it plugged directly into the screen.
3. Select your channel
Turn your TV to the same channel that the TV Stick is plugged into (i.e. HDMI1, HDMI3). You should then see a loading screen with the 'Fire TV Stick' logo.
4. Add a remote
Pop a few batteries into your remote. Once you’ve done this it should automatically pair with your stick. If your remote doesn't pair, press and hold the Home Button for up to 10 sections to send it to 'discovery mode' so you can complete the pairing process.
Further remote troubleshooting details here.
5. Connect to the Internet
Follow the instructions onscreen to connect your TV Stick to your Wi-Fi network.
6. Register your device
Follow the on-screen instructions to register your Fire TV Stick to your Amazon account.
That’s it amigos! Your Fire TV Stick is set up and ready to go. If you need more help, watch the welcome video which should now be playing on screen.
What can you do with your Amazon Fire TV Stick?
Once you’re setup, here are five of the many different things you can use your Fire TV Stick for.
1. Watch Netflix on your TV Stick
To download Netflix through your TV Stick, head to the main screen and select “Search”.
Amazon Fire Tv Stick 4k User Manual
Type in Netflix and when you see the app, download this.
Open Netflix and sign-in (or sign-up).
That’s it! You’re ready to get stuck into a boxset marathon.
2. Ask Alexa stuff
The new Amazon Fire TV Stick is equipped with Alexa, Amazon’s version of Siri, which allows you to pull stuff up on screen using your voice alone. This can be anything from choosing a movie on Netflix, to ordering a Dominos or even asking what the weather’s like.
3. Listen to music
There are a few different ways to listen to music via a Fire Stick device.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member you can listen to included songs, or sign up to a music subscription. You can also search for the Amazon “Music app” to listen to any songs you’ve imported to the library or purchased from the music store.
If you have a Spotify account you can also download the Spotify app for free from the Amazon App Store.
4. Setup digital signage with your TV Stick
If you’re interested in sharing your own content to the screen using a Fire TV Stick, check out the video and guide below.
Read the full digital signage guide.
5. Mirror your phone’s screen
A bit like Apple TV, the Fire TV Stick can also take whatever’s on your phone and put it up on your TV.
To set this up, hold down the home button on your Fire TV remote. This will open the quick-access menu, where you’ll see a mirroring option.
Now, find the mirroring option on your phone. This will depend on what device you’re using but will usually be within the Settings menu.
For example, on an iPhone, if you slide up as if you’re going to put your torch on you’ll see an option called “Screen Mirroring”. Select this and you should be able to mirror your iPhone to your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Amazon Fire TV Stick question buster
Does the Amazon Fire TV Stick have to be plugged in to work?
You can try to use the Amazon Fire TV Stick with the USB power from your TV alone, but it is unlikely this will be enough. You’re much better off plugging your TV Stick into the mains instead.
Does the Amazon Fire TV Stick have Bluetooth?
Yes, the TV Stick is Bluetooth enabled. Read Amazon’s guide on how to pair a Bluetooth accessory with your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Does the Amazon Fire TV Stick have YouTube?
To use YouTube with the Amazon Fire TV Stick you can download the YouTube app from the Amazon App Store.
Does the Amazon Fire TV Stick need WiFi?
Yes you need WiFi to power the TV Stick. The device does not have an ethernet port so WiFi is the only way to connect your device (and TV) to the internet.
What channels do you get with the Amazon Fire TV Stick?
View this list of channels that can be downloaded through the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Amazon Fire Stick 4k Reviews
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