The Hustler's Digest StaffAre you looking for a convenient streaming device? If you want to know about a popular streaming device then this article can help you understand what is a fire stick and why is it worth buying.
In this age of technology, everything has become convenient. Previously people were left with less media options but with the passage of time, media has evolved. First it evolved from black and white to colored screen, then it shifted to digital platforms where you no longer have to wait for ads to pass and binge-watch your favorite season without any interruption.
Watching your favorite Tv show or movie feels so much better on a TV rather than on a mobile phone or laptop. You can now turn your television into a smart TV by just adding a small stick to it. it’s very convenient to attach and you don’t have to read TV Manual to install it. Technology has become advanced and has invented a substitute for smart TVs through fire sticks. It does not only make your regular TV a smart one but also improves the features of any smart TV.
If you are looking for some better streaming options and can not afford to buy a new smart TV then you need to know about this new streaming device called fire stick or fire TV stick. There has been rapid progress in the streaming media players so one should have an idea about these streaming media devices to know which one is suitable for them.
If you are not familiar with the concept of a fire stick then there must be a lot of questions regarding what is a fire stick, how does it work, what are the benefits of it and why should one buy it. This article will help you to understand this popular streaming device called fire stick and walk you through all the queries that you might have regarding it so you better understand the functionality, price of it and the reason why is it worth buying. So, follow this guide to know what is a fire stick?
What is a fire stick?
Technology has been progressing and making advancements in all walks of life. There have been new devices and appliances introduced with new features which have increased the options we have. Every device or appliance that we use has become smarter even if it is a mobile phone device, watch, or an electric appliance. One such advancement has been made to our televisions through a fire stick.
Introduction to Fire Stick
A fire stick is a smart stick that resembles a USB drive in its appearance and its size is around three to four inches in length so can be easily carried anywhere with you. There are several models of fire sticks so depending on the type and company, the look of it as well as the performance of each stick may differ. The specification of every model including the storage size determines its performance.
Affordable Smart TV Alternative
You can enjoy your favorite film or TV program on any television set by controlling all of its functionalities. As not everybody can not afford to buy an upgraded smart TV, a fire stick can give you the results of a smart TV at an affordable price. It has provided people with the best results on their Television sets without having to purchase an upgraded TV every while. Now you can watch your TV with smart television features at a much lower price.
Easy Operation and Enhanced Viewing Experience
This streaming stick is easy to operate because it allows you to control the functionalities of your TV with a voice control feature and also provides you an HDR video quality so that you can enjoy your binge-watching session at much better audio and visual quality. There are two types of firesticks: standard and 4k Max version which also includes WiFi 6 router connectivity. 4k costs more but offers higher-quality HD streaming.
Revolutionizing TV Controls
Earlier TV channels used to be controlled through TV buttons which were later upgraded to remote controls and it has further now upgraded to touch systems and voice commands. Streaming movies and TV shows have become a part of our daily activities. A fire stick is an android based streaming device that has made it easy for everyone to stream any content on the big screen. The most popular fire sticks are by Amazon which is based on an android OS called Fire OS and supports Amazon’s store.
Convenient Setup and Enhanced Entertainment
You can reach out to your favorite TV show or any content by just plugging a fire stick at the back of any TV. It can be plugged into a TV HDMI port if you want to convert your TV into a smart TV for better options. A fire stick can bring additional entertainment to your home with its unlimited video streaming, audio streaming, and gaming features.
10 Compelling Reasons Why You Should Get a Fire Stick
- Enjoy enhanced TV-watching with a portable, convenient Fire Stick, enabling access to your favorite shows on any TV.
- Seamlessly control your Fire Stick using voice commands, simplifying tasks like volume adjustment and channel changing.
- Cut the cord effortlessly; Fire Stick liberates you from cable systems, saving you from monthly charges.
- Access not only streaming apps but also live sports channels, letting you broadcast your favorite games on TV.
- Enjoy the convenience of two access options: WiFi remote control or voice command for your preferred streaming apps.
- Dive into a plethora of downloadable apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney, BBC iPlayer, and ITV.
- Stream your favorite tracks and manage playlists effortlessly with support for music streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
- Save time; it stores login information, granting instant access to your content across different TVs.
- With its compact size of around 4 inches, Fire Stick discreetly fits behind your TV, remaining unobtrusive.
- Take charge of your TV content; search and enjoy shows without interruptions, bypassing the limitations of cable schedules.
- Elevate your smart TV experience by adding desired features like voice command and improved audio and picture quality with Fire Stick.
Price of a fire stick:
The cost of a fire stick depends on the model and brand you choose.It can range from $30 to $40 for a regular stick and around $50 for a 4K high-quality fire stick. Fire TV stick lite by Amazon is the cheapest of all for around $30 having 1080p picture quality and Dolby digital audio quality. Amazon’s Fire Tv stick 4K is also one of the most efficient media streaming devices. It costs around $40 for an Amazon fire stick to convert your TV into digital signage. It lacks remote device management but includes a voice control remote. Another high storage stick is Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max which costs you almost $55 having 4k Ultra HD picture quality and Dolby Atmos audio quality. For an Amazon stick, you do not need to have a Prime account but you are ought to make a regular Amazon account.
Another competitive brand to sell good quality fire sticks is Roku. Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ costs around $70 having Dolby audio and picture quality. The remote control of Roku contains more buttons which makes it simpler to use. There is a vast variety available in the market. Each one of them has a different price rate because of their separate specifications. The higher the price, the more features it includes.
There has been a misconception that there is a monthly cost for a fire stick which is not true. fire stick does not work like a cable connection because it is a one-time purchase. Many channels are for free and can be streamed on any device without any fee such as ITV HUB, Pluto TV, BBC iPlayer, My5, All 4, and UKTV Play, etc. However, the streaming apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney Plus, etc used on a fire stick may require a monthly subscription just like you pay for it even if it is used on any other device. Apart from these streaming apps, you can access many live channels and games on your TV through it.
How does a fire stick work?
As you got the idea of a fire stick, the major functionalities of it have been stated below to make it easy for you to operate it.
Setting up the fire stick
Firstly, connect the fire stick to your TV’s HDMI port and pair it with the remote or control it through your voice. Your TV will have a label on it where it has an HDMI port, usually found on the back side of the TV. Now connect the fire stick to the power source. Once the stick catches the wifi network and remote commands, you will be directed toward the set-up process on the screen. It also comes along with a booklet to guide you about the specifications.
After connecting it to a suitable Wifi connection, you are required to select the input you have used for the fire stick. Install the required batteries in the remote that comes with the packaging and use it for further operations. If you are using an Amazon fire stick then you need to enter an Amazon account to log into the system. This Amazon account does not refer to the paid Amazon Prime Account and is free to sign up and use.
Fire OS system
It requires a Wifi connection to operate properly so It will then ask you to enter a wifi network. When you sign into your Wifi account, popular streaming apps like Spotify, Prime Video, Hulu, etc will be already available as they are pre-installed but the rest needs to get installed from the store. Most of the fire stick has the system of Fire OS into it which is similar to the system of an Android OS. You can access your desired app including Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and many others based on their policy, for example, you will be able to stream the Hulu app but the quality of the streaming will depend on the type of subscription you have on that particular app.
Favorable for any TV
The main purpose of a fire stick is to connect you to your favorite streaming device on any of the TV devices which works best for the regular TVs that do not support Wifi connection. fire stick enables wifi connection to those TVs and will connect you to your streaming apps. However, the TVs that already support the Wifi connections called smart TVs can also find it useful. There are smart TVs with built-in fire sticks but if your smart TV does not have one then getting a fire stick will provide your smart TV a lightning fast execution and voice remote service.
Alexa voice control
Almost every fire stick packaging has a remote in it. After successfully connecting the fire stick to your TV, you can decide if you want to control the operations of your TV through buttons or your voice. The Alexa voice option on the remote facilitates you to control the functions of your TV through voice commands. It is called Alexa voice control as it works, in the same manner, way Amazon’s Alexa works for any other device.
You can give voice commands and ask Alexa to perform any function on the TV. You only need to press the microphone button and ask Alexa to change the channels, adjust the volume or even ask her about the temperature. If you are not sure about a specific movie or TV show and need options you can even ask Alexa to show up the kind of movie you are searching for. It will process the command and will come up with results. Now you can choose any one among the given results and enjoy your movie.
Enhanced audio and video quality
Fire sticks give your TV high-definition HDR video quality and enhance the audio quality of your TV with Dolby Atmos. If you want to experience 4K streaming then a 4K fire stick can provide you with Dolby Vision, 4K streaming along with Dolby Atmos audio quality. Dolby Atmos is a spatial audio technology that generates sounds using object-based sound so that you experience vividly enhanced object sounds in your television systems. The Dolby’s storage starts from 8 GB and memory starts from 1 GB.
Enjoy your favorite season or live sports
You are free to watch any type of content on your TV with a fire stick. If you want to cut the cord and get rid of monthly cable connections, this stick will help you broadcast live TV channels including NEWs and Sports channels so that you can get access to live TV channels. If you want to enjoy a season on any subscribed streaming app such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney plus, etc, you can access that through a fire stick and even if you want to only stream music on any streaming service such as Spotify, apple music, Amazon music, etc, you can also do that on any of your favorite apps through a fire stick.
Screen mirroring:
Screen mirroring allows you to connect your mobile screen to your TV without any wire. You can do it with your fire stick by going to the setting option from your Home menu and selecting the sound and display option to enable display mirroring on your TV.
Does a fire stick work on any TV?
A fire stick can be easily connected to any TV which is not very old. If your TV is older than ten years then it will not support a direct connection. It just needs an HDMI port which is an electrical outlet to connect. You need to check your TV if it has an HDMI port and if it is functional then your TV is capable of supporting a firestick. As HDMI port size is standard for all TVs so you do not need to check the size of it as all the TVs will have one standard HDMI port size that can fit a fire stick easily into them.
If your TV is not very old (more than 10 years) but still lacks an HDMI port, you can still connect your fire stick to it but you will need to arrange a suitable conversion adapter. For it to connect you have to make sure that the Fire TV Stick that you are connecting is powered on. There must be a thin cord with it, one end of which is supposed to be plugged into the stick and the other should fit the USB adapters. There is another way to connect it to your TV without an HDMI port, it will require you to buy a component or composite converter.
Conclusion
Upgrade your TV’s audio and visual quality with Fire Stick for an enhanced streaming experience. Stream your favorite shows and movies directly to your TV, surpassing the limitations of a cable box. Fire Stick offers superior features and easy setup, making it the prime choice for advanced entertainment seekers. It provides access to a wide range of content, from streaming apps to live channels. Simply plug it into your TV and follow the on-screen instructions for a hassle-free setup. With this, anyone with a TV and Wi-Fi can enjoy the benefits of a smart TV, including high resolution and voice command features.
