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What does this button do?


redvers76

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redvers76

My dad has an old Fire Stick 1st Gen and over the phone I have been able to talk him through downloading & installing Emby, and getting him connected to my server. However, what I cannot do is explain what buttons he needs to press to do different functions, because I don't have a Fire Stick!

 

Is there a guide, visual or otherwise, that explains what the different buttons do? I suspect some of the buttons have long-press options, and different context-sensitive functions, but without actually being there in person to figure it out myself & then showing him (thanks a lot, coronavirus), it's pretty frustrating for both of us when I'm telling him to do one thing and he ends up doing something else...

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Hi.  There aren't very many buttons and they should perform the same functions as  all other Fire apps but I understand working with parents and technology remotely :).

 

s-l640.jpg

 

The only slightly odd button there is the "hamburger" one which is a menu button. It will produce a context menu with options for the currently highlighted item.

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redvers76

Thanks... the remote he has doesn't have the voice control at the top, as it's the older model. The thing is he doesn't use any other Firestick apps either! It had been unplugged and sat in a draw for a couple of years before I suggested he dig it out for Emby!

 

Are there any differences for long-pressing on the buttons, particularly the direction buttons?

 

(and assuming he can't get on with this, what's the best tv-friendly alternative to the fire stick, a Roku maybe?)

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Roku's are pretty dead-simple but, really, so is the Fire.

 

Long pressing the direction keys will just continually scroll in most instances.  During playback, it will cause FF/Rew and progressively higher speeds.  Since the Fire has the menu button, there isn't a need for long-press select.

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From a discussion this evening I suspect the real issue is the slowness of the device, coupled with the initial lag from working over the internet rather than a local network. I think my dad is just too impatient and just as it is about to start working he starts pressing buttons thinking it has broken ‍♂

 

Not sure any device would be able to cope with that!

 

Any more recent Fire device would work much better.  The 1st gen stick was woefully under-powered.

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  • 2 weeks later...
redvers76
On 6/3/2020 at 3:00 PM, ebr said:

 

Any more recent Fire device would work much better.  The 1st gen stick was woefully under-powered.

Thanks, will keep an eye out for sales! Definitely need to get him something, it seems the 1st Gen doesn't like anything with a 5.1 soundtrack no matter what settings I try and get him to change on the device, in Emby, or on the TV itself!  

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rbjtech

It would be good if these are listed in the Wiki or in the 'Settings' on the client - as the other day I realised than if I press the 'Up' button on the FireTV stick - I get to the Chapter markers (fine, I knew that) but if I then press 'Down' - I then can scroll 'Left' or 'Right' in 30 second increments (showing the thumb images) without impacting play and when I get to where I want, I hit 'Play' (Centre Button)' .   Holding Left or Right scrolls through - again, all without impacting what is currently playing ..

Also, unless told, many people do not know the 'long press' of buttons do alternative actions - 'Add to favourite' or Mark as 'Unplayed' for example on the main Menu selection without having to go into each individual item. 

Edited by rbjtech
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