Now that you have Starlink you may be looking into changing your TV services. Starlink offers fast enough internet speed to power multiple streaming devices at the same time, giving you hours of entertainment and a lot of it for free. This past April Starlink Community Forums has gave away a 4k Firetvstick to one of our members, so for this article we're going to focus on this device. There are many other options on the market, but this one we have found packs the best product for the price, and has a very user friendly interface.
First off what is a Firetvstick and what can it do? Firetvstick is an Amazon device that can be found in a lot of your major retailers, ranging in price from $40-$150.00 depending on the model you get. It allows you to use internet for streaming, accessing games and apps all from your TV. The device connects through an HDMI port into your TV and uses a sleek little remote that also does voice commands.
The Firetvstick connects very easily to your Starlink network converting any TV with an HDMI port into a "Smart Tv".. Depending on your TV's location your signals will vary, I have 2 running in my network and they both work good, even the one at 61% strength easily streams videos just not always in the best resolution. The 98% connection is very quick and the video is clear. If your signals are in the red then you will have connection issues and delays, try to get the device and router as close together as possible, the 5Ghz band is preferred for most high resolution 4K devices.
Another Great feature of the Firestick is the Fire TV app which allows you to use your phone as a TV remote. This helps speed up the process of finding a show or searching for what you want to watch by giving you extra features that the remote does not come with. I really like being able to type directly into the search engine on the app through my phone's screen's keyboard.
So if you lose the remote you can just use your phone, and if you get the Fire Tv Cube(Upgraded Firestick) it comes with an IR blaster that will control your TV as well, turning it on and off with volume control. This little app packs an extra punch to the Firestick family. With a lot of people trying to save money these days these little devices have become very popular as they offer a lot of free TV viewing through the many apps found in the device.
Some apps will require you to have an account set up with them, they'll offer an upgrade to a premium account of some sort to get more content with less interruptions. Some do not require any account linkage at all and offer all their content as free. The main account you will need to run the device is an Amazon account, this is your main account for setting up and activating the device. If you're an Amazon Prime member then you will get the Prime TV app for free, this is a very nice bonus thrown in with your Amazon Prime Fees.
My personal favorite is YouTube. I just love all the free content, no matter where you are in age, YouTube is a multi-generational channel that has changed the world and still continues to this day. With 75.000.000 uploads a day, YouTube is the titan of mass video data storage and transmission. From local news to a nieces reception recital, how to videos, documentaries, unique and popular alike, there is a genre for every taste
This is just one of hundreds of apps you can watch for free. One of the catches with the free apps is temporary trials or limited use...they'll ask for account sign in or upgrades to continue using the app. A lot of them just run commercials, offering to remove them if you pay. But not all do this, there are many that just require an account set-up with them. and often you can just use the SSO feature through your Amazon account, meaning you don't have to sign up another account, but use your Amazon account to sign-up.
Top Apps List, keep in mind there are many apps on the network, they can change within your region and location. We couldn't possibly cover or try them all, but we do have a list put together to help get you started in your quest for FREE TV! Just make sure to do some of your own searching to see what you will find. Here is a list of Free Apps. There are hundreds to pick from and try, but these are good general apps that will get you 1000's of shows for free.
3 Good Apps but they'll need pay accounts set-up, Prime, Disney and Netflix
There is also video games!!!
There's a lot of free video games that you play using the Firetvstick remote or connect one of your own(If compatible) for hours of entertainment for free, with some highly addictive and well known titles, and great knock offs. Not all games are free but there is a host of ones that are, so search through the apps, you'll be surprised at what you find.
Different account logins in the Firetvstick browser works great if you have a large family. you can create individual logins and set passwords for parental controls. The Firestick also keeps track of what you have been watching and gives recommendations, it becomes a more personalized experience. This is great for children as when they are in account they won't be surprised by a zombie movie being in the queue...unless of course that is what they have been watching.
There are many more possible things you can do with these little devices, voice commands, security system monitoring, internet browsing, music listening and more. It is a very capable device and definitely worthwhile considering the competitors pricing and offerings. You might even be able to save money by cutting some bills, or at least getting more control over what you pay for. We also didn't touch on jailbreaking a Firestick either, as we wanted to keep it simple for now and not get too technical. There is the possibility of getting a lot more from a Firestick but some of these fall into a bit of a gray area, and your tech skills will have to be on point to keep it running. With the apps that are found in the Amazon store you need very little tech skill and their dependability is great, leaving you with an easier going enjoyable entertainment experience. Thank you for reading this article. We hope your enjoying them. If you want more then make sure to join Starlink Community Forums, where we talk about everything Starlink and more. If you are a Firestick user let us know in the comments below your favorite app to use.