Fire stick

[abunaitoo]

I want to get a amazon fire stick for my living room TV.
Hoping to "cut the cable".
It needs to plug into the HDMI from the DSL.
I have a computer close by, with an open HDMI port.
Can I just go from the computer to the TV????
Will the computer have to be on to use the fire stick???
I don't use wifi.

[Rhys79]

The fire stick would connect directly to an HDMI port on your TV. If your TV does not have HDMI, you should probably upgrade your TV. You cannot plug the fire stick into your computer, does not work that way. They are WIFI only, so if you do not have WIFI from your DSL modem or router, it will not work.

[Greeves]

I want to get a amazon fire stick for my living room TV.
Hoping to "cut the cable".
It needs to plug into the HDMI from the DSL.
I have a computer close by, with an open HDMI port.
Can I just go from the computer to the TV????
Will the computer have to be on to use the fire stick???
I don't use wifi.

Optimally you would want to plug the Firestick into an HDMI port on the TV. If your only choice is to plug the Firestick into a computer and computer is connected to TV then Yes your computer would need to be on.

[Larry Gibson]

I believe my Amazon Firestick works off of wifi.....

The adds on some lead you to believe it magically give tv connection w/o cable or anything else. However,, they need wifi.

[MUSTANG]

Incorrect on Amazon Firestick needing WiFi. I have three Firesticks for Living Room and Guest Bedrooms. Each has a power cable that goes to a box; which has an Ethernet Port. So...... That little box provides either the WIFI connection; or a connection to ethernet and ones Router where the Internet comes in over the Telephone line or comes in over the Satellite Link (Starlink in my case). That little box then has the Firestick plugged into it and a connector for the HDMI cable.

Some of the Newest Amazon Firestick packages may no longer come with that connector. It is still available so one can use the Ethernet connection to the Home Router and bypass WIFI connection. The amazon listing for the box is: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Ethern...zcF9tdGY&psc=1

Last week our 48" Vizio TV (about 10 years old) went Belly Button up. Replaced it with the recent version of same flat screen TV 50" ONN Vizio TV. It is a bit frustrating as it wants to be "IN CHARGE" compare to the original Vizio Flat Screen. Now have to use the Tuner that came with the recent Vizor TV navigate the screen and get to the Amazon Firestick.

[poppy42]

If your TV has no HDMI port, they used to be an adapter that allowed you to attach a fire stick directly to the cable input. Don’t know if it’s still made anymore. Haven’t used it in years.

[Larry Gibson]

My firestick has a power cord and HDMI plug in directly into the TC. You have to connect to your wifi to use it. Didn't say it needed cable, internet or satellite. It just needs to connect to your wifi however you get it.

[MUSTANG]

If your TV has no HDMI port, they used to be an adapter that allowed you to attach a fire stick directly to the cable input. Don’t know if it’s still made anymore. Haven’t used it in years.

They are still available - Like a HDMI to USB: https://www.amazon.com/Reborn-Adapte...35&sr=8-1&th=1

or - an HDI to RGB adapter: https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Compa...s%2C251&sr=8-2

[walnut1704]

I'm sure it's possible, but it would be far easier to just connect a WiFi router to your modem and hook the Firestick up through that. Then you could do any number of things, like a Tablo.

[Larry Gibson]

Be advised with the fire stick you'll still have to subscribe [pay] for the premium channels such as Netflix, Hulu, Paramount +, etc. They all require a login and password.

[GhostHawk]

In the living room I have a fire tv cube that has a lan port. Gets by without wifi just fine.
I suspect your modem has at least some wifi, check with your provider to be sure.

[Froogal]

You can have internet without Wi-Fi, but you cannot have Wi-Fi without first having internet.

[walnut1704]

You can have internet without Wi-Fi, but you cannot have Wi-Fi without first having internet.

You can have WiFi without internet. It just becomes a local network. If my internet goes out thr wifi network is still live.

[flyer1]

I have used a fire stick for many years. After Amazon blocked side loading apps, I changed to an ONN stick so I could side load apps. The procedure to do this is at troypoint.com.

[Eddie Southgate]

Incorrect on Amazon Firestick needing WiFi. I have three Firesticks for Living Room and Guest Bedrooms. Each has a power cable that goes to a box; which has an Ethernet Port. So...... That little box provides either the WIFI connection; or a connection to ethernet and ones Router where the Internet comes in over the Telephone line or comes in over the Satellite Link (Starlink in my case). That little box then has the Firestick plugged into it and a connector for the HDMI cable.

Some of the Newest Amazon Firestick packages may no longer come with that connector. It is still available so one can use the Ethernet connection to the Home Router and bypass WIFI connection. The amazon listing for the box is: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Ethern...zcF9tdGY&psc=1

Last week our 48" Vizio TV (about 10 years old) went Belly Button up. Replaced it with the recent version of same flat screen TV 50" ONN Vizio TV. It is a bit frustrating as it wants to be "IN CHARGE" compare to the original Vizio Flat Screen. Now have to use the Tuner that came with the recent Vizor TV navigate the screen and get to the Amazon Firestick.

You do not have to connect it to your WIFI router with a cable but it does require you to have a WIFI router and service in your house. Turn your internet off and you will find out very quickly that your TV and firestick both require a WIFI connection. They do not trap signals on their own. I have 3 ROKU devices and one Firestick, all quit working when the internet goes down . If you have a TV with Roku built in you don't need a stick of any kind unless you just want any of the added Amazon features that come with a Firestick.

[abunaitoo]

I think I got it.
I have DSL, so I'd need a splitter to plug into the TV.
Then I should be able to get it to work without the HDMI.
I think.

[.429&H110]

I have the ONN dongle from Walmort, was $30 iirc
I have not paid for an app ever.

I need to remove and replace smartube with the upgrade

Might dump Ditch Network, I only watch prerecorded stuff to skip commercials
And sirius fm is neat

[Good Cheer]

It's enough to make a fella do crossword puzzles instead of watching television.

We're threatening to revamp our provider and our equipment.
First though researching the capabilities on what equipment we have.
It's needlessly complicated.

[Rapier]

Well DSL is a phone line connection. Just cable by another name. I recently switched to fiber optic cable, but, a huge but, 90% of what they said was not true. Like it was below ground, yeah, to the telephone pole, then it was strung above ground and got knocked out four times in one week. Then you can cancel any time, I have been trying to cancel for two months, no luck so far. Went back to Starlink. Worse part is this Fiber optic program is part of the Rural Communications Program, another worthless *** goverment program.

[ulav8r]

I've been on rural fiber internet for 2 plus years with two interruptions. Well satisfied. Using a firestick I can access any free app I want to download and any pay provider that I want to pay for. Had to have one firestick replaced after it quit working properly.