[UPDATE]
My original review was a bit long winded and seems so long ago now. Probably through the power of updates, all the problems I had stated in my original review have ceased to exist. And it was quite a long time ago that the problems went away, so long that I forgot I even had so many problems with the Fire TV Sticks originally. I had continued to use them through that trouble period and long past it, I have even purchased a 3rd one. I love using them. We have one for every tv in the house. I no longer have any unwarranted connectivity issues, apps function fine and do not freeze or crash, and I can use them continuously for hours with no problems. I never bothered to replace any of my sticks that I had those problems with, so these are still the same exact ones that had all those issues. Clearly recents updates have improved the reliability and user experience and it was just a software issue, not hardware, that was causing those problems. Also since my last review of this product, they’ve updated the interface so I’ll add a new photo. I think I finally just gotten use to the new interface as well. Also gotten a new phone with a better camera since then so better quality photo for ya.
[Original review]
I really want to like these. I have 2 Fire TV Sticks 4k that we’re given to me because my grandmother bought them and didn’t want them. They were unused not even opened. I was so excited and really liked them at first. Even bought a brand new 43” Tv for my bedroom because I don’t have cable in my room so I never needed a tv before. But a month later and both Fire Stick seem to have the same problem.
Both constantly have issue with the internet, but I’ve check the internet and it is fine. Even tried to restart the router and that doesn’t even help. It’s easier to just restart the Fire Stick. Apps crash. Apps freeze. Apps don’t even open. Home screen crashes and keeps reloading. Both Fire Stick do this. I’ve tried clear cache data. Force stopping apps. I’ve restored to factor default. Deleted extra apps. I’ve not used up all the memory on the Fire Stick anyways. I mainly only use 3 apps. PLEX, Pandora, and YouTube and occasionally Prime Video. And the only fix I have is to constantly restart the thing. I shouldn’t have to restart the Fire Stick every 5 minutes and I should be able to watch an entire video without it freezing or listen to more than 3 songs with out pandora just stopping. I’m really disappointed because I really liked them at first and was going to even recommend them over the Roku. But my mother has a Roku in her room and I never hear her complain. I even know people with Fire Sticks and they’ve never complained to me so I don’t know how I could end up with two bad eggs.
I don’t really care for Alex. I don’t have an echo or anything. Voice recognition works until the Fire Stick starts have issues or the internet starts bugging out. It will just say error. If I leave it alone the internet will sometimes sort it self out. It doesn’t disconnect it just claims it’s connect with problem an further says it has no internet connection. But my internet is not out since everything else is working fine. And we don’t use a lot of devices at once in my house.
I’ve tried them on multiple TVs. They are currently connect to my ONN and old Toshiba tv. Was on a old Sharp for a while as well when I had it in the living room. I’ve since decided to have them in the office and my bedroom since it wasn’t getting as much use in the living room and that’s my mothers tv not mine. TV set up was easy. No problems connecting he remote.
When it is streaming it’s fine. Looks good. But then everything freezes. Maybe I get a good hour of solid play time a day then it will start doing it thing and I constantly need to restart the Fire Sticks again and again. It’s like it needs a break. So maybe it’s over heating. I don’t know why though because it’s not in an enclosed space and it doesn’t feel any warmer than your average electronic that running.
To be completely honest I have a gameboy and a ps2 from the early 2000s that are more reliable then these Fire Sticks.
I’m embarrassed to even use these to watch a movie with guest around. I rather use my laptop and connect it with HDMI to the tv.
Sorry. I would have taken better pictures but my phone camera is broken and vibrates like crazy. I tried to show where they are connected and that they are not confined. The White screen is pandora after it froze and I tried to force stop the app and when I launch it I often just get this white screen after the pandora logo and sometimes in the corner it will says some failed error web address thing. And there’s a picture of the internet not working. As well of some picture of it actually working. And all the photos except the first one where taken with in a 10 mins period and in that order showing that pandora was not working, youtube was not working, Internet stoped working, Internet came back (screensaver) then I got my other tv and stuff. So yea. Fun.
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This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.
Carbon impact
Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were reduced compared to similar products or previous models.
As certified by
Reducing CO2 The Reducing CO2 label applies to products certified by the Carbon Trust, that are lowering their carbon emissions year after year for the full lifecycle of the product. The Carbon Trust was formed in 2001 and introduced the world’s first carbon label in 2007. It produces its certifications to global leading and independently verified standards. The Carbon Trust has a mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low carbon economy.
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"Alexa, turn on the lights."
Control the lights with your voice.
Immersive cinematic experience
Unlock a complete 4K Ultra HD experience - With support for leading HDR formats, Dolby Atmos Audio, access to the latest 4K content, and a lightning-fast processor, Fire TV Stick 4K enables you to experience the beauty of 4K Ultra HD movies and shows on your TV.
Finding 4K Ultra HD content has never been easier on Fire TV—just press and ask, “Alexa, find 4K movies,” or browse recommendations on your home screen.
True-to-life picture quality
Enjoy stunning 4K Ultra HD streaming at up to 60fps. Experience the vivid, lifelike colors and exceptional clarity of Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HLG, and HDR10+. Feel scenes come to life with immersive Dolby Atmos audio on select titles, including on Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+, when connected to compatible soundbars and home audio systems.
Every day is an earth day
You don’t have to be an environmental scientist to make sustainable choices. We considered sustainability in the design of this device. Here’s how:
Low Power Mode
To reduce its energy consumption, this device will enter Low Power Mode when it goes to sleep. Learn more here.
Device Packaging
97% of this device’s packaging is made of wood fiber-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources.
Technical details
Fire TV Stick 4K technical details
|
Size |
99 mm x 30 mm x 14 mm (only housing) | 108 mm x 30 mm x 14 mm (including the connector) |
|
Weight |
53.6 g |
|
Processor |
Quad-core 1.7 GHz |
|
GPU |
IMG GE8300 |
|
Storage |
8 GB internal |
|
Wi-Fi |
Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO) for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard Wi-Fi. Supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi networks. |
|
Bluetooth |
Bluetooth 5.0 + LE. Pair with compatible Bluetooth speakers, headphones, video game controllers, and more. |
|
Voice support |
Yes, with Alexa Voice Remote (included) or the free Fire TV app (available for download on Fire OS, Android, and iOS). |
|
IR device control with included Alexa Voice Remote |
The included Alexa Voice Remote can control the Fire TV Stick 4K and certain functions (such as power and volume) on a wide range of compatible IR-enabled devices, including TVs, soundbars and A/V receivers. Note: Certain functions may not be available on some IR-enabled devices. |
|
Cloud storage |
Free cloud storage for digital content purchased from Amazon. |
|
Ports |
HDMI output, micro-USB for power only. |
|
Audio support |
Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, 2-channel stereo, and HDMI audio pass through up to 5.1. Dolby Atmos is available on select Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+ titles when connected to compatible equipment. |
|
4K support |
To watch movies and TV shows in 4K Ultra HD, you need a compatible Ultra HD TV. All services may not be available in 4K/HDR. Certain services are subject to change at any time, may not be available in all areas, or in 4K/HDR, and may require separate subscriptions. Learn more about services. |
|
Content formats supported |
Video: Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9 Audio: AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, Dolby Atmos (EC3_JOC), Photo: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP |
|
Output resolution supported |
2160p, 1080p and 720p up to 60 fps |
|
System requirements |
High-definition television with available high-speed HDMI input, high-speed internet connection via Wi-Fi |
|
TV compatibility |
TV must support minimum HDCP requirements for protected content playback. Compatible with 1) 4K ultra high-definition TVs with HDMI capable of 2160p at 24/25/30/50/60 Hz and HDCP 2.2 or 2) high-definition TVs with HDMI capable of 1080p or 720p at 50/60 Hz. Learn more about high-definition. |
|
Warranty and service |
1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2-Year and 3-Year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Fire TV is subject to the terms found here. |
|
Regional support |
Certain services may not be available outside the U.S. |
|
Accessibility features |
VoiceView screen reader enables access to the vast majority of Fire TV features for users who are blind or visually impaired. Watch videos and TV shows with closed captioning displayed. Captions are not available for all content. You can also listen to Fire TV with compatible Bluetooth headphones. Learn more about accessibility for Fire TV. |
|
Included in the box |
Fire TV Stick 4K, Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen), USB cable and power adapter, HDMI extender cable for Fire TV Stick 4K, 2 AAA batteries, Quick Start Guide |
|
Software Security Updates |
This device receives guaranteed software security updates until at least four years after the device is last available for purchase as a new unit on our websites. Learn more about these software security updates. If you already own a Fire TV, visit Manage Your Content and Devices for information specific to your device. |
Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen) technical details
|
Size |
38 x 142 x 16 mm |
|
Weight |
43.4 g (without batteries) |
|
Batteries |
2 AAA (included) |
|
Technology |
Bluetooth |
|
Compatibility |
Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen), Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen), Fire TV Cube (2nd Gen), Fire TV Cube (1st Gen), Fire TV (3rd Gen Pendant Design) |
|
Software Security Updates |
This device receives guaranteed software security updates until at least four years after the device is last available for purchase as a new unit on our websites. Learn more about these software security updates. If you already own a Fire TV, visit Manage Your Content and Devices for information specific to your device. |
Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.
Carbon impact
Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were reduced compared to similar products or previous models.
As certified by
Reducing CO2 The Reducing CO2 label applies to products certified by the Carbon Trust, that are lowering their carbon emissions year after year for the full lifecycle of the product. The Carbon Trust was formed in 2001 and introduced the world’s first carbon label in 2007. It produces its certifications to global leading and independently verified standards. The Carbon Trust has a mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low carbon economy.
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Fire TV Stick 4K streaming Unboxing
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Reviews with images
Few limitations but excellent value for money
I was looking for replacing my Roku LT streaming box which was released 100 years ago (in electronics years.) I couldn't resist when Amazon threw the trade-in offer at my face with $25 off for a Fire TV, and 2.99 cash value.The new Fire TV retains the same form factor from the old Fire TV but has packed in some new features such as faster processor, power, volume, and mute buttons for TV, and support for newer 4K media standards such as Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos surround sound.I was really surprised that how convenient the Alexa voice command feature is. Especially even with my thick accent, Alexa was able to understand what I was saying. Though apps have to support integration with Alexa (e.g. it couldn't open a website with voice command, maybe I was not giving a specific enough command) but all I need to play videos on Netflix or Amazon prime, and Alexa handles it beautifully.Alexa voice commands work even if the TV is switched off. Though it takes a while for Alexa to switch the TV on but the fact that it works is simply amazing.The User-interface is quite responsive. However, I found the user interface to be cluttered with information that I did not want on my home screen. The home screen can be improved a lot in order to present the content that I want and not what Amazon wants to advertise.I also had issues with WiFi. During the setup process, the Fire TV prompted that it was not connected to WiFi. But on trying again it worked fine. Also, after some time the Fire TV could not reach the internet and displayed the message that "Home screen is currently unavailable." I had to power off the Fire TV and power it back up again to make it work.All in all I love this new Fire TV. It is fast, responsive and has lots of features that I found useful in my daily operation.THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE BUYING A FIRE TV1. In order to be able to stream content at 4K, you would need to have a good broadband connection. Amazon recommends having a broadband connection of at least 15 Mbps. So if you have a dial-up or are on an economical internet plan, then you might not be able to stream in 4K.2. As a result of an ongoing tussle between Amazon and Google, Google's apps are not available on Fire TV. Youtube app is not officially supported on Fire TV. There is a Youtube app for Fire TV but that simply opens Youtube in the web-browser. Google Play movies are also not supported on Fire TV as well.3. The 4K content is limited and cost more e.g. Netflix charges more for their 4K subscription plan. Most of the movies that you can buy in 4K would be costlier than their SD/HD counterparts. As of writing this review the only Google Play movies and Apple iTunes would upgrade the purchased content to 4K for free. Neither of these two is available on Fire TV. I hope Amazon video follows the same suit and upgrades the purchased content to 4K for free.4. Ethernet adapter has to be bought separately. Wi-fi is great but can be unreliable, especially if there are too many wi-fi devices causing interference. If you need wired ethernet then you would have to buy an ethernet adapter separately that plugs into the mini-USB port, unlike Fire TV cube that already comes with an ethernet port.5. Fire TV stick does not support an external sd card. Though Fire TV stick has an internal memory of 8GB, it can fill up pretty quickly. It would have been nice to be able to connect an external storage media, but at this price, it would be asking too much. Although you can buy an OTG hub and use VLC to play the media from the USB drives (I have explained this further in the tips section below)SOME TIPS FOR NEW FIRE TV USERS1. If you hold down the home button, then a new menu pops up which gives you three options to go to apps directly, sleep the Fire TV, or go to setting. I find this shortcut really useful for navigating to apps directly. 2. When I setup the fire TV I realized that the picture was rather dull as compared to the picture in my Samsung Smart TV app (e.g. the same movie in Netflix app would seem more vibrant than on Fire TV.) I found that changing the "Dynamic Range Settings" to "Adaptive" made the picture look more vibrant. You can navigate to this setting by going to Settings > Display & Sounds > Dynamic Range Settings. My Fire TV was set to "Always HDR" and I changed it to "Adaptive"3. If you have kids and prefer to listen to TV quietly then you should play with two audio settings "Volume Leveler" and "Dialogue Enhancer" (which are OFF by default.) These settings are found in Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio > Advanced Audio.4. You can play external media (videos) from USB drive using an OTG (On-The-Go) hub which has USB drive support. I got an OTG hub Micro USB LAN Ethernet Adapter with RJ45 3 USB Hub Compatible TV Stick Streaming Device that has ethernet and USB ports. With this Hub, I can launch the VLC app VLC App for Fire TV and it can browse and play the media on the USB drives attached to the hub. You can also directly connect the Fire TV to the laptop and copy over the files to the Fire TV stick, but with 8Gb of storage space there might not be enough space on the Fire TV (since that space would be shared by the Fire TV OS, utilities and apps as well)SPECS1. Supports 60 Hz refresh rates for 4K at 60Hz, 1080p, and 720p2. Internal storage : 8GB3. RAM: 1.5GB DDR44. Processor: Quad Core 1.7GHz5. OS: Fire OS 6, which is based on Android 7.1 (Nougat)6. Wi-Fi: Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi supports 2x2 MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac7. Ethernet: 10/100Mbs (though the ethernet adapter needs to be purchased separately)8. Bluetooth : 5.09. Ports: HDMI output, Micro USB 2.0 for power or optional Amazon Ethernet AdapterSETUPUpon plugging in the Fire TV for the first time the setup process will do the following:1. Selecting the language2. Configure Wireless internet's configuration.3. Once that is done Fire TV installs and downloads the latest software. Software download did not take much time but the installation took 3 minutes.4. Fire TV then sets up the remote to control the TV. It asks you to control the volume of TV using Fire TV's remote.5. After that, you can connect the Fire TV to your account. If you purchased the Fire TV from Amazon, then it is already connected to your account.6. You can set up parental controls after connecting the Fire TV to your account.7. After this, a brief video of Fire TV's features is shown.8. After the video interface of Fire TV is shown.The next time I turned on the Fire TV, it straight away goes to Fire TV's interfaceWHAT'S NEW IN THIS FIRE TVThis latest Fire TV model has added lots of new functionalities as compared to1. The processor has been upgraded from 1.5GHz to 1.7GHz quad-core processor. This is better than Fire TV cube's processor as well, but Fire TV cube has 16 GB of internal memory while Fire TV stick has 8 GB only.2. This new Fire TV supports streaming in 4K, Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos surround sound.3. The remote has received a fair amount of new features such as IR transmitter that can be used to control other devices as well. The dedicated buttons for power, volume, and mute can be used to control the TV directly, instead of having to lug around the TV's remote separately.4. Fire TV's remote also has the Alexa button using which you can give voice commands to the Fire TV.WHAT IS DOLBY ATMOSDolby Atmos was is a technology that was introduced to provide a more immersive sound experience. This involved adding more speakers (up to 64) around and above the listener and using 128 audio channels. This sound format is usually best experienced in theatres, however, you could purchase sound systems that support Dolby ATMOS experience on 7 to 24 speakers (although more than 12 speakers might not provide any benefit.) So although the FIre TV will support transmitting the audio in Dolby ATMOS format, you would need receivers (probably 11.2 or 7.2 channel receivers) and speaker setup to be able to enjoy this feature.There is Dolby content available on Netflix and iTunes. On Prime Video the Dolby ATMOS content limited to only some of their original content.USER INTERFACEThe user interface of Fire TV is very similar to Prime video's interface with rows of tiles in various categories. This is basically Prie Video interface with an extra row for the apps and recently used apps. The home screen of Fire TV contains the "Your apps and channels" and below that there are rows of sponsored content and recommendations that you would see on prime video app.I personally found the home screen of Fire TV to be cluttered with tiles and information that I did not want. If you are coming from Roku where you find your channels displayed prominently, you might feel a little disappointed. There is one row of my apps and channels, while there are rows after rows of recommended content that I did not pin on my home screen. I have not been able to customize the home screen as of yet.I personally found searching for new apps on Fire TV to be really cumbersome as well. I have to navigate through several menus hoping to find a useful app. It would probably be easier to go to Amazon's website, search for an app there and install it from there.USING TV CONTROLS FROM FIRE TV's REMOTEOnce the Fire TV's remote was set up to control the TV, I could easily control the volume of TV and turn the TV on or off. There was no lag and it works simply every time. I did not need a line of sight between the remote and the TV for it to work.USING ALEXAIn order to use the Alexa commands you simply hold down the voice button on remote, say the command while holding down the button, and release the button. The even works when TV is switched.WHY BUY A STREAMING STICK WHEN I HAVE A SMART TVEven though I have a smart tv which in theory should provide mostly the same functionality as the streaming stick, I found my smart TV's experience to be extremely inferior to these streaming solution. The Samsung smart TV I have is plagued with slow and unresponsive apps. The apps crash often. Sometimes the TV itself freezes to the point that I cannot use the remote to turn the TV off. Often when I turn the TV on it would not launch any add until it loads up an advertisement.It shouldn't be surprising that the overall user experience is not enjoyable on Smart TV mainly because the software is not the primary focus of TV manufacturers. However, the streaming sticks dedicate the hardware and software for a single purpose only and that is to provide a pleasant viewing experience for the user. Therefore they update their software more often and try to be on top of resolving issues in their product.Also, the number of apps/channels for my Samsung TV are not as much as are available on the streaming devices.FIRE TV VS ROKU TV/CHROMECASTWhile looking for a replacing my ailing Roku LT for some time now. The Roku LT couldn't handle all weight of shiny new apps. I was looking for something around $50 and all the devices fit the bill we Roku Streaming stick+, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV.Roku streaming stick+ does provide very similar functionality as Fire TV such as 4K support, UHD support, Voice controls on Remote. Both of them also lack some functionalities that would have wanted such as Micro SD card, ethernet port. Though Fire TV does have volume and power controls for TV on the remote, which is a big plus for me. However, considering the discount I was getting for trade-in, Fire TV stick was the obvious choice for me. In addition to that since Fire TV is based on Android, there are some apps available on Fire TV which are not available for Roku such as VLC, Kodi, VPN service.Chromecast is also based on Android and you can install apps on it as well, but chromecast is for casting from another device. This means that I would always need a device (such as laptop, tablet or Mobile) to start the stream. This in itself was a deal breaker for me for buying chromecast.WOULD THIS PLAY ALL MEDIA IN 4KIf you are playing HD content then the Fire TV will upscale the content to 4K (this means that it will try to fit the HD content to a 4K screen by trying to add the missing details.) Although if you have a 4K TV then most probably the TV is capable of doing that as well. You might want to disable the upscaling of Fire TV and see if your TV can do a better job at it.DO I NEED TO HAVE A 4K TV TO USE THISYou don't need to have a 4K TV to be able to use Fire TV. If you have an old TV/monitor which can display in HD only, even then you can play HD content simply fine on Fire TV. In fact as of now, 4K streaming content is relatively hard to come by, so it's very likely that you won't miss out on much.SHOULD I BUY THE ETHERNET PORT ADAPTER FOR FIRE TV STICKGenerally, the word of wisdom is that ethernet is more reliable and faster than wi-fi. However, the ethernet adapter will connect to the micro-USB port and supports only 10/100 ethernet (which means that it supports working at 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps.) The Wifi can also provide bandwidth much more than this. If the ethernet on Fire TV had been 10/100/1000 which means it can go up to 1Gbps (making it Gigabit port) then ethernet would have been a much better option. Also, consider the internet plan you have. If you have an internet plan for say 40Mbps, so Fire TV stick will never reach 100Mbps anyways.The only reason you would want to use an ethernet adapter is if your wifi router is far away from the Fire TV and there is interference in the WiFi signal. I would suggest to connect to WiFi test and perform a speed test using the browser on the Fire TV by going to any of the speed test websites. If the speed test reports good enough speed and you don't encounter bad wi-fi service then there is no need to have an ethernet adapter.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020
My original review was a bit long winded and seems so long ago now. Probably through the power of updates, all the problems I had stated in my original review have ceased to exist. And it was quite a long time ago that the problems went away, so long that I forgot I even had so many problems with the Fire TV Sticks originally. I had continued to use them through that trouble period and long past it, I have even purchased a 3rd one. I love using them. We have one for every tv in the house. I no longer have any unwarranted connectivity issues, apps function fine and do not freeze or crash, and I can use them continuously for hours with no problems. I never bothered to replace any of my sticks that I had those problems with, so these are still the same exact ones that had all those issues. Clearly recents updates have improved the reliability and user experience and it was just a software issue, not hardware, that was causing those problems. Also since my last review of this product, they’ve updated the interface so I’ll add a new photo. I think I finally just gotten use to the new interface as well. Also gotten a new phone with a better camera since then so better quality photo for ya.
[Original review]
I really want to like these. I have 2 Fire TV Sticks 4k that we’re given to me because my grandmother bought them and didn’t want them. They were unused not even opened. I was so excited and really liked them at first. Even bought a brand new 43” Tv for my bedroom because I don’t have cable in my room so I never needed a tv before. But a month later and both Fire Stick seem to have the same problem.
Both constantly have issue with the internet, but I’ve check the internet and it is fine. Even tried to restart the router and that doesn’t even help. It’s easier to just restart the Fire Stick. Apps crash. Apps freeze. Apps don’t even open. Home screen crashes and keeps reloading. Both Fire Stick do this. I’ve tried clear cache data. Force stopping apps. I’ve restored to factor default. Deleted extra apps. I’ve not used up all the memory on the Fire Stick anyways. I mainly only use 3 apps. PLEX, Pandora, and YouTube and occasionally Prime Video. And the only fix I have is to constantly restart the thing. I shouldn’t have to restart the Fire Stick every 5 minutes and I should be able to watch an entire video without it freezing or listen to more than 3 songs with out pandora just stopping. I’m really disappointed because I really liked them at first and was going to even recommend them over the Roku. But my mother has a Roku in her room and I never hear her complain. I even know people with Fire Sticks and they’ve never complained to me so I don’t know how I could end up with two bad eggs.
I don’t really care for Alex. I don’t have an echo or anything. Voice recognition works until the Fire Stick starts have issues or the internet starts bugging out. It will just say error. If I leave it alone the internet will sometimes sort it self out. It doesn’t disconnect it just claims it’s connect with problem an further says it has no internet connection. But my internet is not out since everything else is working fine. And we don’t use a lot of devices at once in my house.
I’ve tried them on multiple TVs. They are currently connect to my ONN and old Toshiba tv. Was on a old Sharp for a while as well when I had it in the living room. I’ve since decided to have them in the office and my bedroom since it wasn’t getting as much use in the living room and that’s my mothers tv not mine. TV set up was easy. No problems connecting he remote.
When it is streaming it’s fine. Looks good. But then everything freezes. Maybe I get a good hour of solid play time a day then it will start doing it thing and I constantly need to restart the Fire Sticks again and again. It’s like it needs a break. So maybe it’s over heating. I don’t know why though because it’s not in an enclosed space and it doesn’t feel any warmer than your average electronic that running.
To be completely honest I have a gameboy and a ps2 from the early 2000s that are more reliable then these Fire Sticks.
I’m embarrassed to even use these to watch a movie with guest around. I rather use my laptop and connect it with HDMI to the tv.
Sorry. I would have taken better pictures but my phone camera is broken and vibrates like crazy. I tried to show where they are connected and that they are not confined. The White screen is pandora after it froze and I tried to force stop the app and when I launch it I often just get this white screen after the pandora logo and sometimes in the corner it will says some failed error web address thing. And there’s a picture of the internet not working. As well of some picture of it actually working. And all the photos except the first one where taken with in a 10 mins period and in that order showing that pandora was not working, youtube was not working, Internet stoped working, Internet came back (screensaver) then I got my other tv and stuff. So yea. Fun.
Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase
Updates have improved its reliability. Works great.
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020
[UPDATE]Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020
My original review was a bit long winded and seems so long ago now. Probably through the power of updates, all the problems I had stated in my original review have ceased to exist. And it was quite a long time ago that the problems went away, so long that I forgot I even had so many problems with the Fire TV Sticks originally. I had continued to use them through that trouble period and long past it, I have even purchased a 3rd one. I love using them. We have one for every tv in the house. I no longer have any unwarranted connectivity issues, apps function fine and do not freeze or crash, and I can use them continuously for hours with no problems. I never bothered to replace any of my sticks that I had those problems with, so these are still the same exact ones that had all those issues. Clearly recents updates have improved the reliability and user experience and it was just a software issue, not hardware, that was causing those problems. Also since my last review of this product, they’ve updated the interface so I’ll add a new photo. I think I finally just gotten use to the new interface as well. Also gotten a new phone with a better camera since then so better quality photo for ya.
[Original review]
I really want to like these. I have 2 Fire TV Sticks 4k that we’re given to me because my grandmother bought them and didn’t want them. They were unused not even opened. I was so excited and really liked them at first. Even bought a brand new 43” Tv for my bedroom because I don’t have cable in my room so I never needed a tv before. But a month later and both Fire Stick seem to have the same problem.
Both constantly have issue with the internet, but I’ve check the internet and it is fine. Even tried to restart the router and that doesn’t even help. It’s easier to just restart the Fire Stick. Apps crash. Apps freeze. Apps don’t even open. Home screen crashes and keeps reloading. Both Fire Stick do this. I’ve tried clear cache data. Force stopping apps. I’ve restored to factor default. Deleted extra apps. I’ve not used up all the memory on the Fire Stick anyways. I mainly only use 3 apps. PLEX, Pandora, and YouTube and occasionally Prime Video. And the only fix I have is to constantly restart the thing. I shouldn’t have to restart the Fire Stick every 5 minutes and I should be able to watch an entire video without it freezing or listen to more than 3 songs with out pandora just stopping. I’m really disappointed because I really liked them at first and was going to even recommend them over the Roku. But my mother has a Roku in her room and I never hear her complain. I even know people with Fire Sticks and they’ve never complained to me so I don’t know how I could end up with two bad eggs.
I don’t really care for Alex. I don’t have an echo or anything. Voice recognition works until the Fire Stick starts have issues or the internet starts bugging out. It will just say error. If I leave it alone the internet will sometimes sort it self out. It doesn’t disconnect it just claims it’s connect with problem an further says it has no internet connection. But my internet is not out since everything else is working fine. And we don’t use a lot of devices at once in my house.
I’ve tried them on multiple TVs. They are currently connect to my ONN and old Toshiba tv. Was on a old Sharp for a while as well when I had it in the living room. I’ve since decided to have them in the office and my bedroom since it wasn’t getting as much use in the living room and that’s my mothers tv not mine. TV set up was easy. No problems connecting he remote.
When it is streaming it’s fine. Looks good. But then everything freezes. Maybe I get a good hour of solid play time a day then it will start doing it thing and I constantly need to restart the Fire Sticks again and again. It’s like it needs a break. So maybe it’s over heating. I don’t know why though because it’s not in an enclosed space and it doesn’t feel any warmer than your average electronic that running.
To be completely honest I have a gameboy and a ps2 from the early 2000s that are more reliable then these Fire Sticks.
I’m embarrassed to even use these to watch a movie with guest around. I rather use my laptop and connect it with HDMI to the tv.
Sorry. I would have taken better pictures but my phone camera is broken and vibrates like crazy. I tried to show where they are connected and that they are not confined. The White screen is pandora after it froze and I tried to force stop the app and when I launch it I often just get this white screen after the pandora logo and sometimes in the corner it will says some failed error web address thing. And there’s a picture of the internet not working. As well of some picture of it actually working. And all the photos except the first one where taken with in a 10 mins period and in that order showing that pandora was not working, youtube was not working, Internet stoped working, Internet came back (screensaver) then I got my other tv and stuff. So yea. Fun.
Images in this review
