Amazon Fire sticks

*Andrew NDB* · 01-20-2020, 10:41 AM

Can anyone explain this to me? So you just buy it, plug it into your TV and POOF, you have HBO, Cinemax, Netflix, and a bunch of other stuff? For free, at that point? Or how does it work? You just buy it and you have it forever? And if you already have Amazon Prime and Alexa, how does it work?

I won one in a company party and I'm totally clueless on how this works.

*IMJ* · 01-20-2020, 10:55 AM

I always thought a Firestick was just a means to make a 'non smart t.v." into a smart t.v. Sort of how back in the day you didn't have Netflix app on your T.V., but you had through your PS3. So basically I think it's an app delivery tool, but you'll still need to pay for whatever channel's app is on the firestick.

I also think that some people have jailbroken their firesticks making all of the channel subscription basically free. But obviously that's another discussion entirely.

I could be wrong about all of this though. I've never owned a firestick. But to clarify, I think it' a competitor to Roku and things like that which were more prominent in the days before all of that same stuff was just uploaded internally to a smart T.V.

*newfan* · 01-20-2020, 11:08 AM

I have one as my tv isn't a smart tv, as explained above, your Amazon prime is on there and then you can use other apps that you have accounts for but you still pay for them, just you can view them on an older t.v.

I wouldn't know about the hacking stuff though

*Andrew NDB* · 01-20-2020, 11:16 AM

So if I already have Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and other stuff on my PS4 or X-Box, it's useless/redundant? Or does it offer anything unique?

I know that it somehow links to Alexa, which I have.

*newfan* · 01-20-2020, 11:33 AM

Kinda redundant then unless you have a spare older t.v. with nothing else attached. Cant think of what exactly is on there off the top of my head, used mine less lately as my new satellite box now has Netflix on it too. (Though with Picard coming to Prime I'll use it again)

*IndigoErth* · 01-20-2020, 01:51 PM

Been trying to understand these things myself because sister got mom a couple of the Roku brand for Christmas. (Which I think is basically the same thing, sans Prime.) Far as I understand it, in our case, it would basically allow us to get rid of the cable boxes we have to rent from Comcast (and stream our still paid for cable package through Comcast's app instead so it saves a little money) and gives us access to other streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, etc), but those are still paid for. I don't think these things make them free, they just make it possible to get them if you already can't. i.e. My smart tv can get Netflix, but I can't get Comcast's app, Disney, etc, so the device should, far as I understand, make those available. So if it's redundant or not just depends on if you can already get those things or if there are others you want but can't get. I don't think you're going to get things like HBO unless you already pay for those and your cable or whatever it's through has a streaming app... or possibly an illegal jail broken one...that sister said a coworker has.

01-20-2020, 10:41 AM	#1
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 29,279	Amazon Fire sticks Can anyone explain this to me? So you just buy it, plug it into your TV and POOF, you have HBO, Cinemax, Netflix, and a bunch of other stuff? For free, at that point? Or how does it work? You just buy it and you have it forever? And if you already have Amazon Prime and Alexa, how does it work? I won one in a company party and I'm totally clueless on how this works. __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ]

01-20-2020, 10:55 AM	#2
IMJ Emperor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Midwest, U.S.A. Posts: 6,991	I always thought a Firestick was just a means to make a 'non smart t.v." into a smart t.v. Sort of how back in the day you didn't have Netflix app on your T.V., but you had through your PS3. So basically I think it's an app delivery tool, but you'll still need to pay for whatever channel's app is on the firestick. I also think that some people have jailbroken their firesticks making all of the channel subscription basically free. But obviously that's another discussion entirely. I could be wrong about all of this though. I've never owned a firestick. But to clarify, I think it' a competitor to Roku and things like that which were more prominent in the days before all of that same stuff was just uploaded internally to a smart T.V. __________________ Wave 1 Collectibles Online Market Watch Blog Collection Photography

01-20-2020, 11:16 AM	#4
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 29,279	So if I already have Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and other stuff on my PS4 or X-Box, it's useless/redundant? Or does it offer anything unique? I know that it somehow links to Alexa, which I have. __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ]

01-20-2020, 11:08 AM	#3
newfan Mad Scientist Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: UK Posts: 2,393	I have one as my tv isn't a smart tv, as explained above, your Amazon prime is on there and then you can use other apps that you have accounts for but you still pay for them, just you can view them on an older t.v. I wouldn't know about the hacking stuff though

01-20-2020, 11:33 AM	#5
newfan Mad Scientist Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: UK Posts: 2,393	Kinda redundant then unless you have a spare older t.v. with nothing else attached. Cant think of what exactly is on there off the top of my head, used mine less lately as my new satellite box now has Netflix on it too. (Though with Picard coming to Prime I'll use it again)

01-20-2020, 01:51 PM	#6
IndigoErth Team Blue Boy Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: U.S., East Coast Posts: 15,242	Been trying to understand these things myself because sister got mom a couple of the Roku brand for Christmas. (Which I think is basically the same thing, sans Prime.) Far as I understand it, in our case, it would basically allow us to get rid of the cable boxes we have to rent from Comcast (and stream our still paid for cable package through Comcast's app instead so it saves a little money) and gives us access to other streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, etc), but those are still paid for. I don't think these things make them free, they just make it possible to get them if you already can't. i.e. My smart tv can get Netflix, but I can't get Comcast's app, Disney, etc, so the device should, far as I understand, make those available. So if it's redundant or not just depends on if you can already get those things or if there are others you want but can't get. I don't think you're going to get things like HBO unless you already pay for those and your cable or whatever it's through has a streaming app... or possibly an illegal jail broken one...that sister said a coworker has.