Yes, you can power an Amazon Fire TV Stick with the built-in USB port on your TV. However, this may not be sufficient power for a smooth experience.
Optimizing Firestick Power: TV USB Connection Guide
The Fire TV Stick 4K is one kind of technology that allows you to facilitate your home theater setup. It is an exquisite technology that helps you to avoid large, bulky set-top boxes. But you must plug it into the AC adapter, which is included and requires a cord from the TV to the wall. Many people become annoyed when they find out about this problem.
While this AC adapter is just powering a USB to micro-USB cable, you may be thinking of plugging that into the TV instead. So, can you plug that into the TV instead? You will be happy to know that you can power the Fire TV Stick off your TV’s USB ports. But you will need a special USB to micro-USB cable to solve the “insufficient power” warnings.
You may think it will cost a lot. But it isn’t expensive. There are other options you can apply. But first, let’s make our conception clear about Fire TV Stick.
Getting the Hardware Straight
You will find a few variants of the Fire TV Stick in the market. The Fire TV Stick 4k (on Amazon) and the Fire TV Stick (also on Amazon) are both HDMI streaming sticks requiring power.
- Cinematic experience - Watch in vibrant 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+.
- Home theater audio with Dolby Atmos - Feel scenes come to life with support for immersive Dolby Atmos audio on select titles with compatible home audio systems.
- Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1 million movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
- Live and free TV - Watch live TV, news, and sports with subscriptions to SLING TV, YouTube TV, and others. Stream for free with Pluto TV, IMDb TV, YouTube and more.
- Alexa Voice Remote lets you use your voice to search and launch shows across apps. Plus, control power and volume on your TV and soundbar with a single remote.
- The #1 best-selling streaming media player, with Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen, released 2019).
- Use the dedicated power, volume, and mute buttons to control your TV, soundbar, and receiver.
- Watch favorites from Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, HBO, and more. Stream for free with Pluto, IMDB TV, and more.
- More storage for apps and games than any other streaming media stick.
- Experience tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills, plus browse millions of websites using Firefox or Silk.
You may think that the 4K stick pushes 4K content, which will require more power than the other one. But it is not correct. Both of the HDMI streaming sticks require the same input power: 5 Volts at 900 mA.
If you go with an HDMI streaming stick, you will require few wires. But if you go with the traditional, you will need to find an AC adapter that needs a wall plug, and then you will need to attach it to your Fire TV Stick. The HDMI streaming stick is the better option. But you will need something for the plugin if you go with the HDMI streaming stick.
It is not a big problem. Sometimes, for some people, there is no spare plug reachable. If you have other set-top boxes, speakers, a video game console, you will run out of plugs fast. You may think that you can attach it to your TV over USB in order to get power over the micro-USB port. But sometimes, its consequences in an error message: “Insufficient USB power detected.”
How Will the Fire TV Stick Work When It Isn’t Getting Enough Power?
This fact may seem to you a little bit strange. The TV stick needs the power to turn on. If it turns on and tells you that it does not have enough power, how did it turn on in the first place? Engineers at Amazon said that if they let the TV Stick turn on with not enough power, then people would think they had a faulty product.
You would be happy to hear that the Fire TV Stick has the equipment to power on and checks the power. This equipment can alert you when that power level isn’t properly high enough. Though you won’t get the solution to the problem, you will know what the problem is. The USB cable coming with the Fire TV Stick works with the USB AC adapter.
The USB ports are like a flash drive. To access files, they are equipped with enough power from the TV. You can assume the Fire TV Stick is a small computer.
Are There Any Ways for the Low Power Issue?
You will find a souped-up USB port on your TV that is made to power a larger device. The chance of finding this port is very small. Due to hardwire more TVs are including them. So, if you power the Fire TV, stick off your TV’s USB ports, and if it works, then felicitation.
If you get that fault, you do have some options. You can use the supplied AC adapter. This is not a perfect solution, but it is a technical option. If there are not enough plugs, then you need another power strip with more plugs on it.
You can hunt for another powered USB port. It is another alternative. If you have equipment like a modern video game console–it may have USB ports of its own with more power than the TV. You can also hunt for another powered USB then use the cable to run off that equipment. But it has its complications. So, let’s go for the easiest option.
How to Easily Get Power to Fire TV Stick If You Don’t Have Close Outlet
At the very last moment, you may have to buy another component for your home theater system. You would like to get this component at a low price. You would love to hear that the fire-Cable Plus (on Amazon) solves your problem. By hearing the name of this component, you can tell it is a dedicated piece of hardware.
- ✅Go Wireless and power your Stick direclty from your TV with fC Plus Power Adapter ( Cable Replaces your Streaming TV Sticks USB power cable ) Powers your TVStick / streaming HDMI device such as Roku, TV Stick, Chrome & or any streaming HDMI device directly from your TVs USB port! Perfect for wall mounted HDTV TV’s.
- ✅ELIMINATES HANGING WIRES from your flat screen TV. Instantly cleans up your messy hanging wire clutter, eliminating the need for AC power outlet. Giving your home theater system / TV wall mount, a clean wireless look.
- ✅UNIVERSALLY COMPATIBLE. Works with ALL Streaming Sticks... 4K , Voice , Roku & other HDMI Players & Smart Sticks. IMPORTANT: Some TVs can not supply sufficient power, it is recommended your TV's USB port has an output of at least 1A, however in some but not all cases fC Plus MAY work with less than 1A, fC Plus is compatible with more TV’s than standard cables and similar products. Built with heavy copper & premium materials made to safely draw maximum power from your TV.
- ✅SAVES ENERGY & MONEY: Automatically powers your Stick down when you turn your TV off & auto on when you power your TV on, saving on your electricity bill. And completely replaces the need your Sticks USB power cable wall adapter.
- ✅INSTALLS IN SECONDS & MONEY BACK GUARANTEE | Should you experience any issue. Simply contact us directly and give us the opportunity to help fix it. If we cannot correct the issue OR your not completely satisfied, we offer a no questions asked FULL money back guarantee. To install simply connect one end into your TV Stick, the other into your TV… done! Add to cart & get your fC Plus Now!
The cable that you are using is just a micro-USB cable. You may think about what it could be doing to the TV to send more power out of its USB ports. There is an inner core built with premium heavy copper that provides maximum power supply. Many customers report that the power warning goes away after swapping the stock cable out for this.
So, what is happening here? The length is a fact. Going from the supplied five-foot cable down to a six-inch cable may give permission for more power. You may assume so; a thicker and bigger copper core helps to provide more power. This solution has helped many creeks the AC outlet need of the Fire TV Stick. So, it is worth it.
In the end, if you are researching for something that would make more facilitate your setup than these described setups, then it will be a waste of time and labor. When it is about home theaters, you can’t always go for the easy way. It may ruin your expensive home theater system. To build a perfect home theater system, all you need to do is abide by some important rules and invest money and labor. I hope you understand.
-our editorial board has reviewed this article and has been approved for publication according to our editorial policy.
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Last update on 2024-05-03
