Options
Amazon Fire TV
Philip Wales
Posts: 6,373 Forum Member
✭
Just seen that this is available in the UK and Amazon are selling it for £49 until Monday.
0
Philip Wales
Posts: 6,373 Philip Wales
Posts: 6,373 Philip Wales
Posts: 6,373
Comments
Essentially most of the features are replicated in my other devices but it's still worth a punt at £79.
You need to change dns on your router if you can, if you have vms superhub just stick it in modem mode and connect your own router not sure about bt hub though but i'd imagine that'll be similar.
I can't change my router, so it's got to be by device
Considering sky are apparently blocking amazon prime from being launched on the roku platform I'd be amazed if NowTV & SkyGO appear on FireTV!
(I'd play sky @ their own game!) :cool:
I bet allot of folk are gonna jump ship this October! ... £50 is fantastic value for money IMO!
I tried streaming Amazon prime instant video through my Samsung smart TV and found it unreliable and slow compared to Netflix on the ATV. The FireTV is supposed to be higher spec than it's competitors and it has a 30 day guarantee.
We'll be trying our best for sure. The US version presented some challenges and is not yet supported as a result. We can only see when we have got our hands on one.
I second this it's good to have someone from a smart dns provider on these forums
Unotelly are fantastic!
(Their device & channel selection are unparalleled) :cool:
Yep! UnblockUS are also great! (Just wish they had more channels) ... Glad they've joined DS!
From the list they already have Netflix, Amazon Instant Video .. and Demand 5 and STV Player coming soon .. the odd thing is STV is just ITV Player rebadged so why not ITV Player as coming soon too? Unless someone forgot to add the logo? Hopefully if 5 and ITV are onboard then 4OD, BBC and NOW TV will be added shortly. Or Amazon make my life easier and just add Amazon Instant Video to Roku
This has never been confirmed. Sky do have agreements with ITV, which has created a Sky-only ITV channel called Encore, and Sky have deals with Roku which brought a Now TV box, but where is there evidence for no Amazon Prime on the Roku box because of Sky?
Now, if you were talking the Now TV box, the Sky's rebranded Roku, this would be true, but if Amazon Prime was not on Roku because of Sky, then why is Netflix? Netflix is FAR bigger than Amazon Prime and a much bigger competitor than Amazon, yet it is on the Roku box?
And why isn't Sky Go on the Roku box then?
The main reason comes down to Amazon themselves. They have been trying to encourage people to buy into their own hardware, which is why they didn't even have an Android app until just the other day.
STV is a strange case, while they are effectively just a rebadged ITV they aren't actually part of ITV. ITV (and C4’s) policy over the last couple of years has been to sell exclusive rights on a device type basis to a single platform. ITV and C4 both came to Roku because sky paid them to which almost certainly means exclusivity atleast for a while BUT it doesn't cover STV so even if it is the case STV could launch while ITV is blocked.
BBC will come, they are pretty much legally required to but C4 and proper ITV I'm not sure they will come, Atleast until the exclusivity ends
What Sky agreement? (Still waiting for a reliable source that Sky has made an agreement with Roku to keep Amazon Prime off the platform, when Sky hasn't even bothered to put Sky Go on yet)
Or is Sky Go not on Roku because some other unnamed network has made another agreement with Roku just to keep them off? Come to think of it, is UKTV Play not on because UTV has said no. And UTV is not on because FilmOn said no. And FilmOn is not on because TVCatch-up has an exclusivity agreement. But they couldn't get on because...
Netflix was grandfathered in. They were a service on the box (and the main driving force early on for Roku) before Sky invested $12mill in Roku and before NewsCorp invested much more. While its not as simple as taking the US Roku app and launching it in the UK as the platforms while looking the same do have difference behind the scenes BUTits also not a massive task to adapt it so why wouldn't Amazon launch it on Roku. Also why would Roku themselves refuse to comment, for a platform that for so long talked about how open it was as a platform why wouldn't they correct the rumours that show them as Sky's puppets. Its damaging for the brand and image but they ignore it when asked by the media or directly by customers.
And the 'Amazon wants you to buy their hardware' issue always falls down on the fact Amazon hardware is generally sold at cost so they make no money on it and their hardware doesn't get aimed at people who currently have those devices. They largely aim it at customers who wouldn't otherwise buy such a device but who trust Amazon so might be persuade to buy such a device from them. But that's no good for Amazon as they are a service company.
The Android app simply took so long because of Android as a platform. Its so fragmented on so many different fronts that video apps are difficult to get one that meets all the licence holder requirements, displays right and performs well. Its why netflix launched a device at a time and there are still vast number of android devices that aren't supported. If a Amazon were going all in on video rather than what they have been doing and just putting their hat in the ring incase it becomes an area that's would be a major revenue stream rather than a minor one then they would have no doubt launched an app sooner and put up with the marketing issues when you have to explain why only select Android devices are supported. It seems now they have decided they need some presence on Android so have found a middle ground which isn't the specialised app on all other platforms but makes it possible to watch videos. I would be surprised if this is what they want long term though
The agreement to give the $12million.
And SkyGo won't be on because where does that make business sense for Sky. They don't want you watching Sky on a second TV via Sky Go because that eats into their Multiroom service. Also their licences for many of the channels available via Sky Go would need renegotiated. They already offer few channels via the mobile app than the website for that reason (and even then many programs are blocked). NowTV's range of channels is much lower and the box is generally targeted at those who don't want to or can't subscribe to the the satellite service
Very interesting points Wakey, but it's still not evidence. You have added nothing but further opinion (which I value, but can't it as anything other what it is, an opinion)
By the way, Roku are extremely open with their collaboration with Sky. So open, they are currently using their connection with Sky as a "successful example" for their new "Roku-Powered" drive to enter new global markets.
Finally, this type of exclusivity you are talking about is very different from offering a business's own product at an exclusive outlet. This is blocking a product from a shop and can run foul of various trading practices.
If Sky were really blocking Amazon from being on the Roku platform, and if Amazon wanted to be on Roku, Amazon would have a team of lawyers on the case right away, not to mention make a big deal in the media about it all. What incredible publicity it would be for Amazon fighting against the UK's Pay_TV nemesis that everyone loves to hate.