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If youโve been asking what is a Fire TV cube, this mini-review will furnish you with the needed information. The Amazon Fire TV Cube is among the newly added devices to the fire TV family. Though this gadget is not a cube, there are other interesting features about the fire TV cube you might wish to know. This device has the features to control your cable box, hence making it easier to get a grip on other home entertainment systems.
Table of Contents
Unique Features
- The Fire TV cube has an advanced processor which translates to fast connectivity with the Wi-Fi 6E.
- It has new HDMI input which can run gaming consoles and cable boxes. With this, you can get screen overlays once you ask Alexa something. The output will appear on top of any video transmitted by HDMI.
- The hardware has a mesh fabric makeover just like the Echo speakers
- It has buttons at the top together with an Alexa LED strip.
- Behind, there is an I/O that includes HDMI in and out, ethernet & USB-A ports which will be beneficial for external media storage.
- It is powered by a hexa-core chip, faster than the 4K Max TV.
- It has hands-free voice control, especially for the third-gen cube.
The remote and full-sized USB
The remote has a taller design with additional buttons such as a settings button, channel up & down, and a recent button that helps you flip to recently used channels or apps. It also has Amazon live guide, channel flipper, YouTube TV DVR button, and power, volume, and mute control buttons. The remote accommodates soundbars of different kinds of TVs and A/V receivers. Despite all these, the remote lacks a programmable button, backlighting, and remote finder feature button. The missing features on the remote imply you need to purchase an Alex voice remote.
The USB-A port behind it means you can connect game controllers, external storage drivers, and webcams for Alexa or zoom video calls without needing any adapters. Also, the 100Mbps ethernet port means you do not need hardwired ethernet support. It uses Wi-Fi 6E for its wireless network.
Converting HD video to 4K
Converting HD videos to 4K is made possible because of the in-built upscaler. This is different and more advanced when compared to other devices. Though the effects are a bit harder when compared with Nvidiaโs Shield TV upscaler. However, it lacks adjustable sharpening levels making it difficult to toggle between upscaled and non-upscaled videos.
HDMI passthrough is another interesting feature that can display video from other devices without switching inputs. This will be useful especially for satellite and cable set-top boxes because it can be controlled with the Fire TV remote. There are input lags when the passthrough is used with game consoles.
Is it worth it?
When compared with other Amazon streaming devices, the Fire TV cube stood out with its smart features. Though itโs been sold for $139, these features make the price worth it. The improved processor makes it better all-round and one of the fastest streaming devices. You do not require any adapter dongle for plugging external drivers or ethernet connections.
Using a webcam is also made possible with an HDMI-IN port. In all, judging from improved Smart TVs and other streaming apps, we think that Fire TV Cube has a lot to offer though it can still be improved especially in the resolution, upscaling, and heavy ad interface. Finally, the software must be improved if it keeps up with other upcoming streaming boxes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the function of the Fire TV Cube?
With the Amazon Fire TV cube, you can control soundbars, TVs, satellite boxes, and A/C receivers using Alexa. Thanks to the in-built infrared (IR) and HDMI-CEC features. In addition, using the voice you can control input and power switching on the TV, reduce or decrease soundbar volume, and switch cables
What distinguishes the fire TV cube from Firestick?
The fire TV cube supports HDR protocols, and 4K resolutions while Fire Stick does not. If your TV has 1080p, then using a Fire TV stick is no problem otherwise you need a Fire TV cube.
Is the Fire TV Cube compatible with any TV brand?
It would be best if you had an HDMI cable to connect the Fire TV cube to your TV. With this, your non-smart TVs can display streaming services though you need reliable internet. The Fire TV cube requires Wi-Fi to function with any streaming services.
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