Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon Prime US Service

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broonie27

109 posts

Master Geek

#207734 11-Jan-2017 17:33

Hi There,

I have a few questions about Amazon fire sticks and Amazon Prime.

1. Can I use a DNS service to get the US version of Amazon Prime?

2. Can I configure an Amazon stick itself to use the DNS service or does the stick need to use the DNS service as configured on a router?

3. If I can use the US version of Prime will it accept a NZ credit card and billing address?

4. Has anyone tired using Kodi with a Fire Stick and if so does it work OK?

Cheers

Craig

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#1701605 11-Jan-2017 19:27

You can use a third party DNS and you can configure on the device. A US account requires a US credit card only if you are using it to pay for movie rentals/purchases. Alternative is use add your card, topup your gift card balance, remove your card. Make sure you have an Oregon address so you don't have to pay state tax.

jay63

65 posts

Master Geek

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#1701607 11-Jan-2017 19:29

Can answer a couple of your questions.

1. Yes. Can use DNS service for US version. Getflix works well.

2. You can enter the DNS settings directly into the fire stick. No need to configure router.

3. Unsure about what credit cards will work. I think a US address on Amazon account important and believe a US based card needed to purchase individual movies etc. but should be able to use any credit card for actual US Amazon Prime subscription.

4. I have not used Kodi

Best wishes getting set up. We have had very good luck with Fire stick and tends to be our
streaming option of choice for Amazon and Hulu.

gasgob

44 posts

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#1701683 11-Jan-2017 21:17

I have Kodi loaded and working on my Fire TV.

freitasm

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#1701686 11-Jan-2017 21:18

I am using Kodi (sideloaded) on my Amazon Fire TV (not the stick).

broonie27

109 posts

Master Geek

#1701774 12-Jan-2017 05:05

Actually, what I really want from Kodi (via the Fire Stick) is access to BBC iPlayer. I already have a UK credit card so I guess if I use a DNS service to give me a UK location I could just sign up to Amazon Prime in the UK instead.

I realise I won't get access to the same content but I think I can live with that.

I already have a US Amazon Echo, I assume I'll still be able to access UK Amazon Prime streaming services from a US device?

KiwiTim

376 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1701777 12-Jan-2017 06:54

I set up Kodi on a firestick about 18 months back. I also used the BBC iPlayer addon with the Kodi, using Unotelly DNS service. It all worked fine.

You need a little tech skill to install Kodi on to your firestick, not as easy as on an android phone.

Have a look here on how to sideload: http://www.aftvnews.com/sideload/

rp1790

738 posts

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#1701785 12-Jan-2017 07:37

You can load and install iPlayer, ITV Hub and All 4 on the FireTV/Stick without sideloading.

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brandynz

35 posts

Geek

#1702125 12-Jan-2017 15:32

Kodi works a treat on the Firestick - plenty of different Builds you can install also.

I run both Kodi and SPMC (A Fork of Kodi) works fine also.

I've had no luck with NZ on demand service's TVNZ On Demand /SkyGo etc. anyone else?

broonie27

109 posts

Master Geek

#1702127 12-Jan-2017 15:37

Thanks guys. I think I'll sign up for a free trial with Amazon Prime UK to make sure everything works as expected with my US Amazon echo and then after that I'll order the Fire Stick.

I assume I can order a US Fire Stick and run it with a UK Amazon Prime account?

huckster

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#1702133 12-Jan-2017 15:44

I've been going through a Prime problem myself. Got a 30-day free Prime when I ordered something for Christmas (US Amazon). Forgot to cancel Prime and got billed for a year. So then I tried to get the UK Fire TV going with it. Worked for one The Grand Tour episode before getting a 5505 error whenever I tried to watch anything else on Prime.

A few resets later and with no luck, I have cancelled my US Prime membership and started another 30-day free with UK Prime. No 5505 errors so far.....

So US Fire with UK account....... You might end up having to talk to Amazon.

broonie27

109 posts

Master Geek

#1702143 12-Jan-2017 16:04

huckster:

I've been going through a Prime problem myself. Got a 30-day free Prime when I ordered something for Christmas (US Amazon). Forgot to cancel Prime and got billed for a year. So then I tried to get the UK Fire TV going with it. Worked for one The Grand Tour episode before getting a 5505 error whenever I tried to watch anything else on Prime.

A few resets later and with no luck, I have cancelled my US Prime membership and started another 30-day free with UK Prime. No 5505 errors so far.....

So US Fire with UK account....... You might end up having to talk to Amazon.

That's great info Huckster, I'll contact Amazon about that.

broonie27

109 posts

Master Geek

#1703092 14-Jan-2017 11:55

OK, so my US Echo doesn't work natively with my trial UK Prime Account I just signed up for. Seems my Alexa profile is associated with my amazon.com account and needs someone from Amazon technical team to move it to the UK - I assume it will the same if I order a US Fire Stick and attempt to use it with my UK Prime account.

As stated earlier the I wanted to use Kodi with my Firestick so I can access BBC iPlayer so the way I see it is I have two options.

1. Buy a UK Fire Stick to use with UK Prime account and then get my Alexa profile moved to my UK Amazon account. Set my DNS service to UK

2. Buy a US Fire Stick and then get a US Prime Account instead of a UK one, this way there is no need to move the Alexa profile. The problem with this option is the iPlayer as I would need to set my DNS service to go via the US to pick up the US Prime Account content thereby geo-blocking BBC content. So my next question would be is it possibly to configure Kodi, loaded onto the Fire Stick, to go via the UK using the same DNS routing service that the Fire Stick is configured to use? My experience of DNS routing services would suggest this isn't possible as they see devices on your network as opposed to applications. Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

Craig

freitasm

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#1703104 14-Jan-2017 12:14

The Amazon Fire devices can be removed from an account by doing a hard reset - when you setup it will ask which account to use. If you have different logins for different countries, that's when you will switch.

broonie27

109 posts

Master Geek

#1703107 14-Jan-2017 12:18

That's the problem, it's the same account for both countries. I guess I could create a new US account just for Alexa and Fire Stick but I'd really prefer everything to be in the one place. Also, it doesn't get round the iPlayer issue.

richms

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#1703152 14-Jan-2017 12:56

Amazons ability to handle multiple countries is trash.

I checked out on the uk one and there was a tickbox to get quicker delivery with prime which I ticked since I have prime. Turns out it signed me up for prime in the UK, but thankfully the guys reversed it on month 3 when I noticed I was charged for it.

Richard rich.ms