Amazon Fire TV

Devices

Android

Amazon Fire TV

The Amazon Fire TV is an Android-based (Amazon Fire OS) set-top-box that contains a very powerful ARM processor (that can even handle some of the more heavy XBMC skins).

Installing

Basics on installing/sideloading any Android app onto the Amazon Fire: https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/asb/app-install.html

Android apks: http://mirrors.xbmc.org/releases/android/arm/

Test builds

Our Android devs are trying to get hardware video decoding working on the Amazon Fire TV. Here's how you can help!

1. Download and install this version of XBMC: 4-4-14 eb4e0ea <- Check this page often, as this URL will be updated with new builds as they become available.
2. Open XBMC.
3. Play a video, such as this one.
4. Plug in a USB keyboard and press O to bring up the codec info screen.
5. Record a video with your phone/camera of your TV as it's playing the video and upload it to YouTube.
6. Report what happened and the YouTube video URL to this forum thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=191109

Windows

1. Download the android SDK https://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html?hl=sk
2. Unpack the SDK to any location using 7Zip or windows Unzipping utility
3. Download the Frodo APK for Android from XBMC http://xbmc.org/download/
4. Make it easy on yourself and move the APK download into the "platform-tools" folder inside the folder where you unpacked the Android SDK (ie. C:\Users\admin\Downloads\adt-bundle-windows-x86_64-20140321\sdk\platform-tools\ )
5. Inside the platform tools folder is the ADB Utility you will be using. Click the "Start" menu and type CMD into the search box, then run the cmd.exe when it pops up in the search.
6. Navigate to the "platform-tools" folder (ie C:\Users\admin\Downloads\adt-bundle-windows-x86_64-20140321\sdk\platform-tools\) This location depends on where YOU put it.
7. Go to your Amazon Fire TV and use the remote to navigate to SETTINGS -> SYSTEM -> DEVELOPER OPTIONS -> ADB DEBUGGING and click to turn it to "On"
8. Now Navigate on your Amazon FireTV to SETTINGS -> SYSTEM -> ABOUT -> NETWORK and write down the IP address for the FireTV from this screen.
9. Now go back to your computer and run the commands from the Amazon instructions in the CMD cammand line window (https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/asb/app-install.html). You don't need eclipse, just use the command line as follows:

   >adb kill-server

   >adb start-server

   >adb connect TYPE THE IP ADDRESS YOU WROTE DOWN HERE

   >adb install xbmc-12.3-Frodo-armeabi-v7a.apk

10. In the window you will see the command install the APK file and finish with the word "success"
11. Now go back to your Amazon FireTV and navigate with the remote to SETTINGS -> APPLICATIONS -> XBMC it should be at the bottom of the list. Click Launch Application and it will startup.

Basic specs

Known issues

• Hardware video decoding is not currently working. This is being looked into.
• The Fire remote control doesn't work when using the on-screen-keyboard?

Random notes

Feel free to place various notes, tips, and links here. As this section of the wiki gets more organized, those notes will be properly sorted. Consider this like a dumping ground for when you're not sure where to put something.

• The USB port seems to work with keyboards, mice, and other common USB devices.

Links

• XBMC forum thread about the Amazon Fire TV: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=191109