Does HDHomeRun work on Amazon Fire TV?

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By James A. Kimble

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You can stream over-the-air channels from HDHomeRun to all generations of Amazon Fire TV. 

The HDHomeRun app is supported on Amazon Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Cube (1st, 2nd and 3rd generation). 

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How does HDHomeRun work with Fire TV?

HDHomeRun tuners stream local broadcast TV signals  from a TV antenna to Amazon Fire TV devices across your WiFi network. 

HDHomeRun works on all Fire TV devices delivering free over-the-air channels. (Photo credit: Jim Kimble / The Cord Cutting Report)

That includes Amazon Fire HD tablets and Fire TV Edition televisions. You need a TV antenna connected to your HDHomeRun unit, and an Internet connection. Local broadcast channels include ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS. 

How to install HDHomeRun on Fire TV

To watch live over-the-air channels on Fire TV, you need to set up the HDHomeRun unit. HDHomeRun units make over-the-air TV signals available on your home WiFi network. 

  1. Connect the TV antenna cord to the F-connector port on the back of HDHomeRun. 
  2. Plug an Ethernet cord into a WiFi router. Connect the other end of the cord to the back of the HDHomeRun Ethernet port. 
  3. Attach the power adapter to the HDHomeRun for power.
  4. On a PC, go to http://hdhomerun.local/ using a web browser.
  5. Under the menu, click on “Channel Lineup”.
  6. Choose “Antenna” on the pulldown menu at the top of the screen.
  7. Press the “Detect Channels” tab and let the channel scan run.
  8. Add the HDHomeRun app to your Fire TV device.

Once the channel scan on your PC is complete, you can start watching live TV on Amazon Fire TV devices through the HDHomeRun app. 

The HDHomeRun app will automatically pull in your live TV channels. So you don’t need to sign in or activate the app.

You can also set up HDHomeRun to work on third-party apps such as Plex and Channels.

Can you install HDHomeRun on a Fire TV Edition TV?

You can connect HDHomeRun to an Amazon Fire TV Edition television, but HDHomeRun will not add channels to your integrated channel guide. 

You will still need to watch the live TV feed from HDHomeRun through the HDHomeRun app. A Fire TV Recast is a better OTA DVR option for integrating with the TV’s native channel guide. 

How to use HDHomeRun app on Fire TV

The HDHomeRun app has a unique channel guide for live TV.

It runs on the right side of the screen, so you can keep watching live TV while scrolling through channels. At the bottom of the screen there are navigation buttons to manage recordings, enable Closed Captions and the Discovery menu.

For $35 per year, you can also use HDHomeRun’s DVR service. But whether you pay for the subscription or not, you can always use the HDHomeRun app to watch live TV.

The HDHomeRun app on Fire TV is definitely more polished than the HDHomeRun app for Roku. But you have other choices for streaming OTA channels on Fire TV devices as well.

Fire TV can also use third-party apps for live TV and DVR, including Plex and Channels. 

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James A. Kimble

Jim Kimble is a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of journalism experience. He has been at the forefront of the cord-cutting movement since 2016, testing and writing about TV-related products and services. He founded The Cord Cutting Report in 2016, and serves as the editor.

Major publications, including MarketWatch, Forbes, and South Florida Sun Sentinel, have interviewed Kimble for his years of expertise. He gives advice on the complexities consumers are navigating with streaming options, and over-the-air TV. Kimble has been a staff writer or correspondent for several award-winning, daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe.

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