Amazon Fire TV Cube announced

[TheMightyTen]

Well the Fire TV Cube has finally been announced and is available for order in the States (no eta yet for the UK) and as I expected, in terms of hardware it is massively disappointing, it's basically a gen3 Fire TV with a microphone and speaker, there's not even a fast Ethernet port let alone a gigabit one.

This will mean it'll be as poor a one box media streamer as the Fire TV gen3. Vary disappointing and an opportunity missed.

Full Spec:

• Processor: 1.5GHz quad-core ARM 4xCA53
• GPU: Mali450 MP3
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB
• Wi-Fi: Dual-band (802.11a/b/g/n/ac)
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Voice: Far-field and near-field voice support
• Ports: HDMI 2.0a, power, Micro UDB
• Speaker: Built-in
• Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, 2ch stereo, HDMI passthrough up to 5.1
• Up to 2160p (4K Ultra HD) 60fps, HDR10 support

http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-anno...ands-free-alexa-and-ir-home-theater-controls/

http://www.aftvnews.com/10-things-the-amazon-fire-tv-cube-cant-do/

 

[Martynt74]

That is disappointing. I've been holding off picking up a Gen2 Fire TV for ages in anticipation for what i expected to be a really powerful device based on rumours when the last devices were announced.

May as well just upgrade my Gen1 to a Gen 2 now as they seem to be the best option.

 

[jpaul]

I've been holding off picking up a Gen2 Fire TV for ages

what do you want from it ? the roku stick+ is £59 atm, or cheaper on warehouse


more generally - Is there any schedule on fire tv 4 (had looked back at earlier posts but can't find it now)

 

[Martynt74]

Just more power for kodi really and in the menus. I’ve noticed it’s got steadily laggier in the 3 years I’ve owned it.

I always assumed the Roku stick would be as crap as the fire stick.

 

[TheMightyTen]

The Roku streaming stick+ is quite a powerful piece of kit. 4K and Native framerate in apps, HDR10 in youtube & netflix (The Amazon app is still awaiting an update to the same version as the US one to have HDR re-enabled). The Plex app works well. It's biggest downsides are no Kodi and the Amzon App interface is very very dated.

 

[Pottsey]

Well the Fire TV Cube has finally been announced and is available for order in the States (no eta yet for the UK) and as I expected, in terms of hardware it is massively disappointing, it's basically a gen3 Fire TV with a microphone and speaker, there's not even a fast Ethernet port let alone a gigabit one.

This will mean it'll be as poor a one box media streamer as the Fire TV gen3. Vary disappointing and an opportunity missed.

Full Spec:

• Processor: 1.5GHz quad-core ARM 4xCA53
• GPU: Mali450 MP3
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB
• Wi-Fi: Dual-band (802.11a/b/g/n/ac)
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Voice: Far-field and near-field voice support
• Ports: HDMI 2.0a, power, Micro UDB
• Speaker: Built-in
• Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, 2ch stereo, HDMI passthrough up to 5.1
• Up to 2160p (4K Ultra HD) 60fps, HDR10 support

http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-anno...ands-free-alexa-and-ir-home-theater-controls/

http://www.aftvnews.com/10-things-the-amazon-fire-tv-cube-cant-do/

While the GPU/CPU specs are disappointing along with the slow Ethernet port and lack of USB options it does offer number of advantages over gen 2. While I am disappointed with the specs I think I am going to upgrade to it as the sound + image quality will be far better then the Gen 2 unit. Even at 1080p or 720p the cube will have a better picture then a gen 2.

 

[jpaul]

image quality will be far better then the Gen 2 unit. Even at 1080p or 720p

why will it be better ?
will support additional codecs, might have scope for better mpeg noise reduction, and tv should be doing upscaling, anyway

 

[Alpherah]

Looks fairly decent for the cost tbh.
If you want more performance then ATV 4K is the king but you pay for it

 

[Minstadave]

Damn I only just bought a FireTV 4K. Although it looks like the TV part is the same hardware actually.

 

[Pottsey]

why will it be better ?
will support additional codecs, might have scope for better mpeg noise reduction, and tv should be doing upscaling, anyway

Gen 2 Fire TV can only output at RGB limited colour range of 16-235 with 8bit colour. The gen 3 and Cube can do 12bit colour output and I believe both can also do the full dynamic colour range of 0-255 or alternatively you can pick YcbCr.

So even without HDR and without 4k the gen3 and cube should provide a much better looking image oin 720 and1080p content plus if you have Atmos peakers you end up with a better image and better sound.

 

[Flibster]

Just picked up a Gen2 with voice remote and game controller locally for £35 Come home to see this has been announced.
Overall, not bothered. If it was going on a 4k screen, then yes I'd be tempted. But I've already got an echo the room this is going in and it's an old 42" plasma screen.

I do like the design of it, would be nice to have other colour options though like with the Echo devices. Probably won't be long before some skins appear for it.

 

[jpaul]

Gen 2 Fire TV can only output at RGB limited colour range of 16-235 with 8bit colour. The gen 3 and Cube can do 12bit colour output and I believe both can also do the full dynamic colour range of 0-255

not particularly convinced -
is there 10 bit 720/1080 material out there ? or just downscaled/pirated 4k material.. (star trek series was natively 10bit 1080 hdr but other than that?)
equally, the full or limited range - most tv's adjust if it is limited/full range, and, had not realised, but blu-rays are encoded with limited range.
..so the new cube will just expand BR to full and send that to the tv instead ...but picture will look the same.


Not sure if the catchup programs on all platforms have similar bugs (maybe it is the same image) but the ITV player on Roku, looses audio sync after the mandatory adverts ...
does it do that on all platforms ?

 

[Pottsey]

on my

not particularly convinced -
is there 10 bit 720/1080 material out there ? or just downscaled/pirated 4k material.. (star trek series was natively 10bit 1080 hdr but other than that?)
equally, the full or limited range - most tv's adjust if it is limited/full range, and, had not realised, but blu-rays are encoded with limited range.
..so the new cube will just expand BR to full and send that to the tv instead ...but picture will look the same.


Not sure if the catchup programs on all platforms have similar bugs (maybe it is the same image) but the ITV player on Roku, looses audio sync after the mandatory adverts ...
does it do that on all platforms ?

Not sure what you mean the cube will just expand BR to full. Unless I missed something Blurays are not a factor what matters is gaming and streaming mostly from Netflix and Prime. Plus I was under the impression YCrCb is better then RGB limited? Wont prime and Netflix benefit from the better colour output?

I use ITV+ on my Fire so no adverts or audio problems and ITV+ is higher resolution.

 

[jpaul]

You had said 720/1080 material would be better - I am just querying what 10bit/full range 720/1080 material exists.

agree gaming will be better, but equally, does the cube have the processing power for rendering a good 10bit / hdr 'action' game
(maybe they have benchmarks of the increased gaming performance versus gen 2 fire tv?)

for netflix/prime in 4k hdr the 10bits is essential, and if they downgrade to 1080p hdr /10bits when the network bandwidth is not available that would benefit a 1080 media.

 

[Pottsey]

You had said 720/1080 material would be better - I am just querying what 10bit/full range 720/1080 material exists.

agree gaming will be better, but equally, does the cube have the processing power for rendering a good 10bit / hdr 'action' game
(maybe they have benchmarks of the increased gaming performance versus gen 2 fire tv?)

for netflix/prime in 4k hdr the 10bits is essential, and if they downgrade to 1080p hdr /10bits when the network bandwidth is not available that would benefit a 1080 media.

Not sure if there is a master list of which content works at 10bit colour at 1080p I only know some of it does. Also that when I used to steam Netflix from my PC onto the same screen I now use my fire TV, full or YcbCr looked far better then limited.

 

[Schizo]

I will be getting 2 of these for sure,great idea to have 2 items in one box.