Foxed by Firestick

[ericonabike]

After some research, bought a Firestick for use in the van. Plugged it into the HDMI slot of my Avtex, plugged a cable in to the stick from the 12v supply. Asked me to press home button on remote to pair it. Did this. Then asked me to select language. Did this. Screen then went blank. Now TV showing no input! Am I missing something?

 

[cmcardle75]

After some research, bought a Firestick for use in the van. Plugged it into the HDMI slot of my Avtex, plugged a cable in to the stick from the 12v supply. Asked me to press home button on remote to pair it. Did this. Then asked me to select language. Did this. Screen then went blank. Now TV showing no input! Am I missing something?

Turn it off and on again and remake all the connections. Check the USB charger is powerful enough.

 

[Winger]

On initial set up it’s been mentioned here that the tv can’t provide enough power to set up so try a stand alone power point

 

[Two on Tour]

Have you selected the HMDI port that your firestick is plugged into as your source on your list of available input sources ?

 

[Andy MacD]

I have my fire stick power cord plugged into the powered usb socket of the Avtex tv, check the writing beside the usb sockets as one should be powered. You may have to turn that feature on in the settings but it should be powered by default. You’re unlikely to get the fire stick remote to work the tv, a known issue with Avtex tv’s.

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[ericonabike]

Thanks all. Have brought it into the house to set up on home TV. So far so good, hopefully it just pairs to the remote, not the TV!

 

[ericonabike]

Yay! Working in van - as Winger suggested, guess not enough power on 12v fir set up, now working fine on it, and using WiFi hot-spot from my unlimited data phone.
Next question - how can I route it through a VPN when in Spain next week?

 

[PhilandMena]

Yay! Working in van - as Winger suggested, guess not enough power on 12v fir set up, now working fine on it, and using WiFi hot-spot from my unlimited data phone.
Next question - how can I route it through a VPN when in Spain next week?

Get VPN for your phone and activate. Job done.

 

[GMLS]

You've sorted it but for anyone without an alternative power source, these work quite well

Amazon product ASIN B078KSHVCS

 

[Kayak Kid]

You can also add a VPN to your Firestick. I have Nord VPN

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[Bolti]

Yay! Working in van - as Winger suggested, guess not enough power on 12v fir set up, now working fine on it, and using WiFi hot-spot from my unlimited data phone.
Next question - how can I route it through a VPN when in Spain next week?

If you are using a uk sim for your data, you do not need a VPN.

 

[bigtwin]

You can also add a VPN to your Firestick. I have Nord VPN

How do you do that?

Ian

 

[MisterB]

How do you do that?

Ian

Go to the app store on your firestick - or the firestick often has recommended downloads on the screen, they usually include vpn's.

 

[ericonabike]

Interesting - three suggested solutions:
1. Do nothing as using UK sim
2. Install VPN on phone
3. Install VPN on Firestick.

Number 1 is clearly favourite! But reason for getting Firestick is to allow us to watch terrestrial TV. Suspect this won't happen without VPN, it would love to be proved wrong. Options 2 and 3 seem pretty equal. Anyone have experience that favours one over the other?

 

[bigtwin]

Option 2 only works if hot spotting via the phone.
We use a MiFi so would have to go with Option 3.

Ian

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[monzer]

I was in Estonia and Latvia recently and always got iplayer etc without a VPN either using my phone as hot spot or my 4gee device. Both with UK sims.

 

[Kayak Kid]

I have a Maxview Roam set up in my Motorhome (roof antenna and router) This gives me Wi-fi for phone, iPad, tv etc. To install a VPN onto the Maxview router is a nightmare, and indeed near impossible for most people. I discussed this with the Maxview techy guy and even he was finding it a problem. We resolved that it was easier to install the VPN on my Firestick as already mentioned previously.

I also have smart tv in my Motorhome and can link it to my Maxview Router. However, it did not have the facility to install a VPN (as many can) - that is why I have the VPN on my Firestick for use when out of the UK.

 

[Tombola]

I've just come me.back from eu and am now in Tenerife.
My firstick works fine in all if using my UK registered ee SIM.

Am watching it now funnily enough. "The walk in" on ITV hub with Stephen Graham. Excellent

 

[Reboot]

UK SIM allows you to view iplayer and other UK apps when roaming outside of the UK as it appears as a UK ip address to the servers.
Only downside is you will eat your roaming allowance unless your careful, even unlimited allowances have fair usage policies when roaming which can be an issue with some service providers.

 

[Peter Beeston]

Just returned from 4 weeks in France. Tesco Mobile unlimited SIM in the MoHo Wifi, Fire stick was able to get all terrestrial TV from the UK without any issues at all the 9 different Sites/Aires that we went to. Tesco allow EU unlimited roaming, and we got good signals (sometimes better bandwidth than the site WiFi).

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[Reboot]

I've heard that Tesco are restricting the roaming allowance on new contracts.
I'm not sure if they will enforce it.
Don't take my word for it and check before you commit to the contract.
I had a warning from Lebara this year in Spain via SMS telling me I was using my SIM outside of the UK more than within it.
Luckily it was on the last week before I returned so it didn't effect me.

 

[ericonabike]

Well this sounds promising! Even better as my unlimited data sim is free as part of Virgins Ultimate Oomph (!) package. If they ultimately restrict it, so be it, hopefully Mrs E will get a fair number of East Enders out of of it first..

 

[SteveRallye]

Just posted this question on the main chat re Sims. Who actually decides we have to pay extra for roaming charges above the low limits, is it the EU or just another rip off Britain ploy. We currently have unlimited data on 3 in the UK but only a very low 12GB abroad.

 

[ericonabike]

The answers are here, for EU countries. As for the UK, telecoms companies can do what ever they want..

FAQs|Roaming: what you pay to use your smartphone in another EU country - Your Europe

FAQs - Learn about roaming with your mobile phone in the EU. What can you be charged and when, and can your data use be limited?

europa.eu

 

[ericonabike]

Thought I'd report back. Currently near Burgos, in Spain. Mrs E very happy to have caught up with East Enders. Firestick plus hot-spot working perfectly. Which means that for £30, I've achieved what a £1k satellite setup in previous moho, regularly failed to do...

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[ericonabike]

Final update. Back after three weeks, burned through 100gb of data, at no cost. Mrs E very happy, as am I after spending just £30 to get UK TV throughout Spain, even when mobile signal weak. Result!

 

[Tombola]

Thanks for the update.

 

[Figaro]

Did you use a VPN with your unlimited phone data ?
Which VPN do you use

 

[jumar]

Channel 5 flashed up a "Connecting via a VPN is not permitted" message just recently...all other channels no problem at all...strange. Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[autorouter]

plugged a cable in to the stick from the 12v supply.

Can you give more detail of exactly what you did. Was it a USB supply? Does it say what power it is? Some of the supplies only give 1A or even 1/2 an amp. It's easy to find adapters that are powerful enough, one of those 2.1A sockets should do the job.

A Firestick is basically a miniature computer, so it needs more power than a USB memory stick or hard drive.

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