Key Takeaways
- Set up a browser (Silk Browser) for expanded streaming choices.
- Use exterior video gamers (MX Participant, VLC Media Participant) for private content material.
- Mirror units to view smartphone content material on an enormous display screen (besides iOS or macOS).
It is uncommon these days {that a} tech instrument serves one easy function, even one thing so simple as a TV distant. Hacks, suggestions, tips, and mods all type of fall into the identical bucket in at present’s lexicon in the case of squeezing each final use out of your units. So, in the case of truly hacking a streaming service corresponding to Amazon Prime by way of your Amazon Hearth TV Stick, you’ll be able to decide whichever piece of verbiage that provides you energy. Simply do not ‘rizz’ your Fire TV Stick. No less than, not in combined firm.
Regardless, there are some enjoyable tips that may add both some aptitude or not less than some assumed (however not normal) performance to your Hearth TV Stick. As a result of what is the level of consuming all this content material if we won’t do it on our personal phrases? Or on the very least really feel like we will. Sadly, these so-called hacks fall a bit wanting precise green-pixels-flying-across-a-black-screen-and-announcing-that-you’re-in, hacks. So if you happen to have been additionally eager on hacking the Rockstar servers to get the early scoop on GTA 6, you are out of luck.
Since we have accepted that there’s some particular variability to the phrase hack, the primary stuff you’ll wish to do along with your Amazon Hearth TV Stick are a number of the most elementary, however in the end tremendous helpful. If you’re like me, and sufficiently old to recollect when a distant management was a single-function system, you may not consider these trendy controllers as something extra.
However they’re. Conceptually, the Hearth TV Stick is identical as a normal TV distant management, but it surely’s additionally a clicky portal to controlling your streaming world. It does way more than flip issues on or off. Nevertheless it additionally does that.
1 Set up a browser
Amazon has its personal browser
One of the crucial fashionable Hearth TV Stick hacks (or mildly hidden options not less than) is including a browser to your Hearth TV Stick. Particularly, to the Amazon app that your Hearth TV Stick controls. Regardless, including a browser allows you to exponentially increase your streaming library, as something accessible on the web is now accessible in your Amazon Hearth TV Stick.
Naturally, since this is not a Home windows machine, there is a particular browser app you may wish to seek for because it does not work with Chrome or Firefox. Navigate to the Amazon Hearth TV app retailer and search for the Silk Browser.
The Silk Browser is Amazon’s model of an online browser, designed to operate seamlessly along with your Hearth TV Stick. That is additionally the place voice controls turn out to be useful, so you do not have to slowly sort each search with the choice wheel.
2 Add an exterior video participant
To stream your personal content material
Like comparable units, the Amazon Hearth TV Stick is a instrument. It serves a function, however has the flexibility to step exterior its preordained future to be a much wider instrument. Just like the distinction between a screwdriver and an influence drill with a full complement of bits.
In that, you do not have to accept the video companies that Amazon gives, you’ll be able to convey your personal. Most streaming units do not enable it due to attainable copyright points, however along with your Hearth TV Stick you need to use video gamers corresponding to MX Participant and VLC Media Participant.
While you use an exterior video participant, you might have the flexibility to play your personal media content material, whether or not obtained legally or not (no matter its legality, torrenting films remains to be a highly regarded exercise). And you do not have to take care of fixed buffering (I am taking a look at you, Paramount+).
3 Mirror your system to your Hearth TV Stick
Makes it simple to view your smartphone content material on an enormous display screen
If you do not have a most well-liked video participant exterior the common streaming companies, there’s one other approach to stream your bizarre mkv recordsdata (no judgment) and different assorted content material by way of the Hearth TV Stick.
That is categorised extra as a life hack, not less than in at present’s terminology, as outlined by social media influencers all of the sudden realizing how seat belts work and calling it a life hack. As a result of it is a built-in characteristic. Maintain down your house button and if you happen to see a mirroring icon, you then’ve obtained a Hearth TV stick able to mirroring.
And now you’ll be able to solid proper out of your smartphone or pill.
Until you might have iOS or macOS, as Amazon points out, you may want to make use of AirPlay to reflect content material. And previous Android working programs additionally will not work.
4 Make every little thing greater
Small textual content is exhausting
There are such a lot of attainable variations for a way you employ your Amazon Hearth TV Stick. If you’re like me, then it is on an getting older 55-inch TV set too far again in the lounge. Optimum viewing vary? By no means heard of it. So yeah, typically issues are a bit small, particularly textual content.
With out straight saying what era I am a part of, maintain down the house button, navigate to settings, then Accessibility. From there, select the display screen magnifier and wham — every little thing is greater. There is a lengthy set of directions to make use of the magnifier (as seen in my try at taking an image of a curved monitor), but it surely’ll assist in case your eyes are drained or impaired.
5 Clear your soiled cache
Your cache is filled with system-slowing recordsdata
One of many issues we overlook when utilizing our Hearth TV Sticks or every other system is the junk that piles up within the cache. Whereas a lot of it’s helpful, offering historic information that auto-fills kinds and remembers passwords, a lot of it’s temp recordsdata of photographs and different chaff that in the end slows down our units.
Clearing out your cache frequently helps maintain your Hearth TV Stick operating at optimum efficiency. Plus, if an app is not working proper, usually it is associated to conflicting data within the cache. Like energy washing a dumpster, it is time to clear that cache.
This is find out how to clear your cache:
- Merely navigate to the Settings menu, then Purposes
- Choose Handle Put in Purposes, then select the app that is performing like a toddler on a sugar binge and click on Clear Information.
Now you are a professional at finding out system settings
Now this one definitely feels extra like a hack.
Press and maintain the Choose button. Then, within the time it takes you to maneuver your fingers round, maintain down the Down button as properly. Then, in about three seconds, slip one other finger over the Menu button and press down, concurrently releasing the earlier buttons. You might need to do that a couple of instances if in case you have chonky, however rugged fingers like I do.
As soon as that is carried out, you may see the Developer menu pop up. And like several good hacker in a spy film, you’ll be able to then shout “I am in!” From this menu you’ll be able to toggle a couple of issues. The System X-Ray will show data on the display screen like show stats and reminiscence utilization.
You’ll be able to toggle Document and Share, which creates a historic file of CPU, reminiscence, and community use. Activating Safezone unhides overscan areas of most TVs. Superior Choices offers you on-screen information regarding video and audio codecs, and Snapshot permits customers to assemble system metrics, in case you’re into that form of factor.
7 A Hearth TV Stick for each TV
The most effective hack is having loads of Hearth TV Sticks round
The ultimate hack, if you’ll, is the largest, but easiest one. And that is studying find out how to take your Hearth TV Follow you regardless of which room you’re in, regardless of which TV-style system you’re utilizing. No, it is not some form of magical casting characteristic. It is simply shopping for a bunch of Amazon Hearth TV Sticks.
I presently have a minimum of 4 Hearth TV Sticks plugged in and lively round the home.
As a substitute of forcing your hand behind your mounted 8K TV and wriggling the Hearth TV Stick out of its HDMI port to go plug into your projector, why not simply purchase one to your projector? I presently have a minimum of 4 Hearth TV Sticks plugged in and lively round the home.
With a home filled with Hearth TV Sticks and a helpful record of hacks of various hack ranges, you are definitely greater than ready to get pleasure from your favourite Amazon Hearth TV Stick apps and leisure from wherever in the home.
Trending Merchandise
