Amazon Fire TV 50″ Omni QLED Series 4K UHD smart TV, Dolby Vision IQ, Fire TV Ambient Experience, local dimming, hands-free with Alexa

Just What I Wanted
Great Fire TV for the price and features. Picture and sound are both good on the 50” version that still has local dimming. Some infrequent blooming but overall another TV that proves less dimming zones isn’t a detriment with proper processing. Peak brightness isn’t as high as more expensive TV’s but is still noticeable with HDR content and very acceptable at this price. HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision IQ all work well with good brightness range and color volume. Note: no Dolby Atoms for sound. I knew this, my TV is wall mounted high and tilted down slightly in a small bedroom and I have no need for a sound bar. NOTE: if using a sound bar with an optical cable, try turning the TV speakers off AND changing the output to PCM or Dolby Digital; and use HDMI 4 (ARC/eARC).This TV is a great value for my application and the budget I set for it.I’m just using the Fire TV interface and none of the HDMI inputs. So I can’t speak on Hue, Contrast and Color issues others may see. Out of the box, mine seems spot on and I currently have no want or desire to go in and adjust any settings based on the content from the various apps I’ve used.The interface isn’t as fast as the Fire TV Cube 3 or Fire Stick 4K Max but still pretty good overall. Note to new Fire TV users: the interface is slower when updates are being downloaded and installed. Check the Device Info for updates several times when first starting the TV. There will be several updates: some very big ones and 2 to 3 more little ones at the least. Keep checking back until it says that it’s “up-to-date”. THEN start to really enjoy the interface. Also the network connection and its QUALITY also plays a factor. This TV supports 2.4/5Ghz and wired (100Mbps).Ambient mode is great but just remember what the TV tells you. The power button on the remote TOGGLES between the Fire TV interface and ambient mode and that long pressing it turns the TV off. No issues with any widgets so far for me. Also, my TV easily recognizes when I enter and exit the room.If you have other Amazon products nearby that listen for “Alexa”, simply change the TV’s wake word to Computer, Amazon or Echo. Absolutely no issues with this.1. I haven’t found any “inescapable” ads to get to content. You can “click” on these shortcuts if you want but you can just user your voice to search for titles instead. Like every other TV interface or box, third party apps have their own interfaces, sign-ins, ads, etc. that can’t be controlled by Amazon, Apple, Google, TCL, etc. Third party apps also place their own ads onto the TV platform they are on based on the deals they have in place.2. The Fire TV interface is anything but complex. You can set it up anyway you want. Again, the various interfaces, profiles, etc. of third party apps are completely independent from Fire TV and on the makers of them and this would be the same on any other TV platform.3. YMMV on the interface. Third party crashes and bugs are possible too. Third party interface issues need to be reported to their makers. They manage the various versions of their app across various platforms and sometimes they aren’t all equal in performance or features offered by platform.4. It hasn’t quite been a decade for Apple to allow the removal of 1st party apps (2016) but maybe Amazon will allow certain apps to be deleted one day. But understand these devices are meant to interface with and promote Amazon products and services primarily.5. The remote button press sounds can be turned off in options for the main interface. Don’t know about the Alexa Home Theater mode but if there isn’t a way, find out if there is one and if not ask that it be implemented.6. Again, out of the box settings being what they may for everyone, at least there are detailed picture settings available for the TV and all of its inputs – all independent of one another to get things looking the way you personally prefer.

OMNI TV – The good…and the bad
I may have taken a step backwards out of the gate. We had a more expensive VIZIO TV, that had failing LEDs, paired with a newer Fire TV Cube. Why backwards? Because the cube was newer and had features I wish the OMNI TV had. That said, the Amazon 65″ OMNI has some very redeeming qualities.Let’s open by saying this is an affordable TV for all the built in features. The issues I HAD started when I asked the TV to migrate my account from my newer cube. If you take this approach, you have to be patient and allow the new device time to load any apps. Set it up and let it do it’s thing. I’ve found Fire TV products don’t have great pop up alerts while this is happening. You feel like everything is loaded after the walk-through screens are completed, but they are not. Apps still need to load AND you still have to login to each of the apps.The Negative – When everything completed, I ran into an issue where the ‘ambient experience’ would not load any widgets and displayed and error. Forums suggested I check for software updates to the device. I had to do this a few times before an update appeared. So keep in mind, even if your TV says it’s up-to-date, it may not be. The updates resolved the issue.Resolution control – I think Amazon is trying to make it easier. My biggest issue is I not only want to see that my TV is in 4k, but I want a choice for the resolution shown on screen. EX: 3840 × 2160 (4K UHD), etc. This TV doesn’t have a display option to see those stats AND you have to his a button combination to see what resolution the TV is serving per app. Even when it does, the screen serves basic information…you TV is 1080p.Even in 4k, the main resolution of the Fire TV main menu screen is soft. They corrected this in the newer Cube, but I was hoping to find a setting, given software updates, that would correct this.The interface started very snappy, but over time tended to slow down AND apps began to lag. I’m sorry to repeat myself, but in the newer cube, this has been fixed.I’ve added external storage and have recently added a USB hub so I can keep my external storage and add a usb with family photos, should the need arise. This was all in hopes of taming the lag.The Positive – The ambient experience! The TV is on all the time and should you pass by, it comes to life with the crystal clear screensaver of your choice as well as widgets (should you choose to see them). The TV lets you set the time the experience appears. We have it turn off in the late evening in case the dog walks by the TV late at night, it won’t appear. The TV mics work great with other Alexa’s in the house and it is quick to go home or open anything verbally.The cleaner footprint – visually and digitally. The TV is thinner than our previous and we no longer have the cube sitting off to the side. The TV comes with the ability to allow screen sharing AND Apple Airplay. We no longer needed an older Apple TV connected to share.How does it compare to other Amazon devices you’ve purchased? I will have to say this is the LEAST delighted I have been with an Amazon device. We have Echos, Fire TVs and Echo Shows and this TV has not wowed us like other Amazon devices. That said, the value and time spent with the TV has improved over time. Sort of like a song you hear at first, and don’t like, but it grows on you.After getting over the initial bumps, we do enjoy the TV. There is a lot of good for the price point. I can only hope Amazon keeps up with updates to all devices, and makes subtle improvements, to make me feel smarter for spending our money with them. BTW – I recommend the beta fish ambient experience.