The Fire TV Omni QLED is a range of 4K LCD TVs with local dimming and support for multiple HDR formats. The upgraded Fire TV Cube includes WiFi 6E and an HDMI input.
The new 'Fire TV Omni QLED' feature up to 96 local dimming zones and Amazon says that the LCD TVs support HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive. They comes in 65 and 75 inches, starting at $800.
In addition, the TVs come with a new 'Ambient Experience' that can show digital artwork much like Samsung's The Frame. Amazon says that it "turns the TV into an always-smart device when not streaming". It uses a built-in sensor to detect when a person is in the room.
- "We’ve all been buying so-called smart TVs for decades, but they’re really not all that smart—and for much of the day, they’re not beautiful or useful either," said Daniel Rausch, VP of Amazon Entertainment Devices and Services. "The Omni QLED Series delivers stunning artwork, glanceable information, hands-free controls, and so much more–it reimagines what customers can expect from a smart TV."
Ambient Experience in Fire TV. Photo: Amazon
Amazon's TVs will compete with mid-range "QLED" LCD TVs from the likes of Samsung and TCL, but will not match the picture quality or HDR experience of more capable displays such as OLED TVs.
They have no ports with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which would not make sense either as they use a 60Hz LCD panel, but there is eARC support.
The new Fire TV Omni QLED series are available in 65 and 75 inches for $800 and $1100 in the US at Amazon.com and Best Buy. They will also be available in Canada.
Ambient Experience in Fire TV
| Gallery-quality art and personal photos: With the Omni QLED Series, you can turn your television into an in-home art gallery or personal photos display. You get free access to a growing collection of more than 1,500 gallery-quality photos and curated art pieces with a broad range of artistic styles that will suit any taste. With no monthly subscription required, the collection of photography and fine art includes diverse work from artists who capture unique natural environments and landscapes from around the world—from the Arctic to the deep ocean—as well as abstract motion pieces, calm motion landscapes, and Impressionist paintings. You can also choose to display collections from The National Gallery of Art and The Art Institute of Chicago. Learn more about the art collections by asking things like, “Alexa, when was this painted?” or “Alexa, tell me more about this artwork.” Coming later this year, you can also get ready to support your favorite soccer team with a selection of custom images from FOX Sports ahead of its coverage of the biggest international soccer tournament. The TV can also showcase your personal photo collections and cherished moments. Just ask, “Alexa, show me pictures from last summer,” or ask “Alexa, where was this photo taken?” to learn more about any image.
Alexa Widgets: Powered by Alexa, new widgets are optimized for the TV, providing glanceable information to keep you informed throughout the day. See your schedule with Calendars and Reminders, leave Sticky Notes for other family members, control other smart devices like a thermostat or Ring doorbell through Smart Home Favorites, view the latest news headlines, and much more. Widgets can be customized, collapsed, or expanded to match what your home needs. Just ask, “Alexa, what widgets can I add?”
Hands-free Music: The Omni QLED Series Ambient Experience puts music right at the center of the room, with or without the television screen on. You can listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks, or ask Alexa to start playing audio from services like Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Apple Podcasts, and Audible.
Content Discovery: Alexa’s deep integration with the Omni QLED Series will help you discover what to watch next. The “What Should I Watch” widget provides you with entertainment recommendations based on the day’s top-trending video titles on Fire TV. You can also ask Alexa to help choose a show based on recently released titles, genres, and much more. Just say, “Alexa, show me new comedies” or “Alexa, play Thursday Night Football,” and Alexa will help guide you to a title that is right for you.
Alexa Routines: You can use thousands of Alexa Routines and Skills to control your smart home and entertainment settings. For example, just say, “Alexa, start my day” to kick-start a routine that displays a motion image of a sunrise, shows the weather, and plays your favorite music.
Privacy and Control: The Omni QLED Series puts you in control of the Ambient Experience. You can electronically disconnect the far-field microphone with the flip of a switch. Features can also be easily tuned to your preferences, such as turning presence detection off and setting quiet hours for glanceable information. |
FlatpanelsHDFire TV Cube
The new Fire TV Cube has 20% more processing power, Wi-Fi 6E and an HDMI input port to let users connect cable boxes, Blu-ray players and other devices, and control connected devices with Alexa voice commands or the remote control.
The HDMI input functionality has been tried in the past and failed every single time, most spectacularly in the Xbox One. It will be interesting to see if Amazon can make it work.
- "The all-new Fire TV Cube is a big step forward for Fire TV—it’s the fastest, most powerful, and most versatile streaming media player we’ve ever made," said Daniel Rausch, VP of Amazon Entertainment Devices and Services. "This Fire TV Cube’s powerful processing and Wi-Fi 6E support deliver an incredibly smooth streaming experience, and HDMI input means you can instantly extend the simplicity of Fire TV and hands-free Alexa control to your home entertainment system. With Alexa Voice Remote Pro, we’re making it easy to find a misplaced remote and get to the apps and content you love."
Fire TV Cube 2022 with remote control. Photo: Amazon
In addition, Fire TV Cube has 'Super Resolution Upscaling' for picture enhancement with HD content and a remote finder features that can be engaged by asking Alexa. The remote control also has two programmable buttons that can be mapped to apps, channels or Alexa routines.
The new Fire TV Cube is available for pre-order for $140, with shipping scheduled to start on October 25.
Fire TV Omni QLED – specifications
| Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Display Resolution: 4K UHD
High Dynamic Range (HDR) format: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ Adaptive, Dolby Vision IQ
Backlight type: Full array local dimming
Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Screen size: 65”
Viewable display size: 64.5”
HDMI ports: 3 HDMI 2.0 + 1 HDMI 2.1 with eARC
Ethernet: 1 Ethernet port
USB: 1 USB 2.0 port
IR device control with included Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote: The included Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote can control certain functions, such as power and volume, on a wide range of compatible IR-enabled devices, soundbars, and A/V receivers. Note: Certain functions may not be available on some IR-enabled devices.
Voice support: Yes, hands-free with Alexa, press and ask Alexa with the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote or the free Fire TV app (available for download on Fire OS, Android, and iOS).
Audio support: Dolby Digital Plus with passthrough of Dolby-encoded audio
Audio power: 12W + 12W
OS: Fire TV OS
Product size without stand (WxHxD): 57.1” x 33.4” x 3.2”
Weight (without stand): 45.4 lb
Bezel size (mm): 1.2 mm
Front finish: Gray metal |
Fire TV Cube – specifications
| Size: 3.38” x 3.38” x 2.99” (86 mm x 86 mm x 77 mm)
Weight: 509.6 g
Processor: Octa-core 4x 2.2GHz 4x 2.0GHz
GPU: 800MHz
Storage: 16 GB internal
Memory: 2 GB internal
Wifi: Wi-Fi 6E Tri-band. Also supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax wifi networks. For Wi-Fi 6E support, Fire TV Cube must be connected to the 6 GHz band of a Wi-Fi 6E network using WPA3 encryption.
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 + LE. Pair with compatible Bluetooth speakers, headphones, video game controllers, and more.
Voice support: Far-field and near-field voice support
Voice control compatibility: Controls a wide range of IR-enabled devices, including TVs, soundbars, cable and satellite boxes, and A/V receivers.
Cloud storage: Free cloud storage for digital content purchased from Amazon.
Ports: HDMI Input, HDMI Output, IR Extender, Power, USB-A, Ethernet port
Audio support: Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, 2-channel stereo, and HDMI audio pass through up to 5.1.
4K Support: To watch movies and TV shows in 4K Ultra HD, you need a compatible 4K Ultra HD TV. All services may not be available in 4K/HDR. Certain services are subject to change at any time, may not be available in all areas, or in 4K/HDR, and may require separate subscriptions.
Content formats supported: Video: Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9, AV1, Audio: AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, Dolby Atmos (EC3_JOC), Dolby MAT, Photo: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP
Output resolution supported: 2160p, 1080p and 720p up to 60 fps
System requirements: High-definition television with available high-speed HDMI input, high-speed internet connection via wifi or built-in Ethernet port, power outlet (compatible TV/sound/cable equipment for control by infrared or voice). High-speed HDMI cable and 4K TV with high-speed HDMI connector required for 4K viewing and more reliable device control. Wi-Fi 6E router needed for Wi-Fi 6E support. Auto-Low Latency Mode is included in the HDMI 2.1 standard. |
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