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Privacy

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Amazon FireTv Cube scares the shit out of me (lemmy.world)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I just received a new Fire TV cube gen 3, because my old one is malfunctioning. I know, I hate these devices myself, but it's the only option right now, since a new version of the Nvidia shield isn't coming in the foreseeable future.

So, I plugged in the power chord and the HDMI cable into the cube.

When it booted up it showed a screen that it's downloading the newest update. At first I thought this must be some typo-bug on the initial boot steps, because I haven't even connected it to the internet yet, neither via cable nor did I go through the wifi setup.

After the update has finished, I was greeted with my real name and the cube indeed had the actual WiFi settings!

WTF?! How's that even possible?

all 21 comments

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[–] [email protected] 61 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Did you order it using your Amazon account? I think they pre-configure them for you unless you say “this is a gift” when ordering.

[+] [email protected] -12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

yes I did order it with my Amazon account

However, as appreciative as I am for making my setup process easier, I'm also not happy with the fact, that some random dude had access to my device prior to me.

Who says he's not part of some weird group installing miners or bots onto my device causing it to slow down over time?

[–] [email protected] 25 points 9 months ago (1 children)

it's probably automated

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

so much better. Instead of a human seeing it, your personal info is now a part of the amazon machine. IMHO it’s even more terrifying to know it’s automated than it would be if some kid unboxed it off the assembly line and personally typed your shit in off a piece of paper.

God I’m old.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 9 months ago (1 children)

To be fair, if you’re ordering from Amazon, your personal info was already “part of the Amazon machine.”

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Oh, I know. Was more a reaction to the absurdity of the sentiment that automation was somehow less creepy.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 9 months ago

if you got it from Amazon, they can preload your account and wifi details that you previously used with their products

[–] [email protected] 22 points 9 months ago

This is likely part of Frustration-Free Setup.

[+] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

[deleted]

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

alright, what's a 4k hdr alternative then, that supports hdr and dolby vision?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I've been using an intel NUC for like 5 years now. It does 4k no problem.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

yeah, but does it do HDR? I suppose not.

I would love to use my own setup of hardware/software, but it's simply not possible without making sacrifices

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Anything that supports HDMI 2.0 or Display Port 1.4 can do HDR. My intel nuc does hdmi 2.0, that was why I bought it. So yes, it does. Stop being a naive consumerist and learn what you are actually consuming.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

https://r-htpc.github.io/wiki/faq#what-is-hdr-video-and-what-do-i-need-to-take-advantage-of-it

DOLBY VISION AND HDR10+ MEDIA PASSTHROUGH IS NOT SUPPORTED ON HTPCS; If you need support for these, you’ll need a media device/non-PC, like a Nvidia Shield, Fire TV, Dune HD, etc..

I did learn a lot about my consumption, and believe me when I say, that I wish my options were broader. But it is how it is. And most of the content I watch is in HDR10+ or DV.

But yeah, everyone's milage may vary.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Media passthrough isn't the same as streaming from the HTPC. IF you look directly above the quote above.

For a HTPC, this means HDR support must be in the video, GPU, video interface (HDMI/DP) and ultimately your output device (typically a TV). HDR10 is supported on HTPCs under Windows, macOS Catalina, Android and (usually) libreelec/coreelec operating systems. Linux is NOT supported.

So you if you have a HDR10+ source on your IntelNUC, or whatever, you can play that over HDMI 2.0 to a compatible TV without an issue.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

yes, playback might work, but it will fall back to HDR10 or even SDR, since not all metadata is passed through.

So to fully take advantage of hdr10+, dolby vision, 5.1, atmos, and what not... each device in the chain, from the source to the output, and the hdmi cable, have to fully support it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago

What is the purpose of the device? I'm almost certain that there is another option, which is just a small PC running whatever software you need.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago

Don't buy an information vacuum if you don't want your data sucked up. Definitely don't buy multiple generations of information vacuum from the same company.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Probably the same they use for setting up Kindles since ages albeit there was an option to get it iunconfigured too if you want to use it as a present.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Hmm

Two possibilities:

Is the old device still plugged in while you setup the new one? Perhaps they connected to each other. My previous Samsung phone did this with my new one without prior setup of the 'feature', though after I signed into my Samsung account onnthe new phone.

Or it could have come pre-loaded with data on your account...

I'm not very comfortable with either option really.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

When I set up my Amazon devices there was an option for it to save my WiFi details but I always declined.