Hardware:
The precise technical details, I do not want to repeat here again, these can be found at any of the Amazon product description. But compared with other boxes like the AppleTV or Chromecast the FireTV is all about Miles front. Current Quad Core, sufficient memory and a graphics chip make the FireTV to one of the (if not the) most powerful streaming boxes, which are currently available.
In the known AnTuTu benchmark for Android smartphones, the device comes according to various sources on the Internet on a score of 25.000 points. Thus, it achieved although only half of the points of the current tip device under the smartphones, but it also moves in a different price range. Thanks to wireless chip of FireTV can be integrated wirelessly into the home network.
Downer: The memory coincides with 8 GB (of which approximately 5.5 GB usable) rather puny and is not expandable. For this purpose, but later.
Connections:
In addition to HDMI, networking and the optical audio output of FireTV has a USB port. Toll could now think, here you can connect a lot of stuff. Unfortunately, inexplicably disappointed here Amazon: While mice / keyboards and many game controller to the USB port can be connected to storage media (currently?) Not recognized. The connection of external hard drives, for example, media files is therefore not possible, also expand the internal memory for apps not. What Amazon was thinking, I can not understand honestly. However, I was able to connect two controllers via a small USB hub without problems, at least it works.
Price:
I could see the box to the prime rate for 49 customers preorder. At this price, the performance offered is just absolutely out of competition. Looking at the regular price of 99, so this is still fully justified, given the powerful hardware and when compared to other systems.
Scope of supply:
It includes not only the actual box the power supply and the remote control, incl. Two AA batteries. At the start so that's missing the HDMI cable. Here is debatable whether Amazon should have a enclose or not. The trend is so, eg. In the mobile division with the power supplies can be used for less accessories in the parts which are usually present in any case in the household, or even for many different devices HDMI cables are otherwise already get for a few euros.
Style:
Small, black and edged with an Amazon logo on the top. To my mind, just nice and simple, and fits in principle everywhere and nowhere seems misplaced. In principle it is similar to the AppleTV, only that this has rounded edges. Whether rounded or square remains entirely up to me personally like the square better.
Performance:
I can try many SmartTVs in recent years, and also the one or other Android Box with friends. So far I was able to convince none of these systems. In particular SmartTVs (the current) struggling due to the weak computing power with spongy controls and long cooling-off periods. Quite different date of FireTV. The unit responds quickly to inputs by remote control, animations are never checked, but always liquid. The Apps launch quickly all exemplary. This is a performance as I would like to see from such a box!
Remote Control:
The included remote control with voice search is well thought out. It is small, classy and feels extremely dibasic. Thanks to Bluetooth technology, there is no direct line of sight of the remote control with the FireTV must exist. All keys have a pleasant pressure point, and, in accordance with the already assessed performance, entries are accepted instantly. Voice search works exceptionally well. Although times purposely tried to speak a little indistinct, is (almost) always recognize what you want. I personally think it's unfortunately a bit sad that it loud / quiet keys are none. Of course, you control his sound system anyway mostly right, but I would have been practically found also to the tax on the small remote control.
Apps:
I want to now not really go into all existing apps. To start the integration of the Amazon cosmos works perfectly. In particular these are the Instant Video and Prime Instant Video service. It is also quickly becomes clear that this box (understandably) has been designed to bring these services to the man / woman. Both work well and without problems. In addition, some media libraries (ARD, ZDF, etc ..) and intelligence services are (BILD, Spiegel, etc ..) and a lot more in store. All in all, not bad, but in order to exploit the full potential, there would of course much more to come. Netflix, which is likely to be probably very interesting for many, is now approximately one month after delivery also available. Toll is also the Plex service. With an appropriate server on a PC or a NAS you can access his own films and series in a well thought out and informative environment.
In my view is extremely interesting the possibility Apps aufzuspielen per sideload on the device. For instructions, can be found to satisfy the Internet, and with certain tools is the easy, quickly and without any prior knowledge. This possibility was to buy this device for me one of the main reasons. It can be for example also emulators for older consoles play (SNES, N64) and thus the beloved classics back on the TV bring (Downloading ROMs, so the games, however, is a legal gray area and only legal if you own the original game !). But this is just one of countless possibilities. Even the popular XBMC is easy to install. Here everyone can set his FireTV as they want to, even if there are the apps not officially in Amazon Store at will. However, one must note that not all run Android apps, or need this mouse / keyboard to be operated can.
Power consumption:
One thing first: The FireTV has no off button. However, the device switches itself off after 30 minutes of inactivity in the standby mode. Therefore, at this point a few brief thoughts on the power consumption:
PC Games Hardware has measured the following power consumptions:
Menu: 3 Watt
High resolution film look: 5 Watt
Screensavers: 6 Watt
Standby: 2 watts
Noteworthy is first of all the high power consumption during operation of the screen saver. So if you want to save power, the is placed at the very beginning to the heart to deactivate the screen saver.
How much does the small box so a year? Let's go on a daily frequent use of:
30 minutes in menu browse a 3 W
150 minutes a high resolution film look a 5 W
30 minutes to the standby a 3 W
The rest of the day in a standby 2 W
If you operate this consistently throughout the year, so come at a cost of just under 5.80 (0.28 / kWh) for the box. The majority of the cost falls on the standby mode with just 4.20. A pure standby would an annualized 4.90 cost. It is therefore very clear that mainly the standby mode is responsible for the cost of electricity. If you do not look 24/7 films and plays, the total cost of the move FireTV annually so estimated 5 to 6 By comparison, the operation of a 50 "TV with 65 W costs per year (with daily usage of 150 minutes) almost 17 without standby.
Matches:
So, Amazon advertises quite big with the games functionality of FireTV. I do not own the FireTV controller, but got my Xbox 360 controller cable connected. Works instantly and easily. The Xbox 360 Wireless Controller to the PC receiver will also work very well.
The available games are some typical Android games and a couple of Amazon exclusive games. Some of them can also be controlled with the remote control. I have not tested many of them, and which also has a very special reason: This miserable little space! But the advertised racing game (Asphalt 8) requires almost 2.5 GB of space. So that is just under half of the complete memory available. At this point I need to clearly ask what Held at Amazon had the idea to apply this device as a mini game console, but to build in only 8GB of memory with no possibility for extension? This is in my eyes one of the greatest weaknesses of the box and makes the Games possible in large part destroyed. Who wants to delete permanent apps and download new, just because space is limited? If you already have 2 great games memory completely connect!
What is, however, works just fine the way old console classics already described above to play. These do not need so much space, and my childhood hits like Super Mario, Donkey Kong and Pokemon make on a large screen just great fun.
Conclusion:
Benefits:
+ Beautiful and easy interface
+ Potente Hardware
+ Possibility of using as Android games console
+ Beautiful design
Disadvantages:
- Too small, not expandable memory
- Main focus (of course) on the Amazon cosmos
- Only a few apps
If the FireTV now Streamingbox par? In my view, a clear: Yes and no!
This is supported by the great hardware at a fair price, which is very good and fleet operation, the access to the Amazon services, and (hopefully) new long Apps. Although Missing DLNA is also a minus point, but for me enough Plex with server completely out. This is anyway the best way to sort out its own media, which makes the box when it comes to media playback for me almost everything right.
The streaming capabilities are so great, now what speaks against it? It's clear that the potential of the box is not used. An SD card expandable memory and via a fully functional USB port would make the FireTV a Wonderbox. The SD card slot can not be retrofitted, but possibly directs Amazon still and allows external hard drives in the pits, which could expand the memory. Possibly then can also be new apps simply play via USB stick, and must not be uploaded by developers around. As mentioned not many apps are currently available, but with the huge success of the box I just hope that there's some enforcement.
All in all, a solid box with some weaknesses, which unfortunately does not fully exploit its potential. One can only hope that Amazon nachbessert here or back there soon the opportunity for rooting. From me there is therefore a good, with the theoretical potential to very good.
Outlook:
Who 99 are too expensive, for which there is probably an alternative soon. In the US, sold recently the Amazon Fire Stick ($ 39 regular, $ 19 in one-time Prime range). This is a HDMI stick with the same software as the Amazon FireTV, only the hardware is somewhat weaker and the included remote control does not allow voice search. But even the scaled-down hardware (dual-core, less RAM, the same memory) should be more than adequate for streaming issues of the highest quality. But who wants to play with it should be noted that the drive does not have a USB port. This should therefore only the official Bluetooth Game Controller Amazon function properly. Who it anyway does not attach great importance, his wallet and some will conserve only looking for a device to stream and plays media should make a note to Firestick.
Announced the stick for Germany is not yet official, but a show is very likely.
