Amazon announces Fire TV

[The Franchise]

http://sourcefed.com/amazon-announces-fire-tv/

Amazon has dove in head first into video hardware, announcing it’s new set-top device: Amazon Fire TV.

Clearly a competitor for Apple TV and Roku, the $99 device is an internet-connected set-top box which uses voice commands that you speak into its remote control. It will also serve as a gaming console, and consumers have the option to purchase a separate $39 controller that is paired with the box.

Amazon has claimed the device is 3 times more powerful than Apple TV and is based on Android and HTML 5, which means it should be easy for companies to bring their apps over to the platform. It supports Hulu Plus, Netflix, Pandora, Youtube, Crackle, iHeartRadio and Vevo. Sadly, HBO Go and Vudu are not supported.

Fire TV also has a predictive engine called “ASAP,” which pre-loads content it thinks you are going to watch, so it can start without any buffering or load time. This feature learns over time and gets better at suggesting content you like.

In a prior announcement made this weekend, Amazon said it will be turning six shows from its Amazon Originals program into a full series. The shows, which were selected after viewer feedback from the pilot episodes, include ’The After’, ‘Bosch, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street’, ‘Mozart in the Jungle’, ‘Transparent’ and ’Wishenpoof’. Amazon also renewed ’Alpha House’ — starring John Goodman — for a second season.

As far as gaming is concerned, the console will offer titles such as “Minecraft” and “The Walking Dead”. Many of the titles will be free or cost a little as $1.85 to play.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Thanks for the info. I actually threw superrepo on and added 1channel last night. For some reason, the video wouldn't show on the Walking Dead when I was trying to watch it with the superrepo install. Not sure if it was a problem with the stream, 1channel addon, or what... I ended up just going to ch131 and watching the episode on my laptop.

There is no difference between installing 1Channel via XBMCHub Addon Installer or Superrepo. It's the same sources no matter which method you install it. It doesn't matter.

But with 1Channel, and online stream sites in general, you can't just try one or two sources and give up. Sometimes you have to try a dozen sources before you find a good fast one. It depends greatly on what you're streaming. It's just the nature of how the whole setup works. If you try 5 links and none of them work, it's not necessarily a problem with the plugin or XBMC itself.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by ragedogg69

Actually I have a different theory. So not sure if anyone else is aware, but SportsDevil got hit with a cease and desist from a whole bunch of european sports broadcasters. So al101, who has been patching and taking care of the app has dropped support and deleted the github. I dont blame him. So eventually as sites start to change their streams, SportsDevil will break one by one; until it is no longer useable.

Which brings me to XBMCHub or TV Addons or whatever they call themselves now. I think they are down because they are scrubbing their entire site of anything related to SportsDevil. Same with fusion. Or they are scrambling to make a replacement, but very unlikely.

I am not sure, but I think starstreams or bosscast might be the only avenue to watch sports and only through a browser. Maybe you can sideload chrome?

Nah, I don't think that's the case at all. XBMCHub/TVAddons does not host anything that would get them in legal trouble. Most importantly the streams. Sportsdevil didn't get any cease and desist orders. Only the source websites that Sportsdevil uses. Sportsdevil is merely a portal, and it's not really at risk of anything. Sportsdevil plugin has been in developer limbo for a long time. The current dev working on it has taken a break because the plugin requires a lot of frequent updates to keep up with changes in sources. But I'm sure someone will pick up the slack. Someone always does. It gets too much use to die.

European ISP are trying to crack down on lots of illegal streaming stuff right now. But not actually having much luck with it. They've already blocked tons of sources that 1Channel and others use, in addition to shutting down some sports streaming sites. But users are creating VPNs and proxy networks faster than they can be closed, and are still streaming everything they want.

XBMCHub/TVAddons isn't shying away from anything. They're simply in the middle of a domain change and server hoster change. And it hasn't been going well. Their new server is woefully underpowered for the amount of traffic they get. That's the underlying issue with them, and the Addon Installer's current issues.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by ragedogg69

Actually I have a different theory. So not sure if anyone else is aware, but SportsDevil got hit with a cease and desist from a whole bunch of european sports broadcasters. So al101, who has been patching and taking care of the app has dropped support and deleted the github. I dont blame him. So eventually as sites start to change their streams, SportsDevil will break one by one; until it is no longer useable.

Which brings me to XBMCHub or TV Addons or whatever they call themselves now. I think they are down because they are scrubbing their entire site of anything related to SportsDevil. Same with fusion. Or they are scrambling to make a replacement, but very unlikely.

I am not sure, but I think starstreams or bosscast might be the only avenue to watch sports and only through a browser. Maybe you can sideload chrome?

No more sportsdevil? Oh god... that's going to ruin my life.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Fish

There is no difference between installing 1Channel via XBMCHub Addon Installer or Superrepo. It's the same sources no matter which method you install it. It doesn't matter.

But with 1Channel, and online stream sites in general, you can't just try one or two sources and give up. Sometimes you have to try a dozen sources before you find a good fast one. It depends greatly on what you're streaming. It's just the nature of how the whole setup works. If you try 5 links and none of them work, it's not necessarily a problem with the plugin or XBMC itself.

I tried like 6 different links, and all of them played audio but no video.

[ragedogg69]

Originally Posted by Fish

XBMCHub/TVAddons does not host anything that would get them in legal trouble. Most importantly the streams. Sportsdevil didn't get any cease and desist orders. Only the source websites that Sportsdevil uses. Sportsdevil is merely a portal, and it's not really at risk of anything.

Not true at all: http://torrentfreak.com/fact-wipes-p...github-141026/

Note this quote: “The files found at the following locations facilitate linking to sites known to provide access to streams of infringing content. The sites are subsequently scraped for links to various broadcasts including those whose copyrights belong to FACT members,”

If they are attacking the github for merely facilitating linking to sites, then XBMCHub could be in the same boat. I am not saying they should be, nor that this attack on the github is fair either, but that this is now a big concern.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by ragedogg69

Not true at all: http://torrentfreak.com/fact-wipes-p...github-141026/

Note this quote: “The files found at the following locations facilitate linking to sites known to provide access to streams of infringing content. The sites are subsequently scraped for links to various broadcasts including those whose copyrights belong to FACT members,”

If they are attacking the github for merely facilitating linking to sites, then XBMCHub could be in the same boat. I am not saying they should be, nor that this attack on the github is fair either, but that this is now a big concern.

Sportsdevil will be fine. It still works, and someone will pick up the development eventually. The plugin went several years without a dedicated developer and it worked out just fine the entire time. XBMC isn't at any risk. Taking down github code has no connection to any users that use the github code. This was in the article:

Also of interest is the formatting of FACT’s takedown notice, which references neither UK law where its members are based nor US law where Github is located.

“Our takedown notices are modeled on DMCA notices. In this particular case, they were adapted to comply with Github DMCA policy,” FACT confirmed.
It’s worth noting that Github recently updated its takedown processes to give projects more time to ‘fix’ any issues following a DMCA complaint but it appears SportsDevil’s creators didn’t take up that opportunity.

TF spoke with an expert on this type of software who told us that while its removal from Github will be a setback, it won’t mean the end of the tool.
“If an addon’s repository is removed from GitHub, the addon author loses the ability to push further updates to the addon, so unless users install the author’s new repository (which they would have to do manually) further automated updates won’t take place,” he explained.

XBMCHub isn't even connected to XBMC/Kodi in any way. Nobody is worried at the site. I'm on there quite often, and they're not concerned about anything like that.

[ragedogg69]

You may be right. Honestly, I do not remember SportsDevil being all that great when Max left it before al101 took over. Lots of broken links.

[ragedogg69]

Well, TV Addons is taking over Sports Devil, so it should be regularly updated in the future.

[Fish]

FYI.... I just bought another FireTV for $63.85 shipped.

The coupon purchase process looks shady, as you have to pay $Treefiddy for the $30 off coupon. I was hesitant about it, but was assured by a friend that it worked. I paid via paypal, the coupon was delivered immediately. It all worked exactly as it should, and is shipping tomorrow.

Here's how:

Go here and pay via paypal $3.50 for a $30 off $80 coupon: https://www.cn-usa.com/?cmd=_sale&item=staples3080

Instant delivery of code. Mine arrived in under 2 minutes.

FireTV on sale for Staples for $84 here: http://www.staples.com/Amazon-Stream...product_338326

Add to coupons during checkout on Staples website. Total should come to somewhere around $58.44 (before factoring in the cost of the coupon).

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Fish

FYI.... I just bought another FireTV for $63.85 shipped.

The coupon purchase process looks shady, as you have to pay $Treefiddy for the $30 off coupon. I was hesitant about it, but was assured by a friend that it worked. I paid via paypal, the coupon was delivered immediately. It all worked exactly as it should, and is shipping tomorrow.

Here's how:

Go here and pay via paypal $3.50 for a $30 off $80 coupon: https://www.cn-usa.com/?cmd=_sale&item=staples3080

Instant delivery of code. Mine arrived in under 2 minutes.

FireTV on sale for Staples for $84 here: http://www.staples.com/Amazon-Stream...product_338326

Add to coupons during checkout on Staples website. Total should come to somewhere around $58.44 (before factoring in the cost of the coupon).

So can these run XBMC now or not?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by NewChief

So can these run XBMC now or not?

This is the full FireTV box, not the stick dongle we've talked about recently. Normal price is $99.

They've always been able to run XBMC. Rooted or unrooted, they run XBMC wonderfully. I'm using the most graphic intensive skin available, and it just flies. 1080p streaming. Netflix, Prime Video, Pandora, Hulu+ available and launchable from within XBMC. You can root it and make it boot straight to XBMC if you want. Or launch XBMC by pressing the home button on the remote.

The most recent firmware is unrootable. But that's mostly just in the UK that have gotten the new firmware. Most US FireTVs are still rootable, and there's even a process to install pre-rooted firmware updates if you want to keep it up to date and rooted. If you root it when you get one, you can prevent it from ever updating to an unrootable firmware with one simple command.

I can tell you how to do absolutely anything with this device.

[ragedogg69]

Originally Posted by Fish

I'm using the most graphic intensive skin available, and it just flies. 1080p streaming.

which one?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by ragedogg69

which one?

Aeon Nox. Using an external HD for thumbnails and downloads.

[007]

Originally Posted by Fish

This is the full FireTV box, not the stick dongle we've talked about recently. Normal price is $99.

They've always been able to run XBMC. Rooted or unrooted, they run XBMC wonderfully. I'm using the most graphic intensive skin available, and it just flies. 1080p streaming. Netflix, Prime Video, Pandora, Hulu+ available and launchable from within XBMC. You can root it and make it boot straight to XBMC if you want. Or launch XBMC by pressing the home button on the remote.

The most recent firmware is unrootable. But that's mostly just in the UK that have gotten the new firmware. Most US FireTVs are still rootable, and there's even a process to install pre-rooted firmware updates if you want to keep it up to date and rooted. If you root it when you get one, you can prevent it from ever updating to an unrootable firmware with one simple command.

I can tell you how to do absolutely anything with this device.

It was reported the new firmware update made it unrootable. Has that changed? do you know if the box staples is sending out still has the old firmware?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Guru

It was reported the new firmware update made it unrootable. Has that changed? do you know if the box staples is sending out still has the old firmware?

Right now the new firmware is mostly being rolled out to UK and German versions of the FireTV. Not many in the US have gotten the new firmware unless they manually update it. All reports I've seen say your best bet is to get it from Staples or Best Buy as opposed to straight from Amazon. If you order straight from Amazon, they do a pre-purchase configuration which includes updating it to the most recent firmware and signing you in with your Amazon account so it's setup when it arrives. I don't know for sure that the one I ordered today will still be on an older firmware, but I like my chances.

In addition, when you first boot up the FireTV, it will ask to update the firmware then, but if you follow this guide, you can boot up a new one without losing root:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire...-root-t2849790