I want to screen mirror from laptop to smart tv. Which amazon fire tv stick is right?

[Mix1]

I want to screen mirror now tv from my laptop (jumper EZbook X3) to my Samsung smart tv (UE55JS9000).  My tv supports 4k resolution but my laptop does not.  Which amazon fire stick should I get to enjoy Now content on my tv - the fire tv stick or the fire tv stick 4K (latter is more expensive)?

[SweetBlitz]

Any fire stick, but you won’t get 4K with Now TV, just HD with boost. No need to mirror as you can use Now TV app on the stick. Just login.

FWIW I would get the 4K stick as you get Amazon movies in UHD and on other services like Disney Plus and Netflix.

[gavs82008]

@Mix1 @SweetBlitz 

As long as it’s not a first generation fire stick.

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-set-top-boxes-streaming-devices-can-i-use-to-watch

[schnapps]

Hi @Mix1 

I don't think you can screen mirror from a laptop with the NOW App.

Also the maximum streaming resolution when watching NOW is 1080p with the additional Boost Membership, though PC's are capped at 720p even with Boost.

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-is-highest-streaming-quality-for-my-device 

I would still look at an Amazon Fire Stick that runs 4K on other Apps to get the most out of your Samsung 4K TV (even if your Smart TV offers certain 4K Apps).

My choice would be the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max if your budget can afford it (I own a Amazon Fire Stick 4K which was released before the Max was out and have no complaints using it).

[RoyB]

@Mix1 @gavs82008 @schnapps @SweetBlitz 

That’s a 2015 Samsung TV (and a mighty fine one still - we have one hanging on the wall in our kitchen/diner) but it’s a bit long in the tooth for apps - Now won’t run on it any more, and though the BBC iPlayer still runs in HD on it, it won’t offer 4K any more. So it needs a Stick to help it out. Ours has a Roku Stick+.

Mirroring from a laptop doesn’t make any sense, for the reasons stated above, so a Stick it has to be. Or a Roku Express, which could be tacked neatly onto the One Connect box. These come in HD and 4K flavours, and though Now is only HD at best, I endorse going for the 4K version for all the other apps you can get in 4K, and which the TV can still take full advantage of.

I’m not a fan of the Firestick UI, and nor of them costing more than their Roku equivalents, though I did bag a FireStick 4K Max the other day, for £38.50. (I lay in wait for an Amazon Fire(Stick) sale and got a ‘Certified Refurbished’ one that was brand new really, just in a generic box rather than the original packaging). This is going into the One Connect box on the Samsung because there are a couple of things the aging Roku Stick+ can’t do, and also to make A/B Roku/FireStick comparisons.

If I practised what I preach, I’d have bought the newest Roku Stick and just swapped the old one out, but this is more fun…

[Mix1]

I went ahead and got a fire tv stick 4k.  Setup was apparently straightforward but I have found that the audio is a split second ahead of the picture both on now tv and the tv I watch using the fire stick.  I have changed the audio on the settings tab from surround sound to dolby digital and also PCM stereo to no avail and also emptied the caches of the applications I have used whcih made no difference.  I have also toggled the setting bar of the av video/syncing bar which does change things but to get the video/audio synced properly seems impossible.  Is it just a matter of faffing with this option or is there another solution.

I appreciate this is a largely non-now tv issue but since you have the same smart tv as me and mentioned experience with the fire tv stick I thought you might be able to help.

[schnapps]

Hi @Mix1 

No problems for me using the NOW App on my Amazon 4K Fire Stick with regards to audio.

Have you tried forcing 50hz in the Stick Display settings and does your TV have an option to adjust lip sync.

[Mix1]

I have tried forcing 50hz in the Stick Display settings to no avail.  Could you give guidance as to how to adjust lip sync on your samsung smart tv so I can try the same on mine.  Thanks.

@Mix1 

[schnapps]

Hi @Mix1 

I don't have a Samsung TV, but if it has a lip sync feature, my guess it would be in the TV Sound settings menu.

Is it only the NOW App out of sync with the sound or everything when using the Amazon Fire Stick ?

I haven't got access to my Amazon 4K Stick at the moment to check if you can adjust the sound sync by following these instructions on the link below directly from your Amazon device.

It might be only applicable to their Fire TV televisions.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GRZKUFGWX49Z6SWC 

[schnapps]

Hi @Mix1 

I am also assuming there is no sound bar or AV Receiver in the audio chain ?

Maybe also check under the HDMI TV settings and if the TV has a one connect box if there is anything that needs changing or swapping HDMI ports.

@RoyB owns the same Samsung model according to his post, so I am sure he will be more helpful than me when it comes to lip sync problems on a Samsung TV.