New Amazon Fire TV Cube (June 2018)

Available June 21, 2018




.

Definitely interesting, but still limited on both the AV control side and the echo features. I’m going to wait for the second generation on this one.

Quotes from the Verge article:

Amazon is starting out with what I’d consider a realistic level of ambition, and the Cube isn’t ready to replace a Logitech Harmony remote yet…Amazon isn’t yet letting the Cube control things like game consoles or Blu-ray players, but says that it will get more powerful with time and software updates.
.
Just know this {also} can’t do everything an Echo can: calls and messages through Alexa aren’t supported, nor can you sync the Fire TV Cube with a Bluetooth speaker or add it to your Echo multi-room music setup.

5 Likes

Just need to see how I can wire it up to my A/V system. Not sure where into the CATV box, A/V receiver & TV chain this should get plugged into.

A few buttons my Harmony universal remote are going bad and I was thinking of a replacement. This may just do the trick. But I’m a sucker. I’ll wind up buying it anyway.

1 Like

It’s like the Logitech Harmony hub: it’s doing everything via IR commands. (well, the Logitech also has Bluetooth, but same principle)

1 Like

One of the first things that came to my mind when I got email from Amazon was if this replaces Harmony, Echo dot, Fire stick in my living room. For now I don’t see a reason to jump ahead and pay $89.99, will wait to see what else this can do when it matures.

3 Likes

I was about to pull the trigger until I see no multiroom audio. Hopefully they will add this option later.
It’s a very attractive device for my use case actually. I have young kids and their cousins at my house pretty much every weekend and for them to be able to control the TV with voice is a huge plus. They are doing it with the FireTV right now but with the remote.
I will continue to use Hamorny. I am holding back until the end of the week :grin:

1 Like

These were my thoughts exactly.
What they should do is put the IR extender into the show.

Just set up my fire tv cube.
Issues I’m experiencing:

  1. Can’t turn that TV on/off using other alexa devices (echo, etc), have to go in that room to turn it on/off
    EDIT: They just changed it so all alexa device turns on/off the cube TV. The default command is turn on/off the TV, which erases harmony’s ability with that command. To solve this, create routines “turn on/off the TV” and select the right TV to turn on in the action.
  2. Can’t turn on TV controlled by Harmony by saying turn on the TV since turn on the TV command turns on the connected TV (need to say tell harmony to turn on/off TV to control Harmony)
  3. If there’s an Echo nearby, voice commands to control the cube TV might be picked up by the Echo and won’t do a thing to the cube TV. I have to mute the Echo in order to control the cube TV. [Amazon chat’s resolution is to use a different wake word. Chat says this device is intended to be a standalone device]

Definitely not as good as harmony

1 Like

I looking forward to this so I can view my Arlo cameras on the TV

You don’t need the new fire TV cube for that, you can use it with most fire TV devices, except the 1st generation stick.

yeah I know thanks. I thought about the Fire TV, this one has more features, built in speaker, comes with the ethernet adapter, I’ll use it to replace the Echo show in the living room probably.

I finally picked one up and set it up with my entertainment system. During setup, i was able to turn off the TV, change channels (Xfinity X1) and such. Doesn’t work now and I can’t figure out why. Also, it won’t control any of my SmartThings devices for some reason.

Debating if this wasn’t a good purchase. Amazon might just need to add some additional functionality to it.

I set one up at my dads house. it wont do all smart devices, it wouldn’t control the schlage door lock I installed for one but I was able to view the Arlo cameras (on the TV) and use the thermostat using alexa and the cube. but I had to add the direct tv satellite receiver manually and change the remote settings for it from RF to IR. I would check the CEC settings on your equipement (TV, receiver) and check the CEC settings in the cube settings under manage devices if think and make sure CEC is set to on. maybe they were changed somehow.

also its not always called CEC, to further complicate things. Samsung for instance calls it anynet+

Anyone still using Fire TV Cube? Has the ability to turn on TV with a different echo device been added? Been thinking about getting rid of problematic Roku on bedroom TV.

Yeah I’m using the fire tv cube, also have Smartthings hub. I haven’t figured out to set up timers (aside from using the tv remote or app)
Id prefer to just say , Alexa, turn off the (room) tv in 30 minutes.
As far as turning off TVs from other devices. Just name your TVs (provided they are connected to some time of hub namely a Fire Tv hub but I’m sure others work as well.)
Again my only desire is the sleep timer, other than that, I’m good.

I have given up trying to get my fire stick cube to voice command my xfinity cable box. How did you manage to do so. I have followed all the instructions but the best I got was channel up, Channel down and and that’s about all.