I'm giving this 5 stars because it's my favorite media player right now. I've primarily been using a Roku 3 and Roku XS for the last couple of years but I recently made the switch to the Fire TV after buying the Fire Stick for travel and enjoying the user experience more than the Roku. My review is based on my experience with the Roku, Fire TV and Chromecast which I had bought first but exchanged for a Roku because I didn't like it. Here is a list of my pros for the Fire TV:
1. The voice control is great. It makes it easier to find content quickly which was my main problem with the Roku. I also like checking the weather.
2. The Fire TV is powerful. It's very responsive and streams HD content without a hitch. The Roku 3 is pretty solid with this as well but lacks the processing power of the Fire TV. The XS is an inferior product at this stage.
3. The wireless headphone jack is more reliable in my experience compared to the Roku 3. I had to remove the batteries from the Roku remote typically at least once per sitting to reset it after losing audio in my headphones.
4. The interface on the Fire TV is superior to the Roku in my opinion. It's very easy to navigate and to discover content quickly. The Roku is actually better at finding content for free if you know what to look for; which is a problem for me because I often don't prepare for tv watching and prefer to have a better guide when I turn on the player. I always find something to watch quickly on the Fire TV. On the Roku, I would often find myself losing interest in watching tv at all after aimlessly searching for content for a while.
Here are the cons:
1. The Fire TV doesn't have a true universal search feature across channels like the Roku does. If you know what you want to watch it's easier on Roku to see if it's available somewhere for free. The Roku search across Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Amazon is pretty solid. That being said you can pretty much find anything in the Amazon app through the Fire TV search. You can speak a movie, show or actors name and quickly get recommendations for content. You will spend more money on content with the Fire TV but you will probably have quicker and better access to it. A universal cross channel search would really give Amazon a huge edge over the Roku as this is the only place the Roku shines.
2. The down button on my Fire TV controller doesn't work right out of the box. There have not been any other controllers in stock to buy. Also, I already downloaded a lot of apps and spent time setting up the unit so I don't want to exchange it right now. It works great except for the controls. To be honest I only purchased the gaming edition for the headphone jack because I like to watch TV late and I live in an open loft so I want to play movies without disturbing my girlfriend. The down button not being responsive is annoying but not a huge issue for me. The controller is also kind of big and heavy. The Roku remote with headphone jack is lighter and smaller. I love the regular Fire TV remote with voice control. It's my favorite media remote right now and way more solid and stylish than the Roku remote. If a headphone jack could somehow be added to this while keeping it sleek that would be great and I would buy it yesterday.
Technical Details
|
Amazon Fire TV |
|
|
Size |
4.5” x 4.5” x 0.7” (115 mm x 115 mm x 17.8 mm) |
|
Weight |
9.5 oz. (270 g) |
|
Processor |
MediaTek Quad-core up to 2 Ghz |
|
GPU |
Power VR GX6250 |
|
Storage |
8 GB internal |
|
Memory |
2 GB |
|
Wi-Fi Connectivity |
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 4.1 + LE, with support for HID, HFP, and SPP profiles |
|
Voice Support |
Yes, with Fire TV Game Controller (included) or free Fire TV Remote App (available for download on Fire, Android, and iOS) |
|
Game Controller Support |
Yes, optimized for Amazon Fire TV Game Controller and most games are compatible with other Bluetooth controllers |
|
Cloud Storage |
Free cloud storage for all Amazon content |
|
Ports |
DC Jack, HDMI output, 10/100 Ethernet, microSD slot, USB 2.0 |
|
Audio Support |
Dolby Audio, 5.1 surround sound, 2ch stereo, and HDMI audio pass through up to 7.1 |
|
Content Formats Supported |
Video: H.265, H.264, |
|
Output Resolution Supported |
2160p up to 30fps; 720p and 1080p up to 60fps |
|
System Requirements |
Compatible high-definition or ultra high-definition television with available HDMI input, Internet connection, a power outlet |
|
TV Compatibility |
TV must support minimum HDCP requirements for protected content playback. Learn more about compatibility. Compatible with (1) 4K ultra high-definition TVs with HDMI capable of 2160p at 24/25/30/50/60 Hz and HDCP 2.2, including popular models from LG, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio, and others or (2) high-definition TVs with HDMI capable of 1080p or 720p at 50/60 Hz, including popular HDCP-compatible models from Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse, and others. |
|
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. |
|
Closed Captioning |
Watch videos and TV shows with closed captioning displayed. Captions are not available for all content. |
|
Included in the Box |
Amazon Fire TV |
The new king of media boxes gets a new controller, and it can play video files off USB!
As an owner of rokus, firetv stick, and gen1 firetv box, i'm pleased thus far with this upgrade. Everything has been beefed up, but a couple of downsides also still exist/have been added. Plus one big bonus (for me at least): It can play files off a usb stick! If you're looking for a quick summary: This box is IMO the new standard in media boxes, it has the most power, a ton of features, and if you're a prime member you have access to a ton of content. The new game controller is a nice refinement over the gen1 controller and amazon seems intent on really expanding their game library. They should have also included the standard remote, since gaming isn't its sole purpose! Now let's break down the key points: -New game controller is more ergonomic than the gen1 and adds a headphone port(seriously a great thing to have) -Doesn't come with the standard remote, rather annoying to use the game controller for media... -Adds 4k ability, but you need 4k content(netflix charges $4 extra for this), and newer TV with latest HDMI & HDCP spec -Can play (some) files strait off a usb drive, i tried a 1080 mp4 file, played perfectly. MKV played but no sound (will investigate further) -Adds more power, it operates very snappy, even the terrible HBO Go app works well -No more optical output was a big bummer for me, had to purchase an hdmi to optical box (may not pertain to everyone) -Microsd card port is a great addition and has me hopeful that they will add beefier games for it -Adds alexa for voice operations, but i already own an echo :) Gaming I'm not seeing a big difference over the gen1 box, but i'm rooting for them to really step up their game with... games. The hardware is beefier, the the microsd port takes care of storage needs, and the new game controller is right up there with the best of xbox and playstation. Let's see some action! I also really really like that they put a headphone port on the game controller, just really convenient. Plays video files! This was a big curiosity for me, because i have a lot of videos on drives (being a videographer does that to you), and being able to just take a usb stick with a file and plug it in is great. I downloaded ES file explorer, navigated to the file, and the darn thing played with no fuss! Then i loaded up an MKV and another mp4 4k file. The MKV played the video, but with no audio. I need to investigate more, since i'm using the hdmi to optical adapter. the 4k mp4 would not play at all. More testing shall be done! 4K Sweet! Oh wait.. i don't have a 4k tv... no matter, it still looks fantastic on my 1080 projector. If you have a 4k tv though, it's certainly a great perk. Be warned though that just because you have this 4k box and a 4k tv it doesn't mean everything is automatically 4k. Some amazon prime content is 4K, and some netflix content as well, but netflix will want you to fork over another $4/month to unlock the higher resolution. Also, other reviewers have found out that 4k will not work unless your tv has hdmi 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 Optical port GONE While i like the micro sd card port, i really wish they kept the optical port. For many folks this will not matter, but for my particular setup it necessitated buying a box that pulls optical out of hdmi. I use a projector with a sound bar. Alexa voice control I've been using the amazon echo for months, and we love it. It's interesting that they added it to the firetv, but i don't see yet if there's any real reason for us to talk to the tv vs the echo. Hopefully they add more firetv specific controls for it. Stability I'm seeing a lot of reviews reporting bugs, but thus far i have not experienced any. Could be a quality control issue, could be internet connectivity. I have been using a direct Ethernet plugin even though it has wifi. So that could be a reason for other's troubles. Amazon does release updates quite regularly, so i would be optimistic about them sorting out any bugs floating around. Frequently asked questions: -How do i open the remote's battery door? A: Hold the remote so your thumb is over the bottom rear end (there's a little symbol), press in and down -Does it come with netflix? A: netflix is a free app, but you still need to pay the monthly subscription -Are there free channels? A: Yes, there are several free apps which contain lots of free movies and TV, just don't expect new releases -My TV already has apps like netflix, is this box worth the upgrade? A: I would say yes, it contains a lot more functionality than most TVs, and can connect other devices like game controllers -Does it make everything 4K? A: No, unless something is listed specifically as UHD/4k/SuperHD, you're just getting plain old 720/1080 Recommendation If you already have a gen1 box, i don't think this is worth the upgrade unless these extra features truly apply to you. It feels much the same as the gen1 box in my day to day uses, but i will find use for the new features as well. If you're looking for your first streamer, most folks do perfectly fine with just the fire tv stick, it does most of what these boxes do at a fraction of the cost. weigh the options and choose what's right for your needs!
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2016
- Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2016
