Streaming Services.
Premium:
Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, HBO Go, HBO Now, MLB.TV, NHL, NFL, NBA, NFL Sunday Ticket, MLS, WWE Network, UFC, Tennis Channel, Showtime, Showtime anytime, Sling TV, Movies anywhere, PlayStation Vue, AT&T TV, Starz, CBS All Access, YouTube TV
Other:
YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, and more
Description. This Amazon Fire TV Cube (2nd Gen) is a small box shaped media player with the full Alexa digital assistant experience. The unit contains a power port, one HDMI input and one microUSB port, which supports a provided ethernet adapter. There is also a port for the provided IR extender. The Fire TV Cube comes with the Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen), a relatively simple remote that operates via Bluetooth.
Setup. This player is generally easy to set up. If you buy the Cube directly from Amazon, and you have a Prime account, your account information and any Amazon content will automatically be loaded onto the player. It has an onscreen guide that automatically scans for available Wi-Fi networks, and also supports WPS connection, which is a faster connection that does not require you to enter a password. Setup guides you through connecting your TV, sound bar, cable box, and/or receiver to control them.
Ease of use. The Fire TV Cube is easy for everyday use:
Interface. The main home screen uses a list to go through the main categories (home, movies, TV, apps, etc.) and graphic tiles divided into sub-sections (recent, featured, watch with cable subscription, prime 4K HDR, etc.). All of the movie and TV content displayed on the home screen is from Amazon Prime Video and will load almost instantly. The layout of the apps on the home screen is customizable for easier access to your favorites. Recently used apps will appear in the "Recent" section of the home screen. It also has a very responsive voice search function that will search across several video streaming services for content. We found this player's response to be fast, allowing it to navigate menus and content quickly.
Remote control.The provided remote has an adequate number of buttons. The size and labeling of the buttons is good, with high enough contrast that they are still visible in a room with dim lighting. It uses Bluetooth communication so it does not require direct line of sight with the device for control. It also has a built in microphone and a dedicated button for voice search. It also has power, volume and mute buttons for controlling your TV. Additionally, an app is available that lets you use a phone or tablet to control the player, and use the device's keyboard to enter text. The app also allows you to use your phone or tablet's microphone for voice commands.
Picture quality. This player supports 4K UHD and HD output. HDR 10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are also supported. A compatible TV is required to take advantage of those formats. In general we found the streaming picture quality to be excellent, though some slight banding and color contouring was noticed. Streaming quality is very similar to what we see with streaming content on the best UHD Smart TVs. The quality of the video you'll get is largely dependent on the speed of your network and the picture quality of your television.
Audio. This player will output multichannel digital audio via its HDMI port.
Connections. This player supports the latest Wi-Fi standard (802.11ac), which supports dual-band: 2.4Ghz and 5GHz networks. DLNA is supported allowing access to play music, photos, or videos directly through the player but will require App download to gain access to content. Bluetooth 5.0 is supported which can be used to pair compatible speakers, headphones and video game controllers.
Miscellaneous. The Amazon Fire TV Cube (2nd Gen) acts as a fully functional smart speaker. With built-in Alexa support, it can perform the same functions as an Amazon Echo device. You can use voice commands to search for content and control connected AV devices. Because there is a microphone built into the device itself, you can ask Alexa to do things like check the weather and control smart home devices, even if the TV is off.
