Amazon Fire Tv Stickvoice Remote4k

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is a streaming media player that plugs directly into a television’s HDMI port and turns it into a 4K Ultra HD smart TV. It streams films, series, live channels and music from the apps installed on it, and it is supplied with the Alexa Voice Remote, so searching for a title, opening an app or checking information can be done by voice instead of by typing on an on-screen keyboard. This is the second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K, the model with Wi-Fi 6 and hardware AV1 decoding.

The stick itself is small enough to sit hidden behind the television: 99 x 30 x 14 mm for the housing, 108 mm long including the HDMI connector, and 43.5 g in weight. Power comes through its micro USB port from the supplied arrangement, and an HDMI extender in the box helps where the space behind the set is tight or the Wi-Fi signal needs a clearer path.

Key features

• 4K Ultra HD streaming with output at 2160p, 1080p and 720p up to 60 fps
• Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG high dynamic range support
• Alexa Voice Remote included, with voice search and TV power and volume control on compatible sets
• Wi-Fi 6 dual-band wireless, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
• Quad-core 1.7 GHz processor with 8 GB of internal storage
• Dolby Atmos audio support, with 7.1 and 2-channel stereo and HDMI pass-through up to 5.1
• Bluetooth 5.2 + BLE for the remote, headphones and other accessories
• Video format support including H.265, H.264, VP9 and AV1

Picture and sound

On a compatible 4K television, the Fire TV Stick 4K plays Ultra HD content in the HDR format the title provides: Dolby Vision and HDR10+ adjust brightness scene by scene, HDR10 and HLG cover the other widely used formats. The television needs to support HDCP 2.2 for protected 4K content. Audio support runs to Dolby Atmos where the streaming service and the connected sound system provide it, and the stick passes multichannel audio through HDMI to a soundbar or AV receiver, up to 5.1. Where the television is a standard HD set, the same stick simply outputs at 1080p or 720p, so it remains useful when it moves to a second room.

The Alexa Voice Remote

The included remote connects by Bluetooth, so it does not need line of sight to the stick hidden behind the television. Pressing the voice button and speaking a title, actor or genre is faster than typing, and Alexa can also answer questions, set timers and control compatible smart home devices. The remote carries infrared as well, which lets it operate power and volume on a wide range of compatible televisions, soundbars and receivers, reducing the two-remote shuffle for everyday viewing. It runs on two AAA batteries, which are included.

Apps, storage and everyday use

The 8 GB of storage holds the streaming apps the household actually uses, and the quad-core processor with Wi-Fi 6 keeps navigation and app launches responsive, with the faster wireless standard helping in homes where many devices share one router. Voice control also works through the free Fire TV app on a phone. Accessibility features include the VoiceView screen reader and closed captioning on supported content, and Bluetooth headphones can be paired for private listening at night.

Compatibility and setup

Setup needs a television with an HDMI input and a home Wi-Fi connection: plug the stick in, connect the power, join the network and sign in. For the full 4K and HDR performance the television must be a 4K UHD set with an HDMI input that supports 2160p; on an HD television the stick works at that set’s resolution. Streaming services are supplied through their own apps and accounts, and availability of individual services, titles and 4K or HDR versions varies by service and region.

In the box are the Fire TV Stick 4K, the Alexa Voice Remote, two AAA batteries for the remote, a power adapter, a USB cable and an HDMI extender, together with a quick start guide.