Before you start

HiTV isn't listed in the Amazon Appstore, so we sideload it with Downloader, the orange app most Fire TV owners already have. Sideloading sounds technical but on Fire TV it amounts to flipping one switch and typing one code. Amazon allows it; the option is built into the settings.

You'll need your Fire TV connected to the internet and roughly 60 MB of free space. That's it.

Step 1: Install the Downloader app

1
Open the search from the Fire TV home screen
Select the magnifying glass and type "Downloader", or hold the microphone button and say it.
2
Install the orange Downloader app
It's by AFTVnews, free, and has millions of installs. Select Get or Download and wait a few seconds.

Step 2: Allow Downloader to install apps

This is the step people miss. Without it, the APK downloads but the Install button does nothing.

1
Open Settings from the home screen
Go to Settings → My Fire TV → Developer Options. If Developer Options is hidden, open Settings → My Fire TV → About, highlight your device name, and click it seven times.
2
Turn on "Install unknown apps" for Downloader
On newer Fire OS versions, select Install unknown apps and switch Downloader to ON. Older versions have a single "Apps from Unknown Sources" toggle instead.

Step 3: Enter code 1910890

Downloader icon Code: 1910890

1
Open Downloader and select the code field
The home screen shows a text box that accepts URLs and codes. First launch? Allow the storage permission it asks for.
2
Type 1910890 and press Go
Downloader resolves the code and opens the HiTV download page directly on your TV. No URL typing involved.
3
Download the APK
Select the download button on the page and wait for the progress bar to finish. On a normal connection this takes well under a minute.

Step 4: Install and launch

1
Select Install on the prompt
When the download completes, Fire TV shows the standard install screen. Select Install and wait for "App installed".
2
Delete the APK file (optional but smart)
Downloader offers to delete the installer afterwards. Say yes; it frees space and changes nothing about the installed app.
3
Open HiTV
Find it under Your Apps & Channels → See All. Hold the home button and pick Apps to move it somewhere convenient. Guests get two free episodes; an account unlocks the rest.

Fire TV specific fixes

The Install button is greyed out or does nothing

The unknown-apps permission from Step 2 isn't on for Downloader. Go back to Developer Options and check the toggle, then reopen Downloader; the file is still there under the folder icon.

"Not enough storage" on a Fire TV Stick Lite

Open Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applications and clear the cache of your largest apps, or uninstall something you don't use. HiTV itself needs very little space, but Fire OS wants breathing room during installs.

Downloader says the code isn't found

Double-check you typed 1910890 with no spaces. If it still fails, Downloader's code service may be having a moment; wait a few minutes or use the browser tab inside Downloader to visit the APK link from our download page manually.

Video buffers on the TV but not on your phone

Fire TV Sticks sit behind the TV where Wi-Fi is weakest. Moving the router, using the 5 GHz band, or an Ethernet adapter all help. More in the buffering section of the troubleshooting guide.

Updating later: the TV version doesn't self-update. When a new release comes out, run the same code again and install over the top. Your account and lists survive. Details in the update guide.