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Stupidly bought a FireTV Stick with the intention of putting it in the offpsrings room so they can watch stuff from my Plex server in their own rooms.
Installed Plex, it wants to activate, £3.99, fair enough, bought it, it then says I can't watch stuff until I activate it, so I try again and it just errors..
Plex forums are about as much use as a fart in a cullender, so ended up here..
Any root or custom ROM options for the stick so it actually becomes useful?
Same LAN network correct?
I've noticed that if Plex uses a WAN address it behaves differently and nags for money. If your on a local network and you've attached to the correct server than you should be good to go.
Maybe you've already done this but make sure you are connected to the correct server and on your local network. And also if the content is HD make sure you are using h.264 encoding. I've noticed the firetv stick struggles with MPEG2 HD.
I've got my Plex server locally with a static as well as the FireTV stick having a static IP, the problem lies in the fact that you cant get Plex to work for more than a minute, says it needs activating, charges you the £3.99 then when you try to play something it again says it needs activating, try to activate it a second time and it errors...
Might have to go down the sideloading Kodi or similar although I would prefer something that just launched straight in rather than having to go into Settings, Apps, Manage Apps then fire kodu up from there, hence the request for some sort of custom ROM...
Trig0r said:
I've got my Plex server locally with a static as well as the FireTV stick having a static IP, the problem lies in the fact that you cant get Plex to work for more than a minute, says it needs activating, charges you the £3.99 then when you try to play something it again says it needs activating, try to activate it a second time and it errors...
Might have to go down the sideloading Kodi or similar although I would prefer something that just launched straight in rather than having to go into Settings, Apps, Manage Apps then fire kodu up from there, hence the request for some sort of custom ROM...
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I've never had that problem, ate you in the uk? Works gangbusters in the us. I'm also plexpass, so maybe that's why...
Trig0r said:
I've got my Plex server locally with a static as well as the FireTV stick having a static IP, the problem lies in the fact that you cant get Plex to work for more than a minute, says it needs activating, charges you the £3.99 then when you try to play something it again says it needs activating, try to activate it a second time and it errors...
Might have to go down the sideloading Kodi or similar although I would prefer something that just launched straight in rather than having to go into Settings, Apps, Manage Apps then fire kodu up from there, hence the request for some sort of custom ROM...
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Click to collapse
I can't say much about plex. I tried it. It was good to very good, depending on my device, but kodi is better in my opinion. However, if that tedious navigation in getting to the app is really your only issue, you can use llama to put it right on the recent section, or boot right to it. Adbfire makes the setup simple. There's also firestarter that allows side loaded apps on the home screen.
I've been using Plex for years and I'm pretty regular on the forums, and I agree, the issue with the repeated activation requirement doesn't seem to fix itself. Here is the most complete thread on the subject (http://forums.plex.tv/discussion/151349/app-already-purchased-but-still-prompting-for-activation/p1), I seem to remember that the main suggestions are (1) do a factory reset on the stick, (2) contact Amazon, and (3) PM one of the Plex devs with your amazon account name and maybe the receipt info from the app purchase (I don't remember the details of that). Like ldeveraux I have a Plexpass membership, that seems to provide the magic to avoid the issue (but I'm not promoting the purchase, the price now is kind of high).
Kodi+PlexBMC+Amber Skin works very well and looks similar to Plex Home Theater, sideloading is pretty easy (http://sideloadfiretv.com/sideload-apps-amazon-fire-tv-windows), and I think it's just a better solution to avoid any issues with surround sound.
Firestarter (http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/themes-apps/app-root-home-launcher-replacement-app-t3118135) is an awesome app to easily access your sideloaded apps.
Ahh, llama might sort me out then if I can boot the stick straight to Kodi/XBMC, dont have a Plexpass here which might be why its working for you guys and not me..
I apologize for being so frantic, but I'm really confused. I've seen things about using Kingo Root on a certain firmware and am worried my device will update on me. How can I get Kingo Root? Thanks so much!
Fire OS 5.0.5
FlashTheFox said:
I apologize for being so frantic, but I'm really confused. I've seen things about using Kingo Root on a certain firmware and am worried my device will update on me. How can I get Kingo Root? Thanks so much!
Fire OS 5.0.5
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If you are on OS 5.0.5 you can root it however after the procedure just disable updates and under any circumstances do not try to replace it with SU. (If you are looking for version 4.1 just scroll down to the bottom of first post however vs 4.6 should work as well).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/one-click-root-tool-android-2-x-5-0-t3107461
bula1ca said:
If you are on OS 5.0.5 you can root it however after the procedure just disable updates and under any circumstances do not try to replace it with SU. (If you are looking for version 4.1 just scroll down to the bottom of first post however vs 4.6 should work as well).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/one-click-root-tool-android-2-x-5-0-t3107461
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Thank you so much. Could you explain the procedure briefly? How do I get the .apk on my Fire TV Stick, and what do I use to install it?
Here you will find a good guide how to do it...
--> http://www.aftvnews.com/start/
in theory could i flash rom on firestick with no root to cause boot loop on 5.2.1.1 to cancel out the not in my house system app and then run kingo pc to gain root and install the 5.0.5 firmware. im just wondering dont really want to try this my self with no recovery
On a related note, I just bought a FireTV stick yesterday. The "virgin" FireTV stick is doing the same thing as my Fire TV 2: It is requiring me to connect to a network before I can check the installed O/S version.
If I let the FireTV Stick connect to the internet, will it automatically upgrade to the latest unrootable O/S v5.2.1.1 before I can get to a menu to see my O/S version?
What are my options to root & block updates on my new FTVS if I don't know what O/S version is installed?
@¿GotJazz?:
The answer is to pull the plug on your wireless router as soon as the authentication gets through. Blocking amazons update servers also blocks authentication - afair. You could also change the Wifi Password beforehand (to something short preferably) - and then switch it back to the old one - once you "hot" unplugged the Wifi router after the authentication goes through (and youve turned off the fire tv stick). That way the stick won't autoconnect the next time its turned on.
Also - Amazons firmware updates up until now have been incremental - so it is not uncommon for a FIre TV stick to have to update several times in a row - with several update packages - to get on the latest firmware version. This gives you a little security buffer - at least potentially/theoretically.
Thanks, @harlekinwashere - I followed your advice as best as I could. I had my router set so that Amazon updates were visible, and I saw the Fire Stick check for updates. After it checked on updates, I temporarily turned off my WiFi on my router, and then reconfigured my router to block Amazon updates via OpenDNS.
My FireTV Stick is at O/S v5.0.5.1. I don't know if I should upgrade or not, but I did block updates on the Stick via Method #2 here.
I haven't found any recent FTV-S ROMs or TWRP yet, but at least I can hold off Amazon updates for now until somebody finds a solution.
From what I have seen, the only rooting solution for now on the FTV-S 5.0.5.1 is KingoRoot, correct?
Cheers,
¿GJ?
Correct - the only (software) rooting solutions available for the Fire TV Stick - ever - were either King Root or Kingo Root. There was a HW rooting method before - but it required some very precise soldering with extra thin wires and...
Kingoroot and Kingroot arent optimal either - as they do act as bloatware from time to time - so the first time I rooted my Fire TV stick, was when the tutorial to "replace Kingoroot/Kingroot" with SuperSU popped up.
I froze my update schedule on firmware 5.0.5 - as I very much enjoy the features of Firestarter ("force exit app", or delete app data for a certain app are crucial every day tasks - that you can perform with firestarter MUCH faster, than with the stock UI.
Amazon started to play BS cat&mouse games with Firestarter - because it wanted you to experience banner ads, while choosing your apps - essentially. And steal its functionality. And steal UI design from Kodi and Microsofts Xbox UI. And be buddy, buddy with Plex so the "I needz it to be eazy" crowd had another monthly subscription path Amazon could cut into. (Here is how that goes. Kodi = distributed, native rendering, Plex = transcoding (why?), server dependent, login required, pays for Amazon cloud storage, gets featured on their main page, had to make concessions to never ever, allow python scripts, because an internet we understand is bad for corp. And why was Kodi banned? Because it acted like a browsing platform, Outside the amazon and affiliates ecosystem - so amazon ran a smear campaign. The product blogger was very understanding...)
The Amazon product blogger that ran this community here for a while - decided to praise them for waging war against an alternative Launcher (that btw didn't replace the original interface, but rather linked to it by default) -- instead of antagonising it as an "unprecedented move - never seen anywhere on android before" -- so we HAD to split as a community.
People who actually use the FIre TV for stuff, stayed mostly on 5.0.5 or 5.0.5.1. While the rest didnt care and not only lost Firestarter functionality, but also full adb access (its only the last remaining interface into the FireTV, why not mess with it, until its much less usable, right Amazon?) - and didn't care.
Now - using Xposed modules - you can replicate most of Firestarters features on 5.0.5.1 and above (on 5.0.5.1 you could at least use firestopper, but Amazon took that away as well (or will do so shortly - havent followed up on how far they have come.)) - using a certain Xposed Module - but as always, you have to be extra careful with them on FireTV Sticks - as you don't have a working recovery on them currently. Its best to install only modules others have tested and that are confirmed working.
Also as a result of the community split - the community never really recovered. It wasn't especially active beforehand (despite frequent help soliciting from "I bought a fully loaded... - it stopped working" folks), but with the product blogger "gone" (less interested in the hacking scene, because of the fragmentation after the "split") that wrote most of the tutorials - and put them on his blog to commercialize them - even that stopped.
Amazon so far has not halted content delivery to older firmware boxes (good idea, because despite everything else, I still buy apps) - but they could at any time, If they chose to.
Long story short. Amazon is the worst. They acted like malicious bullies, implemented tripwire routines, blacklists, froze apps they had no discernable right to even access. On devices that arent "owned" by the customers who bought them, according to some license agreement you clicked through. No one even halfheartedly whispered, that this is a real issue - and what they did was malicious -
now, its basically over. There was no pushback - the scene basically turned over on its back and surrendered under the de facto leadership of a product blogger that had them cheer for it. #cheeringforcompanyblacklists-onadeviceyoubought.
Just in case some day a historian stumbles over this - and wonders what happened.
@harlekinwashere - Does that mean that nobody is working on a TWRP Recovery / ROM for the FireTV v1 Stick? I have held off on the Kingoroot method for now (unsure about security/malware), hoping that a real ROM/Recovery become available.
any way to enable OTG on a 5.2.1.1 fire stick?
I've been using xda forums for a while now but never registered, now inevitably I have a problem.
Yesterday was asked by a friend if i could put Kodi on a firestick, never done it before but I thought what the hell I'll give it a go, read around and all easy enough. Now I have Kodi installed I've put TVaddons on there and used that to get all the usual stuff, Exodus, Phoenix, SALTS etc they work fine i.e. install and load fine all menus are there but non of them can find any sources, exodus wont even bring up TV or movie lists. like i said I've never done this before but I have Kodi working fine on my computer so thought it wouldn't be any different. I've tried clearing caches and sources, uninstalled reinstalled, downloaded exodus zip file just incase tvaddons was the problem and nothing I'm at a loose end. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.
Side note something I may be able to help with, i read recently (on here i think) that the fire stick will auto update on initial setup to the latest OS and to avoid this so you can root or for whatever reason, rather than plugging the stick into the provided power adaptor use one you have laying around or your computer, they don't provide enough power for the stick to be able to update. Hope that helps someone out there.
Are you sure you're connected to internet?
carpenter940 said:
Are you sure you're connected to internet?
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yes I'm definitely connected to the internet haha.
just got a new fire stick and stopped the auto updates just in case it was that but still the addons don't seem to want to work my stick now running OS 5.0.5.1
everything installs fine, internet connections fine, addons go on fine they just dont work fine I'm at a loss
I installed Kodi for the first time the other day. Never used it before, still setting up. But I noticed the first few add ons I tried failed, like Exodus, All In One, DNA TV. None of them work. Figured it was me since I am new to Kodi. I figured it would be easy as installing and using them. Found TV guide. Tried 30 TV stations and none came on. I have a bunch to learn with Kodi. I have stock aftv1, lan connection. So its not just you.
I honestly don't know what was wrong with its but after what felt like a million uninstalls and re-installs i now have 2 working fire sticks with kodi running fine, don't think i will ever get to the bottom of the problem i was having the only thing i can suggest to anyone having similar issues is persistence, just keep reinstalling and eventually it seems to work, the only thing i can possibly think of is my internet connection has been playing up recently so maybe during the set up it disconnected and reconnected without me even noticing and messed up the setup other than that i have no idea.
Basically, Kodi isn't an organization which offers hardware at any level. It is an open source program or project, a group of volunteers who are committed to building a cool video player for various computers and mobile phones on such a large number of stages. It is basically planned to be utilized for video documents put away on your PC. It additionally empowers you to utilize additional items; these are straightforward contents which give you access to a wide range of content online. There are multiple solutions to fix this error.
Solution 1: Updating Graphics Card Drivers and installing DirectX.
Solution 2: Tweaking Kodi itself.
Solution 3: Installing Add-ons manually instead of Builds.
Solution 4: Clearing add-on cache. Solution 5: Using a VPN.
Here is the source link https://appuals.com/fix-kodi-not-working/ to follow and get the detail of each solution.
Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section. I'm looking to set up a firestick I've just purchased to allow my mum to watch tv and movies on it she is very much behind the times with technology and even the thought of using a mobile phone worries her.
So far with stick I've tried to make it as easy as possible for her to use and the easiest way I imagined would be the default amazon account with the stick and paying for the prime service but this is a little too confusing for her as so far she has clicked tv shows and movies that have taken her interest and unknowingly selected signing up for starszplay, Netflix and other things that aren't included in the prime account but still continue to flash up as a choice... I've even select in app purcheses off and it has still allowed her to sign up to different packs including itv hub ( when did this become costly ? its free on windows) anyways I've managed to turn them all off again but she is afraid to select anything incase it involves a subscription and isn't free with the prime account.
I then opted to try and remove the Amazon set up completely by using a different launcher and installing free movie/tv apps like teatv or stremio however this isn't great either... the launcher doesn't startup as the default launcher.
I Also have a VPN that would be perfect if I continued down the streaming free apps however even when I set it to have the killswitch and to load at boot... I've noticed im still manually having to go in and start it up and at times it has failed to load an I.P due to the killswitch.
And even using these free apps she is unsure of what streat to select etc... sometimes there will be links showing up for a show that wasn't selected etc...
So basically im looking to bypass the amazon launcher and just have either a plain launcher with only the apps I've installed for her to use and seek movies and shows.. something very basic that will show just movies and tv shows to select and continue watching section... and will auto find the best link and play the correct file similar to ones that pick the 1080p file first and then just loads.
And also have the vpn up and running from boot with no worry of it disconnecting or not running while streaming something.
Just whatever you guys can suggest, she is very much a novice and even with me showing her I don't think she will get until she plays around with it for a while... but she wont do this is if she is worrying about clicking wrong things or purchasing things etc.
How would you setup a Firestick for someone that is new to it just so they could watch movies and shows and be able to resume things they are enjoying with ease.
Thanks for any help.
Kodi with a simple skin. You can customize the skins in their own options even further to remove menu items.
So I woke up this morning to my 4k Fire TV Stick updating to the horrendous new UI. I suffer from a visual disability and the new UI is triggering eye strain and migraines. So first I would like to thank Amazon for doing something completely unnecessary and rendering a device I paid for unusable. I will be contacting them demanding a refund for breaking a device I paid for, we'll see how that goes
As luck would have it, I have another 4k Fire TV Stick still in the box, unopened. So it will have the old UI on it. Is there a way to set that up and block the update on it? I have read that you cannot complete setup without connecting to wifi, and as soon as you connect to wifi, the update auto installs (again thank you Amazon and the tech industry in general for removing user choice on what happens to things we paid for). Is it possible to set up the old fire stick, not have it update, and then block the update? I had no idea updates were rolling out so I didn't know this was coming (and for a third time Amazon, thank you for rendering a device unusable for me with ZERO heads up or notice. Awesome customer service)
Alternatively is there any way I could pull the old launcher APK off that fire stick and put it back on my current one?
And before you recommend it I tried Wolf Launcher and it is terrible and way to basic, it doesn't even have a search function, so it's not a usable option
Would I be able to connect to the new stick over USB and adb push the update blocker to the stick and install it via adb prior to activation?
Alternatively could I root the new device and install the blocker prior to activation?