Amazon has just announced a new Fire TV TV box with support for 4K Ultra HD and HDR (High Dynamic Range), and a cheaper price, as it is selling for $69.99 on Amazon US with delivery scheduled to start on October 25, 2017.
Amazon Fire TV 2017 specifications:
- SoC – Amlogic S905Z quad core ARM Cortex-A53 processor @ 1.5 GHz with penta-core Mali-450MP3 GPU
- System Memory – 2GB RAM
- Storage – 8GB flash
- Video & Audio Output – HDMI 2.0a up to 4K 60 Hz with HDCP 2.2, Doby Atmos support
- Video – HDR-10. H.265, H.264
- Connectivity – Dual band 802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi + Bluetooth 4.1 LE
- USB – 1x micro USB port for power (and optional USB Ethernet adapter)
- Dimensions – 65 x 65 x 15 mm
- Weight – 87 grams
Amazon just mentions “Amlogic Quad-core 1.5GHz | ARM 4xCA53” for Fire TV processor, so it first assumed it could either be S905X, S905D or S905L since all support 4K60, HDR-10, and H.265, but since Amazon did not list VP9 in the store page, I assumed Amlogic S905L should be the one. But based on more complete specs, the TV box is actually powered by a new Amlogic S905Z processor that supports VP9 too…
The new Fire TV runs Fire OS 6 based on Android 7.1, and ships with an Alexa voice remote control, a USB cable and power adapter, a quick start guide, a product guide, and 2 AAA batteries for the remote control. The device is as simple as possible with only two ports: a short built-in HDMI cable, and a micro USB port for power. That’s it. The latter can also be used to connect a $15 USB Ethernet adapter. Netflix, Hulu, SHOWTIME, Amazon Video, and more services will be accessible using the buttons on the remote control or Alexa, and the TV box can also be paired to Echo devices for far-field voice control.
As with most Amazon devices it will be mostly be for the US market, and some services and features may not work overseas. As a side note, Amlogic has made some recent good deals in the US, as Amlogic S905X is found in Xiaomi Mi Box entry-level Android TV TV box, and now in Amazon Fire TV.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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