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Amazon Launches 'Fire TV' Media Streaming Box with Voice Search, Game Support, and More

I'm actually pretty excited about this. Universal search would be awesome.

I hope it has DLNA support though. I'm tired of keeping a computer running all the time just for iTunes Home sharing. I'd rather just swap the computer for a NAS device with all my movies on it.

AppleTV would likely be relegated to AirPlay Audio only.
 
AgentElliot007 said:
Apple TV absolutely does Netflix in 5.1. If you're note getting it, you must not have something setup right or your ISP is crippling your connection in a way that is causing the 5.1 stream not to be delivered.
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Not since the last ATV update - as verified by others on the Netflix Super HD thread in the Apple TV sub-forum here. 5.1 works for HBO Go on ATV, but not Netflix. 5.1 works fine for Netflix on Roku. I recently tested with with Mad Men and other shows that I know support 5.1.
 
darkslide29 said:
I am curious how you stream movies from a server to your Apple TV? I have been trying to figure out the best solution for myself. Thanks.
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Take your dvd, rip it in Handbrake, drag the file into iTunes. You can then add cover art (look for it using images.google.com), give it a name, a category, a genre. There you go. You must have iTunes running on the PC/Mac that your Apple TV talks to. Just leave that computer on all the time. You can still do anything else you want on that PC/Mac. Streaming is not a resource hog at all.

We've got all the Scooby Doo shows a button press away. (Well, all the ones that have been released).

My daughter used to scratch up the DVDs watching Disney movies. After we had to re-buy a DVD, I went this Apple TV route. Now, the movie starts immediately, no previews or FBI warning. It's awesome.
 
jdechko said:
I'm actually pretty excited about this.

I hope it has DLNA support though. I'm tired of keeping a computer running all the time just for iTunes Home sharing. I'd rather just swap the computer for a NAS device with all my movies on it.

AppleTV would likely be relegated to AirPlay Audio only.
Click to expand...

This Fire TV does have Plex on it, which can be run from your computer, or many NAS devices. I personally use a Synology NAS, and there is a Plex media server app for it.
For me, it's just a matter of what codecs the receiving box can handle. I think it is because I have a lower-end model NAS that can't re-encode on the fly if need be, so I need to have my files be in m4v (or mp4, I forget) instead of mkv.
 
i can't possibly be the only one who has been waiting for a streaming box with a fast processor and graphics. i have a WDTV Live and i love the ability to play media off a network (when i'm able to connect at least), or by attaching a usb drive. it has been one of the very few boxes that can play ALL video formats, whether its MKV, MP4, MOV, whatever. but i use it mostly for Netflix, and the interface is SO SLOW! when you are used to using an iPhone or a quad core Mac, it feels like navigating through molasses when using the WDTV Live. so if the seemingly powerful internals of this new Amazon box lets me scroll through lists in Netflix at a pace that feels as fluid as my other devices, AND lets me utilize the never used video streaming service i get with my Prime membership, I'm all in.
 
bbeagle said:
Take your dvd, rip it in Handbrake, drag the file into iTunes. You can then add cover art (look for it using images.google.com), give it a name, a category, a genre. There you go. You must have iTunes running on the PC/Mac that your Apple TV talks to. Just leave that computer on all the time. You can still do anything else you want on that PC/Mac. Streaming is not a resource hog at all.

We've got all the Scooby Doo shows a button press away. (Well, all the ones that have been released).

My daughter used to scratch up the DVDs watching Disney movies. After we had to re-buy a DVD, I went this Apple TV route. Now, the movie starts immediately, no previews or FBI warning. It's awesome.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I currently have a Synology NAS with a couple of hard drives that I bought for about $500. It can push video from the NAS to my Apple TV, but I have to use the iPhone app to do it. Sometimes I think I would be happier using a Mac Mini as a server instead, just for this feature. Being able to pick a movie out directly on the Apple TV sounds great.
 
jrswizzle said:
I can download the movie from Flixster to my device as well....in the end its all the same to me - its another app which stores my movies. I prefer to have them all in one place (iTunes). Unfortunately, I've been caught with a few movies I really wanted to have blu-rays of using only the UV -> Flixster digital copy.

At this point, digital HD movies from iTunes are plenty high-quality and are usually $19.99. Would I rather have both the dc and blu-ray for $22.99? Yes, but not if the dc is UV.

If Flixster's app is on the FireTV, perhaps it'll be opening up on iOS.
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I don't buy digital copies most of the time. I've bought like 3 I think?

My iTunes library consists mainly of rips of our DVDs and is served to the Roku via Plex. Gotta say, we love Plex around here.

Up until Christmas we didn't even have a TV that had HDMI, hence no ATV in the house....

My central storage has become UV/Vudu for the digital copies (which could easily switch to Flixster since UV holds them all and Flixster is just the viewer). I do take the iTunes when it is there - love the studios that do both. Don't make me choose. If it just has UV, then I figure i've bought the DVD too, so I can rip it into iTunes, and keep the UV for the digital copy.

I probably still won't buy a lot from iTunes, I really prefer the physical media.

I could be into the Amazon FreeTime aspect - but if it is like it is on the kindle, it only works with content you have bought from Amazon (like, I can't do books I have in kindle format from other sources with it... or movies I have ripped myself - unless they have updated it recently to allow that).
 
PatriotInvasion said:
Still don't really get it. I have a Sony HDTV with wifi and it already has Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu, and Sony Entertainment Network built-in. Why would I want to overlap all of that with an external set-top box?

Can someone explain? Isn't this nothing more than an adapter to make non-smart tv's smart?
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Typically, in most cases, you will not get Dolby 5.1/7.1 audio to your receiver/AVR from your TV.
Even if the content has Dolby 5.1/7.1, the TV will not pass it.

So you basically get standard stereo audio to your AVR.
 
jrswizzle said:
Honestly - the first one to offer ala carte cable channels through their box wins....I'd sign up ESPN, Hulu to add to Netflix and Prime and get rid of cable all together.

I could easily piece my TV watching together for far less than the $65 I pay for cable today.
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That would be nice wouldnt it!? I only get cable TV for NFL season lol, then cancel.
 
OllyW said:
I get 5.1 with Netflix on my Apple TV. :confused:
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For all those saying they get 5.1 on Netflix, please check to see if you are on the latest version of Apple TV and test it. I think you may be surprised...

This is the answer I got when I asked about it in a different thread:

niteflyr said:
It is just the ATV Netflix since last software update. I can airplay Netflix from my iPad or iPhone to my ATV and get DD 5.1, but not on the ATV Netflix app itself. HBOGo and everything else works fine. I hope they fix this in the next update soon.
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If I've gone too far off-topic, feel free to reply here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1720035/
 
I think the "Fire" branding is a misstep. Amazon is clearly trying to put out a category-leading device (and may have done it - who knows), but the Fire brand screams "low price substitute". The average iPad user will dismiss this device as soon as they hear its name.
 
adamneer said:
i can't possibly be the only one who has been waiting for a streaming box with a fast processor and graphics.
Click to expand...

I agree... it's the easiest problem to fix. I think this is the first in a wave of major speed updates for these boxes. I'm also hoping for wider support of native 24p (speaking of WDTV Live, which is one of the few that has it now).
 
Mockenrue said:
For all those saying they get 5.1 on Netflix, please check to see if you are on the latest version of Apple TV and test it. I think you may be surprised...
Click to expand...
I haven't played any Netflix since the last update. But if the update indeed broke 5.1 output, it's just a bug that will be fixed soon, not a fundamental limitation.
 
darkslide29 said:
Thanks for the reply. I currently have a Synology NAS with a couple of hard drives that I bought for about $500. It can push video from the NAS to my Apple TV, but I have to use the iPhone app to do it. Sometimes I think I would be happier using a Mac Mini as a server instead, just for this feature. Being able to pick a movie out directly on the Apple TV sounds great.
Click to expand...

I'm using a Mac Mini now but have been looking at a Synology unit for additional storage, and backup. Can you not simply create a content folder on the NAS and point iTunes to store all your media there?
 
extradryny said:
I think the "Fire" branding is a misstep. Amazon is clearly trying to put out a category-leading device (and may have done it - who knows), but the Fire brand screams "low price substitute". The average iPad user will dismiss this device as soon as they hear its name.
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is the average ipad user is very stupid
 
bbeagle said:
Explain yourself with an example. They're all pretty good in their own ways. Apple TV is in no way 'ridiculously dated and limited'.

Roku and Fire TV can play Amazon content - they can't play Apple content. Apple TV can play Apple content, it can't play Amazon content. Other than that, they're VERY VERY similar.

Both Apple and Amazon have different ecosystems, which offer very similar content. Apple offers more music, Amazon more movies, but not so much as to say one is clearly better.
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I'd argue that voice search, assuming it works, is substantially better then using cursor keys to navigate an on-screen keyboard. Cursor keys are fine if you want to watch one of the top 15 movies presented to you in each category. But if you want to watch a specific title, it's a pain.

It also has a real game controller. This makes it substantially different than the Roku and ATV, and could make the Fire a "casual console". We may be seeing the final nail in Nintendo's coffin.
 
I am not sure why companies keep releasing the same streaming product that does nothing to address the antiquated cable system. Good job Amazon, another streaming box that does the exact same thing as every other box on the market at the same price point! If anyone wants to know what a real threat to cable and streaming hardware is, google Aereo and Barry Diller.
 
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