The new Amazon FireTV coming out later this year or next sounds interesting.
TLDR :
Built in IR emitter to control things like your TV
Proper alexa integration with mic and speakers meaning you won't need to use the remote, makes having a DOT surplus
Likely higher spec hardware
Quote:
The new flagship Fire TV model is the unreleased “AFTA” device that surfaced for the first time last week. Without the luxury of a leaked benchmark, I don’t know anything about its technical specifications, but I have learned that it essentially combines the functionality of a Fire TV, an Echo Dot, and an IR emitter, like the Harmony Hub, into a single device.
The cube-shaped Fire TV has a series of holes on top to accommodate its array of far-field microphones that allow you to talk to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant without needing to use the voice remote, although one is still included. A speaker built into the Fire TV allows you to hear responses from Alexa if your television is turned off. It is likely that this new top-tier Fire TV model will have additional ports and functionality not found on the new mid-tier model, like Ethernet and expandable storage, but details are unknown.
On top of the device are the exact same buttons found on the Echo Dot. A pair of volume buttons control the built-in speaker, a mute button allows you to disable the microphones, and an action button lets you manually trigger Alexa. The device also includes a familiar blue LED light bar that is common to all of Amazon’s Alexa devices.
Amazon recently made it possible to control their existing Fire TV devices using an external Alexa device, like the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot. With the inclusion of far-field microphones directly in the new Fire TV, an external Alexa device will no longer be necessary to achieve hands-free voice control of your television.
Much like existing Fire TV models, the new Fire TVs will be able to turn on and control newer televisions that support the HDMI-CEC standard. However, most TVs in people’s homes don’t support the standard and those that do often have limited functionality. That is why Amazon is also including an IR emitter in the new flagship Fire TV, which should give it the ability to control the vast majority of televisions and A/V equipment.
With its built-in IR capabilities, the new flagship Fire TV will give most people hands-free voice control of their existing television and media center, without needing any additional equipment. Thanks to Alexa’s newly added entertainment capabilities, you can expect to be able to turn your TV on and off, control the volume, change inputs, and more without needing to pick up a remote for certain tasks.
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http://www.aftvnews.com/exclusive-th...eased-in-2017/