# movies on Fire HD...downloaded or streamed?



## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

When you get movies on the Fires, can you download them or do you have to stream them and maintain the wireless connection the whole time?

Thanks 

(Yes, I am considering going Fire HD instead of K PW....altho I love the PW we have at work).


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## Xopher (May 14, 2009)

Not sure about all movies, but the free ones via Amazon Prime are stream only.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Lursa (aka 9MMare) said:


> When you get movies on the Fires, can you download them or do you have to stream them and maintain the wireless connection the whole time?


Yes.  

If you have bought them, you can stream them or download them and watch them any time forever and ever. And, remember, Fire has an HDMI out port so you could have them resident on your Fire and play them through your TV. Of course, the more full length videos you have on the Fire, the more space they'll take up -- they are memory hogs.

If you rent them, you can download them or stream them, but if you download them they will automatically become unwatchable after 48 hours or so. And you won't be able to even stream them after the rental period expires. Normally you have several weeks or a month after 'renting' to actually watch them and then they won't be available any more. You'll get the details if you do decide to rent something. Renting something generally costs less than buying outright, so if you're not a 'watch again and again' sort of person, it might be more economical.

If its a "Prime Instant Video" and you are a Prime member, you can stream it free. But you can't download those. FWIW, streaming tends to work a whole lot better on a WiFi connection than on 3G -- though I guess it depends on the relative quality of the signals. You can still plug the Fire into your TV and watch 'em that way too.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Thank you Anne, very well answered!

I have an iTouch and Apple has similar programs and restrictions, so then I guess I am familiar with those kind of guidelines.


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## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

If you buy a movie or TV series from Amazon and want it loaded on your Kindle Fire, do you download over Wifi or download the video to a computer and drag and drop or sync to the Kindle Fire?

Also, am I correct in thinking iTunes movies and TV shows can't be viewed on the KF?

Can Amazon video be played on any other Android tablets?

Thanks!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I've used Amazon videos via Wifi -- both streaming and download, no problem.  No idea if downloading to the computer and then physically connecting will work.  The Free for Prime videos definitely won't work that way since you have to stream them to watch them.

No idea about iTunes; and haven't tried to watch things from other sources via WiFi much.  You tube videos generally work, however.

Amazon prime free streaming video can NOT be used with other tablets. . .purchased content may if it's an approved device -- there's a list somewhere in the Amazon video section.  For example, I can get them to go to my TiVo so we can watch on the TV.


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## Zero (Jan 27, 2011)

Cardinal said:


> If you buy a movie or TV series from Amazon and want it loaded on your Kindle Fire, do you download over Wifi or download the video to a computer and drag and drop or sync to the Kindle Fire?


You download purchased/rented movies over WIFI onto your Kindle Fire. You can't download Amazon Prime free videos.



Cardinal said:


> Also, am I correct in thinking iTunes movies and TV shows can't be viewed on the KF?


That is correct...iTunes movies/tv shows can only be watched on IOS devices. The only way is to un-DRM the movie and then transfer it over to the Kindle Fire. see here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201008230



Cardinal said:


> Can Amazon video be played on any other Android tablets?


Well, sort of...its been a while, but I think you can play Amazon video on a tablet using a web browser and with flash installed. But as Ann said, you can't download it.


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Amazon prime free streaming video can NOT be used with other tablets.


Actually.... Amazon Prime streams on the iPad just fine!! Just download the app and you can stream the prime stuff or your library.

I gather there is not an app for other android tablets though.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

TraceyC/FL said:


> Actually.... Amazon Prime streams on the iPad just fine!! Just download the app and you can stream the prime stuff or your library.
> 
> I gather there is not an app for other android tablets though.


Well, the question was asked specifically about android tablets. . . . . . . so that's what I was addressing. 

Which begs another question: why is there NOT an android app for streaming? The only answer I can come up with is that Amazon's idea is if you want streaming on an android tablet, buy a Fire.


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, the question was asked specifically about android tablets. . . . . . . so that's what I was addressing.
> 
> Which begs another question: why is there NOT an android app for streaming? The only answer I can come up with is that Amazon's idea is if you want streaming on an android tablet, buy a Fire.


I assumed they currently had an iOS device since they asked about iTunes - and might not know they could watch Amazon Prime stuff on it.

As for why not on other android tablets.... i'm guessing it is just that, buy a Fire. I'm still shocked/perplexed about the iPad app really.... Marketing decisions often do that to me - no rational explanation at all. I guess the installed base on iOS was too big to ignore?!?!


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## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

Yes, I'm trying to decide which tablet to get.  I do have an iPhone but am looking at the Fire and other Android tablets as well as the iPad.


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## Michael Cavacini (Aug 2, 2010)

I like to download HD movies, so they're available to watch in areas without Wi-Fi. However, as previously noted, they take up a ton of space (1 or 2 GB).


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