# Got a FireTV box on Prime day



## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I been a long time Roku user. Well still am, 2 TV's in the house. My main Roku is a roku 3 and upstairs I have the Roku 2. The Roku 2 has been having a lot of issues so we think its going out. So I was hoping there was a sale on the FireTV for Prime so I could use it in main TV and the Roku 3 upstairs. Our TV is a 4K TV and although it has the build in apps, they are a pain to use and not always updated. 
I was thinking of getting the Roku 4, which is 4K, but its much higher in price and there have been reports of noisy fans. A

I have a first gen Fire Stick which I can't really use. It has a lot of buffering, skipping on music and so on. I got it for the $19 sale when they first came out. I think later models are better. But I wanted something a bit faster overall. I did notice that some of the streaming apps I used on the stick had some features the Roku apps didn't. 

I was concerned that I would really miss the universal search that Roku has. It searches anything you type over now 50 streaming apps. So then you can pick where to watch it. Really helpful if you have a lot of services like Hulu, netflix, starz and HBO from the provider, etc. 

The FireTV does not a very extensive universal search. I think it only searches through amazon, Hulu, starz and HBO. Not in netflix. I hope they add those later. 

But there is something that the FireTV has that the roku does not. A universal wish list. So basically I can add whatever I want to my instant wishlist. Then I can browse through it and if its available say at starz, it will say on the bottom in the more ways to stream. 

When I first plugged the FireTV in, I was freaking out when trying to use Netflix. It wouldn't loud and looked like blocks of colors and dots, kind of like when a video card dies on a computer. I was bummed. After restarting, removing and adding apps. I finally thought, let me check for an update and sure enough, there was one. Everything was fixed after that. Duh. 

That thing is fast. It loads everything incredibly fast. 

One app in particular i use is YouTV. I can basically watch most basic german channels on there as they are shown in Germany. I was so giddy when I found that service. The quality on some of the HD programming is just astounding. But on the Roku, there was some skipping here and there. I thought because its streaming and the quality is so high. But the Fire has no issues with it, I hadn't had one skip yet. 

Only thing is sometimes the remote doesn't want to cooperate. I might try different batteries. 

Once I got used to the different way the FireTV displays the stuff, I have to say I am really happy with it. Now I am pretty dialed in to amazon services, music storage, prime, photo storage, etc. But it doesn't keep me from all the other services I have. 

It took forever though having to resign in to all the different stuff where you have to go to your TV provider and sign in and its like on and on and on. And having to type the email and passwords with a remote is no fun. 

I totally love the voice search though. It even opens my apps for me and of course I can us it as Alexa. Although the Echo is only like 10 feet from my TV.  . But of course its handsfree and always on. 

I am getting closer and closer to cutting the cord.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I have a small Logitech keyboard that DH got for me along with my Fire TV. The little receiver pirece plugs right into the Fire TV. The one I have is the older model and I think it was under $20.


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

Congrats on the FireTV!
If you're still having remote problems after you install fresh batteries, you might make sure the remote software is up to date. It's now up to version 352. You can find out more here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201452410

Hope this helps!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

hamerfan said:


> Congrats on the FireTV!
> If you're still having remote problems after you install fresh batteries, you might make sure the remote software is up to date. It's now up to version 352. You can find out more here:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201452410
> ...


That is weird. It says version 217, but there is no update option anywhere. Nothing. Just lists battery ok, version and serial number. No update to click on.



Andra said:


> I have a small Logitech keyboard that DH got for me along with my Fire TV. The little receiver pirece plugs right into the Fire TV. The one I have is the older model and I think it was under $20.


I have a Logitech type keyboard we bought with our Google TV, way back. It has a lid and one of those receiver thingies.
 Its currently plugged into the intel computer stick my husband is testing on it. Would be handy searching in netflix and such as of course voice search only works outside the apps.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Well, now I got to investigate another thing. I do not believe I am getting 4K with it at the moment. I see no way in netflix or amazon to see what it is playing at, so not sure how to know for sure. I know that when I watch through my TV app, I can check in the TV menu and it tells me the resolution of what is playing. But I don't think that works when I am using another device that is hooked up via HDMI, it just shows 1080 no matter what I play. 

I never watched 4K outside of the apps that are built in to the TV, so I am a bit at a loss at how to check and make sure. And yes, it is a 4K capable box I got, says on the front of the package.


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

Atunah said:


> That is weird. It says version 217, but there is no update option anywhere. Nothing. Just lists battery ok, version and serial number. No update to click on.


From Amazon:

"To determine the current software version for your remote:

From the Home screen, select Settings.
Select Controllers and Bluetooth Devices, and then select Amazon Fire TV Remotes.
Select your remote from the list to view more details. If an update is available, you will see the message "A software update is available. Press Select to begin installing."
Press the Select button on your remote, and then select Continue to download and install the software update."

It's a little tricky, but it's not hard at all. Good luck!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I did that, but there is no message for any update there. The box is also up to date, so I can't do anything on my end. 

For now, the remote seems to work fine. Only thing I did was pack away the Fire stick I had unhooked and took the batteries out of its remote. Those items where sitting on the TV stand. Don't think its related, but I'll take it for now.  

Still trying to figure this 4K thing out. I know its there, I seen it on some shows, but I don't see it on all that are suppose to have it. So I am scratching my head on that. I did put it on Ethernet instead of wifi to make sure its got the most stable connection. 

I still can't get over how snappy this thing is.


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Atunah said:


> I am getting closer and closer to cutting the cord.


CUT! I was never corded. Never had cable or satellite. I have both a Fire TV (box) and an Apple TV. Apps -- I have Amazon video / Prime, Netflix, HBONOW, Hulu, Showtime, CBS All Access, PBS. I have access to many cable programs that I never did before.  Now there is ALWAYS something on TV.


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

The number for Amazon Fire TV and video customer service is 888-802-3080.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Sandpiper said:


> CUT! I was never corded. Never had cable or satellite. I have both a Fire TV (box) and an Apple TV. Apps -- I have Amazon video / Prime, Netflix, HBONOW, Hulu, Showtime, CBS All Access, PBS. I have access to many cable programs that I never did before.  Now there is ALWAYS something on TV.


I am getting there. I have had cable pretty much now for so many years, I'd certainly miss some stuff. But that is getting less and less. The problem for me is Tennis. In order to have ESPN, I have to have at least some minimum basic TV package. I also can get Tennis Channel only on Uverse, not the other provider that we have available. The Tennis channel app does not show what is on live TV, not the same programming. Its also not as high quality I need to watch tennis.

I watch CNN and other news all the time, so again, I need to have some package as you can only live stream if you have a TV provider.

Its getting better and better though each year for all of this so I'll get there. I just have certain things I like to watch and I must have those. Tennis is one of those. Only sport I watch.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Does Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel show up on any of the streaming services?


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## Melly Ann (Mar 26, 2014)

I cut the cord about a year ago and never looked back. PlayStation Vue is a great cable alternative Tha includes tons of sports channels. ESPN and BeIn Sports and several more are included. It is a pay service, but it's way cheaper than cable/satellite and there are no contracts. That may be something you're interested in checking out.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

HappyGuy said:


> Does Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel show up on any of the streaming services?


No they don't. They have some Hallmark movies on a channel called Pixl you can subscribe to through youtube and a handful on a app called Feeln.



Melly Ann said:


> I cut the cord about a year ago and never looked back. PlayStation Vue is a great cable alternative Tha includes tons of sports channels. ESPN and BeIn Sports and several more are included. It is a pay service, but it's way cheaper than cable/satellite and there are no contracts. That may be something you're interested in checking out.


Yeah, I looked them up. Its an option. I am concerned about the streaming quality of ESPN though. I sometimes now watch the GoESPN on the Roku, well now FireTV, and I do notice a difference in how the ball flies. Ball goes pretty fast in tennis all the time. And again, they are created packages where you pay for all, even if you only watch a couple. And its actually getting then close to what I already pay with Uverse. I have to calculate all the stuff in that I then have to pay separate for like Starz, Showtime, Encore, HBO, etc.

Once you do that, cost is right back to where I was.

I am going to start though by moving our phone away from uverse to Ooma. Then I'll do some more calculating. So far when I do that though, I am not really saving much money yet.


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