[ktrdsl23]

Amazon Fire TV - Released 4/2/14
XBMC Wiki for Amazon Fire TV

Technical Specs:
Processor - Qualcomm Krait 300, quad-core to 1.7 Ghz
GPU - Qualcomm Adreno 320
Storage - 8 GB internal
Memory - 2 GB LPDDR2 @ 533 MHZ
Size - 4.5" x 4.5" x 0.7" (115 mm x 115 mm x 17.5 mm)
Weight - 9.9 oz (281 grams)
Full Technical Specs
List of supported codecs and containers

Instructions for installing XBMC on the Fire TV

Gotham Build
Choose Android (ARM)

Helix Test Build
Nightlies

Root Instructions
How to Root with Pictures
Turn off Auto-Update
adbFire - Gui based root method

Other Useful Links
XBMC as default but still have access to KFTV (Amazon) Launcher

Remote Functionality:
Alternative keymaps for Fire TV remote
Flirc integration
CEC - General Instructions

Current Applications:
XBMC, Amazon VOD, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle, YouTube, Showtime Anytime, Watch ESPN, Bloomberg TV, Vevo, Pandora and more

[skatastic]

Amazon is currently announcing their new streaming device. The hardware sounds pretty good; quad-core processor, 2gb of RAM and a dedicated GPU. I wonder if we will eventually be able to get XBMC to run on it.

Here's a link:
The Verge

Looks like it'll be running android so it should be able to at some point.

[drhill]

24p,DTS, and MPEG2 support is the question for me. 3d too I suppose but MVC still isn't supported.

[Starstream]

It's a Qualcomm chip of some sort, probably 600 series as the Amazon webpage mentions the Adreno 320 series GPU.

Very interesting box, certainly one of the more commercially polished android forks/stb's, never understood why Google didn't just do this outright instead of the botched efforts to date.

XBMC runs on kindles which use FireOS but who knows what other extra security measures could be in place on this if any, it's a wait and see as I'm sure plenty of people will be dissecting it.

@drhill Internet media boxes like this one and it's companions Roku/AppleTV typically do not care about such things, I wouldn't expect those kind of features on this.

[skrowl]

Came here just to see if there would be any support for this device (I'm looking to upgrade from my aging Ouya)

Specs look promising.

Size 4.5" x 4.5" x 0.7" (115 mm x 115 mm x 17.5 mm)
Weight 9.9 oz (281 grams)
SOC Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 8064
Processor Qualcomm Krait 300, quad-core to 1.7 Ghz
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 320
Storage 8 GB internal
Memory 2 GB LPDDR2 @ 533 MHZ
Wi-Fi Connectivity Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO) for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard Wi-Fi. 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 with support for the following profiles: HID, HFP 1.6, SPP
Cloud Storage Free cloud storage for all Amazon content
Ports 5.5 mm DC Jack, Type A HDMI 1.4b output, w/HDCP, Optical Audio (TOSLINK), 10/100 Ethernet, USB 2.0 Type A
Audio Support for Dolby Digital Plus, 5.1 surround sound, 2ch Stereo and HDMI audio pass through up to 7.1
Content Formats Supported Video: H.263, H.264, MPEG4-SP, VC1
Audio AAC, AC-3, E-AC-3, HE-A, PCM, MP3
Photo JPG, PNG
Output Resolution Supported 720p and 1080p up to 60fps

HDMI 1.4b, but no 4K support?

EDIT: Mine will be here Friday. I'll try sideloading latest Gotham and report back if I have any success

[tential]

Came here just to see if there would be any support for this device (I'm looking to upgrade from my aging Ouya)

Specs look promising.

Size 4.5" x 4.5" x 0.7" (115 mm x 115 mm x 17.5 mm)
Weight 9.9 oz (281 grams)
SOC Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 8064
Processor Qualcomm Krait 300, quad-core to 1.7 Ghz
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 320
Storage 8 GB internal
Memory 2 GB LPDDR2 @ 533 MHZ
Wi-Fi Connectivity Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO) for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard Wi-Fi. 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 with support for the following profiles: HID, HFP 1.6, SPP
Cloud Storage Free cloud storage for all Amazon content
Ports 5.5 mm DC Jack, Type A HDMI 1.4b output, w/HDCP, Optical Audio (TOSLINK), 10/100 Ethernet, USB 2.0 Type A
Audio Support for Dolby Digital Plus, 5.1 surround sound, 2ch Stereo and HDMI audio pass through up to 7.1
Content Formats Supported Video: H.263, H.264, MPEG4-SP, VC1
Audio AAC, AC-3, E-AC-3, HE-A, PCM, MP3
Photo JPG, PNG
Output Resolution Supported 720p and 1080p up to 60fps

HDMI 1.4b, but no 4K support?

4K support on any Android device would be a joke. The hardware isn't fast enough to run the android interface at 4K. I don't doubt that SOME aspects of 4K could work (Some 4K encodes maybe depending on the capabilities of the Qualcomm chip they used) but to seriously expect real 4K support at this stage of Android life cycle is rediculous.

For Amazon, it's best to not support 4K than to say they do then have users find the 1000 instances that I know 4K won't actually work on the FireTV. It's a $100 device. 4K gaming isn't a possibility, 4K interface would be way too sluggish, and 4K movies would only work in such a small set of circumstances it wouldn't be worth it. So no. No 4K.

Very interested in seeing if this device will run XBMC though. If it does I'll definitely pick one up and my search will be over.

Edit: I think what would have made this box that much better would have been something similar to the Xbox One's HDMI passthrough feature that allows you to plug your cable box into the Fire TV. Imagine watching live TV, using your Amazon controller/remote to navigate, and being able to use voice commands. Switching quickly from Live TV to XBMC on the Fire TV. For XBMC users who use a PVR ya we seen this before, but for average Joe switching from Live TV instantly to the Amazon Prime services would be amazing.

[rapalax]

My biggest concern is if it will be able to support the Audio Passthrough properly for DTS (this is tough to get working on android based devices).

[ktrdsl23]

Why only 10/100 Ethernet rather than 10/100/1000? Also a bluetooth remote doesn't make it easy to adapt to universal remote systems...

[BORIStheBLADE]

While I'm interested if it would be able to play local content off the USB or stream with XBMC I won't hold my breath. I think I'll keep waiting for Pivos next box. Hopefully it comes out soon..

[tential]

My biggest concern is if it will be able to support the Audio Passthrough properly for DTS (this is tough to get working on android based devices).

The specs say working HDMI Audio Passthrough.

[awp0]

Why only 10/100 Ethernet rather than 10/100/1000? Also a bluetooth remote doesn't make it easy to adapt to universal remote systems...

My guess is that any gigabit-related use cases are not consistent with what Amazon has in mind for how this thing is meant to be used.

[sherl0k]

anyone notice the screenshot? looks awfully a lot like XBMC.



Sure they didn't fork the project?

[sams0n]

if they get hbo go i will buy one. my roku is old and has a terrible looking interface. if you guys ever get xbmc working on it that would make it even better.

[sadboy]

Why only 10/100 Ethernet rather than 10/100/1000? Also a bluetooth remote doesn't make it easy to adapt to universal remote systems...

My guess is that any gigabit-related use cases are not consistent with what Amazon has in mind for how this thing is meant to be used.

Yes, it's just a (sensible) cost saving measure. 100Mbps is more than enough for Bluray quality streaming, and this poor little cpu would probably not be able to do anything useful and keep up with a Gbps data stream anyway.

[elmerohueso]

The FireTV app store does list Plex, so I see not reason XBMC wouldn't work. You should be able to enable installations from "Unknown Sources" just like the Kindle Fire.
I'll have mine tomorrow, so we'll see.