With Kindle e-readers and Echo speakers, Amazon has been making inroads in recent years with fairly advanced products for an aggressive price. The Fire TV Stick is the video counterpart to this strategy. Based on the Google Chromecast model, Amazon offers its own TV key to connect to an HDMI port on your TV to connect it to many services, including, of course, those from Amazon (Prime Video, Amazon Music, etc.). But where Google is content to broadcast content from your smartphone, the Fire TV Stick encloses a real little smart TV in a key with a rather pleasant interface, a remote control with a microphone for Alexa and access to many video services, applications or games. An explosive cocktail for affordable boxes that connect to your extra TV like your new (or future) 4K and HDR TV. Our selection contains the current models of Fire TV Stick as well as accessories and other products incorporating Amazon Fire TV technology.
our selection
Fire TV Stick or Chromecast?
Google’s Amazon Fire TV Stick and Chromecast are two solutions for adding connected TV functionality to any TV with an HDMI port. They do, however, offer quite different functionality. Chromecast allows you to stream audio and video content from your smartphone or from the Google Chrome browser. If an application is compatible, its interface lets appear a Google Cast logo, generally in a corner, and you can then broadcast the video or the music that you were playing from your phone to the TV.
Amazon Fire TV Stick, however, offers a real small TV box in a small key. You can access Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Netflix, YouTube, Molotov or Spotify content from the interface that looks like that of a connected TV. The Fire TV Stick allows you to install many other applications and games, and control your home via the Alexa voice assistant. It is therefore rather recommended if you really want to transform your TV into a connected TV, without having to stream content from your smartphone.
How does the Fire TV Stick work?
The Fire TV Stick comes in the form of a key at the end of which there is an HDMI socket and a Micro USB port. Just connect the key to an HDMI port on your TV and power the Fire TV Stick via the supplied USB cable, either through a USB port on your TV if it has one, or with the AC adapter. The Fire TV Stick connects rather to a side HDMI port but an HDMI extension cable is provided if you prefer to connect it to the rear, the key being rather bulky. You will need to configure your Amazon account to take full advantage of the features of the Fire TV Stick, and connect the key to your Wi-Fi network. Once this step is completed, the home screen displays applications and programs in the form of a grid close to what is found on an Apple TV or a connected TV.
The first line brings together recently used applications, and the second the list of your applications and games. Below, you'll find other recommendations for Amazon Prime Video programs, games, or apps to install. At the top of the home screen, a navigation bar allows you to consult the different sections: Home, series, films or applications. The remote control supplied with the Fire TV Stick has two functions: allowing you to navigate the interface, and to communicate with Alexa via the microphone button. Keep it pressed, speak and release. Alexa allows you to watch programs on Amazon Prime Video or Netflix by voice, but also to control compatible devices in your home.