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NFT: "Jail broken" Amazon Fire Sticks?

chopperhatch : 5/14/2018 3:44 pm
A friend of mine just got one of these and is all pumped about it. I know what the fire stick is (basically like apple tv....keeps all your streaming sites in one spot), but what does it mean when a fire stick is "jail broken?" How does it make it better?
Isn't that what they do to Droid phones so they can customize them?  
Brown Recluse : 5/14/2018 3:45 pm : link
.
Since it's running an Android OS, they sideload  
jcn56 : 5/14/2018 3:48 pm : link
apps like Kodi to the FS in order to use the suite of plugins there.

Unless things have changed, though, it's not really 'jailbreaking' or rooting anything, just loading up apps that aren't normally delivered with it.
"Jailbreaking" usually means you're removing limits on the system.  
guitarguybs12 : 5/14/2018 3:51 pm : link
Usually requires a special tool which uses a backdoor or bug to gain high level access to the OS. Once a patch is installed, it allows you to then modify the actual operating system in phones, and enable various features not normally available by default.

In the case of Amazon Fire Sticks/TV...if you're talking about installing "Kodi" to watch media, then it's nothing more then installing an externally based Android app using already built in programs. Not any "hacking" involved.
RE: Since it's running an Android OS, they sideload  
chopperhatch : 5/14/2018 3:51 pm : link
In comment 13963500 jcn56 said:
Quote:
apps like Kodi to the FS in order to use the suite of plugins there.

Unless things have changed, though, it's not really 'jailbreaking' or rooting anything, just loading up apps that aren't normally delivered with it.


Like what? What can you do with them? Is there like content you wouldnt normally get with a normal fire stick? Is it legal? He said something about free movies and stuff.
Basically  
bigbb : 5/14/2018 3:52 pm : link
Its another way of saying its loaded with kodi and third party add-ons..... so you can stream whatever you're looking for
I don’t know how it works  
dep026 : 5/14/2018 3:55 pm : link
But I’ve watched about 20 HD movies that came out recently for free.
RE: RE: Since it's running an Android OS, they sideload  
Sonic Youth : 5/14/2018 3:55 pm : link
In comment 13963505 chopperhatch said:
Quote:
In comment 13963500 jcn56 said:


Quote:


apps like Kodi to the FS in order to use the suite of plugins there.

Unless things have changed, though, it's not really 'jailbreaking' or rooting anything, just loading up apps that aren't normally delivered with it.



Like what? What can you do with them? Is there like content you wouldnt normally get with a normal fire stick? Is it legal? He said something about free movies and stuff.
Basically you can pirate things. Not really legal, which is why everyone suggests using a VPN when using a Jailbroken Fire Stick
Misuse of the phrase  
baadbill : 5/14/2018 3:58 pm : link
It really applies to Apple iOS (see link)

With a fire stick, it is a stupid phrase since the fire stick literally comes with the options built in to allow you to add additional apps to the Fire Stick ... it is actually part of the options you set (called "developer mode" if I recall).

The bottom line is that it is generally used to sell a firestick preloaded with Kodi - and with Kodi addons that enable Kodi to download illegal streams) ...

It's dumb to pay for that because, ignoring the legality for a moment, if you are interested in using Kodi, then you will have to know how to load it onto the firestick yourself, because it is the nature of illegal streams that they need to be constantly reconfigured ... and if you don't know how to do that, you won't be using Kodi for long ... and if you learn how to do it, then you don't need someone to do it for you in the first place.
I say this in every single cordcutting / Kodi thread  
Bockman : 5/14/2018 4:38 pm : link
It is NOT illegal to watch a stream. It's illegal to HOST a stream.

And you don't need to jailbreak a fire stick. You simply use the Downloader app on the firestick to download the Android Kodi version directly from the Kodi website.
RE: I say this in every single cordcutting / Kodi thread  
baadbill : 5/14/2018 4:45 pm : link
In comment 13963531 Bockman said:
Quote:
It is NOT illegal to watch a stream. It's illegal to HOST a stream.

And you don't need to jailbreak a fire stick. You simply use the Downloader app on the firestick to download the Android Kodi version directly from the Kodi website.


It is illegal to host the streams. It is illegal to create the apps that grab the illegal streams. That is why so many of them are constantly shut down. It is illegal to sell at a profit fire sticks preloaded with those file streaming apps.

Now, with all of that being illegal, if you want to try to argue that possessing those apps and watching illegal content isn't illegal, be my guest. I wouldn't want to be the test case for that.
RE: RE: I say this in every single cordcutting / Kodi thread  
Bockman : 5/14/2018 4:48 pm : link
In comment 13963537 baadbill said:
Quote:
In comment 13963531 Bockman said:


Quote:


It is NOT illegal to watch a stream. It's illegal to HOST a stream.

And you don't need to jailbreak a fire stick. You simply use the Downloader app on the firestick to download the Android Kodi version directly from the Kodi website.



It is illegal to host the streams. It is illegal to create the apps that grab the illegal streams. That is why so many of them are constantly shut down. It is illegal to sell at a profit fire sticks preloaded with those file streaming apps.

Now, with all of that being illegal, if you want to try to argue that possessing those apps and watching illegal content isn't illegal, be my guest. I wouldn't want to be the test case for that.


Nobody has ever been arrested in the U.S. for watching a stream. Ever.

Worst that could happen is that you watch Star Wars and Disney sues you. Which has still never happened.

But that still doesn't make it illegal.
the Firestick has become my cable box  
antdog24 : 5/14/2018 4:50 pm : link
I use DirecTV Now to stream TV, local channels, on demand shows, $35 a month. I use netflix for my original movies, marvel shows. I use Kodi to watch stuff I can't get like Westworld and in theater releases that don't seem worth the money at the theater. Terrarium TV is also a good source for this as well.
There is a case going on ..its settv  
bigbb : 5/14/2018 4:50 pm : link
But it doesn't matter there's always other ways around it..
RE: RE: I say this in every single cordcutting / Kodi thread  
UConn4523 : 5/14/2018 5:02 pm : link
In comment 13963537 baadbill said:
Quote:
In comment 13963531 Bockman said:


Quote:


It is NOT illegal to watch a stream. It's illegal to HOST a stream.

And you don't need to jailbreak a fire stick. You simply use the Downloader app on the firestick to download the Android Kodi version directly from the Kodi website.



It is illegal to host the streams. It is illegal to create the apps that grab the illegal streams. That is why so many of them are constantly shut down. It is illegal to sell at a profit fire sticks preloaded with those file streaming apps.

Now, with all of that being illegal, if you want to try to argue that possessing those apps and watching illegal content isn't illegal, be my guest. I wouldn't want to be the test case for that.


Correct. And your ISP can also boot you if caught which, if they are the only one in your area, can pose a huge problem for people.
I also don’t understand how  
UConn4523 : 5/14/2018 5:03 pm : link
There are so many adults with jobs who can afford to watch a movie on demand for $5 but instead steal it. Makes no sense.
RE: RE: RE: I say this in every single cordcutting / Kodi thread  
baadbill : 5/14/2018 5:06 pm : link
In comment 13963540 Bockman said:
Quote:
In comment 13963537 baadbill said:


Quote:


In comment 13963531 Bockman said:


Quote:


It is NOT illegal to watch a stream. It's illegal to HOST a stream.

And you don't need to jailbreak a fire stick. You simply use the Downloader app on the firestick to download the Android Kodi version directly from the Kodi website.



It is illegal to host the streams. It is illegal to create the apps that grab the illegal streams. That is why so many of them are constantly shut down. It is illegal to sell at a profit fire sticks preloaded with those file streaming apps.

Now, with all of that being illegal, if you want to try to argue that possessing those apps and watching illegal content isn't illegal, be my guest. I wouldn't want to be the test case for that.



Nobody has ever been arrested in the U.S. for watching a stream. Ever.

Worst that could happen is that you watch Star Wars and Disney sues you. Which has still never happened.

But that still doesn't make it illegal.


I think you're wrong. For very obvious reasons. It's like buying a $500 watch for $50 off the back of a truck. You can argue it isn't illegal, but you'd be wrong. It is illegal. Maybe you won't be prosecuted... maybe it would be difficult for the prosecutors to prove a case... but that doesn't make it legal. I don't know criminal law. I also don't know copyright law. Both are highly specialized.

People seem to think it is illegal to download the movie on your computer and watch it after it downloads, but that it is not illegal if you just watch the "stream".

That's just stupid. In both instances the movie is downloaded to the hard drive. The only difference is when you watch the movie. In the first instance, you download the entire movie and then watch it (let's say 30 seconds after it downloads). In the second (the "streaming"), you watch the movie while it is downloading (which causes "buffering" if the download speed isn't faster than the speed it takes to watch, so that enough file isn't on your computer and you have to wait for the download to "catch up").

They are both the same thing. I'd love to see you argue the difference to a judge in a courtroom.
RE: I also don’t understand how  
Stan in LA : 5/14/2018 5:06 pm : link
In comment 13963552 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
There are so many adults with jobs who can afford to watch a movie on demand for $5 but instead steal it. Makes no sense.

Yeah. Boggles the mind.
I pay through the nose for FiOS and streaming services instead  
jcn56 : 5/14/2018 5:09 pm : link
but you're asking how people are OK with doing it? They've been gouged for years by these companies, and the cost of some of these services has gone too far.

Personally I'd rather do without them at that point, but I don't sit and wonder how people can sleep at night.

As for being somehow caught and brought to justice - you can forget about that if you're just talking about people viewing the streams. Hasn't happened, and there really isn't a good way for them to pin down the users to identify them to charge them with the activity.
As an aside - one thing I find interesting/surprising  
jcn56 : 5/14/2018 5:12 pm : link
is that Amazon's content partners haven't gone to them and complained about how trivial it is to sideload these apps onto the FS. I don't expect them to be able to make them bulletproof, but anyone with internet access that can type YouTube into the address bar can have the damn thing all set up in less than 10 minutes. Really surprised they haven't taken a few more measures to lock it down.
RE: RE: I also don’t understand how  
tbonfig : 5/14/2018 5:27 pm : link
In comment 13963555 Stan in LA said:
Quote:
In comment 13963552 UConn4523 said:


Quote:


There are so many adults with jobs who can afford to watch a movie on demand for $5 but instead steal it. Makes no sense.


Yeah. Boggles the mind.


It's funny because I am a paying cable customer but some sites are set up so poorly for streaming, that I've actually watched other streaming sites to view their content. Biggest offender for me has been AMC when streaming The Walking Dead.

Now maybe you could retort and say, well don't watch such a shitty show, and you would probably be right.
I want to be clear, my comments about legality have nothing to  
baadbill : 5/14/2018 5:40 pm : link
do with my thoughts on morality.

I suspect everyone commits an illegal act at some point in their life (taxes probably being the easiest example ... but I also smoked a joint or two 50 years ago)...

I don't have much sympathy for cable providers like Comcast who spend millions of dollars in local elections every year trying to protect their monopoly. People wouldn't even think about streaming if the internet was provided as a service as part of your taxes (like garbage collection) and there was zero monopoly and the only competition was for "content".


I happen to believe it is likely illegal. But I think it is the Comcasts of the world that are immoral in "buying a monoply" so as to fuck the every day public. Fuck them. Big time.
Very good stuff  
chopperhatch : 5/14/2018 6:06 pm : link
Also talked to a developer friend of mine and he was telling me he can watch ANY and all NFL game he wants on Sundays using a VPN directly installed on his FS.

I am going to have to look into this.
You  
charlito : 5/14/2018 6:33 pm : link
Can jailbreak it yourself. Kodi is Erick Flowers. Get Terrarium instead.
RE: You  
chopperhatch : 5/14/2018 6:54 pm : link
In comment 13963610 charlito said:
Quote:
Can jailbreak it yourself. Kodi is Erick Flowers. Get Terrarium instead.


Are the same add ons what I would use with Terrarium charlito? I don't want Ereck Flowers, I want Taylor Lewan.
Chop...  
baadbill : 5/14/2018 7:03 pm : link
Youtube will have everything you will need to know about Kodi... see link below ... modify it to refer to terrarium tv... also, what I do is use kodi/terrarium tv etc on my laptop where I can easily play with the settings and various addons, then when i'm satisfied, I use the addons etc on the Amazon stick...

That way you get to see what you will get on your TV when you use the Amazon firestick (actually, I like the firebox better) ... but frankly, if I'm alone, I end up watching live tv or kodi on my laptop instead of my 60" 4k TV which I love - but it's just so much easier to use my laptop
Link - ( New Window )
RE: RE: You  
charlito : 5/14/2018 7:06 pm : link
In comment 13963622 chopperhatch said:
Quote:
In comment 13963610 charlito said:


Quote:


Can jailbreak it yourself. Kodi is Erick Flowers. Get Terrarium instead.



Are the same add ons what I would use with Terrarium charlito? I don't want Ereck Flowers, I want Taylor Lewan.


Lol. I hear u. This guy explains how to add terrarium. Modbro is also good because it has local channels (fox, NBC,CBS etc.)
Link - ( New Window )
Just like Napster  
giantsFC : 5/14/2018 10:40 pm : link
The man is eventually gonna shut it down. Buy it now or don’t waste your time.
First of all  
Bramton1 : 5/15/2018 8:51 am : link
Jailbreaking is an iOS term. For Android devices, which includes the Amazon devices (including the Fire Stick), it's rooting.

As for your original question...

Rooting is not a requirement for sideloading. Very easy to do with ADB from a PC or Mac. Hell, there is an app you can get through Amazon that allows you to sideload by typing in the URL for the app. So things like Kodi, Terrarium, and the like do not require the device to be rooted.

Furthermore, it's not hard to run a VPN on your Fire Stick, unless it's a FirstGen Fire Stick (the system does not have the files and possibly the appropriate hardware to successfully use a VPN). Some VPNs apps you can download straight from Amazon. Others can be sideloaded.

The advantages of using a rooted Fire Stick to be make major changes to the file system. There is a guide to essentially turn your Fire Stick into an Android TV. You could conceivably install the Google Play Store. You can replace the launcher with a custom launcher.

For more information about what you can do with or without root, I would recommend the FireTV (includes the Fire Stick) forums at XDA (link below). Just don't install anything that says it's specifically for the FireTV, and make sure you know what generation Fire Stick you own.
FireTV at XDA - ( New Window )
It’s been mentioned numerous times  
djm : 5/15/2018 10:09 am : link
Don’t buy a fire stick preloaded. Not only is it a waste of money but you won’t be able to roll with the punches if and when the builds or plug ins go kapoot. Watch you tube vids and do it yourself. It takes 30 minutes.

I just did it and did install a vpn trial for 7 days. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the movie streaming show streaming side of it as it’s a bit clumsy but overall it’s pretty cool. I haven’t actually watched anything for long yet. I may only use it for sports content.

To me you’re better off using the nzb sites and newsleechers programs as you can pick and choose what you want. The kodi thing is a little clumsy, but it’s cool.
Streaming is currently mostly a legal gray area  
Scyber : 5/15/2018 12:04 pm : link
It is arguably stealing (some form of it), but no one has tried to make a case against individuals that are streaming. Probably b/c I'm pretty sure the financial penalty would be minimal (just the cost of the movie/show???) that it isn't worth the copyright holders time.

That is vastly different then torrenting or uploading content. In that case the user is also sharing the copyrighted work. That carries a $375000 fee (IIRC) for each instance. Those are worth pursuing by the copyright holders.

One thing to watch out for, is that while some apps do say they are "streaming", they are really using a torrent behind the scenes. So they may actually be sharing the content while streaming. Unless you know the details of the app you may not notice the difference as a user. But from a legal perspective the difference is huge.
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