[Tinwarble]

It's not an assumption; just look at the iFixit teardown: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Amazon+Fi...down/23856

Based on the components (even assuming Amazon, being Amazon, gets the best bulk pricing, which may not actually be the case), manufacturing, packaging - that box easily comes close to the $99 price and that doesn't factor in the sunk costs of development specific to the TV portion of FireOS at all.

Whatever the case - even if they make, say, $10 a box off the thing - you can be sure that is not the motivation behind it. They are interesting in selling a box to sell services. It is not a long stretch to imagine that additional development, licensing/IP fees, and associated support costs for features that don't leverage selling their services are not a concern for them.

Making a box more attractive to a community that sideloads an app that completely side-steps their services in favor of "local" media obtained from sources other than Amazon or companies that pay Amazon is not on their radar. This is not pure speculation, it is simple common sense. Understanding what motivates them actually helps this community in the long run.



It's a great little box for $99 USD. It'll be even better if they allow that XBMC on Fire app in the store (which the more I think about it the more I think they will - I mean they still to this day allow an "XBMC" app that is not XBMC but totally rips off the icon and name in to the official store).

The rest of the limitations need to be understood and if it's possible - and if the volunteer community sees enough interest - worked around. Some things like the refresh rate issue probably won't be (unless maybe it gets a stable and easy root). Others, may be.

That's just my opinion though, by all means lobby them to pay to include VC-1 support or better mkv support for pirated media if you must. Stranger things have happened.

Yes, I have seen the iFixit teardown, but I'm not sure what that has to do with the price of tea in China. It is still an assumption because no one but Amazon knows what the cost is, that by definition is an assumption. Is it $1, $10, $20, etc., you nor anyone else can say for sure, so you make the assumption that it's a loss or a small markup.

I'm also unsure why you would assume or state "better mkv support for pirated media", since ALL my media is media that I own. Again, you make another assumption I guess or perhaps that is how you get your media.

As far as side stepping with sideloading, this is a developers tool. A developers tool because Amazon wants as many apps as possible on their device to make it more attractive to their consumers. Some of these apps will make Amazon money others will not (at least not directly), but Amazon probably makes another assumption, that is that even consumers who may use the device for things that doesn't make them money at first they will eventually buy apps or pay for services that they do make money on. This too is common sense and a common marketing strategy.

But being a naysayer and saying that contacting Amazon is a useless endeavor does not help anyone, since saying that they will do nothing about it is just an opinion. I would not presume to think to know what Amazon thinks is in it's best interest or what they will do or want do. However, I do know that it hurts no one to sit down and write an email in an attempt to let Amazon know that they would like to see support for things that the AFTV doesn't not currently support.

Also, as for VC-1, this is part of the email that I just received:

I'm sorry for the trouble you had. This is definitely not, what we want our customers to experience.

Please understand we completely depend on the manufacturer of the devices. And, I completely agree with your feedback. (Which what I stated is that they shouldn't have VC-1 on the main page if it is not supported)

I see that our technical team is already aware of it and are making agreements with the manufacturer of the devices to make it available at the earliest.

I’ve also taken this as a feedback and forwarded it to our Amazon Instant Video team, to make it available at the earliest and also to minimize the chances like these happening again. Customer feedback like yours is very important in helping us continue to improve the experience of our digital service.

Also, they gave me a $5 credit, so not only does it not hurt to contact Amazon, it may pay off for others to do so.