Is your age-long question how does a firestick works? Amazon’s FireStick or Fire TV Stick is one of the latest instalments in the streaming device world. The FireStick is connected to your the HDMI port of your smart TV, it also stores all your favourite contents from TV shows to documentary, to music, variety of games, photos movies, and a host of other entertainment features. It is a portable device that makes it possible to carry around.
The FireStick is an android based device but runs on a custom-made OS. It doesn’t support the Android Play store because it comes with its own store, the Amazon store. You can also download apps from the Amazon store like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, etc.
You can also install third-party apps onto your FireStick that you can’t find on the Amazon store through a means known as Sideloading.
Amazon Prime members have their FireStick registered to their account, giving them access to their contents once connected to an HDMI port. Also, they get to enjoy Amazon’s original content that others don’t have access to.
The Amazon box comes with:
- A new Fire TV Stick
- 2 AAA batteries
- The remote
- HDMI extender
- A USB cable and a power adapter
- The FireStick comes with 1 GB of memory (RAM)
- 8 GB of internal storage,
- Voice support (optional),
- Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi,
- A dedicated videoCore4 GPU.
How Does A Firestick Works?
- Unboxing Firestick
Unboxing Firestick
- After the arrival of your Amazon FireStick, here’s how to get started:
- Take the 2 AAA batteries and insert inside the remote,
- Connect your FireStick to your TV’s HDMI port, invariably you can use the HDMI extender.
- Switch on your TV and select HDMI as the source in which you connected the FireStick (it can be HDMI 1 OR 2) depending on your TV.
- Plug your FireStick to a power source,
- Now, wait for it to power up.
- Setting Up The FireStick
Setting Up The FireStick
- Before you can use your FireStick it needs to be set up, the following requirements should be met,
- Wi-Fi Connection – This requires you to connect your FireStick to a Wi-Fi that should be within its range.
- Sign up or Sign in to an Amazon Account – A FireStick cannot fully function even with the best Wi-Fi connection with an Amazon account.
- You must either Sign up (creating a new Amazon) or Sign in (login to an existing account).
- If you got yours directly from Amazon, they can easily register your account to the FireStick.
Getting Your Favorite Apps From The Amazon Store.
How Does A Firestick Works? There are two possible ways of getting your favourite apps from the store. The store offers a variety of apps that can keep you glued in front of the TV.
Search Option – If you have a particular app you want to download prolly you saw it on a friend’s TV, or someone suggested it to you, or you saw it through a commercial, you can use this option.
- From the FireStick home screen, select the search option located in the top left corner.
- Input the name of the app you would like to get and follow the on-screen instructions to download it.
The Category Option – You can choose to download apps by searching or you can use the category option to discover all categories with apps& games stacked just the way you like it.
Also, from the FireStick home screen, select Apps located at the top menu bar; you’ll notice three options: Featured, Games and Categories.
The Featured section hosts famous apps, games, and channels handpicked by Google.
The Games display numerous list of games.
Categories show you all categories that will catch your fancy, be it Audio & Music, TV shows and Movies, Communication and lots more.
Clicking on a category, you’ll see the list of the related channels. For example, on clicking Movies & TV, you’ll see YouTube, Disney, NBC, ABC, CW, etc.
Free Streaming On Firestick?
This one feature that differentiates Amazon FireStick from every other one out there. This particular feature allows you to stream numerous contents including movies, TV shows, sports, music, documentaries, and so much more.
FireStick TV vs Fire TV?
Both the FireStick TV and Fire TV are all from the same manufacturer Amazon. They both offer the same services, and they also have Bluetooth remote but… They are not the same.
There are distinct features which set one part from the other.
Size: The FireStick is smaller with just 3 inches long, while the Fire TV boasts of 4 inches long (just an inch longer than the FireStick). But when want to go portability FireStick is the winner here, but if you’re going for the wider view then Fire TV is your man.
Cost: Prolly because of its small size, FireStick is only $39.99, while the Fire TV is $80 costlier, i.e. $119.99.
Speed: The FireStick comes into play with just 1 GB of Ram, while Fire TV comes with a double of it (2 GB). This doubled Ram makes it faster compared to the FireStick; therefore, it is declared the winner in this category. Gamers are advised to choose the Fire TV to avoid lacks.
Extra Ports & Storage: The FireStick doesn’t allow room for expansion, unlike the Fire TV that has a USB port, Ethernet, micro SD slot which all works to help you expand.
Viewing Quality: The FireStick only supports 1080p, but the Fire TV uses 4k. Since 4k is the new vogue getting your hands on a device capable of supporting is not such a bad idea.
You should also examine your pockets, your preferences, before getting a Fire TV. Don’t try to upgrade if it’s not the right time for you, and timing is a great asset.
Why Should You Go For A Firestick?
People want ease with watching TV, and a FireStick offers this option. Instead of having to watch whatever pops up, you can choose what you want to watch at your own comfort.
It also offers Alexa support, eliminating stress in selecting content; you can press the black button and say what you want. It uses ASAP, and it’s not As Soon As Possible but Advanced Streaming And Prediction.
This feature helps it to predict what else you would like to watch based on your previous views. It offers similar content and keeps you hands-free and from any stress. Whichever one you choose, get the best out of it.
That’s it for today on addressing the issue how does a firestick works?