What is Firestick and How Does It Work [2023]

Last Updated on 6 months by Amelia Johansson

Purchasing a streaming device isn’t an easy task when we have multiple choices like Android Box, Chromecast, Roku and Firestick. So, in today’s article guide, we are going to talk about in-depth what is firestick and how it works.

After reading the whole guide I am sure you understand how worthy it is to buy a Fire TV Stick instead of other devices. I am personally using it for several years and I can confidently say this is the only the best option available for movie lovers.

Even though I also bought some other devices but I can’t feel comfortable as I can feel with this. However, I also made a complete comparison between Roku VS Firestick which you can also check. Ok, so without wasting any further time let’s see what is this device.

What is Firestick

Firestick is a Streaming device that is sold by Amazon, it is used to stream movies & TV shows from various apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Hulu & Sling TV. With Amazon Fire TV Stick we can also watch Live TV channels without connecting to a cable network.

It was introduced in back 2014 and released in the first generation. After getting a good response from users they launch another product and named it Fire TV Stick 2nd generation. This device also got fame because it comes with too many changes like they added an Alexa Voice Command enabled Remote and a completely changed user interface.

After this in 2016 Amazon launched Firestick 4K which fulfil all the problems that were user-facing. Now it is being used by many people around the world because it offers 4K video playback at the rate of 60 frames per second. Even though it comes with 2GB of RAM for a lag-free and smooth experience and also includes 8GB of internal storage to download more apps.

How Does a Firestick Work

Firestick works on a FireOS which is based on the Android Operating system. The latest fire TV 4K comes with FireOS 6 which is equal to Android 7.1 Nougat.

Since it is based on the world’s famous Operating System no doubt we have millions of apps already developed for this. It has Amazon Firestick to download apps while other third-party apps can be downloaded to stream movies, or TV shows free of cost.

Firestick is a plug and plays device all you need to do is connect with HDMI in the TV using the USB port. Plug the adapter and power up the stick now turn on the TV and just connect to the WiFi. Here you will see the setup menu to connect remotely using Bluetooth.

This is a very handy device when you turn it on it will ask to pair the remote so you can do it by holding the Home button for 20 seconds. After the remote is paired it will open another window to sign in to your account so just follow all the steps you see there and here you can see the home screen of the Fire TV Stick.

At this time you will notice some of the apps are already installed but what about your favourite apps? Well! we can download them from the Amazon Store, for this just navigate to the above menu and click on search. In the search box type the name of the app you want to download, now click on Get and the app will be automatically installed.

Is There a Monthly Fee For Amazon Fire Stick

Firestick doesn’t come with any monthly fee because it is just a streaming device that let you run Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu and Amazon Prime on a simple TV. However, you will be only charged when you purchase the premium membership of any streaming application.

There are hundreds of apps that provide users with the latest and newly released movies, TV shows, Live TV channels, Sports and other sorts of entertainment. Some of these apps are totally free to use while some of them can be used only when purchasing their subscription plans. However, there are also apps that provide the same content but with too many advertisements.

Without using any of these apps Firestick is totally useless as it doesn’t have any free content just like Roku. But don’t worry there is a solution for this as we can jailbreak Fire TV Stick and then sideload 3rd-party apps. Many apps provide movies, web series, sports, and comedy free of cost but these are not available on Amazon Store so we have to sideload them.

What You Get With The Fire TV Stick

When you purchase Amazon Firestick from their website or from any 3rd-party dealer. You will get a box that includes Fire TV Stick, Remote Control, HDMI Extender, Power Adapter, a USB cable, 2 AAA batteries and a Guide Book.

This dongle is powered with:

• 2GB of RAM
• 8GB of Internal Storage
• MediaTek 4x ARM Cortex-A53 1.7GHz Processor
• 802.11ac dual-band WiFi
• A Dedicated GPU card.

This is a portable device we can carry it anywhere so when you are on vacation you can still watch live TV in the hotel. Just plug this dongle with Hotel TV and then pair the remote, here you are ready to stream all your installed apps.

To Firestick for the first time, it is recommended to sign in with the account that you used to purchase it from Amazon. However, if it is purchased from any 3rd-party dealer then just click on create a new account and then you will be able to use it.

What is the difference between Firestick and FireTV Cube?

Now here comes another confusion as the FireTV device comes in two different shapes, sizes as well as names. So, the FireTV cube is the flagship because it has advanced features like it works similar to Google Home. FireTV Cube is powered with Alexa voice command, you can ask anything like turn on Lights, or check the weather even if the TV is Off.

This feature is not available in Firestick as you have to press the Microphone button in case to ask Alexa. Even though both are supported by the 4K Video playback and also have Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos. However, this also comes with a button to mute listening of Alexa just by pressing the dedicated button in Fire TV Cube.

Fire TV Stick comes with 2GB of Ram and 8GB of Internal Storage while Fire TV Cube has 2GB of ram along with 16GB of storage. There is also a difference as it costs you around $119.99 while the 4K Fire Stick can be purchased for just $49.99.

Reason Why Do You Need Firestick

There could be various reasons for buying a Firestick device for you. Some of the major reasons that should be considered are given below. After reading them you will understand how worthy is this stick.

Reason 1: Let’s suppose you have a normal TV at your home where you can only watch movies from USB or from the cable connection. But what you just fed up with these heavy Cable bills and you don’t need them anymore? Here at this place, we have this Fire TV Stick as it doesn’t require to have a cable network at all. Because we can still watch our favourite TV shows by downloading IPTV apps or Live TV Channels.

Reason 2: This is just a small size of portable Stick so you can carry it anywhere on a vacation or even a friend’s house. So, whenever you connect it to another TV it will show all the content that is downloaded on it which saves a lot of time and we can get our favourite applications anywhere in the world.

Reason 3: It is affordable because when we purchase Smart TV it costs us $$$ but this amazing dongle comes for only $49.99 which is totally amazing. Even though this doesn’t charge you monthly until you purchase a membership plan for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sling TV or even Hulu.

Reason 4: The last reason why I just fell in love with the Fire TV Stick is the choice of applications. Because it is an Android-based device means there are already thousands of apps built out there. Instead of this, we can also download various free applications to watch Live TV, Movies, TV Shows and even other networks totally free of cost.

How To Watch Free Movies on Firestick

As we already know that Amazon Firestick helps us to stream from various apps that costs us money. But also there are some free apps available on the internet that help us to watch everything totally free of cost.

These apps are not available on Amazon Store so we have to jailbreak Fire TV Stick to install them.

TeaTV

One of my favourite applications of all the time as with TeaTV we have access to thousands of free Movies, TV Shows, Web-Series and other entertainment content. TeaTV doesn’t have its own database but it collects links from various sources however it also supports the integration of Real-Debrid. It doesn’t come with any pricing plans or never it asks for a donation.

Even though we do not face any type of advertisements here which means no disturbance at all. The app is well-maintained and has a nice user interface which is remote-friendly. It various categories to easily find relevant content or directly find a movie using the search menu.

How To Install TeaTV On Firestick

Cinema HD

If you are a lover of movies or documentaries then you probably know the name of the famous app called Terrarium TV. So, the Cinema HD apk is the alternative to it, not only with user interface but with many features as well. It offers users a lot of content that includes movies, TV shows, Documentaries, Comedies, and so on.

This could be the best option for the fans of Marvel, DC or other cinematic as they have a separate category for these movies. Just like TeaTV, we cannot download it from the Amazon Store so that’s why we need to sideload it. Don’t worry as I have already written a complete guide on how to install Cinema HD Apk on Firestick.

Kodi

The last app that I want to share with you is Kodi Media Player, the old name is XMBC. This is an open-source app and is no doubt free to use. Just like the above two apps, Kodi doesn’t have movies or TV shows on its own so you might be wondering why I am listing it here. Is that right?

So, the answer to this question is that Kodi allows users to install Addons to watch their favourite content. There are many best Addons available to download totally free of cost, they even don’t show annoying ads while streaming. These Addons can help you to watch everything like Free Movies, TV shows, Games, Music and so on.

How To Install Kodi on Firestick 4K

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Have you read the whole guide and understand what is Firestick and How it works? But after that, you still have some questions that you want to ask.

Well! this frequently asked questions list will surely help to easily get relevant answers. However, if this doesn’t work then feel free to ask in the comment section.

Do I Need a Firestick For a Smart TV?

No, because if you already have a Smart TV at your home then you don’t need this stick anymore as it does everything that a Smart TV does. The perspective of making the Fire TV Stick is to make a normal TV into a Smart TV.

Can You Watch Normal TV On Amazon Fire Stick?

Yes, of course, Fire TV Stick is a separate device that supports an HDMI port so to access the content on Firestick simply change the input menu to HDMI. However, to use it as a normal TV you can also change it from the input menu and select TV instead of HDMI.

Is Netflix Free With Firestick?

No, Netflix isn’t free with the Firestick as it is a separate app so to steam content from it you have to purchase the premium membership. However, if the question is downloading an app then Yes it is totally free to download.

Do I Need a Firestick For Each TV?

Yes, Firestick is a plug & play device which means we can use it on as many TVs as you want. But if you are asking to use it on two TVs at a time then Answer is no. You can even carry this dongle with you on a vacation and play it on Hotel TVs.

Does Amazon Fire Stick need an Internet connection?

Yes, Amazon Firestick recommends users have an active internet connection in the case to access its content. Because it comes with various applications that work only on the internet so make sure to have WiFi at your home before purchasing.

Is a Firestick worth it?

Yes, Firestick is worth buying because it converts a normal TV into a Smart TV. It has advanced features that we get for a few bucks. Many other streaming devices are already available but it is quite easy to use and has the best user interface.

Conclusion

This is the complete guide on what is Firestick and how it works, I hope you understand everything about this awesome streaming device. There is no doubt that it is the best device that converts a normal TV into a smart TV and helps us to watch our favourite TV shows or Web-Series directly on the TV.

It also comes at an affordable price and provides video playback at 4K in 60 frames per second. Even though this is very easy to set up because it is a plug-and-play device. This can be used on any device and because of its small size we can also carry it while going on vacation.

I hope you find this guide helpful and that the information provided above helps you to understand this device. If you have any suggestions or want to ask a question feel free to write to me below, your reviews are appreciated.