Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote (includes TV controls) | HD streaming device

BROUGHT AMAZON FIRE TV STICK(3rd generation): £39.99https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07ZZW3KJY/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1For a long time, because my YouTube wasn't working, anymore...due to really poor WiFi connection; it's been over a year, at least, since I haven't watched YouTube inside of the bedroom(the app stopped working/and, then, wouldn't let me update?!); so, I decided to go remedy this situation by buying an Amazon Fire TV Stick.I had already gone and saved £25.00 with Amazon...so, was able to use that pre-saved amount...and, just add £14.99 total to it...in order to make up the full sum of £39.99.I must say I am very deeply impressed...> Ordered through: Amazon.co.uk online...search to find: 'Amazon Fire HD Stick'/then, click 'buy'/pay online using debit card. Delivery was fairly quick...2 days/'tracked' delivery...so you can 'sign in' to Amazon, from your computer, to see just how far the delivery van is away from your own road/door. I very eagerly kept track of exactly where the parcel delivery, currently, is...; then, rather hastily, I opened the door to receive the parcel as soon as it came,.,without any delivery person needing to go 'knock' on my own front door/(you can also leave instructions telling them where to place the parcel if you're not in).> Setting up the stick was really straight forwards and simple -(you don't need to read through any manual to set it up...I didn't/though, there is a short 'picture based' set up manual)-.The box contains 5 separate parts:1> Plug2> USB leads3> Stick4> HDMI Extender leads5> Remote control (together with 2 spare batteries/both of which you need to insert yourself)One part of the USB leads attaches to the plug/while the other side of the USB leads attaches to the stick itselfThe stick now has 1 port still left empty...to which you attach the HDMI Extender leads.So, you now have 3 things all attached together: Plug/USB leads/HDMI Extender leadsSimply, place the plug into the mains; and, plug the HDMI Extender leads end into one of your TV's empty HDMI ports.Now, to check everything is working ok; first , insert the 2 spare triple AAA batteries into the remote. Turn on your TV...and, choose Amazon Fire Stick as being the current 'source'. Point the Fire remote towards the TV...; and, from the menu, select your chosen communication language, I choose: English. After that the system seemed to do the rest on it's own...connecting to WiFi seemed to be 'automatic' (I don't remember being 'forced' to type in any WiFi password)-...there was a long wait...as it said, 'updating/downloading software'; then, when that was all over with(perhaps, 10-20 minutes)...you use the remote to select options, 'next', repeatedly...until you've gone and reached the end of the menu items needing to be clicked on in order to complete set up. Things such as choose which 'channels' you wish to use...; I didn't choose the 'kids' channel...but, choose all of the other channels...somewhere around 20...including:- BBC iPlayer- YouTube- Sky News- Audible- Amazon Photos(unlimited)/(Being able to see all your photos/and, then, being able to classify these into separately named albums: 'family'/'friends'/'pets'/-etc.; as well as, watch videos you took/then, automatically, uploaded from your phone/tablet...for watching on your big screen home TV is really pretty cool.)- etc.> The quality of the TV picture is really crystal clear (an electrical engineer once told me...either 'digital' TV works, and, you get 'perfect' picture/or else, it don't...and, then, you get absolutely nothing?!)> Use the remote to select from the list of channels...a particular channel to go watch...and, then, with another click you find your self watching that channel.The remote has a 'back button'...that allows you to return back to seeing the main menu...so, you can choose a different channel to go watch.There is also an 'up' button on the remote...which, also, seems to take you back to the main menu.> Too, there is a voice button on the remote; click it...and, say, "Alexa, go to YouTube, and, show me 'subject'...and, a list of YouTube videos appears which is related to your chosen subject matter...simply, scroll through to select which particular video you wish to watch...click it, and, then, that video plays.The remote has: 'Backwards/Pause/Forwards' buttons...so, at anytime you can either choose to 'pause' what you are currently watching...then, resume from where you left off whenever you return/or, alternatively, choose to scrub through the video...either going backwards/or, forwards...until you've reached the point you wish to continue watching from.The remote also has buttons to both lower(-)/raise(+) the volume sound.CONCLUSIONI really can't believe I didn't buy this device far sooner rather than later; after all, it's fairly 'cheap'. Plus, it's great fun to use...either doing 'manual' selections through using the remote/or, else, searching using 'voice'.The amount of stuff I get to select from to watch, now, is huge. (Meaning, totally forget watching normal TV/Free TV channels; though, all of those same options do still remain available for me to use...with your TV remote control select the normal TV as 'source'/instead of Amazon Fire HD TV as 'source'...it's easy to switch going from one to the other as being 'source'.)OTHER ADVANTAGESNOTE(1): They say it's possible to set up your Alexa device -(if you already own one)- to couple with the Fire HD stick; then, you could use the Alexa device to speak to the Fire Amazon Stick(still haven't tried doing this, yet, though)...and, select what you want to watch on TV that way, instead, using only 'voice'.NOTE(2): I'm also an 'Amazon Prime' customer...so, I get to see many FREE Prime videos, as well.NOTE(3): There are films you can 'buy'...; but, so far to date, I haven't been tempted to do any of that, yet; I hope I never will(as costs tend to mount, endlessly, going up and up...)?! FREE works perfectly fine with me; or, at least, at the moment.POSSIBLE DISADVANTAGESa> 2 x remotes: I still need to use 2 separate 'remote control' devices...one to use with the main TV/and, another smaller remote to control the Amazon Fire Stick. (Both of these devices can easily get lost, somewhere?! Maybe, it might be worth buying a 'spare' remote...in case, you can't find where one went.)b> Which model to choose? This type of Fire HD Stick was the 'cheapest' option costing: £39.99. There was another one costing just £10.00 more...at £49.99; which offered 4K TV. (But, as I really wasn't too sure if my own TV is 4K or not...; therefore, I decided to go for the 'cheaper' option...thus, saving me £10.00.There is also a Fire TV Box...which costs a whopping £110.00; I believe that is, currently, the most expensive option; but, as I'm fairly broke...and, wasn't too sure if this type of technology was going to work inside my own home/or, not...so, I decided to go for the 'cheapest' option, first.c> Sale time: Every year, Amazon, puts on a 'half-price sale'. So, I don't think I choose the best time of the year to go and buy this device...; as I had to pay 'full price'. I just didn't want to 'wait' for the sale...as I wanted to watch TV/YouTube/Amazon Prime/-etc., right NOW!

I'm desperately trying to find a solution to the problem of getting rid of Sky and the convenience it brings, as well as sidestepping the increasingly clunky apps on my Smart TV. I've looked at several HTPC options, but I couldn't find anything that would bring together the various streaming services in any sensible (or even functional) way without needing hacks.In the end, I gave up on the HTPC idea and decided to try the Fire TV stick. And I have to say, it's one of the best uses of £30 I've made! Not only does it have the usual string of streaming services available, but it also brings them all together in such a way that is practically seamless. Searching for a TV show or a movie is a simple matter of doing a search on the main menu (as Sky does) and it'll go away and bring back everything from every service it has. Brilliant! I've not found a single PC based system that will do this. The voice commands also work very well - and pressing a button instead of uttering the name definitely helps with the WAF, as my wife isn't overly keen on Amazon listening to us. As an extra benefit, as this is an Echo device too, I can also use the voice commands to control my smart home devices. This little stick is so good, it makes me question why I'd even need a TV with smart capabilities.I've also noticed that there's a Plex app for it as well, so I should even be able to hook up the currently redundant HTPC configuration in such a way as I can get recorded TV as well, making the whole Sky setup ripe for culling. And with the Spotify app available too, I can finally make my TV a proper, full bore entertainment system for the price of a takeaway. Oh, and because this is the version with TV control (which found my TV and configured itself, I can ditch the remote for that as well, and just run everything off the one remote.I don't know why I didn't get one sooner!

I recently upgraded to high speed broadband and decided this was a way to make more use of it.I only have Amazon Prime (No other subscription service) but even so this relatively inexpensive piece of kit has opened up a whole new world of TV viewing.It was very easy to install and set up. Once it was installed it was very intuitive to learn how to use.The quantity of films and TV programs available is extensive and access to various TV companies back catalogues (Such as iPlayer) is a major bonus.The picture quality on a large flat screen is very good.The pause, rewind and fast forward facilities are good.It is very useful that you can pause a film and bring up the cast list of actors/actresses who are in the current scene.It is also useful that it remembers where you were up to in a film if you have to turn off, and restarts from that point when you turn back on.Initially I was not particularly bothered about having Alexa voice control, but in fact I have been surprised at how useful it can be.Voice recognition is very good, even from someone with false teeth or a northern accent.It is useful that you can access Alexa even when you are in the middle of a film.The screen saver photographs are excellent and the Alexa suggestions for use are very helpful.Setting an alarm to remind you to go and turn the oven off has already saved several dinners.Amazon should indicate more about these facilities in their advertising.Since acquiring the Firestick (with Alexa) it has had a lot of use and I expect a lot more to come.I fully recommend it as an Amazon product.