Help with Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max decoding

#1

I've recently added files to my library that were encoded to h.265 within the last 5 months. On these shows my Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max will not display video with the hardware decoder (audio only). When I switch to hybrid or software decoding it plays the video and audio, but the video is unwatchable, plodding through the video in real time at about 5 fps.

These shows play fine through Channels on my Sony Bravia Android 4K TV, so I suspect there must be some kind of update needed for the Fire Stick but I don't see how to get it updated.

Am I on the right track and can anyone advise?

Thanks!

#2

You need to convert them to a format that works

#3

If you are not using the beta version of the app on the FireTV Max, then you may want to give it a try. The Sony Google TV will be using released version 4.9 of the app and Amazon still has only version 4.8. Not sure it will help, but the beta version has several important fixes.

1 Like
#4

I don't know if you're being serious. I have many h.265 videos that I encoded a year ago or more that the Fire TV Stick plays just fine using its hardware decoder, so I really expect that it only needs a firmware update. I'm really just wanting to know how to get the Fire TV Stick to check for and install updates. If it can't I may just have to get another streaming device that can run Channels since our Roku Ultimates cannot.

#5

I just did a little research. Fire TV Stick 4K Max should be up to the task. That makes me ask if your network is. In the Channels DVR app on your fire stick, run the test speed to server and report results.

#6

Also, have you tried using a Firestick 4K, NOT the max.
They have different versions of the modified Android, I think the 4K stick is on a 6. version
and the Max is on an 8. version.
If that 8. version is a branch of Android 14, which has problems with hardware decoding, that may be the issue.
Looks like NOT Android 14 tho, per CoPilot.
.

Device Name Model Number Fire OS Version Android Version
Fire TV Stick (1st Gen, 2014) W87CUN Fire OS 5 Android 5.1
Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen, 2016) LY73PR Fire OS 5 Android 5.1
Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen, 2020) S3L46N Fire OS 7 Android 9
Fire TV Stick Lite (1st Gen) S3L46N Fire OS 7 Android 9
Fire TV Stick 4K (1st Gen, 2018) E9L29Y Fire OS 6 Android 7.1
Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen, 2023) M3N6RA Fire OS 8 Android 11
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen) K2R2TE Fire OS 7 Android 9
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) K3R6AT Fire OS 8 Android 11

These model numbers are printed on the back of the device, and they’re the most reliable way to identify which version you have.

#7

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