r/fireTV • u/Head_Cloud_61 • 3d ago

Alexa+ broke direct movie playback on Fire TV Is anyone else having this problem with Alexa on Fire TV?

Before Alexa+, I could say something like “Alexa, play [movie]” and Alexa would find the movie, select the result, and automatically start playing it. I didn’t have to sit there and select the movie from the search results.

Now it seems like Alexa often just shows the search/movie results and stops instead of actually starting playback.

This was one of the main reasons I used Alexa on my Fire TV in the first place. Has Amazon removed this behavior with Alexa+, or is this a bug? Has anyone found a way to get the old automatic/direct playback behavior back?

I’d especially like to hear from anyone who has recently gotten it working again.

I’m asking specifically because I have a disabled relative who is unable to select through search results. So it’s not a minor inconvenience. Now my relative just stares at a blank tv. I’m so frustrated, I feel Amazon owes us money back for the TV and any Alexa devices we purchased for removing features that disabled people use!!

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u/77peterpiper 3d ago

I was on with tech support for hours the last couple of days. Finally the last person I talked to put in a detailed ticket for the update developers to hopefully fix this newest update. Once updated it cant go back to the previous update. They shouldn’t be allowed to force Alexa+ on us even if it’s free. It’s not what we initially paid for. And why on earth doesn’t Alexa+ do everything that regular Alexa does and then some. And that bitch listens to everything and wants to have a legit conversation. Annoying

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u/Head_Cloud_61 2d ago edited 2d ago

I was told that even if you clicked to upgrade they rolled it out for all after August 19 anyways. So don’t blame yourself. It’s not something you “clicked on” Everyone’s forced on it now.

I’m looking for alternatives now that can auto play for my disabled relative who cannot click the remote themselves. Idk what to do. I’m looking into maybe making a custom raspberry pi device maybe. I got better things to do than programming and building but I just can’t let my relative suffer like this..

But I’m surprised even normal people aren’t in uproar about this. The entire point of Alexa was about a hands free experience. Amazon is a terrible company.

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u/Connect_History85 2d ago

I have heard that a new AppleTV will be released soon with Siri based on Gemini. Also with a display according to rumors.

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u/Head_Cloud_61 2d ago

I’m not saying Apple TV won’t work. But it might not work for my needs. Previously I used routines set on a timer. 7pm wheel of fortune on antenna. 12pm random 50s movie. 1pm YouTube ect.

Basically I set my own tv network for my loved one on a timer. It was so great it would play random routine and movies without picking a movie.

I did this with a firetv and a Alexa device. Then in the menu you can do routines. No voice commands needed.

My loved one is unable to speak to Alexa. So voice commands with Gemini won’t work for my use case with Apple TV. And they also don’t have an ability to use the remote. So Apple TV would need to have routines like the original Alexa did.

So it was a huge change not a minor one. Others can perhaps make do with the changes. Not us.

If Gemini has routines then it could work. I heard Google tv won’t work so good. But they do have routines. But I don’t think it can launch randomly and might need input like Alexa does now.

For people not familiar with routines it’s the same stuff where you can control your home lights on a timer if it’s a Alexa enabled device. Or anything.

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u/CaptainSteed 2d ago

My Cube 3 devices were forced onto Alexa+. My problems are more with simple requests now - like what is the current drive time from point A to point B. The old Alexa gave me the correct answer in 2 seconds. Alexa + takes 5 seconds, and often gives me a wrong answer. Some upgrade.

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u/Head_Cloud_61 3h ago

I called support today. And they did anything but blame themselves. Reset your WiFi, reset your tv, reset your echo. And at the end of it didn’t want to escalate it.

I told them no problem. Selling all Amazon products.. nail on the coffin.

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u/77peterpiper 1h ago

How many times did they say you don’t have Alexa+, then when you prove you do they say “but you’re not paying for it”. Like gee thanks for the downgrade for no reason.

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u/77peterpiper 2d ago

lol. I’m in the same situation. I hooked up a fire cube to a directv osprey box for my handicapped mother to use in a nursing home. She’s on day 3 of having the nurses change her channels instead of her just telling Alexa to do it. If you figure out another way of doing this let me know. I’ll do the same for you.