Fire TV Setup Guide

Ocular Edge is a digital visual acuity testing platform built for optometry and ophthalmology clinics. It replaces traditional printed wall charts and expensive proprietary hardware with a precise, software-driven solution running on affordable consumer devices.

This guide walks you through setting up Ocular Edge on an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Fire TV device — from unboxing the hardware to running your first patient test. The entire process takes approximately 30 minutes.

What this guide covers:

• Hardware setup and Fire TV configuration
• Installing and activating the Ocular Edge app
• Screen calibration for clinical accuracy
• Clinic branding and customization
• Remote control options for the exam room
• Available chart types and how to run tests
• Troubleshooting and hardware recommendations

Gather the following before you begin. Most clinics will only need the first four items.

Required

• Amazon Fire TV Stick (4K or 4K Max recommended) or Fire TV Cube — approximately $35–$55 at Amazon, Best Buy, or most electronics retailers
• A TV or monitor with an HDMI input — any size works, but 32″ or larger is recommended for exam rooms
• WiFi internet connection — the Fire TV Stick connects wirelessly to your clinic's network
• An Ocular Edge admin account — sign up at ocularedge.net/admin/signup
• A physical ruler or tape measure — needed for screen calibration (any standard ruler works)

Optional

• FLIRC USB IR receiver + an IR remote — for custom exam-room remote control (~$23 from flirc.tv)
• Bluetooth keyboard — can make initial text entry faster during setup
• Fire TV Ethernet Adapter — for a wired network connection if WiFi is unreliable (~$15)
• OTG adapter (Micro-USB or USB-C) — required to connect FLIRC or ethernet adapter to certain Fire TV Stick models

If your Fire TV device is already set up and connected to WiFi, skip ahead to Step 2.

1. Unbox the Fire TV Stick and locate the device, remote, USB power cable, power adapter, and HDMI extender (if included).
2. Plug the Fire TV Stick into an available HDMI port on your TV or monitor. If the stick doesn't fit behind a wall-mounted TV, use the included HDMI extender cable.
3. Connect the USB power cable to the Fire TV Stick's micro-USB (or USB-C) port, then plug the other end into the included power adapter and into a wall outlet.
4. Turn on the TV and switch to the correct HDMI input (e.g., HDMI 1, HDMI 2). The Fire TV logo should appear.
5. Pair the remote — the included remote should pair automatically. If not, press and hold the Home button for 10 seconds.
6. Select your language and follow the on-screen setup prompts.
7. Connect to your WiFi network — select your clinic's network and enter the password using the on-screen keyboard.
8. Sign in with an Amazon account — this is required by Amazon to use the device. You can use any Amazon account (it does not need to be the clinic's account).
9. Complete any system updates — the Fire TV may download and install updates automatically. Let it finish and restart if prompted.
10. Skip optional screens — you can skip or decline app suggestions, parental controls, and other optional setup steps.

There are three ways to install Ocular Edge on your Fire TV device. Choose the option that works best for your situation.

Your admin account is the central management hub for all your Ocular Edge devices, lanes, branding, and settings. If you already have an account, skip to Step 4.

1. On a computer or phone (not on the Fire TV), open your browser and go to ocularedge.net/admin/signup.
2. Enter your clinic name (e.g., "Valley Eye Associates").
3. Enter your email address — this will be the primary admin email.
4. Create a strong password (minimum 8 characters, mix of letters, numbers, and symbols).
5. Click "Create Account".
6. Check your email inbox for a verification email from Ocular Edge. Click the verification link to activate your account.
7. Once verified, you can log in to your admin dashboard at ocularedge.net/admin.

Each Fire TV device is linked to an "Exam Lane" in your admin dashboard. Lanes let you manage multiple screens across your clinic (e.g., Exam Room 1, Exam Room 2, Waiting Room).

1. On your computer or phone, go to ocularedge.net/admin and log in.
2. Navigate to the "Lanes" page from the sidebar menu.
3. Click the "Add Lane" button.
4. Enter a descriptive name for the lane — for example, "Exam Room 1" or "Dr. Smith's Lane".
5. Click "Create".
6. The system will generate a 6-character activation code (e.g., A7K2M9). This code is displayed on the lane's detail page.
7. Write down or copy this code — you'll enter it on the Fire TV in the next step.

Now it's time to pair the Fire TV device with your Ocular Edge account.

1. Open the Ocular Edge app on your Fire TV. Navigate to your apps list, or say "Alexa, open Ocular Edge" if you have voice control enabled.
2. The activation screen appears, displaying a code entry field with an on-screen keyboard.
3. Using the Fire TV remote, enter the 6-character activation code from Step 4:
   • Use the D-pad (directional arrows) to navigate between characters on the on-screen keyboard.
   • Press the Center button to select each character.
   • After entering all 6 characters, navigate to "Submit" and press Center.
4. The device will connect to the Ocular Edge servers and verify the code. This takes a few seconds.
5. Once verified, the screen will display a "Device Activated" confirmation message with your lane name.
6. Check your admin dashboard on your computer — the lane's status should now show "Active" with a green indicator.

This is the most important step for clinical accuracy. Calibration ensures that every letter displayed on screen is exactly the correct physical size for the testing distance.

1. After activation, the calibration wizard launches automatically. (You can also access it later from the in-app settings menu.)
2. A white ruler graphic appears on screen with measurement markings.
3. Hold a physical ruler or tape measure up to the TV screen, aligning it with the on-screen ruler.
4. Use the Fire TV remote's ↑ and ↓ buttons to adjust the on-screen ruler until it matches your physical ruler exactly.
   • Each press adjusts the scale slightly. Take your time — precision here directly affects test accuracy.
   • Match at least a 6-inch (15 cm) segment for best results.
5. Once matched, press Center (select) to confirm the ruler calibration.
6. The next screen asks for your testing distance. Enter the distance from the TV screen to the patient's chair:
   • Standard optometric testing distance: 20 feet (6.1 meters)
   • For smaller rooms, you can use 10 feet (3 meters) — the app will adjust letter sizing accordingly.
   • Use the on-screen number pad and remote to enter the distance.
7. Press Center (select) to save the calibration.
8. A confirmation screen shows the calculated pixels-per-millimeter value and testing distance. Press Center to continue to the home screen.

Make every screen in your clinic look professional and on-brand. Your clinic's logo, colors, and typography appear on all chart screens and the device home screen.

1. On your computer, go to your admin dashboard at ocularedge.net/admin.
2. Navigate to the "Branding" section from the sidebar menu.
3. Upload your clinic logo — supported formats are PNG or JPG. A square or horizontal logo works best. Recommended minimum size: 400×400 pixels.
4. Set your brand colors:
   • Primary color — used for headers, buttons, and accents
   • Secondary color — used for supporting UI elements
   • Background color — the main background of the chart display
   • Text color — primary text and optotype color
   • Title bar color — the top navigation/status bar
5. Choose a font family from the available options for on-screen UI text (this does not affect the optotype letters, which use precision vector paths).
6. Click "Save Changes".
7. Changes sync automatically to all your activated Fire TV lanes. The next time the app refreshes (or is reopened), your new branding will appear.

Choose the remote control method that best suits your exam room workflow. The Fire TV remote works immediately, but many clinics prefer a custom IR remote for durability and convenience.

With setup complete, you're ready to test patients. Here's how Ocular Edge works in practice.

1. From the Ocular Edge home screen, select a chart type using the remote's directional pad and center button.
2. The chart displays with precisely sized optotypes based on your calibration and testing distance.
3. Use ↑ and ↓ on the remote to navigate between acuity lines (smaller letters up, larger letters down).
4. In ETDRS mode, per-letter scoring is tracked automatically — use the remote to mark individual letters as correct or incorrect.
5. Press Back to return to chart selection, or Home for the main menu.

Available Chart Types

Ocular Edge includes 11 chart types covering the full range of visual acuity, pediatric, and specialty testing:

Turn a lobby or waiting area TV into a dynamic, branded digital display. This feature is available with the Add-ons Bundle ($50/mo) or Enterprise plan ($225/mo).

1. Set up a separate Fire TV Stick on the TV in your waiting room (follow Steps 1–5 of this guide).
2. In your admin dashboard, navigate to the lane you created for the waiting room.
3. Change the lane mode to "Waiting Room".
4. Configure the waiting room content in admin dashboard → Waiting Room Settings.

Waiting Room Display Features

• Clinic branding — your logo, colors, and name prominently displayed
• Health tips — rotating educational content about eye health, contact lens care, etc.
• AI slide decks — auto-generated educational presentations
• Patient reviews — display your best Google or Yelp reviews
• Clock & weather — current time and local weather conditions
• Custom slides — upload your own promotional or informational images

Proper placement and environment are essential for accurate, repeatable visual acuity measurements.

TV Positioning

• Height: Mount the TV so the center of the screen is at the patient's eye level when seated — approximately 4 feet (1.2 meters) from the floor to the center of the screen.
• Distance: Standard testing distance is 20 feet (6.1 meters) from the screen surface to the patient's position. Measure carefully and match the distance entered during calibration.
• Angle: The screen should be perpendicular to the patient's line of sight — not tilted up, down, or to the side.

Room Lighting

• Maintain consistent, even room lighting. Avoid testing in rooms where natural light changes throughout the day.
• Avoid glare on the screen — no windows or bright lights should reflect off the TV surface. Anti-glare screen protectors are available if needed.
• The room does not need to be dark, but should be moderately lit (standard office/exam room lighting is fine).

Display Settings

• Set the TV's brightness to a consistent, fixed level. Disable auto-brightness or ambient light sensors.
• Disable any picture enhancement modes (e.g., "Vivid," "Dynamic," "Motion Smoothing") — use "Standard" or "Movie" mode for the most accurate display.
• Ensure the display resolution matches the Fire TV output (typically 4K or 1080p). The Fire TV will auto-detect, but you can verify in Fire TV Settings → Display & Sounds → Resolution.

Power & Connectivity

• The Fire TV Stick should be plugged into a wall outlet using the included power adapter — never the TV's USB port.
• If the Fire TV Stick doesn't physically fit behind a wall-mounted TV, use the included HDMI extension cable or purchase a short HDMI extension.
• For the most reliable network connection, consider the Amazon Fire TV Ethernet Adapter (~$15) connected via OTG adapter, especially in large clinics with many WiFi devices.

Common issues and their solutions:

All items are available from Amazon, Best Buy, and other major retailers. Prices are approximate as of 2026.

We're here to help you get the most out of Ocular Edge. Reach out through any of the channels below.

You're all set!

Your Ocular Edge system is ready for patient testing.
Thank you for choosing Ocular Edge for your clinic.