Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device with Alexa Voice Remote (includes TV controls)

Top positive review

Some Trepidation @ 1st - Simplicity Amazing and Setup Quite Easy

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021

I've over a half century of working in the world of technology AND I am extremely picky about what I acquire and my expectations. I sometimes return products within a single day. If you get bored reading, just order the damn thing!

If you do product research on the web, some say that YouTube TV is not available. IT IS AVAILABLE! You simply go to the website, signup, and download the app to your stick or smart TV.

Suggest you search for discount code online. Mine was easy to find and saved a few bucks. . .

I did a lot of product comparison and settled on thus 2nd Generation Fire Stick. 3rd Gen offered little - for me - to justify the higher price.

We cut the cord with Spectrum and by using YouTube TV and Amazon TV (p/o Prime) for Movies, this couldn't have been a better choice. The learning curve was more of a Mole Hill and my wife learned How To quickly.

The Voice activated remote is fantastic and works well with our TV's. NO PROGRAMMING REQUIRED.

Our bill for Spectrum TV + Internet was about $202/mo and if we needed to record two programs we could only watch 1 of those 2. I was told the latest set-top box add the ability to record two and watch other channels. What drove the final change decision was when we looked at a bill. Spectrum added another charge for enhanced sports without our permission. Another $3 that I know we neither requested nor approved. I DETEST SPORTS.

What we find fabulous about YouTube TV is that you can sign in on the website and UNCHECK all the channels you have no interest in. The system has a Library and you simply add your favorite TV programs or movies to the system and the shows are continuously recorded on the cloud. If you select a show to record the system records it and all future shows. NO equipment needed and storage is unlimited.

When I went to local Spectrum store to return the equipment I found that I was being upgraded to from 100 to 200 mbps internet for $45/month for the first year. I was being charged significantly more for the old 100 mbps. link. Guy insisted that my personal modem wouldn't work at 200 mbps. I was sure it did, but not sure if it would work at 400 or 900 mbps. No fee for modem so I took one. Got home and mine was registering 237 Mbps. I did a speed test to a server in Murmansk Russia. Speed was the same. If you need one, the store scans the information and it is automatically set to run when you connect it. It has no wifi...

Back to the subject of Fire Stick. I never realized this, but our smart TV was connected to Spectrum via our wifi system. When I installed the Fire Stick I learned that it requires wifi. I was worried about having to pay for more cable to be installed to other rooms in our house. I now have three cables from wall connectors in my spares box. I had over the air TV with a small antenna on our kitchen TV. Ordered another Fire Stick and got it working the following day. Sound is excellent and video is vastly improved on all sets.

If you don't have wifi cable modem, that is a minor technical issue. Easiest fix is to buy a wireless router and plug it into the modem connection. If you have a cable provider, there is likely an extra charge for the their wifi addition.

Don't plug the power cable into a USB port on the TV. The box comes with a USB charging cable and a SMALL power supply that plugs into the wall. The little stick provides 1,000 milliamps (1 AMP) and it is rare for a TV to accommodate that on a USB port.

Now for the best part, at least for me, We have Prime and live in the D/FW area which is likely why we got this service. When I ordered the first unit it was about 9 PM. The screen pops up and tells me if I order within so many minutes, the unit would be delivered the following morning between 8AM and 11AM. It was ! ! !

I then ordered the second one, for the OTA kitchen TV, the following evening. Same pop-up. This time delivery is scheduled between 4 AM and 6:30 AM. On the way from the bed to the coffee pot I opened the front door and there was the package.

Some who purchased this complained about the stick running hot. Mine doesn't. My philosophy, gained over 55 years of working in electronics and technology, is that if it doesn't burn your fingers, it is ok.

2 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Vedgehammer

Fascist app environment, but useful otherwise

Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2018

Let me tell you, I was super excited for the launch of the new FireTV Stick with its leading edge technology and processing power. Well, it’s got that but there’s a couple bug, game breaking problems I have with this thing.

1) The Amazon platform is basically retooled Android, which is a crap interface. It’s cluttered, redundant, and Amazon being Amazon wants you to use all their services over everyone else’s so not only does their menu get in the way but the top third of the home screen is promotions for whatever they want to push.

2) Also because it’s Amazon they want you to use THEIR streaming services to rent movies so much so that there is no Vudu or Google Play app available to install. If Prime Video had a decent selection of rentals (it doesn’t) or a halfway usable interface (it doesn’t) I would have less of a problem.

3) Our FireTV Stick has issues with flickering and sound dropout. Tech support immediately supplied a series of less than helpful troubleshooting tips. “Did you try a different TV? Did you try a different HDMI port?” Despite my Roku working just fine. I elected to return this since I was already fed up with the closed interface and terrible menus.

Slightly less of an issue but still annoying is the inability to completely turn off HDR. Its either “always on” or “adaptive” meaning the content dictates HDR which is a problem especially with Netflix (which is calibrated too dark on some TVs)

For now I’m happier with my Roku Stick despite less robust HDR support.

Edit: updated my review for the following:
- Amazon reached out immediately after my review to get additional feedback and to offer more support. That actually means something these days. I’ll continue to monitor for problems
- I upgraded to a new TV and this makes the HDR issue better since it actually looks good on this TV. Problem still stands of not being able to disable HDR entirely if needed
- The smart controls feature is nice. I can use Alexa to change TV inputs now.
- Less flickering on new tv but still have sound dropouts

However my issue with not having a way to watch VUDU/UV movies is a huge issue. On top is that, MoviesAnywhere doesn’t tell you which movies were transferred over in 4K. So while the titles may sync, in cases of certain films (eg Deadpool 2) you only get the HD version and not the UHD/HDR one you paid for. Until this is fixed I’ll leave my review at 3 stars.

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From the United States

Bob M

Some Trepidation @ 1st - Simplicity Amazing and Setup Quite Easy

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Alena

Updates have improved its reliability. Works great.

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

[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.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

The Examinators

Fast, easy to use, and smooth presentation of content.

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2020

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

For details as to how this item received the given rating, see below:

Aside from a Roku, the Fire TV stick nailed one of the best user experiences. In going through various streaming devices, from Apple TV, other brands that have gone to the way side, to using a Chromecast, the Fire brand got it right. Streaming your favorite app for content, or even playing a game, it's just easy.

In recently upgrading from an older stick, this one works great with current AC network types (even though it is compatible with previous versions from N even back to B or A, if A is even around anymore). In testing, there is yet to be a moment where there is lag or content jolts due to buffering issues.

The built in Alexa module/button is convenient and works really smoothly. The IR device control is an extra bonus that I was not even expecting. On the older TV we can now control the power and audio without having to use extra controllers.

There was a slight challenge in getting content from Google's play store, such as our favorite show Friends leaving Netflix. In purchasing the entire series on sale from the play store (sorry, the whole series is no longer on sale), we discovered that there was no way in getting the content to play on Amazon. In chatting with Google's support team, there was no way in getting this content to appear. However, turns out there is! If you use the YouTube app on your Fire stick, and then tie it to you Google account, you now have access to your content!

Movies anywhere? Yes, but not TV show's everywhere! It's time for all of these providers to have one general platform/license that talks to everything. In the end, we the consumers feel the pain of going back and forth between different platforms, when we should be on one. The same applies to other digital content, one license for many systems or one license for one system.

Apologies for the extra dialog, but it's just a tech dream that maybe will come true one day.

One downside was the packaging. Why all the plastic? There was a plastic bag for my plastic controller that also had plastic all around it. It is appreciated that it was not scratched in anyway, however, unnecessary use when I'm sure Amazon can come up with better packaging.

Pros:
• Fast
• Huge environment of apps/games/music.
• Great integration with existing Amazon eco system (and other platforms, even if via work arounds for some).
• Wireless AC support (Dual-Band and backwards compatible with older wireless technologies).
• IR Device Control to control more with less.
• Great output 4K/up to 2016p/up to 60 fps.
• Alexa microphone.
• Volume keys.

Cons:
• Packaging can use less plastic.

*Note, there are two ratings applied to the reviewed item. "Product rating" and "Packaging rating". The actual product will not be impacted by the packaging as these are two separate ratings.

In regards to packaging, the following are contributing factors against the "Packaging rating":

• In an effort to globally reduce and promote less usage of plastic, any usage of plastic or non-environmentally safe packaging/products/material will be marked negatively.
• Single use items that do not biodegrade or cannot be easily recycled (see point above on plastics).
• The packaging rating is being introduced to help drive a shift to more sustainable and environmentally friendly resources.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kudjo Thomas

Best budget media player on the market? I think so.

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2019

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

I have to say: I'm pretty impressed with the new FireStick. I previously owned a FireTV 2nd edition, which to this day no other Fire TV seems to hold a candle to, so I have to admit I wasn't expecting much out of this device.

I've pretty much tested it into the ground at this point but I'm still no where near complete as I don't have some of the necessary features like Dolby Atmos and an HDR tv to really see what it can do. Even with that being said, I can attest that it does hit the 4k resolution as promised.

I unfortunately could not connect this directly to my receiver(a pioneer vsx 520) as it would not pick up the 4k resolution. I opted to use the ARC function available, and that at least gave me some functionality though it doesn't quite seem to work well with anything other than the regular dolby digital 5.1 format.

A few times I found it dropping the ARC connection from the TV but I honestly don't know how much of a role the stick is playing in this occurrence. I was pretty surprised how well the Wifi handles on this device. At close distances it was able to use all of my 300mbit connection down but for some reason it split the upload speed in half.

Going much further out, about 40 ft, I definitely saw a huge drop in the connection showing about 40mbit down and up which was still good enough for streaming much of my media. I own an HDHomeRun Connect OTA which ran fine after an update.

I'm a big KODI user, and though Amazon doesn't support the application, I found it pretty easy to get around this and install it using the Downloader app. This allowed me to test most of my personal media. Initially, I was having issues playing my DVD iso's but after updating KODI to 18.1 RC1, things started to work. I did, however, have to take off the hardware codec as the movies were choppy for some reason. Apparently, this has been an ongoing issue.

If your not into DVD menu's like myself, you can just use the MKV format with the mpeg-2 codec and things will run fine. I also tried a few Blu-Rays as well. The H.264 codec with the MP4 format worked without a problem but using the MKV format with the VC1 had stuttering issues.

If you have a good media server, than I just recommend transcoding with Plex or Emby as converting can take forever. The device did a great job with switching resolutions and frame rates for 24fps mode so if you have a TV that has these functions available, breath easy.

Lastly I tested out some games. The FireStick unfortunately only supports three controllers at this time the Xbox One, PlayStation 4(ver 2), and the Matricom(I specifically used G-PAD BX). I grabbed RetroArch, a great multi emulation application.

It would seem the PlayStation is far as you are going to get for good performance on 3D accelerated games. I tried out the Run-Ahead feature for latency reduction on some of the older titles and it worked pretty well baring a few issues with certain games. I do believe that some N64 and PSP games can work with the FireStick but it is recommend you use the separate emulators rather than RetroArch to run them.

I'm no where near done with trying things out but as you can see, the FireStick 4K does hold up pretty well for the price. The interface is snappy and integration seems to be pretty painless so if you're looking for a budget media player you can use for the mean time or for a secondary room this is definitely the one I recommend.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Achint

Few limitations but excellent value for money

Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2018

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

The media could not be loaded.

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 TV
1. 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 USERS
1. 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)

SPECS
1. Supports 60 Hz refresh rates for 4K at 60Hz, 1080p, and 720p
2. Internal storage : 8GB
3. RAM: 1.5GB DDR4
4. Processor: Quad Core 1.7GHz
5. 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/ac
7. Ethernet: 10/100Mbs (though the ethernet adapter needs to be purchased separately)
8. Bluetooth : 5.0
9. Ports: HDMI output, Micro USB 2.0 for power or optional Amazon Ethernet Adapter

SETUP
Upon plugging in the Fire TV for the first time the setup process will do the following:
1. Selecting the language
2. 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 interface

WHAT'S NEW IN THIS FIRE TV
This latest Fire TV model has added lots of new functionalities as compared to
1. 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 ATMOS
Dolby 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 INTERFACE
The 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 REMOTE
Once 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 ALEXA
In 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 TV
Even 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/CHROMECAST
While 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 4K
If 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 THIS
You 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 STICK
Generally, 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.

3,850 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

Perfect Item for sreaming

Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2023

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

Ive used the Fire TV Stick for about 3 years now and its honeslty a great product, especially with my Alexa device. As an avid tech enthusiast and content aficionado, I have been thoroughly impressed by the capabilities and features of this remarkable device. From its stunning 4K Ultra HD streaming to its intuitive voice control, the Fire TV Stick 4K sets a new standard in home entertainment.

Picture Quality and Performance:

The Fire TV Stick 4K's ability to deliver breathtaking 4K Ultra HD content is a game-changer. Whether it's streaming movies, TV shows, or sports events, the picture quality is jaw-droppingly sharp, vibrant, and true-to-life. The device's powerful quad-core processor ensures smooth navigation and quick loading times, eliminating the frustration of buffering and lag. Even during high-demand streaming, the stick maintains a consistent performance, which is a testament to its impressive hardware and software optimization.

Alexa Voice Remote:

The inclusion of the Alexa Voice Remote takes convenience to a whole new level. Navigating through the vast array of content has never been easier; a simple voice command allows you to search for movies, shows, and genres without typing. The accuracy and responsiveness of Alexa's voice recognition are remarkable, making the remote an indispensable tool for effortless browsing.

Content Selection and Apps:

The Fire TV Stick 4K offers a plethora of streaming apps, ensuring you'll never run out of things to watch. From popular platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ to niche apps catering to specific interests, the device provides a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem. The user-friendly interface prioritizes your most-used apps and recently-watched content, enhancing the overall browsing experience.

Ease of Setup:

Setting up the Fire TV Stick 4K is a breeze, even for those who are less tech-savvy. The package includes everything you need to get started, and the on-screen instructions guide you through the process effortlessly. Within minutes, you'll be up and running, enjoying your favorite content in stunning 4K quality.

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Amazon2Detroit

A multi-tool resolution for many entertainment needs

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

I am a gamer, content creator and tech dork. My review will not apply to everyone's reason for purchasing the product.

First off I'd like to say I was not into the whole Firestick TV thing. I didn't really get what the big deal was, I have multiple Xbox's and Roku devices, tablets, laptops. I really didn't pay attention to the product much.... that was UNTIL I found out it displays native 4K in most if not all applications. I was surprised at how I flicked back to my Xbox and YouTube was not in 4K HDR... you can watch 4K videos but it is not native 4K. THEN I found out you can load shadow PC onto the device and you can output display 4K gaming and HDR with dynamic lighting and RAY TRACING and I hit the floor. Now to explain to others who may not understand. I'm a gamer and I love to game, I use Shadow PC for my PCVR games as well as playing High Res PC games and running very heavy applications for video and recording editing. This is a way most people are able to get a high ended pc without shelling out thousands of dollars. Instead you download a program and run a virtual pc and it updates immediately to whatever the top pc technology that is out on the market and stays updated in the app so you always have the newest and best technology. No I am not sponsored by these guys but I know it helped me when I read what others were saying about it so maybe this may help someone else out there. So yes my firestick is now a walking portable pc in my pocket and I can take it ANYWHERE!

Shadow Cloud PC - GeForce RTX 2080 (THATS 36 teraflops!!!!)
VRAM: 16 GB
Ray Tracing ready
4 cores / 8 threads

I am able to run all the next gen games at the highest output settings The Medium and Cyberpunk as well as very graphically detailed virtual reality pc games like Half-Life Alyx.

Bare with me because yes I am nerding out here. I can connect any of my bluetooth devices to it easily so I can use my xbox controller and use it on my firestick or my mouse and keyboard. I can also just say "Turn on my LED lights" from my TV REMOTE!! and it controls all of my Alexa connected devices. I can get the weather by asking it or just asking general questions instead of launching the key phrase... I just push my mic on my remote and ask or say a command I did not know it could do all of this!

Everything runs smoothly I never have any issues and I almost got a Apple TV4K first but I hear they were having issues with loading Shadow on it (long story). This sale randomly popped up and my aunt grabbed it for me now my xbox barely gets turned on lol. I can launch whatever I want from my firestick and it plays fine. I can go into xbox parties through shadow so I can still talk to friends and go play multi player etc. Yes I am speaking highly of the gaming aspect of this stick because this shows the versatility of the product.

Side loading apps and programs as well as over all accessibility makes this a 100000% hands down easy purchase. Especially for the sale price of $24????? We got 3 OF THEM!!! lol I haven't been so happy with a purchased product in a long long time and this is just amazing. The future of gaming and entertainment in one bundle. Don't skip this one just buy it and be amazed at what you get for such a small price. I'm so happy I no longer have to travel with anything but my firestick and I have all things I need right there.

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Ponkow

Does Exactly What We Need

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2019

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

There were two reasons we made the jump to Fire TV, cutting the expensive "cable" to satellite or cable tv and the voice command feature.

I'll start with the voice command feature first. We have a blind individual in our household. We needed something simple to use that would get her to content without having a tremendous number of remotes or devices. The firestick fit the bill. It allows her to tune to live tv just by asking Alexa, but she can also access Sirius XM using the same remote. Alexa has excellent voice recognition which makes life much simpler for her. Works beautifully. The remote having just basic functions allows her to easily control volume and power as well - if she doesn't use Alexa directly.

I found that we were streaming more and more television. With our prime membership it allowed us to watch a lot of content for free. I was already enjoying originals like Homecoming and Bosch but with the Fire Stick I could also start getting live tv through Hulu. I have a 4k tv but it is a little older so Hulu live was not directly compatible with my tv. The Fire Stick solved the issue. I have found it fun to be able to ask questions of Alexa like where a city is located if I am unfamiliar. When I'm done, Alexa continues the programming directly where I left off. I leave my tv on the Fire Stick as the default because all my services are available through it. I only go to the other inputs when I want to watch a Blu-ray or play on my Wii-U. Cutting the cord saves me $50 per month - I would imagine that others could save even more.

A great plus is all the apps available. I use OANN, Netflix, Hulu + Live TV, Amazon Prime, Sirius XM, Pandora. There are many others. I can say that I am watching Amazon Prime and Hulu + Live TV much more than Netflix now. Amazon has upped its game with it's new originals.

The remote does work with our Blu-ray but some of the features still need the use of the original remote but that's a minor caveat.

Summing up Firestick TV:

1. Allows viewing of content at a much reduced price
2. Has excellent voice command capabilities
3. Has an excellent selection of apps for various capabilities, including shopping if you want to
4. Has the ability to benefit disabled persons, especially the blind
5. Simple remote that has lots of compatibility
6. 4K ability allows 4K televisions to stream 4K content at no extra cost
7. Setup requires plugging into the power source and a HDMI input. Our tv immediately paired and did not require any further setup. Our Blu-ray was also incredibly easy to setup so no complaints there.

The only con is that some TVs may still need the use of the original remote for some functions - like settings. The same is true of other devices used with the tv.

I highly recommend this device to anyone looking to save money or that has a physical limitation. It works as advertised and actually has surpassed our expectations.

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Cynema

A FORMER ROKU USER CONVERTED TO FIRESTICK! ... SOME HELPFUL TIPS MADE MY 4K SETUP SO MUCH EASIER

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2020

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

When service for my older Roku ended a couple months ago, I had no idea which way to go with a new streaming device. I went into my typical research mode and was still undecided, but a couple perks suddenly made it easy to choose the 4K Firestick. As a Prime member, I love the convenient integration of all the subscription premium channels that Amazon offers, as well as being able to choose the standalone apps that were on Roku. Even though I don't yet (or may never) have a 4K TV because no one is currently broadcasting in 4K so why bother, it seemed a no-brainer to get the most updated version and streaming quality of picture afforded by the 4K stick, so the choice was easy and I've not regretted it.

However, the stick comes with VERY MINIMAL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. I'm one of those users who likes to familiarize myself thoroughly with a device and its capabilities before installation, and the 3 steps in the enclosed installation manual left me more than puzzled about customizing the settings. So, I did what I encourage all of you to do -- call $K tech support and have them walk you through ALL THE STEPS. You'll be glad you did. Some things (that I didn't want) were turned on as defaults on the stick, and frankly, it wasn't clear what certain settings even meant or what would be optimal for me. Even going through the entire setup process onscreen doesn't explain many of the choices that can be tweaked. For instance:

1) The remote comes preset to turn on your TV and the Firestick app automatically. I didn't want that. I turn on the TV separately from wanting to stream, and also use my sound bar for all my fine-tuned sound and volume preferences. In fact, I prefer using all my individual remotes. In particular, my TV settings for sound and my sound bar would have been in conflict with the 4K remote default setting, and caused so many more ridiculous steps to turn the TV on or off, the app on or off, or make any volume choices. If you don't mind this default feature then there's nothing to change, but it wouldn't bothered me right out of the gate.

2) I only bought one Firestick because my other TV has built-in apps that are still being maintained by the manufacturer. However, they're two different manufacturers. You cannot use the Firestick interchangeably between different brands (say a Sony and a Samsung) without going through setup each time you switch because setup requires brand selection and only holds one in memory at a time. Plugging the stick into a different maker requires setup EACH TIME you switch from one TV to another, which would be a nuisance. There's a workaround that I learned only from the tech support guy who guided me through setup. During setup, I selected a TV brand that is neither of my two TVs. Therefore, I can easily switch the stick from TV to TV without setting it up each time. No matter how many TVs you have, the trick is to choose a brand that is none of your TVs. Works like a charm, but if I hadn't done setup with tech help, I would never have known that I could switch the stick between TVs and would have just left it on one TV.

3) Some reviewers complain about buffering issues and dropped signal only happening with the stick, and not other devices in their homes. Well, once in awhile I've had a dropped signal, but it comes right back and I've never had buffering issues. Maybe less than 1/2% of the time has this happened, so not a problem, and once the signal is restored it never drops again during the duration of current use.

4) The streaming and picture are spectacular.

5) I waited to get this stick until Google and Amazon ironed out their differences at the end of 2019 so that the YouTube TV app (the best streaming app out there) is now downloadable on the stick.

There's a reason for these issues that the tech explained to me: 4K takes ALOT OF INTERNET. It doesn't matter if you have 200 Mb speed, you may encounter buffering and dropped signal frequently, depending on how many other devices in use at the time. Ironically enough, I have a ridiculously slow internet speed that I've never upgraded because I have absolutely no problem running TVs, laptop, tablets, phone, streaming all at the same time here in LA. But, the key here is how much internet you're using at the same time when using 4K ANYTHING, not your speed. I think many of these critical reviewers have 4K TV, plus the stick, plus run alot of stuff at the same time because they have max speed, but they can actually have problems for using too much internet at once, while I have no problems. So bear that mind.

I'll admit I haven't yet used the stick's Alexa feature yet because it doesn't matter to me for watching TV, and I have my Echo Dot anyway for other things. I love this 4K stick over any other device, am so glad I went through a formal installation process because (AGAIN) I tweaked even more settings than mentioned here during the process that I wouldn't have known to do or not, plus I have no issues with buffering and dropped signal that affect my use of the device. I intend to buy another stick soon, so I don't have to switch back and forth between TVs if I want, rather than use my pre-installed individual apps. It's so convenient to go in and out of NetFlix, Prime, premium movie channels, Vudu on the stick rather the individual apps, but I have the option of doing it either way..

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Birdman

How well it works compared to others

Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2018

Configuration: Fire TV Stick 4KVerified Purchase

Ok, so if your like me you wonder what exactly does Fire Stick do? Well 1st. saves you a lot of money Compared to having say, a Genie with 5 tv's hooked up. 2nd. gives you the option of more, lots more to watch, may even be overwhelming in choices. 3rd. Less HDMI cables to purchase. So lets get to what it really does, gives you apps like Prime video, Netflix, Hulu, and too many channels to list here. That's I think why they don't. Get every channel including many local channels that you can think of, like TNT,SYFY, PBS and so on. HBO, Starz, and those channels like Netflix are at a cost but add it up and you will probably, more then likely save a lot over cable or satellite. Sports are a little different as far as some places have, local sports channels you can get included in your cable package. This you will have to pay for unless your watching live on local channels.
Now what's different between Fire tv and Roku Ultra besides the price? No VUDU on Fire tv, which if you are like me I have movies on there for yrs. Anyway no HDMI cable is needed for Fire tv it plugs straight in to your TV, Receiver or equipment like an OPPO Blue-ray player and so on. The two are the same except those four things. VUDU, HDMI cables, and price. each have quad-core processors, 4k at 60fps. and Voice control. Fire stick seems to preform very well if you hook it up correctly. So in the short of it go with FireTV stick, if you want to spend far less depending on how many TV's you have, and you like ALexa voice control. If you don't mind paying more and want things like VUDU go with the other. You could do like I did because we have 4 people watching TV's to get both. Each give you two people at a time watching other channels or devices. I have two FIRETV Sticks and two ROKU's. 2 are straight into TV's for full 4k at 60fps, 1 straight through my receiver and another through my OPPO 105D which give me 4k at 30fps. True 4k at 60fps is very rare out there yet so most equipment that's just a few yrs. older will still give you 4k but at 30fps. I personally don't see a difference but it's hard to find a show that is recorded at a true 4k 60fps. as of NOV. 2018. Oh I missed something important to me but not others as much which is ROKU Ultra has a net cable connector and wi-fi which FIRETV does not. I like the fact that there is never a problem with connection or speed with a net cable versus wireless, plus you don't have to type in your security code with a net cable connection to setup.

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