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 Television, Movies anywhere, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV NOW, Starz, CBS All Access
Other:
YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, Twitter, and more
Description. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2018) is a small, "stick style" media player. It plugs directly into an HDMI port of the TV without the need for an HDMI cable. The unit contains a micro-usb power port, one HDMI input, and lacks an Ethernet jack. The Fire TV Stick 4k comes with Amazon's all new Alexa Remote. This is Amazon's newest remote which has Power, Volume and Mute buttons for TV control.
Setup. This player is generally easy to set up. There is an onscreen setup guide the first time you power up the player that syncs the Bluetooth remote and then automatically scans for available Wi-Fi networks, and it supports WPS connections that let you pair the device without entering a password. Since you are buying it right from Amazon, if you have a Prime account, you will be automatically logged in and have access to all of your Amazon content. At the end of the setup, it has a tutorial video that shows you how to use the more advanced features, including the voice search.
Ease of use. For everyday use, device is generally easy to 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 (most popular, recent, new releases, etc.). All of the movie and TV content displayed on the home screen is from Amazon and will load almost instantly. It allows manually organizing your apps which makes it easier to use to get to a favorite app. If used often it will stay in the "Recent" section of the home screen. It also has a very responsive voice search function that will search streaming services for content. The voice search is powered by Alexa, Amazon's popular virtual assistant.
Remote control. The provided remote is Amazon's "all-new Alexa Voice Remote". While it retains the simple design from previous generations, it adds useful new Power, Volume and Mute buttons allowing limited control of the TV along with some other devices like compatible soundbars and audio receivers. The buttons' size and labeling is good, with high enough contrast that they can still be seen in a room with low light conditions. The remote pairs directly with the device via Bluetooth, so a direct line of sight isn't required in order to control the Fire Stick 4k. It also has a built in mic and a dedicated button to easily bring you to the voice search. You can download an iOS, Android, Windows or Fire OS app that lets you use a phone or tablet to control the player, use the device's mic for voice searches, and use the device's QWERTY keyboard to enter text, making it easier to enter passwords.
Picture quality. This player supports 4K UHD and HD output. Our tests are done using 4k content and we found the streaming picture quality to be excellent, better than standard blu-ray but not quite as sharp or detailed as from a 4K UHD Blu-ray disc. However, the quality of the video that you'll get is largely dependent on the speed of your wired or wireless network. This player also supports Dolby Vision and HDR. By default, the device outputs all content in HDR. This can be turned off by accessing the Display and Sounds - Dynamic Range Settings and switching from Always HDR to Adaptive.
Audio. This player will output multichannel digital audio via its HDMI output, and supports Dolby Atmos.
Connections. It 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 a third-party app to gain access to content. It supports "casting," which allows you to load content from Netflix onto the player and control the video from the app on your mobile device. Screen mirroring is not supported on this device.
Miscellaneous. This device has built-in support for Alexa, Amazon's popular virtual assistant. By pressing the microphone button you can access Alexa to do simple functions such as searching for content and checking the weather. You can also access other compatible smart home devices for more advanced features like checking camera feeds and controlling a thermostat. The Fire Stick can be also be controlled using Alexa via a supported mobile device or smart speaker.
