I really liked my Tivo Stream 4k until Google messed with the Android remote app. The new one disconnected constantly and the old one I reverted back to started freezing up my phone after the last security update (the only freezes I've had). So I bought the Fire Cube on sale, which is based on a forked version of Android/Google TV.

This device is so much faster than the Tivo Stream 4k, which is surprising because I don't think of fast when I think of Fire devices (and yes I own a Fire Streaming dongle). It's like the apps stay in memory because switching from Amazon to Netflix (or whatever) is almost instantaneous. And this is the first HDMI device I've had that has been able to turn both my TV and soundbar both on and off. Finally, it allows me to eliminate one Echo device, and having an Ethernet connection is nice.

I hadn't used the Android remote app for the Fire Stick I use in my RV, so that is an unexpected bonus. Ironically the comments for the app mention a lot of disconnects, but I didn't have a problem the first night. It is different than the Google apps though in that it has separate lock screen controls whereas the Google app basically overrides the lock screen to give you the full remote. The Fire lock screen controls will allow you to pause/start and volume up/down, but not FF/REW.

The only negative I've found so far is that when I was first connecting the ChannelsDVR app to my server device, I couldn't find a way to enter its IP address--no keypad on the physical remote. Having already setup the Android remote app I didn't look long for a solution and instead used that app.

Anyway, this is the biggest advance in streaming devices for me since buying a Tivo Bolt way back in 2015. That device also offered an Ethernet connection. The two streaming dongles I've bought (Tivo Stream 4k and a Tivo Fire Stick) were on par or below that 2015 device, which is sort of sad, but for under $50 I wasn't expecting much. In contrast, this $70 device was surprisingly good.