Amazon FireTV Stick announced

[tubemonkey]

I don't need Blu-ray for my killer home theater system - I stream.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ApK

Certainly true, but there are other factors. For example, I can watch a movie on my tablet at 1 ft from my face, and the field of view may indeed be similar to a movie theater, but it's not the same viewing experience. For one thing, I'd prefer my eyes were focused at distance, not at an intermediate range.

I guess I just mean that even if I COULD get the right apparent size by just putting my couch 4 feet from a 40" screen, I would not choose to do so if I could have a bigger screen and sit farther away.

All true.
But it's not just a matter of getting closer with small or medium screens, it is also about moving back with the big ones.
A 90incher at 6ft is going to eat you alive.

The charts are more about finding the optimum size for your viewing distance than finding a distance for a given screen size.

[ApK]

Hmm. Do those charts recommend different size screens the side walls? I want a holodeck! :-)

A brief tangent, since this is primarily a book site:

In '1984' I read of of telescreens.
I thought "Wow, we're going to have that technology soon. We should remember this lesson and be aware of issues of government intrusion, privacy, and manipulation."
And here we are, the tech is here, and by and large, those issues are in the forefront.


In 'Fahrenheit 451' I read of wall-sized video displays on one or more walls of a room.
I thought "I want that!"
And here were are with 90" flat panels on our walls, and are issues of being socially-deached, insular, media-fed sheep at the forefront? Not so much, mostly just where to get the best Black Friday deals!

What can we learn from this:

1. Orwell was a good teacher.
2. Bradbury was a good salesman.
3. In my 20th century high school days, I was an excellent barometer for predicting 21st century social trends.

[fjtorres]

Don't forget Asimov and viewing.
People growing so used to online interaction that they became incapable of direct, in-person encounters. That's not too far.
Might even be here in some, ahem, isolated cases.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I don't need Blu-ray for my killer home theater system - I stream.

You do. You really do.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

it's not just a matter of getting closer with small or medium screens, it is also about moving back with the big ones.
A 90incher at 6ft is going to eat you alive.

The charts are more about finding the optimum size for your viewing distance than finding a distance for a given screen size.

The charts are a great place to start. And a big TV is a great place to start. My 60" plasma is in my living room right now, but it is destined for my man cave. It is attached to an AVR and surround sound speakers. I have a respectable library of amazing BD movies and a very comfortable reclining sofa. When you close the curtains, turn up the volume, and assume a reclining position, you are IN the movie. You don't get that in a theater and you don't get that on a PC screen.

[conan50]

For a long while I felt that our 42" LCD TV was plenty big for our living room. Then I sat in front of my father in-law's 50" TV (sigh), now our 42" TV looks like a shrimp, and the 32" TV in the bedroom looks downright tiny. I wish I had never looked at that giant TV, the bliss of ignorance

[leebase]

Originally Posted by conan50

For a long while I felt that our 42" LCD TV was plenty big for our living room. Then I sat in front of my father in-law's 50" TV (sigh), now our 42" TV looks like a shrimp, and the 32" TV in the bedroom looks downright tiny. I wish I had never looked at that giant TV, the bliss of ignorance

Just sit about 6" closer to your tv and BAM! Same field of view. (didn't do the math but it will be something like that)

[conan50]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I don't need Blu-ray for my killer home theater system - I stream.

You can have both. Many blu-ray players also have streaming apps. Many blu-ray discs come with Ultraviolet digital copies.

[piper28]

Originally Posted by ApK

I use one of the <$10 intelligent three way switches from Amazon. I see one that looks just like mine for under $6 today.
http://www.amazon.com/PORTTA-PET0301.../dp/B00B46XUQU

It's been perfect, and it's little blue light is hidden behind the set. I keep my Chromecast and laptop on it.

I've got one that looks identical (and probably is) but with a different brand on it. For the most part, it's pretty decent, but I do find if I try to run my computer through it that it has issues where it's not completely passing the signal properly, and I get some odd patterns on the screen as a result. Never noticed it with any other source, so not quite sure what's going on there.

As far as number of hdmi ports on the tv, I don't think you necessarily need too many on there, because obviously you should be running everything through a decent stereo before you get to the tv . So make sure you buy that stereo with enough inputs. Unfortunately, I bought mine a little early, so it only has 4 inputs, one of which I'm using that 3 port adapter on. Plus I'm using 2 more inputs on the tv depending on what I'm doing (including the computer, because of that oddity through the switch).

I might have to look into that 5 port switch. I've honestly lost track of how many hdmi sources I have at the moment, and I need to add one more.

[Blossom]

Getting back on track those who are having issues with the Fire Stick. I can tell you I have none. I have a cheap walmart router and I have no buffering issues on video or music or games. I have it connected to TV using HDMI Extender Cable that came with it so it doesn't absorb heat from the TV.

So if you got any problems like buffering or freezing and have fast internet go with your instinct on it's defective and call support for a replacement.

Just so know I have 30MB download speed on my internet from TWC.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wizwor

You do. You really do.

I only have, maybe a dozen DVDs; and none of them are Blu-ray. I stream my video content. If I want to watch one of my DVDs, I pop into my computer.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by conan50

You can have both. Many blu-ray players also have streaming apps. Many blu-ray discs come with Ultraviolet digital copies.

I own very few movies, so a DVD player is a waste of money; especially one with built-in apps, since I own a Fire Stick (see previous post). Whether DVDs come with digital copies or not, I'm not going to spend my money on expensive movies. Streaming (Netflix, Prime, etc) satisfies my needs.

Bottom line: I'm very happy with a 24" TV, computer speakers, and a Fire Stick.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I own very few movies, so a DVD player is a waste of money; especially one with built-in apps, since I own a Fire Stick (see previous post). Whether DVDs come with digital copies or not, I'm not going to spend my money on expensive movies. Streaming (Netflix, Prime, etc) satisfies my needs.

Bottom line: I'm very happy with a 24" TV, computer speakers, and a Fire Stick.

Not everybody wants a home theater.

A friend of mine had that issue with his boss; her answer to his hints was, for years; "Why? It's just TV..."

Eventually he was able to negotiate a deal and the kitchen remodeling cam with a 50in Panny plasma accessory. Which sadly wouldn't fit in the kitchen so it had to go to the family room.
(So sad.)
Unofficial reports are that she now (quietly) disapproves of SD content and enjoys BD redbox rentals. But, officially, "it's just TV".

Different people have different needs, which is why Amazon makes the FireTV in both box and stick form. Me, I already have multiple satisfactory ways to do everything the FireTV box does except Prime Music. No sale.

At $19 for the stick, though, that one feature closed the deal.
It's the only thing I'll be using mine for. Everything else, the XBOX does better. Including HBO GO.
If Amazon ever puts PrimeMusic on XBOX or MS improves the XBOX browser so that prime music works, the stick will be gone. And I have a pretty good idea of which relative it'll go to.

[Xanthe]

The delivery date for my Fire Stick was pushed forward from Jan. 9th to Jan. 5th to Christmas Eve to this week.

They must be cranking them out like hot cakes...