Amazon Fire TV • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#101

Post by matt_heimer » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:47 PM UTC

oskee80 wrote: post #51

theseanstewart wrote: post #6

This looks really cool but I'll have to wait and see how it compares to the other devices that accomplish the same objectives. I would have liked to see it include gigabit ethernet instead of just 10/100. Interesting that they have a game controller available. I've been looking for something to replace my Popcorn Hour, but I haven't been able to find anything in this price range that will play MKV files and allow pla…

Western Digital's WDTV Live can play any file you throw at it. http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=330 It supports many online services as well, but unfortunately no Prime Instant Video. I have yet to see a box that offers everything I want: Local and network media playback, Netflix, Prime. However, I wish the WDTV had better specs and UI - it can be a little clunky.

Roku is close once you use Plex. You get local network playback + Netflix, Prime, Crackle, Hulu, Pandora which is what I want. The video quality, performance, bugs, and gaming support of the Roku suck though. I keep swapping my Roku for a Chromecast and back again.

I'd like a box that supports Prime, local network playback, and casual gaming/emulation. If Amazon would have released a Prime Video app I'd switch to some of those cheap Android PCs on an HDMI stick by now but they've been holding out probably to use as a carrot to get people locked into their app store.

I hate having to side-load apps but if I can on the FireTV and get local network playback working I very well might buy one.

Edit: Looks like it will have Plex and Miracast support.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#102

Post by philsnow » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:47 PM UTC

chocks wrote: post #23

curious if it'll support YouTube, didn't see on the list.

It's in the matrix farther down on the page as a checkbox, "sorted" below Crackle and Hulu Plus.

The YouTube logo is not in the big image describing "What's on Amazon FireTV?" [0], apparently it is one of the "plus many more".

[0] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/kindle/d...

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#103

Post by alttab » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:47 PM UTC

jauer wrote: post #48

schrodinger wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is an ios app for Amazon streaming...

Yes, but not on non-Amazon Android.

Interesting. I went to look it up because I thought you were wrong. You can get the Amazon Appstore on non-Amazon android devices, but it seems you are correct about AIV.

Wonder if its a DRM issue, or other hardware security issue for Android devices.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#104

Post by cheald » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:47 PM UTC

dusing wrote: post #92

mmcclure wrote: post #77

I know this is a nitpick...I really do, but for some reason things like this in marketing copy really annoy me: "Remote with no line of sight required" - not checked for Chromecast. While kind of true since Chromecast doesn't have a dedicated remote, but the devices used to control it absolutely don't require line of site.

I agree, you could say the same thing for voice search since you can use voice search on your iphone/android to queue up videos to airplay/cast.

And for "games" (many exist, though not of the sort that this device promises).

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#105

Post by declan » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:47 PM UTC

barlescabbage wrote: post #91

Not enough differentiation, give us some other channels, live news, or broadcast TV and we'll buy it in a heartbeat. Otherwise your features are surprisingly irrelevant. This is mostly bad news for Roku, before this, the paradigm was, Apple TV for iTunes, Roku for Amazon. During the holidays there were so many roku photos on amazon, I thought they owned them. I think Amazon will slowly strangle Roku. Amazon probably…

> other channels, live news, or broadcast TV and we'll buy it in a heartbeat.

Agreed! Does anyone know of any device that offers live streaming news from CNN, Fox, etc.? The Roku store doesn't list CNN; it does list Fox News but only "video clips" and not a full 24/7 live stream of the television channel: http://www.roku.com/channels/#search/cnn/by-popular

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#106

Post by sutterbomb » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:48 PM UTC

programminggeek wrote: post #84

This is pretty much what Google TV should have been all along, but Google cares too much about web search and not enough about what people actually want to do on a TV - watch shows and play games. The gaming aspect of this will make it a winner. OUYA's big problem is that it didn't do streaming and was a bit clunky. Amazon has a big game library and just needs controller support. As a parent, a $100 streaming box and…

Not sure if it will be a category winner, but if the gaming works, it will definitely be a winner for me. I haven't owned a gaming console in years, but I'd certainly do some casual gaming if there was a cheap option built into a streaming. I currently own and frequently use an older Roku, but if gaming reviews come are positive I will likely switch.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#107

Post by downandout » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:48 PM UTC

programminggeek wrote: post #84

This is pretty much what Google TV should have been all along, but Google cares too much about web search and not enough about what people actually want to do on a TV - watch shows and play games. The gaming aspect of this will make it a winner. OUYA's big problem is that it didn't do streaming and was a bit clunky. Amazon has a big game library and just needs controller support. As a parent, a $100 streaming box and…

With screen mirroring, Apple TV offers the ability to play any game in the App Store on a TV wirelessly without having to buy a controller. That game library will likely always be larger than this one. Granted, you must have an iPhone or iPad, but I am surprised that Apple does not tout this feature more. I use it daily and it is pretty awesome.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#108

Post by smackfu » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:49 PM UTC

stevenp wrote: post #85

For me, AirPlay is the killer Apple TV feature. Any time a new app comes out for iOS that supports streaming video, I know I'm going to be able to play it on my television. The local content provider apps on the device don't really matter that much to me. I can even stream Amazon Prime video to my Apple TV, so I'm having a hard time seeing why I would want this instead of waiting for the next generation Apple TV.

>Any time a new app comes out for iOS that supports streaming video, I know I'm going to be able to play it on my television.

Unless they block Airplay, which is not unusual. Like Amazon Prime didn't allow streaming until recently. HBO Go also took a while to allow it.

http://venturebeat.com/2013/09/17/amazon-primes-ios-app-fina...

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#109

Post by stevenp » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:49 PM UTC

eclipxe wrote: post #89

stevenp wrote: post #85

For me, AirPlay is the killer Apple TV feature. Any time a new app comes out for iOS that supports streaming video, I know I'm going to be able to play it on my television. The local content provider apps on the device don't really matter that much to me. I can even stream Amazon Prime video to my Apple TV, so I'm having a hard time seeing why I would want this instead of waiting for the next generation Apple TV.

FireTV supports Miracast according to the PR: Miracast according to Press Release: You can also wirelessly mirror your tablet display to your Fire TV with Kindle Fire, as well as other Miracast-enabled phones or tablets starting later this year. Fire TV supports standards like DIAL, so app developers can enable multi-screen experiences based on open technologies. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=i…

Ah, this is one of the problems with isolated ecosystems, I guess. Until Apple opens up AirPlay (never), I'm stuck with whatever they give me. :/

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#110

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 4:49 PM UTC

stevenp wrote: post #85

For me, AirPlay is the killer Apple TV feature. Any time a new app comes out for iOS that supports streaming video, I know I'm going to be able to play it on my television. The local content provider apps on the device don't really matter that much to me. I can even stream Amazon Prime video to my Apple TV, so I'm having a hard time seeing why I would want this instead of waiting for the next generation Apple TV.

[deleted]