Amazon Fire TV

[Chicog]

Looking at the specs I'd say the NVidia is a better box, but the Fire TV is better value.

https://shield.nvidia.com/android-tv/shield-androidtv-vs-appletv-vs-roku-vs-firetv

Yeah sure, but the point is, it's completely fluid even at 4K - so what's the use of any processing power overhead if it's already doing the job superbly? Unless you want to play games on the thing I suppose. I use my PS4 for that though

But it isn't completely fluid 4K at 60 FTPS is it?

No idea - no such streaming content exists

Oh, ok then.

[IMHO]

But it isn't completely fluid 4K at 60 FTPS is it?

No idea - no such streaming content exists

Oh, ok then.

4K content has moved well beyond demos and samples like this.

[Chicog]

Er... didn't you say 60FTPS streaming video doesn't exist?

My point is that they can deliver 60FTPS video over a number of storage formats, and your Fire TV can't play it at 60FTPS. The Nvidia can. Which makes it the best streaming box at the moment.

In fact I saw a camera that shoots up to 1000FTPS if you have a little over $100K laying around.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

fwiw, Amazon is having a sale right now on the latest Fire TV box... $85 instead of the regular $99 price.

I ordered one last night. Plan to see how it works with the new Playstation Vue online cable TV service.

Just an update on this. My Fire TV box has finally arrived here to Thai Post, and I got the Customs slip at my door today advising me of the added fees. I valued it truthfully at $85 U.S. on my shipping docs, and I'm going to be heading to the P.O. tomorrow hopefully to pick it up.

The Thai customs form I got today puts the customs value at 2500b, which is fair. But then they applied a 20% customs duty on it for a fee of 500 baht, and then an additional 200+ baht for VAT, plus the ThaiPost pickup fee. So the grand total is going to be about 740b extra, which is a bit over $20 U.S.

Normally on my mailed shipments from the U.S., I try to keep the shipping value below $50 per box and I'm almost never charged any customs or tax on my boxes. So this time certainly was the exception. But to give a try at the Fire TV, I guess I can live with another $20 charge, especially considering I got a $15 discount when I purchased it thru Amazon when on sale.

[Chicog]

Now download ADBFire and Kodi and read this link

http://www.htpcbeginner.com/install-kodi-on-amazon-fire-tv/2/

A whole world of fun awaits you

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

FWIW, I've already been long running Kodi off my laptop via a cable into my TV, and that probably won't change.

But the Fire TV box will be for accessing Sony Playstation Vue cable TV content from the U.S., a service that isn't currently available via the web, Windows, Roku or traditional Android platforms.

I continue to prefer using a Windows laptop or PC as the platform for the majority of my streaming content. It's usually only when that's not available or doesn't work for something I want to do that I'll turn to other approaches.

[Chicog]

FWIW, I've already been long running Kodi off my laptop via a cable into my TV, and that probably won't change.

But the Fire TV box will be for accessing Sony Playstation Vue cable TV content from the U.S., a service that isn't currently available via the web, Windows, Roku or traditional Android platforms.

You can still bang Kodi on it. It won't stop anything else working.

Then you just stretch out on the sofa with the remote.

What's up with you man?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

First day report:

Got the Fire TV box all hooked up and set up last night.

The box plays/streams video content fine with my DD-WRT Router VPN service, and looks very sharp on my LCD TV.

Downloaded and installed all the various Fire TV video and music streaming apps I want to use without any problem.

And then I got to a couple things that I didn't like/didn't go so well:

1. After watching a pre-programmed- to-play Amazon video that the box plays extolling and explaining the virtues of the Alexa voice command service, I tried to use it probably a half dozen different times to do different things. And more than half of the time, I got a response on the screen (after I entered my voice command) saying it "couldn't connect to the server."

This was after the box was already well connected to my wifi network and was already streaming various video content. So, I'm not sure what to make of that. Either Amazon's Alexa system was having troubles right then or possibly overloaded with demand, or, perhaps something about my VPN involvement creates some issues for the Alexa voice system. I'll only find out as a keep testing it.

2. As you might expect, a lot of the different streaming apps are ones where user accounts and passwords are involved. And although you only have to set those up the first time, not for every subsequent use, AFAICT, you can't use Alexa to voice command entering that text. So it was back to using the Fire TV remote control and the device's kludgy on-screen keyboard to hunt and peck the entries character by character.

And yes, I understand that I guess/I think I could use some form of keyboard with the Fire TV box via some type of connection (USB slot or wifi or...). But this was my first day with the box and so I wasn't set up with some nice little mini keyboard to use for that purpose. Bottom line, it's a PITA to do that kind of app setup with the Fire TV remote control, and the hassle is multiplied by the more apps you have to set up (and I had many).

3. After noodling around a fair bit, I think I've come to the early conclusion that the Fire TV device is less user-friendly than the Roku devices in terms of their UI (user interface) allowing you to configure things the way you want, or even to delete or hide things you're not interested in.

For example, in the Roku UI, you can arrange the apps that display on your screen in exactly whatever order you want, such as your favorites at the top of the list every time. But with the Fire TV, there appear to be all kind of categories of different content that you can neither adjust nor hide/delete, if you're marginally interested in something, or not interested in it at all. I guess because it's Amazon, the UI display is constantly pitching "featured" apps, video, music, etc at you -- whether you want to see it or not, and all that junk for me kind of interferes/creates visual noise around the things I am interested to do.

The main UI display is divided by labels of category content that are aligned in a vertical row at the left edge of the screen -- apps, TV shows, videos, games, music, photos, etc etc. And then when you click on one of those content categories, the system typically seems to show at least a half dozen horizontal rows of content and icons on the remainder of the screen -- newly added movies, movies you may like, movies in your Amazon library, movies on your Amazon watchlist, etc etc. And the same kind of thing for each of the different content categories. But for example, let's say you're totally uninterested in games or gaming. AFAICT, there's absolutely no way you can delete or hide the gaming content category and all the stuff that goes with it. Nor can you re-order the content categories to put the ones you're most interested in at the top of the vertical list.

As somewhat of a remedy against that, the UI and home screen does have a top row/level display that shows you (in a row of icons that scroll horizontally across the screen) the most recent things you've done on the system, whether it's use an app, watch a particular movie or TV show or play a song. Each content piece gets a visual icon on the recently used line. So at least, that's a way to surface the particular things you may do or use a lot on the system.

But to close on a positive note, with everything else staying the same, I'd say the Fire TV seems to do a better job of streaming U.S. source video content here compared to my original version Roku HDMI stick. Thus far, when I'm streaming with the Fire TV box and the Internet content stream lags or drops, the Fire TV simply pauses for a second or two and then automatically resumes. But throughout that process, the video displayed on the screen remains clear and sharp.

With my original Roku HDMI stick, when the Internet stream slows or lags, the video content on the screen typically will get fuzzy and pixelate but keep playing. And then if the lag is enough, it will stop playing and I think have the screen go to black, and then eventually resume playing. Between the two, the Fire TV seems to handle and manage those kinds of streaming issues much better than the original Roku HDMI stick.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's an example of what I was talking about above... an image of my Fire TV home screen:

top row - ad for Starz movie service (don't want, can't remove)

2nd row - my recent activities/uses (that's good, I like)

3rd row - featured apps & games (that's THEIR featured apps & games, not ones I use or select)

4th row - Amazon Prime Originals & Exclusive TV (that's THEIR originals and TV, not any ones I've selected)

AFAICT, I don't have any ability to move or hide any of that content selection that they're throwing in my face.

Edited April 27, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[IMHO]

Yep, the FireTV home screen promotes a whole bunch of paid content and services - I guess that's why you get a whole lot more than $85 worth of hardware for $85

You soon get over all that and just jump to the apps section without thinking

Edited April 27, 2016 by IMHO

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It's not just other/extra PAID services... I'm an Amazon Prime member. I'm already paying them for their content.

But, when it comes to my Fire TV, I want to be able to surface MY choices for movies, tv shows, apps etc. among their content that I've already paid for -- not THEIR choices for what they think I'll like or what shows they want to promote. IMO, their Fire TV UI does not enough of the former, and too much of the latter.

[Chicog]

The good thing is that since 5.0.5.1 came out, they now recognise Kodi and add it to Recents.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yes, I just checked my device. And it had been 5.0.4 OS, and now has updated, without me knowing it, to Fire OS 5.0.5.1.

Edited April 28, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Two other weird UI elements...

1. So this morning, after giving the video stuff a run-through yesterday, I thought I'd stream an Amazon Prime music album in my collection.

The album streamed fine. But once you select the album and start it playing, AFAICT, there's no immediately obvious way to stop or pause or even skip tracks using the remote control.

The remote unit has dedicated rewind, FF and pause/play buttons. But, AFAICT, pressing or even pressing/holding any of the three of them does absolutely nothing when playing Amazon music. So apparently those work in the video mode, but not in the music mode... Why???

Also, there's absolutely no on-screen controls for stop, pause, FF, RW or track skip forward or back when playing Prime Music that I can see.

As it turns out, the way to stop a song once it's started playing is to press the big round action button on the remote -- which is totally un-obvious.

Likewise, pressing any of the 4 directional options on the ring that surrounds the round action button don't do anything when playing Prime Music. You might think pressing the right or left directional buttons on the ring would either skip forward or backward in the track playing. Pressing those buttons does move the on-screen cursor to the next or prior track, but doesn't actually start playing unless you move the cursor and then click the big round action button to actually start playing. Weird.

2. For a UI that relies so heavily on horizontal lists of content icons, there's another really annoying feature. Say you have a list of 20 apps or movies on a horizontal scroll. When you start at 1 and click your way to 20 (the end of the list), you might hope that one more click right would take you back to 1. But it doesn't work that way. Once you get to the end of the horizontal list, it dead-ends. And the only way you can move is to reverse course and click back left in reverse (20, 19, 18.....) Annoying. Why??

Weird and annoying....

Edited April 28, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Chicog]

Great for Kodi though

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm a new user, so I don't know all the history of this.

But from reading online, it sounds like the new OS version from Amazon has disabled a popular app people were using before called Firestarter that allowed people to open the Fire TV with a much more simplified, streamlined home menu.

So now, it seems there, as alternatives, are two other approaches people are using:

One is to double press the Home key button:

That immediately takes you to "Your apps library" where any apps you've tagged as Favorites show up in the horizontal scroll menu first, giving relatively quick and easy access without all the other visual noise/advertisements/promoted content, etc.

The other is to press and hold the Home key button:

That brings up a different simplified icons menu with only 4 choices (and again, devoid of any other visual noise)

--A Sleep icon to put the Fire TV to sleep.

--A My Apps icon to take you to the same My Apps section I mentioned above.

--A Mirroring icon that that allows "guest devices" to mirror their screens to your Fire TV screen.

--A Settings icon to access the standard Fire TV settings menu.

Both of them, I think, are going to be handy shortcuts to remember.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Great for Kodi though

BTW, I sideloaded Kodi onto my Fire TV tonight, first downloading the Android ARM apk file from the Kodi website, copying it (and some other apks) onto a microSD card inserted into my Windows laptop, and then removing the microSD card and inserting it into the Fire TV's microSD slot.

On the Fire TV device, go to Settings / System / Developer Options and click to enable "Apps from Unknown Source." Once that's done, just use (and install from the Fire TV app store if necessary) the app ES File Explorer to navigate to the microSD card location in its file menu, and then click the apk file you want and then choose "Install" from the available menu options.

Once you've done that, you open and run the Kodi app, probably want to select it as a Favorite, and then close it. And once you've done that, the Kodi icon will show up in your Fire TV Apps Library roster.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I see on the Amazon home page tonight, Fire TV stick on sale for $5 off at $35 price.

[Chicog]

I see on the Amazon home page tonight, Fire TV stick on sale for $5 off at $35 price.

Just finished banging one out.

- Installed Kodi to it with ADBFIRE, and installed Titan skin

- Added: Exodus, Phoenix, UK Turks, AK-47, Filmon, Live Mix, TV Mix, Movie Mix, Sports Mix, Navi X

- Put them all as block icons on the Titan home screen

Took just under an hour.

Why anyone would bother with overpriced junk like blackbox tv is beyond me.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

fyi...just noticed Amazon has now ended their $35 price sale on the FireTV stick, and now is back to having a sale for $85 on the Fire TV box. So it seems right now, either one or the other is on sale for a discounted price pretty regularly with them.

PS - Re the Alexa voice search/command function on my Fire TV box, I've still been unable to get it to work at all. Every time I try, I get the "unable to connect to server" error -- even though regular video or audio streaming and such thru the box works just fine.

Since the Alexa voice command has continued to be an issue for me, I'm guessing it has something to do with my using a VPN in concert with the box.... We'll see.... But presumably, since this has been an ongoing issue, it's not some temporary glitch on the Amazon end of things.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just an update on using Alexa with my Amazon Fire TV box.

As I had mentioned elsewhere, I've had terrible problems over a long time with almost unusable upload speeds from my True Online 30/3 cable internet plan, like at best 100-200 Kbps up. And despite repeated attempted and service calls, could never get True to solve the upload problem, though my download speeds were pretty much OK. So about a week ago, I finally switched to 3BB's 100/10 Mbps FTTH service, which now gives me normal, reasonable upload speeds as well as faster downloads than my prior True plan.

And presto, now the Alexa service on my Amazon Fire TV box works reasonably well, even with a VPN connection, though there still seem to be some oddities about it (as least based on my impression as a newbie with it).

For example, if I ask Alexa to play music from an artist or an album, it will immediately start playing music from that artist or album that I have in Amazon Prime music. Don't even have to hit any play button or confirm anything, it just starts playing. But if I do that same thing with some Amazon Prime Instant video content, doing so brings up the name of what Alexa thinks is the matching title, and I then have to hit the OK button on the remote to get to the title, and then click play to play it.

Another example, if you ask for the weather in a particular city, even outside the U.S., Alexa will bring up a basic weather screen with the day's weather for that city. But if you ask Alexa for the hourly temperatures in that city, the system can't provide that info.

But at least, now with my constrained upload bandwidth problem solved, I'll be able to play around more with Alexa over time.

So the bottom line answer is, yes, Alexa does work here.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just a bit of an update re installing Kodi and other regular Android apps on the Fire TV box.

I just finished installing the latest version of Kodi (along with a full complement of add-ons) and a variety of other Android apps, including the Chrome and Firefox browsers, on my Fire TV box. Everything seems to be running very smoothly.

I thought I might need to buy a Bluetooth keyboard/touchpad/mouse in order to type and mouse control things for those kinds of apps, but it turns out I didn't need to. There's free Amazon Fire TV remote app for Android phones or tablets in the Amazon app store that provides a rudimentary mouse control, but more importantly, access to the mobile device's Android keyboard for use in inputting text to the Fire TV. So far, especially for Kodi, that's worked fine for me.

Actually, in Kodi, I've found it's easy to just use the Fire TV remote control's directional clicker to move up-down, right-left through Kodi menus, which are set up that way. But then if I need to type text, such as in entering the web address for accessing Fusion, then I'll use the Amazon Fire TV remote app on my Android phone (which of course needs to be on the same wifi network at the Fire TV box in order to function).

BTW, I had a separate wifi mini keyboard for Windows and Android at home with a USB dongle that works fine on my Android-based TV. But when I plugged its USB dongle into the USB port on the Fire TV box attached to a regular, non-Android TV, the mini keyboard didn't function at all or bring up the normal mouse cursor. However, the Fire TV box does support Bluetooth, so any Bluetooth mouse or keyboard/touchpad should work fine if desired.

As for getting the Android apps on the Fire TV box, there's lot of information and suggested methods out there on the web that involve using a variety of sideloading methods, some relatively easy, some more complicated. When I installed my first couple regular Android apps just as a trial, I copied some APK files onto a micro-SD card using my laptop PC, and then simply removed that same micro-SD card with the APKs and inserted it into the micro-SD port on the Fire TV box and installed from there. Same approach would work for a USB stick if plugged into the USB port on the Fire TV box.

But you have to have the Android apps to use from somewhere, and for most people, they're already residing on your Android phone or tablet, and it's pretty easy to install them right from those devices onto the Fire TV box without having to use any hardware or plugging-unplugging anything. Turns you, you can use the Android/Amazon app ES File Explorer on your phone or tablet to do just that.

Basically, ES File Explorer has a tab under its Network section for recognizing and essentially pairing with Android TVs, and that works for the Fire TV box. So you go into the settings menu on the Fire TV box and get its network IP address. Then back to ES File Explorer and its Android TV tab, enter in the correct IP address for the Fire TV, and the app will recognize and create a link to the Fire TV. Again, the mobile device and the Fire TV box need to be on the same wifi network.

Once you've linked your mobile device and the Fire TV in ES File Explorer, you can just go into the app on your Android device, use the app to call up its menu showing all the Android apps on your mobile device, and then you can select whatever one or group of Android apps you have on the mobile device that you want to install on the Fire TV. Select the apps you want, then go up to the 3 dots menu in the upper right corner of the app, click that menu, and one of the resulting options will be "Install to Android TV." Choose that, and immediately the selected app/apps will be sent over wifi and installed on the Fire TV box.

Didn't even have to click or do anything on the Fire TV end to complete/confirm the installation. I'm not sure if you also have to have ES File Explorer installed as an app on the Fire TV box in order for this process to work. I did have it installed on my Fire TV box when I used this process, so I haven't tried the same approach without it on the Fire TV box. But ES File Explorer is available as a direct download from the Fire TV on-device app store, so no problem to install it directly from your Fire TV.

Other than gaining mouse and keyboard control for Android apps on the Fire TV box (which I've addressed above), the other issue I read about was that some Android apps apparently are set to open in portrait mode, meaning they'd automatically open sideways on the Fire TV device. I haven't encountered that myself as yet, but from what I've read, there are apps available that will alter that behavior so that the Android apps used on Fire TV will always open in the correct landscape mode to fit with the TV's display.

Edited May 23, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[rdotyan]

Hi TallGuyJohn -

How are you configuring your US-based VPN/DNS?

1. Are you doing it by sideloading an VPN's APK into the FireTV, or via router config, or just logging into a VPN and then streaming? I think conceptually the 3rd option isn't really effective for a device already connected to the internet that can't hop into the masked channel.

Any links/references would be much appreciated! Sorry for the basic questions but I'm looking to configure either my Roku Stick / Fire TV for Kodi plus HBO, NFLX, Hulu.

Thanks!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Today's Amazon Prime Day, their annual sales event, and as expected, the various Fire TV devices are on sale right now, as follows:

Fire TV stick with regular remote: $25

Fire TV stick with voice remote: $35

Fire TV box with voice remote: $70

Speculation is, Amazon is likely to be coming out with an updated version of its Fire TV stick toward the end of this year. Still, these are some of the best prices Amazon has offered for these devices.

[SooKee]

Dragging up a bit of an old thread here as I'm looking at the Fire TV, Fire Stick, Roku and Android boxes (specifically the Minix Neo U1) and its does seem that these Fire devices seem to create more difficulties than the hassle is worth (at least for given what I want to do).  Added to that is getting one here (BKK) with whatever I select Amazon saying not available for shipping to Thailand (necessitating I guess a forwarding service?).  The Roku I have at least seen on Lazada (albeit the 3 and now not available).  

 

One thing that DOES appeal about the Fire / Roku / Shield is HD Netflix but I have an Apple TV for that so I'm just looking to supplement that by using another box with Kodi / Plex / Thai Expat TV and I sure can't see the VFM in paying around 10,000 baht for a Shield.

 

For anyone that switched from Minix or whatever was it really THAT worth it, seems enough issues above to put me off TBH.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm not sure what you mean by:
 

Quote

 

it does seem that these Fire devices seem to create more difficulties than the hassle is worth

 

 

It all depends on what you want to do, and the particulars of your situation.

 

If you're an American with an Amazon Prime account (or from one of the few other countries where Amazon Prime is available), having and using a Fire TV device is a no-brainer. The costs are silly low, the devices perform well, and you can side load pretty much any regular Android apps you want, including Kodi.  I just brought back two new Fire TV devices from a recent trip to the U.S., though I've also had them mail forwarded from the U.S. to Thailand in the past.

 

On my Fire TV devices, the apps I use the most are NFL, Sling TV, DirecTV Now, Netflix, Hulu, Kodi, Mobdro, TuneIn, Spotify, Amazon Prime Instant Video and Amazon Prime Music, and even a sideloaded version of Google Play Music.

 

I also bought and brought back a Huawei Mi Box Android TV box purchased for $69, though I haven't yet had a chance to install it as yet (probably later this week). The advantage of the Mi Box is that it's both 4K and HDR compatible, whereas the Fire TV BOX is only 4K compatible and NOT HDR compatible.

 

I have a Roku device in my house, but it mostly sits un-used in favor of my using either my Fire TV devices or streaming from a PC to TV via HDMI connection. Same with a Google Chromecast HDMI stick.

 

I should mention also, that similar to Netflix earlier this year, Amazon has just begun going international with its Amazon Prime Video service (the video-streaming only service, as distinguished from the broader Amazon Prime membership service), and is offering a 6 month trial subscription to it for the rate of $2.99 U.S. per month ($5.99 after the trial ends). Since I already have a regular/full U.S. Amazon Prime account, I haven't subscribed to the international version to see just how much of Amazon's regular video content is or isn't in the international version.

 

I got this email earlier today from Amazon after registering my email address with them sometime back re their upcoming international expansion plans.
 

Quote

 

Thank you for signing up to receive updates about The Grand Tour’s international launch. We are excited to announce that the show is now available worldwide exclusively through Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes each week. Start your free trial now to enjoy the benefits of Prime Video, including:

• Special introductory price of 2.99 USD or EUR per month (depending on your country)* for the first six months, following your free trial
• Access to The Grand Tour and award-winning Amazon Original series like The Man in the High Castle, Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle
• Unlimited streaming of popular Hollywood movies and TV shows
• Flexibility to watch when, where, and how you want—on your computer, phone, tablet or select Smart TV's —and to watch offline by downloading titles with the Prime Video app
• Data Saver feature to control data usage while downloading and watching videos on select phones and tablets

After six months, your membership renews at 5.99 USD or EUR (depending on your country). You may cancel at any time. The site and app are in English only, with multi-language dubbing or subtitles available for many titles.

 

Edited December 17, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[SooKee]

Seeing as I just got got the Amazon Prime Video international to work it seems I'd need to add the ability to load the Amazon prime app onto a device.  Added to that is the need for it to be Netflix HD compliant as I'll be looking to bin the Apple TV.  Finally, other iPTV apps would hopefully work and the need to have a Plex player, either as an app or via Kodi.  While I might not use Amazon Prime or Netflix all the time I don't want to get a device that shuts me out of anything or forces me to keep another box unless I can't avoid it.  That seems to narrow it down somewhat.  In order of preference / performance it would be:

 

Amazon Fire TV: Amazon Prime of course, Netflix HD, native Plex app, takes Kodi and other apps (I believe) but not sure how easily.  Looks like this might be the one to go for now IF it'll take other APKs AND I can get one here from a forwarder or find a Thai supplier.  Don't even mind paying a bit over the odds.

 

Roku 4: Interface and remote issues keep me from researching this device further but it is Netflix HD compliant, can use the Amazon Prime Android app, native Plex app.

 

Nvidia Shield: IF the 2017 version was more streaming focussed and preferably cheaper this would be the number one choice.  Netflix HD compliant, Plex compatible but I'd need to check it can run Plex as a Player not as a server seeing  I have my server on a mac Mini.  BUT - No Amazon app as yet and unless it had one I likely wouldn't bother especially at the price and given the fact that my secondary box, the Apple TV, also has no Amazon Prime app

 

Xiaomi Mi: OK for Netflix HD but not Amazon Prime.  Can use the Android Plex app.  Netflix HD likely kills it from the list unless I keep the ATV.

Edited December 21, 2016 by SooKee

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, SooKee said:

Amazon Fire TV: Amazon Prime of course, Netflix HD, native Plex app, takes Kodi and other apps (I believe) but not sure how easily.  Looks like this might be the one to go for now IF it'll take other APKs AND I can get one here from a forwarder or find a Thai supplier.  Don't even mind paying a bit over the odds.

 

 

Very easy to sideload many regular Android apps, including Kodi, onto the Amazon Fire TV devices. Especially the Fire TV box, which has a built-in USB data jack. Just load up a USB stick with whatever APKs you want, and use ES File Explorer app on the Fire TV box to install them. Can  likewise install onto the Fire TV sticks, which don't have a USB data port, just using a different method.

Edited December 21, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Chicog]

12 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Very easy to sideload many regular Android apps, including Kodi, onto the Amazon Fire TV devices. Especially the Fire TV box, which has a built-in USB data jack. Just load up a USB stick with whatever APKs you want, and use ES File Explorer app on the Fire TV box to install them. Can  likewise install onto the Fire TV sticks, which don't have a USB data port, just using a different method.

 

You can do the FireStick using ES File Explorer, but I prefer ADBLink, as you can install APK's and push over any Zips you might need later on in Kodi.

 

 

[SooKee]

Cheers both.  Amazon Fire TV v2 it is.  Doubtless because it's a subsidised device as a vehicle for Amazon Prime it doesn't attract the same $1 = £1 exchange rate on Amazon UK so price is about the same as USA so I'll have someone there order and ship it.