Author Topic: Amazon Fire TV, cool idea (Read 22993 times)

TriniLink · « **on:** April 03, 2014, 10:42:14 AM »

Specs and features here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CX5P8FC/ref=amb_link_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=gateway-center-column&pf_rd_r=0SPV45GD0HTE3C6EXGA3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1769963382&pf_rd_i=507846#TV

Carigamers · « **on:** April 03, 2014, 10:42:14 AM »

Arcmanov · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2014, 12:24:55 AM »

Ouya dem like dey geh wax.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ouya-responds-to-amazon-fire-tv-says-it-lacks-a-focus-on-games/1100-6418743/

Personally, I think this is a master stroke by Amazon.

The Kindle has proven that even in a sea of Android tablets, it can succeed if the accompanying ecosystem is robust,
and lets face it...it doesn't get more robust than Amazon. Their online media library is now just as large (or larger) as it's main competitors.

Fire TV will sell like all the iterations of the Kindle that came before it...like hot-cross buns on a Good Friday.

I myself will be ponying up for one once I can confirm that the streaming can work locally without VPN trickery.
The gaming aspect IS a bonus...but what a sweet bonus it is.

firekyler · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2014, 07:14:58 AM »

i had prime and could never get amazon video to work across here

TriniLink · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2014, 08:05:19 AM »

Once I hear confirmation that the Amazon Prime video works down here, as well as better streaming than Roku plus by big margin if it can stream video from 3abn.org (For the sake of my Mom) I'm in to buy one for the family.

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2014, 09:04:08 AM »

At present. You need vpn for prime videos. Not only that...but amazon makes it inordinately difficult to use local videos with freetime on their platform. They want to force users to stream content as opposed to accessing files stored on the device.

This is why I have stopped advocating kindle to locals.

The minute they start allowing the streaming content in Trinidad it will be an excellent value.

I can get around it with my VPN but I shouldn't have too and it is an additional step that would deter less technically minded trinis.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Carigamers · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2014, 09:04:08 AM »

Arcmanov · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2014, 09:38:40 AM »

Yep, that's the only thing that will keep me away from it.

Like Amazon eh know who is we orr?

SM-N900 | VN ROM v10.2 (KitKat 4.4.2) | SwiftKey | Tapatalk Pro

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2014, 12:41:45 PM »

lol

yuh understand.

It is a problem we will see more and more with these cloud services.

Worst of all....they could pull the plug anytime they feel.

So even if they open the gate today, you could find yourself locked out tomorrow.

You know how they like to treat Trinidad and Tobago like a second class, spanish speaking citizen already.

woodyear99 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2014, 08:18:24 PM »

I have a roku box and a smart tv with Amazon Instant Video, a vpn is required. TBH I don't find it that great compared to Netflix.

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #8 on:** April 04, 2014, 08:35:14 PM »

are there ads on those streaming services? are there ads on the Amazon streams?

woodyear99 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2014, 12:43:00 AM »

No ads on Amazon Instant Video. There are ads on Hulu Plus though.

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2014, 07:40:23 AM »

I cannot stomach ads at all. So that pretty much rules out the rest.

Making Amazon Prime attractive if/when it is available in our region.

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2014, 08:40:18 AM »

I just had an intimate read of the specs

1.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Krait 300 CPU,
2 GB of RAM
8 GB of internal storage
Qualcomm Adreno 320 GPU
dual-band wireless radio and two antennas
Supports 1080p streaming
Supports 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Ethernet port
USB 2.0 port.
HDMI
Optical audio with support for Dolby Digital Plus and 7.1 surround sound pass-through

All for $99.99

WTF

They threw in the kitchen sink into this box.

I wonder if there are any open devices similarly speced on the market at that price point? Not super hyped
at being locked into the Amazon walled garden for reasons already discussed in this thread.

It looks like the FireTV blows the G-Box Midnight and MK902 out the water. The closest I could find was this

http://www.xbmcandroidtv.com/shop.html

Doing through 1080p @ US$169

Amazon has a winner on their hands here. Fantastic little box. Just wow

Give us prime videos down here and they could take my money

woodyear99 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 05, 2014, 10:53:49 AM »

Most users will be using it for streaming services, even though the fire TV specs are great I can't see how much better it will perform compared to the roku. The roku already is pretty fast, I assume the roku will go down in price shortly.

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2014, 02:27:38 PM »

yeah, the Roku is considerably underpowered compared to the Fire TV

1.7ghz Quad Core on the Fire vs a Dual core 900 MHz on the Roku 3

Particularly for the kind of use I have in mind (running local content and automated downloading)

If the FireTv forces the AndroidTV box to drop in price to around $99....that would be a winner.

Best of both worlds, power and flexibility.

woodyear99 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2014, 04:55:00 PM »

Wait the Fire TV can let me run "local content and automated downloading" like I do with the Raspberry Pi? Hmmm interesting...

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2014, 06:46:35 PM »

no no, this android tv box can...I'm pretty sure you'll have to hack the FireTV to get it to do the same. lol

Best of both worlds but it is pricey @ US$179

I was saying if the FireTV forces it to drop in price to $99.99, then that would be epic. Amazon has the luxury of subsidizing their hardware with income from prime, app sales and other digital content. The AndroidTV guys won't be that lucky I'm sure.

Still, I'm loathe to pay more for a set top box since I already have so many PCs around the house that do the deed.

Spending a lot sort of defeats the purpose of saving costs on electricity, lol. Hence my interest in your Pi project, FireTV, MK902 and all these cheap alternatives.

Arcmanov · « **Reply #16 on:** April 06, 2014, 09:09:29 AM »

The MK902 is currently $108 on the very Amazon eh.

SM-N900 | VN ROM v10.2 (KitKat 4.4.2) | SwiftKey | Tapatalk Pro

woodyear99 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 06, 2014, 11:23:38 AM »

I've actually been eyeing this for streaming content from my own network shares.....heard of it?

http://www.amazon.com/G-Box-Midnight-MX2-Android-Streaming/dp/B00CH643A8/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_7

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #18 on:** April 06, 2014, 03:30:59 PM »

Yeah the mk902 is reaching close to the magical $99 price point. The firetv should help reduce it further.

Woody....I mentioned the G Box a few posts up. I think you're doing it for spite now!

Lol

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

woodyear99 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2014, 10:35:06 PM »

Lol my eyes were only watching that big image of the "Android TV" you posted and that "Best of both worlds but it is pricey @ US$179"

All these devices mentioned so far seem to have some mixed reviews...

Carigamers · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2014, 10:35:06 PM »

Author Topic: Amazon Fire TV, cool idea (Read 22993 times)

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