Television is rapidly changing the world with the herald of video streaming services like Netflix, Hotstar, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. DTH might be becoming a thing of the past, and it will be for good. Video streaming provides much more and better content and offers the viewers a true choice. They can select whatever they wish from millions of movies, TV shows, documentaries, etc. The latest entry in video streaming is the Amazon Firestick.
Amazon Firestick is an exclusive offering and provides many services like Gaana, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, Netflix, and many others. But this is not the only highlight of the FireStick. The Amazon Fire Stick remote comes with Alexa support, So you can sit back on your sofa and control everything through your voice.
If you purchase the Amazon Fire Stick or have already purchased it and worry about setting up or installing it, sit back and relax. TechNinjaPro is here to help you set up the Amazon Firestick for the first time on your television. Just follow the steps closely, and everything will be a cakewalk. But before TechNinjaPro start-up with this tutorial, let us tell you a few of the pre-requisites first. The things you will need to set up and run your Amazon Firestick are mentioned below.
A Compatible TV: This is clearly the primary need. You will need at least an HDTV with an HDMI port to use the Firestick.
Internet Connection: The Fire Stick does not have internet connectivity of its own. You will have to connect your Fire Stick to an active and strong wifi connection so that it can stream high-definition videos properly.
Amazon Account: Last but not least, you have to register your Amazon Firestick to your Amazon account. If you order the Firestick from your Amazon account, it will come already registered with that account, and you can even change it anytime you wish.
What is Amazon Firestick?
The Amazon Firestick is a member of Amazon streaming devices, including the Amazon Firestick TV and Amazon Fire TV Cube. The Amazon Firestick looks like a USB drive, only a bit bigger. It is an external media player that can turn any television or monitor with an HDMI port into a Smart TV.
The primary difference between a Smart TV and a traditional TV is that the former can connect to the internet while the latter cannot. Therefore, if you own a Smart TV, you do not need a Firestick since the Smart TV can connect to your internet directly.
Basic Setup Instructions of Amazon Fire Stick
TechNinjaPro has divided the setup process into four relevant parts to make things easier.
Getting Started
- Take your Firestick device. You will need a USB port and an HDMI port. Now plug the USB power cable into the USB port of your Firestick and plug the other end of the power cable into the Power Adapter.
- Now connect your power adapter to the power outlet.
- Now plug the Firestick into any HDMI port of your television. Please remember the HDMI port number as you will be needed to turn ON the corresponding HDMI input channel on your television.
- Turn On your television and open the corresponding HDMI input channel. You will see a loading screen with the Firestick logo. It might take some time to load, so do not worry.
- Now is the time to set up your Firestick remote. First, add the two AAA batteries included in the box. The remote should automatically connect with the Firestick. However, press and hold the Home button on your remote for 10 seconds if it does not pair. This will send your Firestick to the Discovery Mode, and the pairing will be done. Once the remote is linked with Firestick, press the Play/Pause button to start the setup process.
- Amazon Firestick will ask you to select your preferred language. Highlight the preferred language using the navigation keys on the remote and press the Select button to set the preferred language.
Note: Select/OK is the circular button on the remote enclosed inside the navigation buttons.
Connect Firestick to wifi
Your Amazon Firestick will scan for the available wifi networks within the range. When you see the list of available networks, pick your wifi and enter your SSID and password to connect.
Register Firestick with an Amazon Account
- Now it is time to register your Firestick device to your Amazon account. Your Amazon Firestick will be pre-registered if you have ordered it from Amazon. However, if that is not the situation or you wish to register through a different account, you can just follow the instructions to Register your Firestick. If your Firestick is not pre-registered, you should see the following popup. If you already have an Amazon account, go ahead and choose the first option. If not, create an Amazon account by clicking ” I Am New to Amazon.”
- Your Amazon Firestick will now register.
Winding Up the Setup Process
- When the sign-up process is finished, Firestick will ask if you need to save your wifi password to your account. If you use multiple devices registered to the same Amazon account, it would be a good idea to select “YES” to allow those devices to connect to your wifi network rapidly. If you do not have any other Amazon devices and do not even intend to buy one in the future, you might just choose “NO.“
- If you wish to turn on the parental control on your Firestick, tick Enable Parental Controls. You will be asked to set a password on the next window if you do so. You will need to enter the Password for most activities on Firestick.
- Now you may tick Get Started and select the applications you wish to install before getting started with Amazon Firestick. If you have a Firestick 2nd Generation with no TV control buttons on the remote, this is all you need to do to install your device. If you have the latest Firestick with TV control buttons, continue with the below-mentioned point.
Note: if you reset your Firestick and set it up again or have used the Amazon account with an added Firestick, you may see the prompt asking if you need to restore your device. If you need to reinstall your apps, click the restore button.
Connect FireStick remote with TV
The below-mentioned steps are only for remotes with TV controls. If you do not have a remote with volume buttons, you can skip this part and move to the next section.
- Press the volume buttons on your TV remote.
- Tick YES if you heard the sound. If not, tick NO to repeat the process.
- Your Firestick remote has successfully synced.
How to Install Apps on Amazon FireStick
Installing applications on the Firestick is relatively easy. You can spend your time clicking around the interface, picking the magnifying glass, and typing in an application’s name, but you do not have to. Instead of clicking around the on-screen keyboard, you can talk to Alexa by holding down the Alexa button and saying the name of an application. Alternatively, you can do this the old traditional way:
- Select Find on the Firestick.
- Select search.
- Here you could use Alexa by pressing and holding the Mic button and talking for voice search, or you could type out an application’s name and pick the connected results.
- Select that app from the results screen.
- Select Get
- Select Open
Now You have downloaded and opened an app!
How to Start Using Your Amazon FireStick
Now your Firestick is all set up, and you would need to get started immediately. Here are some stimulating things you would like to know that will provide a better Amazon Firestick experience.
Jailbreak your Amazon Firestick
Amazon Firestick is an excellent streaming device. This lets you watch your favorite episodes and live TV through apps like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and many more. But, there is a severe restriction. These streaming cost you money, the kind that could easily damage your budget. Moreover, you could not get all you need to watch from one streaming service. But you can simply jailbreak Firestick and never have to worry about paying a penny to watch TV shows, movies, and anything you need. Jailbreaking is a quick, safe, and legal process.
Stay Protected with a VPN Service
The internet exposes you to the prying eyes of your internet service provider and government agencies. All your internet activities can be traced back to you easily. And, when you stream free movies and TV shows through third-party apps, there is a chance you might land in trouble. A virtual private network redirects your internet activities through an encrypted server and makes sure your online presence on the internet remains private and anonymous. TechNinjaPro come up with a list of best VPN services for Firestick
Best VPNs for Amazon Firestick/ Fire TV
PureVPN is undoubtedly one of the best VPNs for Amazon Firestick. If you are looking for a quick way on which VPN services work with Firestick, TechNinjaPro has rounded up its top recommendations below.
FAQs
Amazon Firestick needs a wifi connection; hence it comes with its own wifi transmitter. Therefore, customers can better connect their Amazon Firestick to the internet and do not need to purchase an additional transmitter to work.
Amazon Firestick is ideal for those who need access to streaming platforms on their TV and would not upgrade and invest in a new TV.
A Jailbroken Amazon Firestick allows users to install third-party streaming applications and services on their Firestick to take the media viewing experience to the next level. Due to its policies and rules, users can sideload apps onto the device that they usually cannot get through the Amazon App Store.
Your Amazon Firestick needs regular updates to protect your device and offer it with the latest firmware. Thankfully, the support team at Amazon made the process simple for users. You will need an internet connection for the update to work, and be sure that your device is connected before proceeding.
There is no limitation on how many devices you can have on your Amazon account, but there are restrictions on how many can stream favorite videos simultaneously from one account. Amazon Prime Video limit is two, While Hulu, Netflix and HBO limit you to one stream per account.
You cannot use your Amazon Firestick if you do not have an Amazon account. But you do not have to worry because opening an Amazon account is completely free. You can get an Amazon Prime Video 30-day free trial if you want to stream your favorite shows and movies at home.
When setting up your Amazon Firestick, you need to plug it into your television's HDMI port. But if your television does not have this feature, you would need to purchase an HDMI converter.
Conclusion
Now you have successfully installed your Amazon Firestick and can enjoy the vast collection of content with the help of different applications or jailbreak processes, as TechNinjaPro suggested above. If you encounter any Amazon Firestick issues, feel free to let us know through the comments sections below.