CCSInc4u - FAQs

Welcome to the FAQs page for CCSInc4u, your go-to source. Here you will find answers to commonly asked questions about our services, including computer optimization, home theatre setup and modifications, and streaming services. 

Picture of remote shows the basic functions of the remote for easier navigation. Just click it for larger picture.

Scroll down for basic tips.


 Firestick Tips, Tricks and Maintenance

What is Cache on a Firestick? Why so important to clean? Tips

Before diving into the process of clearing cache, it’s essential to understand what cache is and why it’s necessary.

Cache is a storage location for frequently accessed data. When you use apps on your Fire TV Stick, they store data in the cache so they can load faster the next time you use them. This includes images, videos, and other files that ensure a smoother and quicker user experience.

While caching can optimize performance, over time, it can lead to problems. Here’s why you might want to clear your cache:

  1. Performance Issues: A large cache can lead to slow performance, lagging, or freezing apps.
  2. Storage Management: If your Fire TV Stick is running low on storage, clearing cache can free up some space.
  3. Software Bugs: Sometimes, cached data can become corrupted, leading to app crashes or poor performance. Clearing the cache can fix these problems.

Tips for Managing Cache and Improving Performance

Once you’ve learned how to clear the cache on your Fire TV Stick, consider implementing some of these tips to help maintain optimal performance:

  1. Regular Maintenance:
    Make it a habit to clear the cache periodically. Depending on your usage, doing this monthly or every few weeks can keep your Fire TV Stick running smoothly.

  2. Uninstall Unused Apps:
    If there are apps you rarely use, consider uninstalling them. This will not only free up space but also reduce the clutter and potential performance issues.

  3. Keep Software Updated:
    Regular updates often include performance fixes and improvements. Ensure your Fire TV Stick is running the latest version of its software to benefit from these enhancements.

  4. Use Streaming Services Wisely:
    Some streaming services may have higher cache demands than others. If you notice a specific app slowing down, it might be helpful to clear that app’s cache more frequently.

  5. Restart Your Fire TV Stick:
    Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve minor performance issues. Unplug the device, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in to reboot.

  6. Check Network Connection:
    A slow or unstable internet connection can also mimic performance problems caused by cache issues. Ensure your Wi-Fi is working efficiently.

Common Issues Related to Cache and Their Solutions

As you begin managing cache data on your Fire TV Stick, you may encounter some common issues. Here’s how to address them:

1. App Crashing

Symptoms: An app frequently crashes or does not open at all.

Solution: Clear the cache for that specific app. If the problem persists, consider reinstalling it, or check the app’s support page for advice.

2. Slow Navigation

Symptoms: Navigating through menus and apps takes longer than usual.

Solution: Clear the cache for the Fire TV Stick hardware itself. Unfortunately, Fire TV doesn’t provide a direct option to clear system cache, but you can achieve better performance through regular maintenance practices like rebooting your device.

3. Streaming Quality Issues

Symptoms: Streaming quality degrades, with buffering and resolution drops.

Solution: Clear the cache of streaming apps, check your internet speed, or ensure that no other devices are consuming bandwidth excessively.4. Storage Full Warnings

Symptoms: You receive warnings about low storage on your Fire TV Stick.

Solution: In addition to clearing app cache, uninstall any unused apps and consider removing downloaded content if applicable.

Conclusion

The Fire TV Stick is a powerful streaming device that can enhance your entertainment experience. However, like any technology, it’s important to take steps to optimize its performance. Clearing the cache not only helps maintain speed and efficiency but also ensures that your streaming experience remains pleasurable.

Clear Cache and Space in Firestick Monthly

Click on the home button (Little House).

  • Scroll to the gear icon on the far right (Settings).
  • Scroll down and across to (Applications).
  • Select (Applications), then (Manage Applications).
  • Scroll down to the first application and highlight it.
  • Press the rewind button (<<) and confirm to clear the cache.
  • Select next app and repeat until you reach the end of the list of applications, then click back 2 times until all the settings boxes are visible.
  • Navigate to (My Fire TV), select it, then scroll down and choose restart. This will reboot the Firestick and clear any remaining cache. This should be done at least once a month. You have successfully cleaned your Firestick.

"Home Not Available" Message

If you see this message it's because the firestick is not connected to the internet. 

  • Unplug the power or hit reset on back of modem and wait for it to boot up and reconnect.
  • If first step doesn't work, from the message on firestick, go to settings and then network. be sure you are connected to your internet.

Add/ Remove Channel Favorites Old Hive or Old Blackrose

To add a channel to your favorites, navigate to the Live TV section, choose a category from the left, such as 'USA Full HD'. Then, with all channels displayed on the right, highlight the desired channel until a yellow line appears on both sides.

Press and hold the select button for two seconds until a gold star appears, indicating it has been added to your favorites.

To remove a channel from your favorites, select the channel from your list, press and hold the select button for two seconds, and the star will disappear.

The channel will remain visible until you exit and re-enter the favorites section. This procedure is applicable to the TV Guide, VOD, and SERIES sections.

Favorites are specific to each section; live TV channels will not appear in the favorites when you are in the VOD or SERIES sections, and vice versa.

Searching In Blackrose or Hive

Ensure you're within our app prior to searching. Choose whether you're looking for a TV channel, movie, or series, and select the appropriate category.

Navigate to the magnifying glass icon at the top right and double-click to bring up a box with letters and numbers. Press and hold the blue button on the remote until you hear a tone, state your search query, and then release the button. Click the select button (the middle button inside the ring).

Your search results will then be displayed.

Keep in mind, if your search leads to prompts to download, subscribe, or pay, the search was incorrect.

Simply press back until you reach the magnifying glass icon, and make sure to double-click to view the box with letters and numbers before searching again. The background of our app should remain visible throughout your search.

Testing Your Internet Speed to Firestick

  • Navigate to the settings on the main screen of the Firestick, located all the way to the right, and select the gear icon.
  • Below, you will see various settings options; move to 'Network 'click and you'll see a list of connections.
  • Highlight your connected connection, press the play/pause button on your remote and choose 'Speed Test'.
  • The results should show 25mbps or higher. The upload speed will be considerably lower, as it only indicates that you are connected and active.
  • If your speed is low, consider upgrading your plan or relocating your router closer to the Firestick.

Need a VPN (Free) to keep your privacy and keep Internet providers from stealing your speed?

Need a FREE VPN (Virtual Private Network)? Search firestick from main screen or use the voice. Protect yourself from slow speeds and protect your privacy. Search for "Proton VPN"

If you want for your android or windows, click here

Are your favorites in Blackrose and Hive Disappearing?

They do not disappear, but when you hold down the select button for 2 seconds, it adds a star make it a favorite. If you repeat the on a channel that has a star, it removes it from favorites, and the next time go into favorites, it's gone.

When a channel has the star and is a favorite, be sure to click lightly and quickly to select it for watching and not long press on it, and you'll be fine.

Alot of Buffering? Possible Internet Throttling Explained

Internet throttling is widespread among mobile network providers and internet service providers (ISPs), but most users are unaware of it. Users pay for the internet but, in most cases, get cheated by ISPs without knowing what is happening at the backend. However, not every ISP does this.

If you notice that your bandwidth is throttled, then it’s time to fight back and grab what belongs to you. You may be wondering how. Do not worry; this article will show you how to stop throttling quickly. Internet throttling is also known as bandwidth throttling. Internet service providers limit your bandwidth once they feel you have reached your monthly bandwidth cap. That might also have raised your eyebrows, and you probably would be asking, “Is my ISP watching my movies online? The answer is yes. That is why it is crucial to stop ISP tracking. Returning to internet throttling, your ISP determines your monthly cap, but in most instances, the cap is not justifiable.

Sometimes, you do not necessarily have to reach your monthly data cap before your internet gets throttled by your ISP. An ISP would usually decide to limit data cap for specific areas, certain sites you use, locations, or to make more profit. And sometimes, they could do it to free congestion. Instead of increasing their infrastructure to accommodate more traffic, they would throttle your bandwidth. The end users are the losers who bear the brunt of ISP’s shortcomings. Some ISPs are usually fair and would charge you less monthly when your internet is throttled. Some would also notify you in advance if your region was throttled for one reason or the other and charge you less.

However, only a few internet service providers are sincere. Most would throttle your bandwidth, slowing down your connections and causing discomfort. Sometimes, your network might even go completely off for a few seconds.

So how do we fix it? Get a VPN like Proton VPN

Shutting Down, Turning On Firestick

  • Ensure all programs are closed properly by pressing the back button (curved arrow) until you reach the Firestick home screen.
  • Press and hold the Home button (house icon) for 2 seconds.
  • From the menu, scroll to and select "Sleep."
  • Then press the power button, located at the top left above the Alexa button, to turn off the TV.
  • These steps help prevent data corruption in your apps on the Firestick.
  • To power up your Firestick, press the power button located at the top left above the blue Alexa button, and everything will turn on.

Re-Starting/ Re-Freshing Firestick

  • From the home screen, click the House button and hold while pressing the center of the circle and hold both together for about 8 secs and a message will come up that the device will shut down and restart.
  • This is useful for refreshing the Firestick if it's acting up.
  • It's also recommended to do this after cleaning your Firestick and no need to unplug the power cord.

New way to restart Firestick with remote

  • Most do not have easy access to the power plugged into the wall or back of the tv, so we suggest using your Firestick remote.
  • This restart process should take 30 seconds by following the quick steps below.
  • Press the Pause/Play button and the Select button together for approximately 5-10 seconds.
  • Your device will then state the following message “Your Fire TV Stick 4K is turning off”
  • After powering off, the device will reboot and be back up and running in no time.

Reset Firestick Remote or add to another Firestick if Broken Remote

Before doing the following steps below try this simple step.

  1. Unplug power to firestick either at the wall or unplug thin wire from stick in back of tv.
  2. Wait 5 secs, then plug in power.
  3. While waiting for firestick to reboot, be sure you have fresh batteries, installed correctly and DO NOT PUSH ANY BUTTONS.
  4. After the main screen is up continue to wait until a message come up (3-4 mins) stating it can not locate your remote.
  5. Press and hold the house button on remote for atleast 10 secs and watch the remote for a blinking green light meaning connecting or quick blue meaning connected, then try the buttons. If this fails then do steps below:

 

To reset most Fire TV remotes, follow this recommended method:

  • Disconnect your Fire TV's power supply and remove it from the HDMI port if it's a Fire TV Stick.
  • For TVs, simply unplugging the power will suffice.
  • On the remote, simultaneously press the Left, Menu, and Back buttons.
  • Hold these buttons for 12 seconds.
  • Release the buttons and wait for five seconds.
  • Take out the batteries from the remote.
  • Reconnect your Fire TV device's power and turn it on. Wait for a message indicating the remote can't be detected. If this message doesn't appear, repeat steps 1-5. 7.
  • Reinsert the batteries into the remote and press the Home button.
  • Some remotes have an LED indicator that turns blue upon pairing. Most remotes will simply start working, allowing you to test functionality.
  • If pairing doesn't occur immediately, hold the Home button for an additional 10 seconds.

Blackrose users notice alot of skipping and repeating in Live Tv?

Simply follow these steps for a smoother viewing experience:

  • Power on your Firestick, open Blackrose , and wait until you reach the main screen with no updates in progress.
  • Look for small boxes below, go to settings, then select "Player."
  • Switch LIVE TV from EXO to VLC and the rest stay on EXO Player.
  • Return to the main screen of Blackrose, and press the update button in the top right corner.
  • After the update completes, you should notice the improvements.

There may be times when something doesn't play, you may have to change the setting back, but leave Live TV on VLC Always!!!

Re-Setting/Re-Freshing Internet

  • To ensure optimal internet performance, it's advisable to reset your router once a month, especially if you frequently use devices like phones and computers.
  • You can do this by unplugging the power, waiting for two minutes, and then plugging it back in to allow it to reconnect.
  • Alternatively, pressing and holding the reset button on the back for 2-3 seconds will achieve the same result.
  • Over time, routers/modems can become cluttered with data.

How to Control Roku Tv Using Firestick Remote

  • Ensure you are using the Roku remote for this procedure.
  • Scroll down to 'Settings' and press the Right arrow button.
  • Then scroll down to 'System' and press the Right arrow button followed by scrolling down to 'Power'.
  • Press the Right arrow button to select 'Power On'.
  • Press the Right arrow button again and highlight the input you want to be displayed when you power on your TV.
  • After this, you can set aside the Roku remote and won't need to change the input each time you want to watch Firestick.

TV Guide Times Not Correct in TV Guide

  • To correct misinformation on the TV guide due to daylight savings changes, (EPG), start from the main screen of Black rose, which displays LIVE TV, TV GUIDE, VOD, and SERIES.
  • Click on 'Settings' below. Navigate to 'EPG TimeShift,' select it, then choose 'Auto' and close.
  • Press 'Back' afterward.
  • At the top of the main screen of Black rose, click on 'Update.' The guide should now be synchronized and ready.​

Adjust TV Screen to Fit

  • From the home screen (House Button), scroll to the far-right gear icon labeled 'Settings'.
  • Then, scroll down to 'Display & Sounds', proceed to 'Display', scroll down to 'Calibrate', and follow the prompts.

Control, your firestick using app on android or IOS

Simply download the free app for your type of phone. It's free and great for a dead remote or lost or have no batteries and store is closed. Just be sure your phone and firestick are connected to the same wifi at set up. These have to be downloaded using your phone's browser. Just click links and share to yourself

Android Download

Apple IOS Download

How to add TV to Firestick Remote to be able to control your TV with Firestick remote

From main screen when you first turn on firestick..

  • Scroll to far right and get to gear and see all boxes below of settings for firestick
  • Navigate to equipment control and click once.
  • Now scroll down to Manage Equipment
  • scroll to tv and select
  • Now down to change tv
  • Follow prompts

No Volume in Any Channel Blackrose or Hive Only good everywhere else

  • If you're experiencing volume in other parts of your Firestick or apps but not in Black rose, try the following steps:
  • Select any channel and ensure it's in full-screen mode. Wait for the banner at the bottom of the screen to disappear.
  • Then, using the directional ring, click on the right side until a small volume bar appears.
  • Continue clicking right to increase the volume all the way up.

Hiding Categories you wish not to see

  • If you want to hide certain categories while using live TV, you can follow these steps:
  • Navigate to the bottom of the main screen, select 'Settings', and then 'Parental Controls'.
  • The default password will be displayed; do not change it.
  • After entering, click on any channels or items you wish to hide during navigation, and a padlock icon will appear.
  • After making selections in the three main sections, click 'On' for parental controls at the top, then exit.
  • Your channel list will now appear much shorter.
  • (Ensure you do not lock the 'Favorites' menu, or you will not be able to view your favorite channels).

Just circles never loads but app runs and signs in

  • If you encounter a situation where the app loads but fails to open a channel, simply spinning without loading, here's what to do:
  • Press the home button, navigate to settings (the gear icon on the right), go to applications, and then to manage applications.
  • Locate 'Black rose', select it, press 'Force Stop', and then 'Clear Cache'.
  • Afterward, press the home button and attempt to open the channel again; this could resolve a corrupted cache issue.

Black Rose DVR Function Called Catchup

  • For Black Rose customers, at the main screen with the four large squares, navigate to the bottom option labeled "catchup."
  • Clicking there will display all the content you've missed on your preferred network, including FOOTBALL.
  • For instance, to catch up on last Sunday's games, select the appropriate network, choose the date, and scroll to locate the game.
  • Keep in mind, you have 36 hours from the original air date to view the missed content.

Firestick becomes Un-Responsive

  • Trace the power cord from the Fire Stick, which is connected to the back of the TV, down to the outlet.
  • Unplug the cord from the adapter that's inserted into the outlet. This action will cut off power to the Fire Stick.
  • Wait for 15 seconds, then plug it back in.
  • This will reboot the Fire Stick, and everything should work properly.
  • If you can't get to the power adaptor or back of the tv, simply press the play/pause button and center of the ring simultaneously for 8 secs and a reboot message will pop up.

How to remove movies or series you've watched in Continue watching section

  • After finishing a movie or series, Black Rose records it in the 'Continue Watching' section because most viewers stop playback when the credits start at the end. If you complete the movie or show, it won't appear there. To remove items from this list, follow these steps (best done immediately after viewing to avoid clutter):
  • Go to 'Continue Watching.'
  • Select the title you wish to remove.
  • Start playing the title and hit resume; as soon as the blank loading screen shows, quickly press the back button until you reach the list where you started.
  • Navigate to a different category, above or below 'Continue Watching.' Revisit 'Continue Watching,' and the title should have been removed.
  • FOR A LONG LIST: Execute steps 1-3 for each title, playing, resuming, and backing out.
  • After doing this on all titles, follow step 4, and your list should be empty upon return.