Amazon FireTV Stick announced - Page 48

fjtorres · 05-07-2015, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

@Kodi users:
What does this mean?

I'm not getting the "10 foot UI" part.

EDIT: Never mind. Went looking elsewhere. Never heard that phrase before.

Also called a "living room interface".
Basically: viewable at 10 ft and controllable via remote.
It's a Microsoft-ism.

DiapDealer · 05-08-2015, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Also called a "living room interface".
Basically: viewable at 10 ft and controllable via remote.
It's a Microsoft-ism.

In other words ... a television UI.

I think I need a 20 foot UI.
... or a bigger TV.
... or younger eyes.
... or more likely, all three.

fjtorres · 05-08-2015, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

In other words ... a television UI.

I think I need a 20 foot UI.
... or a bigger TV.
... or younger eyes.
... or more likely, all three.

When I got my first HDTV I got a new TV stand, new DVD player with upscaling, new AV receiver... and new eyeglass prescription.

ApK · 05-12-2015, 10:42 AM

My Netflix and Prime playback has been fine since factory-resetting my stick, but now HBOGO is all stuttery. Searching the issues makes me think it's more an HBOGO issue than a Fire TV stick issue, though.

Note for folks using those little HDMI switches we've talked about.
It seems that when they say "no hot swapping" they mean it.
I appear to have fried mine. Or my new Genie DVR did something to it, but in any case it appears to be dead. The lights are on but no output.
:-(
Thankfully Prime had a new one to my mail box in just over 24 hours. Creepy how fast they are sometimes.

If any knows something I don;t about how to salvage/reset those switches, let me know before I through the old one out!

fjtorres · 05-17-2015, 07:41 AM

Something to keep an eye out for Kodi use, a new skin for the app that replicates the FIRE TV GUI, blending it seamlessly into the stick environment:
http://www.aftvnews.com/beautiffully...kodi-released/

Works best on the currently in Beta update for Kodi which adds new features. Hence the "keep an eye on".

There is also now a *second* app for managing and sideloading the FIRE TV stick:

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=205684

The FIRE TV platform has really drawn a lot of useful Hacker (in the proper sense) support.
I'm going to keep an eye out for stick sales, for the holiday gifting season.

CRussel · 05-17-2015, 09:29 PM

This is looking more and more interesting, fjtorres. I haven't got time to deal with it right now, but I can tell that when I surface from this that I'll want to take a closer look. Very promising.

Josieb1 · 05-21-2015, 01:58 PM

If anyone from the UK is looking for one (or a second) it's reduced to £25 right now

orlok · 05-21-2015, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

If anyone from the UK is looking for one (or a second) it's reduced to £25 right now

Karma for that. I already have one bought at the launch offer price of £19, but wanted another and this price makes it a no-brainer.

fjtorres · 05-22-2015, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

If anyone from the UK is looking for one (or a second) it's reduced to £25 right now

Germany has it at €29.
http://www.aftvnews.com/

fjtorres · 06-06-2015, 11:06 AM

Well, it looks like the FireTV line is a hit:
http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-fire-...r-says-report/

Top-selling streaming box/stick.
Over Roku.
On a pace to hit 15 million by year's end.
Color me surprised. The stick I like, but the box didn't impress me.

Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/05/a...=rss_truncated

ApK · 06-06-2015, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Well, it looks like the FireTV line is a hit:
http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-fire-...r-says-report/

Top-selling streaming box/stick.
Over Roku.
On a pace to hit 15 million by year's end.
Color me surprised. The stick I like, but the box didn't impress me.

Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/05/a...=rss_truncated

I'm surprised too. I'm liking the the stick less and less the more I use it.
I'm considering replacing it with a roku stick.
Maybe. I'm on the fence.

fjtorres · 06-06-2015, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

I'm surprised too. I'm liking the the stick less and less the more I use it.
I'm considering replacing it with a roku stick.
Maybe. I'm on the fence.

Really?
Having trouble?

Mine are working fine.
I'm really liking Kodi with the FireTV gui.
If I didn't already have a WDTV Live it would probably be my goto streamer.
Anything that can stream DVD ISO's well has my respect. That's how I archived my DVDs; much quicker and easier.

The sales rate is impressive, too.
And now they've expanded stick sales across the pond it can only go up.

ApK · 06-06-2015, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Really?
Having trouble?

Mine are working fine.

Yeah, some skipping and stuttering and losing audio sync.
Amazon just did a warranty replacement for me this week, after a lot of other troubleshooting, so I'm trying again.
Also problems with some 3rd party apps regularly enough that it took some of the fun out of it. For example, streaming via the Vimu app has problems with files that my other streamers, some with a far poorer wifi connection, do just fine, and I never got VLC to work.

Quote:

I'm really liking Kodi with the FireTV gui.
If I didn't already have a WDTV Live it would probably be my goto streamer.
Anything that can stream DVD ISO's well has my respect. That's how I archived my DVDs; much quicker and easier.

Well, then I definitely will try Kodi, when I time to mess with it. (Got a good howto?) I made a lot of ISOs, too.

fjtorres · 06-06-2015, 08:24 PM

Kodi how to:
http://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Install_Kodi_on_Fire_TV

But basically it boils down to enabling ADB and sideloading, writing down the stick ip address, running one of the custom adb apps on a PC, and installing it over the network.

I used this one:

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=205684

If you want Kodi to run the FireTV style gui, push the file to the sdcard folder on the stick.

http://www.aftvnews.com/beautiffully...kodi-released/
Works beautifully for video, less so for music, but it's still in beta. And requires the beta Kodi Isengard. Which is working fine for me.

Then you go to the stick, shut down ADB and sideloading and from MANAGE YOUR APPLICATION you launch Kodi.
If you then "buy" it at the Amazon appstore for some other android device, it will show the Kodi icon on the RECENTLY PLAYED strip.

To be absolutely certain you're getting full resources, restart the stick before starting an intensive stream. If it doesn't it will most likely be a bandwidth issue. ISOs are at the upper limit of what a dual core FireTV can handle but it can handle it. 1080p high bitrate VC1 is on the other side of the line. The only thing I have it can't handle.

If you still have problems and local streaming is your goal, Amazon has factory refurb WD TV Lives for around $60. Those play everything both as streaming client and as server. And with dual onboard USB and USB hub support you don't need to go over the network.

Still, you have the stick and Kodi is free.
It's a lot like Calibre. Lots of plugins for added features.

conan50 · 06-06-2015, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

I'm surprised too. I'm liking the the stick less and less the more I use it.
I'm considering replacing it with a roku stick.
Maybe. I'm on the fence.

I pretty much never use the Fire TV Stick anymore. Roku 3 and a Chromecast put just about anything I'd ever want to watch or listen to on my TV.

05-17-2015, 07:41 AM	#710
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Something to keep an eye out for Kodi use, a new skin for the app that replicates the FIRE TV GUI, blending it seamlessly into the stick environment: http://www.aftvnews.com/beautiffully...kodi-released/ Works best on the currently in Beta update for Kodi which adds new features. Hence the "keep an eye on". There is also now a second app for managing and sideloading the FIRE TV stick: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=205684 The FIRE TV platform has really drawn a lot of useful Hacker (in the proper sense) support. I'm going to keep an eye out for stick sales, for the holiday gifting season. Last edited by fjtorres; 05-17-2015 at 07:50 AM.

06-06-2015, 11:06 AM	#715
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Well, it looks like the FireTV line is a hit: http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-fire-...r-says-report/ Top-selling streaming box/stick. Over Roku. On a pace to hit 15 million by year's end. Color me surprised. The stick I like, but the box didn't impress me. Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/05/a...=rss_truncated Last edited by fjtorres; 06-06-2015 at 11:09 AM.

06-06-2015, 08:24 PM	#719
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Kodi how to: http://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Install_Kodi_on_Fire_TV But basically it boils down to enabling ADB and sideloading, writing down the stick ip address, running one of the custom adb apps on a PC, and installing it over the network. I used this one: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=205684 If you want Kodi to run the FireTV style gui, push the file to the sdcard folder on the stick. http://www.aftvnews.com/beautiffully...kodi-released/ Works beautifully for video, less so for music, but it's still in beta. And requires the beta Kodi Isengard. Which is working fine for me. Then you go to the stick, shut down ADB and sideloading and from MANAGE YOUR APPLICATION you launch Kodi. If you then "buy" it at the Amazon appstore for some other android device, it will show the Kodi icon on the RECENTLY PLAYED strip. To be absolutely certain you're getting full resources, restart the stick before starting an intensive stream. If it doesn't it will most likely be a bandwidth issue. ISOs are at the upper limit of what a dual core FireTV can handle but it can handle it. 1080p high bitrate VC1 is on the other side of the line. The only thing I have it can't handle. If you still have problems and local streaming is your goal, Amazon has factory refurb WD TV Lives for around $60. Those play everything both as streaming client and as server. And with dual onboard USB and USB hub support you don't need to go over the network. Still, you have the stick and Kodi is free. It's a lot like Calibre. Lots of plugins for added features. Last edited by fjtorres; 06-06-2015 at 08:38 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What would you like to see announced?	Dylrob	Apple Devices	20	10-22-2012 12:14 AM
Amazon electronics trade-in program announced	6charlong	News	21	05-31-2011 04:31 AM
1.7 announced	Shaggy	iRex	48	08-04-2009 11:41 PM
Collections saved to Memory Stick without a memory stick	jabberwock_11	Sony Reader	11	01-09-2009 09:48 PM
SD card vs. memory stick vs. high speed memory stick	wadood	Sony Reader	20	05-10-2007 03:58 PM

05-12-2015, 10:42 AM	#709
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,389 Karma: 68329346 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	My Netflix and Prime playback has been fine since factory-resetting my stick, but now HBOGO is all stuttery. Searching the issues makes me think it's more an HBOGO issue than a Fire TV stick issue, though. Note for folks using those little HDMI switches we've talked about. It seems that when they say "no hot swapping" they mean it. I appear to have fried mine. Or my new Genie DVR did something to it, but in any case it appears to be dead. The lights are on but no output. :-( Thankfully Prime had a new one to my mail box in just over 24 hours. Creepy how fast they are sometimes. If any knows something I don;t about how to salvage/reset those switches, let me know before I through the old one out!

05-17-2015, 09:29 PM	#711
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	This is looking more and more interesting, fjtorres. I haven't got time to deal with it right now, but I can tell that when I surface from this that I'll want to take a closer look. Very promising.

05-21-2015, 01:58 PM	#712
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,086 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra 2	If anyone from the UK is looking for one (or a second) it's reduced to £25 right now

Advert

Advert