Who says old TVs are useless?
When in fact, you can actually make them smart.
How?
With streaming devices.
Such as the Amazon Fire Stick.
And what’s even better?
Setting up is extremely easy. So…
Continue reading to find out:
- The best Fire Stick models for older TV sets.
- What you’d need if your TV doesn’t have an HDMI port.
- 3 easy steps to connect a Fire Stick to your non-smart TV.
- And this is just the beginning…
Can you use Fire Stick on a normal, non-smart TV?
You can use Fire Stick on a normal, non-smart TV. As long as your TV has either an HDMI or an RCA port. And all modern TVs have at least one of those. Fire Stick also works on non-smart TVs because it’s the one connecting to WiFi. Your TV only acts as a medium to show the device’s contents.
How to connect Amazon Fire Stick to normal TV? 3 steps
Now before we proceed…
I have one question for you.
Does your TV have an HDMI port?
If yes, you may proceed with the steps.
And if you can’t find one, don’t worry.
Chances are your TV has at least an RCA port. As most TVs from 2 or 3 decades ago have.
You can still use the Amazon Fire Stick. It’s just that you’ll also need another device.
An HDMI to RCA converter.
Something that you can easily buy online. ABLEWE is a good brand, for instance.
In addition, you’ll also need an RCA cable. AmazonBasics have that.
And once you have both, jump to the Bonus #2 section. Where I’ll be walking you through the process of connecting Fire Stick using a converter.
Alright. Let’s begin.
#1: Connect your Amazon Fire Stick to the power source
Your Fire Stick should come with a power adapter. As well as a micro USB to USB cable.
The first step is to connect the micro USB end of the cable to the Fire Stick.
Now you have 2 options for the power source:
- Your TV.
- An outlet.
You can connect the other end of the cable directly to your TV. That’s if it has a USB port. So your TV will essentially be powering the streaming device.
But if you’d rather use an outlet…
Plug the other end of the USB into the power adapter.
Then plug the adapter into an outlet.
#2: Plug the Amazon Fire Stick into your TV’s HDMI port
Now that you’ve powered your Fire Stick on, you may connect it to your TV.
Plug one end of the HDMI cable into your Fire Stick. And plug the other end into your TV’s HDMI port.
In addition, you actually have the option of using an HDMI extender.
All Fire Sticks come with that for free.
But you may also use other brands. This is ideal if your TV’s a bit far from the outlet.
And after plugging in the Fire Stick, ensure that you go to the correct TV input.
You may press Input or Source on your TV remote.
And how will you know if you’re in the correct input?
When you see the “Searching for your remote” message on your screen.
#3: Pair the Amazon Fire Stick with the Alexa voice remote
Your Fire Stick should also come with an Alexa voice remote. And 2 AAA batteries.
Place the batteries in the remote. Then pair it with the Fire Stick.
These are the steps to pair:
- Press and hold the remote’s Home button for 10 seconds.
- Wait for the Amazon Fire Stick logo to appear.
- Release the Home button.
- Press the Play button.
Now, if the Fire Stick remote isn’t working, repeat the pairing process.
Bonus #1: Proceed with the initial setup
For this one, just follow the instructions on the screen.
Choose your preferred language. Connect to your WiFi. And then allow the Fire Stick to install available updates. You’ll then have to enter your Amazon account info.
However, if you bought your Fire Stick from Amazon, you won’t need to enter your account details. They should already be there.
The rest of the setup will be about further remote control configuration. And the download and installation of your streaming services.
That’s it! Your Fire Stick is good to go.
You may start streaming your favorite movies and series.
Note: During the setup, you might see an “Unsupported USB port” message if you’re using your TV as a power source. Just click the “Continue without power adapter” button.
And I know you’d appreciate a visual guide. So added this video below:
Bonus #2: Connecting Fire Stick using an HDMI to RCA converter
Step #1: Plug your Fire Stick into a power outlet.
Connect the micro USB to the Fire Stick. And then connect the other end to the power adapter.
Then plug the adapted into a wall outlet or a power strip.
Step #2: Connect the Fire Stick to the HDMI to the RCA converter.
Your Fire Stick will come with an HDMI cable.
Plug one end of the cable into the Fire Stick. And then connect the other end to your HDMI to RCA converter.
Step #3: Connect the converter to your TV with an RCA cable.
Connect one end of the RCA cable to the HDMI to RCA converter.
As for the other end, connect it to your TV,
After that, grab your TV remote. And go to the correct input source. Try to find either a Source or Input button. Then press it.
If you’re using an RCA cable, the source is usually AV.
Step #4: Pair your Fire Stick with the Alexa voice remote.
Just press and hold the remote’s Home button for about 10 seconds.
When the Amazon Fire Stick logo appears on the screen, press Play. This should let you know that the remote’s already working.
Step #5: Finish the initial setup.
You may follow the prompt on the screen.
Among the things you’ll do include:
- Software update.
- Connecting to WiFi.
- Channel installation.
- More remote configurations.
- Verifying your Amazon account.
All of these should only take a few minutes.
Is Amazon Fire Stick compatible with any TV?
Amazon Fire Stick is compatible with any TV with an HDMI or an RCA port. That basically includes TVs manufactured from the 90s up to the present. Ideally, your TV should also be HD-compatible. Other TVs with lower resolutions may experience more glitches.
Smart TVs have definitely grown in popularity over the last decade.
As of 2021, there were over 114 million smart TV users in the United States. And researchers are projecting that number to grow in the years to come.
Especially since smart TVs have become really affordable these days.
But you don’t have to hop on the bandwagon. It’s perfectly fine to use non-smart TVs even today. And that’s mainly because of streaming devices.
Yes, you can use Roku on older TVs. But you also can do the same with the Amazon Fire Stick.
And these devices are heaven-sent for owners of old TV models.
Because they essentially turn your old set into a smart TV. One that’s able to connect to the internet. And able to stream from services like Prime Video and Netflix.
“Which Fire Stick is best for my old non-smart TV?”
Now, that’ll depend on your TV’s resolution.
If your non-smart TV can support 4K, then go with the Amazon Fire Stick 4K.
If it’s HD-capable, the Amazon Fire Stick would be perfect.
And if your TV can only support Standard Definition, I’d recommend the Amazon Fire Stick Lite.
What are the differences among the 3 Fire Sticks?
There are 3 main differences among the Fire Sticks that I recommended:
- Price.
- Video format support.
- Audio format support.
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
The Amazon Fire Stick 4K had a launch price of about $50 in 2021. But you should be able to find cheaper options today.
As the name suggests, this streaming device supports 4K resolutions. So if you own one of those rare non-smart 4K TVs, this is perfect.
You can stream in the clearest and most vibrant picture quality.
In addition, the Fire Stick 4K also supports Dolby Atmos. Currently one of the best surround sound technologies. So you’ll get to enjoy cinema-like audio.
It also has 8 GB of storage. And 1.5 GB of memory.
Amazon Fire Stick
The majority of non-smart TVs support either of these 2 resolutions:
- High Definition (720p).
- Full High Definition (1080p).
That’s why the Fire Stick is ideal for these TVs.
Amazon released the 3rd generation of this device in 2021. At a retail price of around $40.
This also supports Dolby Atmos for high-quality sound. And it also has 8 GB of storage.
The only difference compared to its 4K counterpart…
Aside from resolution support, Fire Stick’s memory is 1 GB. A half GB less than the 4K version.
Amazon Fire Stick Lite
The Amazon Fire Stick Lite is best for older TVs. Those that can only support Standard Definition (480p).
As you may have guessed, this is the cheapest one. At only $30 when Amazon launched it in 2020. And even cheaper in today’s market.
Like Fire Stick, it also has storage of 8 GB. As well as 1 GB memory.
It doesn’t support Dolby Atmos. But that technology isn’t compatible with older TVs anyway.
Just rest assured the Fire Stick Lite’s audio is still high quality.
What are the common features of the 3 Fire Sticks?
Now here’s the fun part.
All 3 Fire Sticks have access to over 200,000 free movies.
On top of that, all are capable of streaming from various services. Such as Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and many others.
Every Fire Stick also comes with an Alexa voice remote. So you won’t have to struggle to look for movies.
Just press the mic button on the remote. And talk to Alexa. Ask her to find movies and shows for you.
Amazing, right?
There are so many fun things you can do with your non-smart TV.
All thanks to the Amazon Fire Stick.
You might also want to know: (11 Fixes) Netflix Not Working On Firestick