Amazon Fire stick - Questions from a tech numptie.

[Chubber]

I have a nice 4yr old LG freeview equipped TV I currently use in my dining room for cricket, rugby etc, plugged into an aerial socket on the wall.

I will want to use it in the new house in a room without a socket.

I shall have full fibre Internet 145 mbs.

I believe a F'stick will allow me to continue to do so without a wall socket aerial. Is that right?

Any advice gratefully received, hints tips and so on. If so which model?

(I can usually successfully replace the batteries in my torch at the first attempt, thereafter anything more electronically technical becomes something of a lottery)

 

[Bingy man]

As far as I know you won’t need an Ariel as your f stick connects to your tv via the internet / WiFi which you have.

 

[Cozzer]

As far as I know you won’t need an Ariel as your f stick connects to your tv via the internet / WiFi which you have.

Is that right?!
I didn't know that!
I've had 3 firesticks over the years in order of "power" - up to today's 4K job - and always had them hanging out of the TV set, but with the aerial still fitted.

I must try your idea/revelation!
Thanks, Bingy man!

 

[Bingy man]

Is that right?!
I didn't know that!
I've had 3 firesticks over the years in order of "power" - up to today's 4K job - and always had them hanging out of the TV set, but with the aerial still fitted.

I must try your idea/revelation!
Thanks, Bingy man!

My x broke the Ariel socket on her tv and the cost to repair was as much as a new tv . As far as I know she went the fire stick route . Like yourself I’m not that good with how this stuff works- fire sticks, streaming etc but I’m thinking the only issue could be watching terrestrial tv channels but again it comes down to which f.stick package you subscribe to ( I think ) I’m sure the tech wizards will put us right ..

 

[Doug71]

I have a tv in my kitchen with no aerial just a fire stick attached. On the rare occasions I watch live TV I do it through the apps like iplayer or itvx, it works fine if you are only watching one channel but you can't channel hop as it means swapping between different apps.

 

[Terrytpot]

Historically our only choice for tv was to view terrestrial analog broadcasts with an antenna connected directly to the tv or via a coaxial cable.
Then they added vcr’s which used scart cables plugged into the back of the tv but you had to tune into channel 36 to find the vcr’s output.
Next came satellite broadcasting which you received via a dish of some sort that was connected to a receiver (sky box etc) with a fancier type of cable and the signal from your receiver was sent to your tv via another type of cable (scart or maybe hdmi).
Next along was digital broadcast tv , leading to the eventual cease of terrestrial analog broadcasts in some areas and even more as time goes by. These newer digital broadcasts required , in many cases , the replacement of older antennas (the aerial on your roof) with newer digital compatible models or opting to receive the digital signal via another method. The alternative methods to receive that digital signal being over the internet or via a satellite service (either free view or payed subscription) or in some places by a cable subscription service.

 

[TheUnicorn]

below is the blurb from amazon, it very much sounds, as doug71 alludes to above, that it gives you all the streaming apps that you get on a smart tv, but not a replacement for an ariel

• Stream in Full HD – Enjoy fast, affordable streaming in Full HD, and control it all with the Alexa Voice Remote.
• Great for newbies – Streaming has never been easier with access to thousands of free films and TV episodes from ad-supported streaming apps like Tubi, Pluto TV, Rad and more.
• Press and ask Alexa – Use your voice to easily search and launch shows across multiple apps.
• Endless entertainment – Stream hundreds of thousands of films and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply. App buttons may vary.
• Take it anywhere – Connect to any TV’s HDMI port to access your entertainment apps and enjoy them on the go.
• Watch live – Get live TV, news and sports with subscriptions to Eurosport, ITVX and more.
• Play your favourite songs – Listen on Amazon Music, Spotify and others. Subscription fees may apply.
• Control your compatible smart home – Ask Alexa to check weather, dim the lights, view live camera feeds, stream music and more.

 

[Chubber]

Hhm, very interesting. Not currently too urgent, can watch TV via internet on my tablet but how things all work after a house move has yet to be seen.

Thank you for your inputs.

 

[martin45]

This is a useful gizmo if your WiFi signal is poor and you have a wired Ethernet outlet:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LXP5TXI?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I had an wired Ethernet socket behind the TV but the wifi was poor in the room. This solved the problem.

The firestick needs a USB outlet on the TV for power (you probably know this!).