Fire TV

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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
If only these game devices could use each other's controllers. For instance, if you already have a PS3 with two controllers, wouldn't it be nice if you could use those controllers with this new device instead of having to buy more?

Seems that the sale of accessories is where money is made, so it's not in their best interest to standardize them for interchangeable use.

You are right, it was just wishful thinking on my part.
 
Well, based on what Hokiefyd posted, if the bluetooth programming is not proprietary, it may be possible for future controllers to work with multiple systems, but obviously it does not help for the older ones.
 
I can still hope that some genius develops some kind of driver that will enable PS3 controllers on new more open devices, or even Windows.
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I am not interested in any new devices until our PS3 dies, but given the recurring trouble it has with its optical reader, I am afraid it will kick the bucket sooner than later.

I imagine the OEM controllers for the hard core game systems (PS and X-Box) are some of the best, better than most aftermarket controllers. So to me they are the most interesting to cross over. But I am not an avid gamer by any measure, so I don't really know. I hardly use the PS3 myself.

More off topic: I am glad to see that the newest generation of PS and XB aren't stingy on RAM. Or maybe they really should come with 16 GB. But the mere 1 GB in the PS3 is nearly as stingy as Apple with their i- devices.
 
FireTV Claims to have faster processor, is Dolby certified and has Voice search as compared to its competitors. I really do not believe this in itself is enough for it to be a success. The Amazon introductory reviews are 3-stars.

If the ecosystem is truly open, it has a chance of succeeding but it will need the price to be lower to get enough market penetration.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
The Amazon introductory reviews are 3-stars.

Many of these reviews are a joke, written by trolls who don't even own it. You'll see people giving 1 star reviews because it doesn't support HBOGo - something that was known in advance.

Anyway, I don't have a dog in this fight. And I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon eventually dropped the price on it.
 
I also wonder. Could Google preempt it by opening Chromecast or they are NOT running Android based OS on it?
 
If it can't steam local content, either via DLNA or proprietary protocol (ATV via iTunes), that's a big strike against it at our house.

If it's like their tablets, it''s still a step behind Apple in refinement and ease of use, IMO. All that hardware horsepower gets saddled to a quirky OS.
 
Originally Posted By: Volvohead
If it can't steam local content, either via DLNA or proprietary protocol (ATV via iTunes), that's a big strike against it at our house.

It can stream local content through an app called Plex. There may be other similar apps, too.
 
I have a Roku 3 box currently. (PLEX can also be used on Roku 3 if needed)
And for those who don't know - (there are still plenty), Roku 3 now has an OFFICIAL full featured YouTube channel, this was a major setback for R3 until a few months ago.

As I have no interest in any sort of gaming, I don't see any advantages over the Roku 3 currently.
But for people who wants a gaming experience couples with a Roku 3 like experience/features, I am sure this is appealing.

Anyone have any ideas why this would be better over a Roku 3 for someone who has ZERO interest in the game console part? Just to make sure I am not missing anything.
(the hardware part is not critical for me, I think the Roku 3 box has a great UI, and plenty fast enough for me)

EDIT - LOL! The game controller is sold SEPARATELY - thought it was included. my bad.
So I guess as for the Fire TV, doesn't make sense for anyone who already has a Roku 3 which looks a lot better as far as the console itself, and smaller.
 
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Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Anyone have any ideas why this would be better over a Roku 3 for someone who has ZERO interest in the game console part? Just to make sure I am not missing anything.

As per the comparison table: voice search and optical audio out. That's about it. Certainly not enough reason for someone to move from one to the other.
 
Parents with kids may be interested in the Amazon product, as I imagine that their new "FreeTime" service will only work on their hardware. It doesn't specifically say that it requires Amazon hardware (at least that I saw), but it doesn't advertise interoperability, either.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?&docId=1000863021

We have two Rokus. I am interested in the Amazon product. Probably not enough to replace one of the Rokus now, but perhaps in the future. One of our Rokus is an older one without YouTube app support and without the slicker interface of the Roku 3. It's notably slower to do EVERYTHING compared with the 3.
 
Yeah we don't have kids so no advantage there.

As for voice search, I can indirectly use it on my iphone Roku Remote app (which i use more than Roku remote, as searching is so much faster with the iphone's keyboard), as you can use voice input on the iphone to search when you're on search mode;
not as direct as in the Fire of course, but it works great when needed.

Optical audio out is a good thing, I could have connected it to my external DAC's optical in which is connected to the Music Hall amp, but I just connect HP out jack on the Roku remote to the stereo amp via RCA when I am watching a Roku movie IF it warrants better SQ.

Fire is good, but only if you have an old(er) roku like box, or nothing at all, methinks.
 
Looks nice if you're cutting the cable and don't know about a Roku or other streaming device. Having a Roku 3 already, I'll pass until there's a compelling reason to switch.
 
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