[GetFrodo]

I am trying to troubleshoot this device because it is not recognising my prime membership. But prices are showing up in dollars - does this mean that it thinks I have a US account?

I can watch prime videos via a laptop using this account, but it doesn't seem to work with the fireTV.

Any pointers?

[ovbg]

Yes, go to Amazon.com (not .co.uk), log in, and check in the settings at the top left for devices. Switch everything to the UK including your Kindle account.

Then deregister from your Fire TV and register back in.

[GetFrodo]

Thanks - all working now

[onelegpeg]

I hope you don't mind me asking a question on your thread but as its to do with Amazon FireTV stick I thought it seemed stupid to open a new thread.

Do I need to be a prime member or Netflix member to use the Firestick? I was thinking of buying one but don't want to if it means I have to pay subscription charges too.

I'm thinking I probably do need to subscribe but none of the advertising seems clear on that point.

Thanks

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by onelegpeg

I hope you don't mind me asking a question on your thread but as its to do with Amazon FireTV stick I thought it seemed stupid to open a new thread.

Do I need to be a prime member or Netflix member to use the Firestick? I was thinking of buying one but don't want to if it means I have to pay subscription charges too.

I'm thinking I probably do need to subscribe but none of the advertising seems clear on that point.

Thanks

To answer your question, no, you don't need Prime at all. All the other apps will function perfectly well without a Prime subscription. You will need an Amazon account though, but you probably have one if you have ever ordered anything.

Keep in mind that a good deal of the UI focuses on Prime or other Amazon streaming options. But you will probably forget about them after a while.

There is a full review here that explains quite a bit about the stick and what it can do.

[mabbus-cattus1]

I guess you need to subscribe to Netflix to watch though, as Netflix is a subscription service?

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mabbus-cattus1

I guess you need to subscribe to Netflix to watch though, as Netflix is a subscription service?

Correct, Netflix is a subscription service. They have a month free trial to test out.

Netflix charges per month, and there is no obligation to stay - i.e. you can cancel at any time.

[SkipTracer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovbg

Correct, Netflix is a subscription service. They have a month free trial to test out.

Netflix charges per month, and there is no obligation to stay - i.e. you can cancel at any time.

If only the BBC was like that.

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkipTracer

If only the BBC was like that.

If it was, it would be incredibly dumbed down. Remember, Netflix only makes a tiny tiny tiny portion of its own content, the rest is all older stuff from other networks.

The BBC makes the vast majority of its own content, and content that doesn't always chase the ratings. If it was subscription based - at the amount it charges right now, it would produce only a fraction of the content it does now, and that would be dumbed down to chase the highest ratings.

The license fee really is like a tax, and while we all hate paying tax, we do it so that we can share the responsibility of having a society with infrastructure. All those roads you will never use has to be paid for. All that education, hospitals etc.

The BBC is the same and while some people moan about it, it is without doubt the best public broadcaster in the world. So many other countries have license fees (or pay for their public broadcaster directly through tax) and they are a fraction of what the BBC is. Many pay more for theirs than the BBC and get a lot less back.

The license fee costs £145.50 per year, or around 40pence per day for a household (which means most people pay a lot less than 40pence per day) and you get for that little bit of money 10 television channels (including BBC Red Button) (which includes the most popular channels in the country), 17 standard radio stations and 44 additional local stations (which includes incredible stations like BBC 4 and 6), the world's largest and by far most advanced FTA catch-up service in the BBC iPlayer, 24 hour news channel that although none can ever be totally unbiased, it is probably the closest you will get, plus a huge website and sports section.

And there is more... for less than 40p per day for most people.

If you still don't use any of that, and don't like paying 40p or less per day, then think of it as you do for anything that comes out of tax and benefits others.

[Magnum Benno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovbg

The license fee costs £145.50 per year, or around 40pence per day for a household (which means most people pay a lot less than 40pence per day) and you get for that little bit of money 10 television channels (including BBC Red Button) (which includes the most popular channels in the country), 17 standard radio stations and 44 additional local stations (which includes incredible stations like BBC 4 and 6), the world's largest and by far most advanced FTA catch-up service in the BBC iPlayer, 24 hour news channel that although none can ever be totally unbiased, it is probably the closest you will get, plus a huge website and sports section.

And there is more... for less than 40p per day for most people.

If you still don't use any of that, and don't like paying 40p or less per day, then think of it as you do for anything that comes out of tax and benefits others.

Do you subscribe to Sky Sports?

Sky Sports fee costs £25.50 per month, or around 85pence per day for a household (which means most people pay a lot less than 85pence per day) and you get for that little bit of money 7 sports channels (including Live matches and highlights on demand) (which includes the most popular sports events in the country), 116 live games from the Premier League, 127 standard games from the Football League and additional live cocvrage of the Test series and every Formula 1 race (not to mention some of the most incredible events in sports and the world's largest and by far most advanced premium catch-up service in Sky Go, 24 hour sports news channel that although none can ever be totally unbiased, it is probably the closest you will get, plus a huge website and sports section.

And there is more... for less than 85p per day for most people.

If you still don't use any of that, and don't like paying 85p or less per day, then think of it as you do for anything that comes out of tax and benefits others.

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnum Benno

Do you subscribe to Sky Sports?

Sky Sports fee costs £25.50 per month, or around 85pence per day for a household (which means most people pay a lot less than 85pence per day) and you get for that little bit of money 7 sports channels (including Live matches and highlights on demand) (which includes the most popular sports events in the country), 116 live games from the Premier League, 127 standard games from the Football League and additional live cocvrage of the Test series and every Formula 1 race (not to mention some of the most incredible events in sports and the world's largest and by far most advanced premium catch-up service in Sky Go, 24 hour sports news channel that although none can ever be totally unbiased, it is probably the closest you will get, plus a huge website and sports section.

And there is more... for less than 85p per day for most people.

If you still don't use any of that, and don't like paying 85p or less per day, then think of it as you do for anything that comes out of tax and benefits others.

Actually, I use Sky Sports via Now TV quite a bit. I also watch sports on the BBC and ITV.

Year, combine with the BBC and it is less than a quid per day for most people. Not a bad deal really.

[Magnum Benno]

Fair point. I'm actually also subbed to Netflix, Amazon, a few Racing channels, the WWE Network and a monthly fishing newsletter. Per day they're all pretty reasonable.

There are a fair few decent adult entertainment services that take a monthly fee too, so if you wouldn't mind chipping in for all of that? Think of it like a tax, it'll keep the high standard up for the rest us. Not a bad deal really.

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnum Benno

Fair point. I'm actually also subbed to Netflix, Amazon, a few Racing channels, the WWE Network and a monthly fishing newsletter. Per day they're all pretty reasonable.

There are a fair few decent adult entertainment services that take a monthly fee too, so if you wouldn't mind chipping in for all of that? Think of it like a tax, it'll keep the high standard up for the rest us.

Fair enough. Actually, you don't have to pay your 20p, as the iPlayer doesn't require a license fee. So if it really is important that you pay nothing, you can.

And... besides, the current government will probably do as you want anyway and get rid of the license fee altogether.

[Trainer99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovbg

Actually, all that's a good point.

On that note, I don't drive, so I definitely should get a tax discount as I no longer want to help subsidise drivers on the road.

Hmmm, I can afford private health care, so I should not pay into the NHS, and none of my taxes should go to heath facilities for others.

I am not going to any form of schooling right now, so my taxes should not go to any public education what so ever.

In fact, we could be like in the US, where they take it to some extremes in many counties that some people don't even want to pay for the fire service. That's right, in some parts of the US, the fire service is under private insurance. If you can't afford the insurance, then if you house catches on fire, the fire brigade will turn up, but let your house burn down - they really will watch it burn. They will only put the fire out if the richer person next door has paid insurance, and the fire hops to their home.

I can go on.

But then, on the other hand, I don't mind helping out a bit here and there. I'm happy for my tax money to go to roads, police, health, trains, bike paths, hiking trails, national security, the fire service and the millions of other things including the BBC. Just because I don't something, doesn't mean others don't benefit from it.

But I know, if you really really really don't want to pay your 20p per day for the BBC, and you really really really never watch it, it can be hard to have to dish out that huge amount as a public service when you really don't like doing those sort of things.

if you don't drive then you are not pay road duty (tax).

There should be an option to opt out of paying the BBC. It's an out dated model that needs addressing. And yes, I think you should only have access to iPlayer IF you have a valid TV licence. And I also think the BBC websites should have ads. And I also think the BBC should have an online service that offers all it's back catalogue for a small fee. The BBC like the NHS hermitages money and there is not enough accountability.

People can choose or not to subscribe to Sky, NetFlix, Amazon etc. Why should they be forced to pay for the BBC and the massive salaries they pay their management and "stars"?

[Scotch_Egg2]

Sorry to jump in with a new question, but this is a only Fire TV Stick thread I could find.

Does anyone have any info on when ITV player will finally be added, it was added to Fire TV boxes at the start of October with a statement that Stick would follow later that month - however its now the middle of the following month and no sign of it and can't find an update...............

[Philip Wales]

OBVG has mentioned that it will probably come when the new ITV hub launches this month

[Scotch_Egg2]

Thanks for the response, so the IPT Player will never actually get to the stick - it will be ITV Hub rebrand and then ITV Hub for both the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.

Is there an official date for the Hub release/rebrand?

I won't even start with any ideas about all4, very very pleased with my Fire Stick though regardless.

[ovbg]

The closest date I can get from ITV about the ITV Hub roll-out is "later end of November".

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotch_Egg2

Thanks for the response, so the IPT Player will never actually get to the stick - it will be ITV Hub rebrand and then ITV Hub for both the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.

Is there an official date for the Hub release/rebrand?

I won't even start with any ideas about all4, very very pleased with my Fire Stick though regardless.

Can't you sideload all4 ?

http://www.howtogeek.com/216386/how-...fire-tv-stick/

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

Can't you sideload all4 ?

http://www.howtogeek.com/216386/how-...fire-tv-stick/

Don't know if this has changed, but when I tried to sideload All4 in the past, it wouldn't do as it doesn't (didn't) allow rooted devices.

Secondly, it does come with the issue of a terrible UI, since the APK was designed for a touch-screen mobile device and not a 10foot UI (i.e. sitting on a sofa with a remote).

All 4 "may" find its way onto the Fire TV soon officially anyway. At the moment, All 4 is only available on the web and mobile devices. What you see as "All 4" on set-top-boxes are just 4oD "rebranded".

Channel 4 plan an All 4 rollout beginning soon, and not only does this include changing 4oD apps like found on the Roku to All4, but also adding new platforms. Chromecast has officially been mentioned, but not the Fire TV yet. However, I wouldn't be surprised it will be on the Fire TV some time in the next 6 months. (This has not been officially stated).

[Scotch_Egg2]

So ITV Hub later this month, although they said that last month about ITV player on the stick.........

And no real sign of even a rebranded 4OD app.

Do you know if the other streaming sticks/boxs - now tv or roku have "TV player". Its very convienient for watching live TV, as I don't live in the UK currently.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovbg

Don't know if this has changed, but when I tried to sideload All4 in the past, it wouldn't do as it doesn't (didn't) allow rooted devices.

Secondly, it does come with the issue of a terrible UI, since the APK was designed for a touch-screen mobile device and not a 10foot UI (i.e. sitting on a sofa with a remote).

All 4 "may" find its way onto the Fire TV soon officially anyway. At the moment, All 4 is only available on the web and mobile devices. What you see as "All 4" on set-top-boxes are just 4oD "rebranded".

Channel 4 plan an All 4 rollout beginning soon, and not only does this include changing 4oD apps like found on the Roku to All4, but also adding new platforms. Chromecast has officially been mentioned, but not the Fire TV yet. However, I wouldn't be surprised it will be on the Fire TV some time in the next 6 months. (This has not been officially stated).

No need for rooting. I can try all4 but to a Android TV Box. I was able to add Spotify free in this way. You just need wireless air mouse connected to a usb port which you may not have on the stick.

[ovbg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

No need for rooting. I can try all4 but to a Android TV Box. I was able to add Spotify free in this way. You just need wireless air mouse connected to a usb port which you may not have on the stick.

By rooted, I mean All 4 would not sideload onto an Amazon Fire TV as "it" decided the Fire TV was a rooted device.

I know the method of sideloading apps across to the Fire TV and had done so for many apps myself. All 4 was the one I couldn't sideload at the time.

I also used a wireless mouse, but found that although that was the best way to control the side loaded apps, the UI was still rubbish when compared to a native app - the apps are just not made for a sofa-friendly UI.

By the way, the wireless mouse is not so easy on a Fire TV Stick as it doesn't have a spare USB port.

[ovbg]

I've an update for ITV Hub. This will be launched on the 24th across the web and their current set-top-boxes, with (as far as I know) the Fire TV Stick as well.

This news will be made public very shortly, and from what I understand, ITV will be running a big ad campaign to promote it.

There is no further info for the Apple TV at this stage.

The new app will mix on-demand with live TV, and begin to show more foreign shows as well, starting with Family Guy and American Dad which were previously not available on their catch-up service.

[mred2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovbg

...starting with Family Guy and American Dad which were previously not available on their catch-up service.

Isn't that because they've just snaffled it away from the BBC?