In case you hadn’t noticed, “streaming” is the new cable TV. No more expensive cable package of channels you’ll never watch (YouToo America, Cloo TV…), just use your Internet connection so you can watch what you want to watch, from the channels you pay for that you want to pay for. Except of course, if you want to watch those channels on your television set, you need a smart TV with apps for those channels. Or you can get a media streaming device. The big four are Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV. Apple and Roku are the most expensive, currently at $149 and $130 each, and Chromecast is the very least at only $35. All plug into your TV’s HDMI port, connect to the Internet, and soon you’re streaming movies, videos, and even regular TV shows.
Everybody offers – with a subscription – Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and sports and news channels, but if you want Amazon Instant Video, including Amazon Prime, it’s not available for now on Apple TV or Chromecast. The Roku 4 does have it, and so of course does Amazon Fire TV; in fact, Amazon Video is the “prime” reason to get their devices over the others. I say “devices” because Amazon Fire TV comes in two forms: a “box” and a “stick.”
Amazon Fire TV – the “box” – and Roku 4 both offer Ultra HD, twice the video resolution of Apple and Chromecast, but of course you need an Ultra HD screen to take advantage of it. The Amazon Fire TV box, Roku 4, and Apple TV come with remotes and voice search, dual band Wi-Fi antennas, wired Ethernet, and optional game controllers.
The Amazon Fire TV is a small black matte box, about the size of two plastic CD cases (remember those?). There are no buttons, just jacks: for power, Ethernet, optical audio output, USB, and of course HDMI. The power supply is included; an HDMI cable is not. When you plug it in, there’s a short set-up sequence, but since you bought it from Amazon it already knows your account, and if you have Amazon Prime. My reviewer’s model required a downloaded upgrade, which the Fire TV did on its own.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is less powerful than the “box,” and offers only 1080p video output, and no Ethernet or USB connections. It plugs right into your TV’s HDMI port and Amazon includes a short HDMI extender. It comes with either a “regular” remote, or at a higher price, one that is voice-enabled.
You can watch anything from Amazon immediately – I enjoyed the British documentary Down In The Flood on Bob Dylan and The Band – but for some other channels you’ll need to get their app and of course log in to your subscription or sign up for one.
Amazon Fire TV “box” is $100, only from Amazon of course, and well worth it if you need a media streaming device. The Amazon Fire TV Stick is $40 with a regular remote and $50 with the voice remote.
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