What is the Amazon Fire Stick?

By | January 10, 2022

what is a fire stick amazon

The Amazon Fire Stick is a small device roughly the size of a flash drive that plugs into a TV HDMI port.
What is the Amazon Fire Stick

The Fire Stick enables any TV to stream content over WiFi such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon, Disney Plus, and much more.
what is amazon fire stick what it does

A remote control is included that works with buttons or voice commands, new versions now included Alexa Virtual Assistant.
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It can basically turn any TV into a Smart TV by simply plugging it into an HDMI video port.

The Amazon Fire Stick is a new breed of electronics often called Streaming TV Sticks that stream movies and TV shows from online sources.

There are three versions of the Fire Stick with the newest version able to display 4K resolution. The newest version also includes updated hardware along with the virtual assistant Alexa and 4K HD video.

Amazon Fire Stick Hardware
The first version had a Broadcom BCM28145 Dual Vore 1.2 GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB Storage, 802.11n WiFi, and Bluetooth 3.0.

The second generation has a Mediatek 8127D Quad-core ARM 1.3 GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB Storage, 802.11ac WiFi, and Bluetooth 4.1.

The video output resolution is the same for both with High definition 720p or 1080p.

The third version has a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor and can output the new 4K UHD video resolution.
 
Amazon Fire Stick Installation
A Fire Stick is plugged into an HDMI port on a TV.
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It also needs power which is supplied by a USB connector or alternatively an AC power supply.

After it is powered on and the TV set to the correct HDMI input a WiFi connection is set up to a router.
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The setup is easy with an on-screen guide.

Once a WiFi connection is made videos are ready to be streamed to your TV.
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It includes all the popular online streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, HBO Go and more.
 
How To Stream or Play Videos With the Fire TV Stick
After a Fire TV Stick is set up with a TV, a steaming service will be needed.

Amazon, Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu are the most popular online streaming services each with different movies and TV shows.

Anyone who has Amazon Prime shipping will also have access to videos automatically on the Fire TV Stick

Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu have their own pricing plans.

Is There a Monthly Fee for Fire Stick?
There is no monthly fee for the Fire TV Stick but there is a fee for any services used.

For example, if you plan to use Netflix to watch movies and TV shows a Netflix subscription would be needed.

The same goes for any other service including Amazon, Disney Plus, and so on.

What Channels Do You Get with a Fire Stick?
There are no channels as traditional TV but on-demand videos that can be watched anytime.

This includes TV shows and movies that can be streamed into a home in HD resolution.

What TV shows and movies can be watched will depend on the services that are subscribed to.

Summary
The Amazon Fire Stick is a great low-cost way to turn any TV into a Smart TV and play all kinds of content, from TV shows and movies to music.

Besides streaming, movies and TV shows it can also play games and has Voice controls with Alexa virtual assistant.

Apps can also be installed to further customize the Fire Stick to enhance its ability to do what an owner wants.


 




 

112 thoughts on “What is the Amazon Fire Stick?

  1. Sal

    So you can.only get TV and movies..correct? You can’t get sports channels, packages?

    Reply
    1. bobe

      It is mostly for movies and shows but there is sports it depends on what is wanted. Looking at the Apps for streaming the content you want is best.

      Reply
  2. Dulcemaria Rivera

    i want to watch Bravo hallmark n SYFYHD channel I try in hulu n netflix nothing what can I do missing my favorite show don t want big cable bill again

    Reply
    1. Christin

      Get sling TV all of those channels are available on one of there package choice’s.

      Reply
  3. Ed

    Re Firestick. My brother has it and said no monthly charges. Can watch current release movies etc. His internet services includes unlimited data. Since this is a wifi required product…streaming video..then I would have to upgrade my internet service to unlimited data. Then all I would need is the plug in and the remote..the cheapest route. Am I correct. Please advise. Thank you.

    Reply
    1. Kenneth Drew

      you need to understand you can’t watch ‘regular’ programming with Firestick, such as Chicago Fire,, Chicago PD local weather, local news, Probably about 90% of everything you watch. You can’t watch Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Amazon Prime, etc . free (legally) But that is about the only kind of stuff you can watch on Firestick.

      Reply
  4. Ling

    So I just plug in and go with a firestick? Are there any monthly subscription charges at all?

    Reply
    1. bobe

      There is monthly charges for Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, but they can be much cheaper than a cable subscription. Also Amazon Prime members automatically have a Prime account and can start watching right away. Its basically letting someone pick and choose what content they want.

      Reply
  5. Evil Eye

    I don’t have the bandwidth to watch more than a few minutes because Hughesnet is my only internet option here.

    Reply
    1. SouthCountryMom

      Hi! We are rural and had satellite TV for years. In order to stream we switched from satellite to a 4G internet supplier. They send you a modem and a mobile phone SIM card to insert into the modem. It gives unlimited bandwidth and we truly enjoy being able to live rurally and still have such great internet. It is more reliable in bad weather, too. Just do a search online for unlimited 4g wireless home internet and start shopping for it! It is a little high but we did away with our satellite TV service so it made it pretty well even out for us financially. It is cheaper for us to have the 4G service and to pay the $15 a month or so for NetFlix. I already paid the annual fee for Amazon Prime so it costs us nothing extra to get to stream their Prime TV. I subscribe to a couple of the extra channels Prime TV offers but they are just around $5 monthly. If I want to experience some new Prime programming I simply drop a channel and choose another for that month so it doesn’t affect the monthly outlay of $$. Hope this helps and that you get to cut the satellite cable for streaming freedom!

      Reply
  6. Amanda

    Are the Tv shows up to date with the newest seasons on the fire stick?

    Reply
  7. Kristina

    i worry that this is illegal as my husband plans to watch movies that are currently in the theatre. Is this illegal? Also, what are the legal ways to use the firestick?

    Reply
  8. TRENNIA WHITE

    Do one firestick control all TV’s in the house or do u need a firestick for each tv

    Reply
    1. Bobe

      A Firestick only controls one TV. It is plugged into a TVs HDMI port at the back, and after the TV is set to the correct HDMI input, controlled with the Firestck remote control.

      Reply
    2. Brenda

      Do one firestick control all TV”s in the house or do u need a firestick for each TV?

      Reply
  9. Gynith Shaeffer

    I have 3 TVS which I understand I need a firestick for each one. My question is can separate programs be viewed on 3 different TVs?

    Reply
    1. Reddi

      Sorry 4 last reply answer to your ??? Is yes as long as you have 3 Firesticks. Prime & Netflix allow you to logon to 3 different devices.

      Reply
    2. patricia h barba

      If i get this flash drive for all my 3 t.vs can i cancel the hulu netflix ? we love to see pay per view events on our t.s does this flash drive have that WWE Network on the flash drives or can I keep it on my t.v and just cancel Netflix and hulu and carry them on the flashdrives??

      Reply
  10. Laketha

    What about regular shows like First 48, cooking channel western channel. Can I still watch those?

    Reply
    1. Judy

      Hello – do I still need regular cable to watch local tv shows like the news, sports, or the OWN network, HGTV, etc.

      Reply
      1. Christin

        No. Sling TV offer’s all of those channels through one of there packages. They are $25 monthly an it’s the closest option compared to having satellite, or cable. It’s a cheaper alternative.

        Reply
  11. Joann beach

    I bought 2 Amazon fire stick’s. Can one be used on my tv and one on my son’s tv at his home, he has WiFi.

    Reply
  12. Pembe Sakallioglu

    How do you stream movies or TV show on fire stick? And most importantly are they free?

    Reply
  13. karen

    I watch Hallmark, T.V. Land Chanel 10, Fox News, channels 11,13, WNUV which is 14,21, which is channel 45, AMC which is 27, channel 40 which is Animal planet.And a few other. Can I get these channels?

    Reply
    1. Verna Osborne

      Are typical cable channels such as Hallmark, HGTV, and Lifetime streamed online anywhere?

      Reply
  14. Miss Pearl Cuthbert

    I’m not very tech minded, but I’ve bought the latest Amazon fire stick with Lexi voice control I was hoping to upload Kodi onto it, but the boffins have got clever and its shape now prevents me from inserting the device into my Mac laptop. Any ideas please ?

    Reply
    1. David Sillik

      hi, try getting a hdmi cable, plug it into your Mac laptop then plug the stick into the other end of the hdmi . alternatively you may be able to plug in a hdmi splitter. i hope this helps .

      d

      Reply
  15. Alice Ludlow

    I get basic cable with my HOA. I also have a smart TV in my livingroom. Is it worth me getting a firestick? 2 of my TV’s have the DVR and conservitive amount of cable channels. But with the wireless internet and what Cable I pay, I still way over a hundred a month. I don’t want to waste my money.

    Reply
    1. bobe

      Most TVs can get local channels for free over-the-air, also many news channels have apps that stream content. Using a low cost antenna and the TV is the best option though as many other stations can also be received for free.

      Reply
    2. Kenneth Drew

      thru firestick? No. Only things that are available thru ‘streaming’ from somewhere.

      Reply
  16. TAMMY LEEHY

    I have a nintendo wii u hooked up to my tv do i have to unhook it to use my firestick?

    Reply
    1. scott

      depends on how many hdmi ports your tv has if your wii is using the only one then yes if your wii is not using the only hdmi port or more likely not using an hdmi port at all then no both can be connected you would just need to change the input on the remote from the wii to the firestick

      Reply
  17. Frank

    Can you wartch first run TV shows as they are being aired in there TV time slots.

    Reply
  18. Debbie

    Di I need to be a Amazon Prime member to use the fire stick?

    Reply
  19. Sheally

    I know someone that says they don’t pay for Netflix or anything. They just plug in their fire stick and watch whatever movie they want for free. How is that possible?

    Reply
    1. Me

      Fire stick has been jail broke. People basically are hacking into the factory fire stick. Same thing people who jail break or unlock cell phones so it can be used by any carriers.

      Reply
  20. Lori Barish

    Can you record programming with the fire stick? How about Sling. I have a Comcast DVR currently, and record daily.

    Reply
    1. Sesh

      The videos are streamed on demand so there is usually no need to record. If you want to record free over-the-air TV there is the Fire TV Recast.

      Reply
  21. MIKE

    I have very recently purchased a sony tv that is connected to the internet via wifi and has netflix,youtube,sony playstation etc what does the firestick do that my tv does not?.

    Reply
    1. Kenneth Drew

      Well, maybe a couple things, for example if a sports program is only on Watch Espn, then you can get that on Firestick or Chromecast, but…..you still have to be getting Watch Espn from somewhere that you are likely paying for, such as cable or satellite. That’s true of other programming such as from HBO, etc. I will say, without a doubt, that both Firestick and Chromecast are worth what you pay for them. You can watch an event live that someone is casting on Facebook on Chromecast/firestick. Same is true for some other events also…Go Pro, for example.

      Reply
  22. Petra Van Hoof

    Can I use a fire stick and still have my shaw satellite. I would like the option of both.

    Reply
    1. Sesh

      Yes a Fire Stick can be used with cable or satellite. It is on the HDMI input.

      Reply
  23. Elizabeth Straley

    I am an un-tech old person. I bought a portable TV to play DVDs. I would like to take it with me to motels/RV campgrounds so I can watch a TV without commercials. I subscribe to DISH with HBO & also Netflix. In my old school camper (no TV cable) can I just plug into an electric socket & use this Fire Stick or do I need to have a cable input coming out of a wall? I am assuming the campground &/or motel has a wireless password. Does this work for Fire Stick TV also?

    Reply
    1. Toby Gasston

      As long as you can connect to the wifi you’ll be fine

      Reply
      1. Dan

        Or just download movies or series or anything you want to watch on a laptop . You can either download movies or tv series shows on your laptop or an external hard drive and just connect the external hard drive to your laptop per USB cable. And with like a terabit internal or external hard drive believe you me you can store a whole lot of movies or series downloads on either terabit a internal external hard drive. I done that at times when I was driving semi over the road. And it all provides more room since you don’e have to have a whole bunch of DVD’S or CD’s

        Reply
  24. Mike throne Throne

    What do you have to do to whatch regular tv

    Reply
      1. Patrick Martin

        There is a device you can buy that you can plug the HDMI stick into and V/A out the back, that converts to SD Composite. I use one on an old TV that does not have HDMI in the bedroom on the Chromecast. I have been a Roku fan for years and I just ordered a Firestick for $20 to see how it works. The streaming devices are really cool.

        Reply
    1. Kenneth Drew

      Most smart tvs, you can watch the same things on those as with the Firestick. Hulu, Netflix, etc. To watch any movie you have to have a ‘source’ to get it from. Most of the time it’s not ‘free’.

      Reply
    1. Sesh

      Yes the fire stick connects to your router over WiFi and is online.

      Reply
  25. rodrigo

    i think people are confused here…and they think that they will get all these Streaming apps for free(netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon ) like i did. But that is not the case . you will only get these Apps if you already have a n account to use. A hacked firestick allows you to install KODI which then allows you to watch media that people are sharing for people to stream to their TVS. I will probably keep my cable since i have 5 TVS and old people in my house that dont have the time to be surfing for media. i did install this app called showbox which is great.

    Reply
    1. rodrigo

      and why do people think they deserve to get free paid subscriptions services…..these companies to make some money (but not too much) to keep bringing you all this great entertainnment. you think actors , crews marketing work for free?

      Reply
      1. cableguy

        Found the Cable company rep. People shouldn’t pay for television when they are exposed to ads. If I pay for cable, it should be ad-free. Also I should have at least 3 comparable competitive alternatives.

        How is it fair and honest business for cable companies to organize oligopolies eliminating competition, driving prices through the roof, then making other millions from ad revenue?

        The only people defending media companies are media companies.
        Take your paid shilling elsewhere.

        Reply
        1. Ron

          How much would you pay for ad-free programming? Do you think you could get it for more or less than you have to pay now?

          Reply
  26. Latanya green

    What type of television the fire stick work on

    Reply
  27. Pat styron

    is there anything u watch with the fire stick like hulu nexflix other channels u would have to buy to watch tv or moves?

    Reply
    1. Gopal

      If you are a Amazon Prime member in certain countries, then you can watch movies, TV shows, etc available on Prime. Applications like Hotstar, Hulu, Netflix will require subscriptions to their plan to watch movies/shows, etc. You can also cast your mobile/laptop screen to your TV with Amazon Stick. Certain applications like youtube, amazon music, etc., are available in the stick by default.

      Reply
  28. Julio

    I have 4 TV’s in my house. One on each room. All have HDMI.
    Do I need a firestick for each TV.?
    Thank you

    Reply
    1. Mike

      If you have only one Firestick you can unplug it from one TV and move it to another. You can even bring it to a friends home but then you will need to connect it to their WiFi and it will be using their Internet.

      Reply
  29. seema

    I am not able to connect fire stick to Tv ,it’s not letting me stick even on language that is the first step,please let me know how to connect it.

    Reply
    1. Clyde Lackey

      I was watching Disney+ and somehow changed the language from English to Span. How do I get it back to English? My grandson (3 years old) is not too happy.

      Reply
    1. Gopal

      Specifically, NO. But, buffering may kill your watching experience.

      Reply
      1. Larry

        AT &T tech informed me that for streaming purposes a download speed needs to be a minimum of 3.0 mps. I needed to upgrade to att’s 6.0 mps max download program, not much of a price change. Now my buffering speed is between 3.0-6.0 mps.

        Reply
    2. MMoore

      Can you use the hot spot wi fi from a smart phone . I have unlimited data on the smart phone.

      Reply
      1. Holga

        I use the phone hotspot to run Netflix on a tablet in the car while going places. It works great.

        Reply
      2. Carol

        Which carrier may I ask? Mine, metro pcs wants me to pay Another 10 bucks for wifi hotspot and I have unlimited. :/

        Reply
        1. Sandra

          Straight Talk will cancel your service if you’re using your phone as a hotspot and don’t pay extra for it!

          Reply
  30. SCOTT BERNATH

    HOW DO I CONNECT HEADPHONES TO A FIRETVSTICK !! IT’S JACKED INTO HDMI PORT ON MY LG PLASMA TV SET ! ASSISTANCE GREATLY APPRECIATED ……UNABLE TO PLAY MUSIC WITHOUT DISTURBING MY WIFE , DOWNSTAIRS !!

    Reply
    1. Holga

      If you plug it into your TV’s headset port or whatever device you use to provide sound, it should work fine.

      Reply
  31. Kevin

    Can I mirror content from iPhones and Android phones through a Fire stick? That way I can show pics, videos and play my music to my tv.

    Reply
  32. ron

    for some reason I am getting this no data and nothing works what causes it and how do I fix it

    Reply
    1. bobe

      Local channels can be picked up for free over the air. Sometimes an antenna is needed for better reception but there is many low cost ones. To see if you can get channels without an antenna, switch to antennae mode in the TV settings than scan for channels. Often 20-30 stations can be received for free.

      Reply
      1. Kenneth Drew

        All you said is true , but premium programming such as ESPN, Fox Sports, etc ….none of that is ‘off air’ and none of it is ‘free’.

        Reply
        1. Pandora

          I DO get Fox Sports over the air for FREE in Tampa, FL. Just bought Amazon’s “Best Seller” HD TV indoor antenna ($27), taped it to my window, screwed the co-axial cable into the back of my LG Smart TV and there it was for free…..along with 59 other local channels. Fox Sports looks as clear as it ever did on cable TV.

          Reply
  33. carry

    my husband and I recently switch from dish to att uverse. some problems with it but still have service. my husband was informed by some of his co-workers about the firestick, because we are trying to cut back. retirees. I have heard of the firestick but, don’t understand all of the mechanics behind it. from reading some of the comments for each service desired, HBO, Netflix, SPORTS CHANELS, there is a fee, right? WHERE IS THE SAVINGS IF I CANT WHAT THE FEES ARE.

    Reply
    1. Darlyn

      Many of the channels are free and most of the channels have free movies and TV channels free, and you can subscribe to special channels or channels within channels. Hope this helps.

      Reply
    1. SARAH STEELE

      WHAT TYPE OF TV’S CAN THIS DEVICE BE USED WITH ? CAN YOU USE OLD TV’S WITH THIS DEVICE? AND YES DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE INTERNET FOR THIS DEVICE?

      Reply
      1. SARAH STEELE

        YOU CAN PROBABLY NOT USE IT ON OLD TV’S, ALL YOU NEED IS A TV THAT HAS AN HDMI PORT. CHECK YOUR TV FOR THE HDMI PORT, IF IT HAS IT, IT WILL WORK.

        Reply
      2. Tiffany

        I have a old TV but it’s connect to the antenna box I got frm Walmart for 30 an I just found out I could connect it to the back of the box went out bought a new TV an didn’t know I already had a HDMI input on my antenna box lol an yes u need wifi sometimes hot spot but ur data will be slow

        Reply
    2. Bobe

      The internet is not a requirement but since most content is streamed online it would be limited without it. For example watching videos on YouTube or Netflix videos would need the internet.

      Reply
    1. Bobe

      It can be used with any TV that has a HDMI input which is most TVs. The content that can be watched, such as YouTube or Netflix would be the same as with a computer. Some countries do block content from being streamed, I am unsure about Spain.

      Reply
      1. Paris

        Do you have to pay for watching ESPN or sports channel

        Reply
        1. Warren scharff

          Do I have to pay anything above the original price of the fire stick, how does it compare to Roku Does it get the history channel?

          Reply
          1. mike

            I live in North Carolina can I get the redskin football games . I know they are on local tv in the washington dc area. Also what does my internet speed need to be so I won’t have issues.

            Reply

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