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With infotainment shows getting larger and extra immersive yearly — the 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQ has a 55-inch pillar-to-pillar whole diagonal show that spans your entire entrance dashboard — it appears a bit foolish not to have the ability to use them for streaming trendy media. Now, not all autos have screens that large, particularly late yr fashions, however the level stands. Except, there is a comparatively easy-to-use $60 USB gadget that may convert your car’s show into a sensible Fire TV. It’s referred to as the CarlinKit FireDrive Link Pro and it really works with wired CarPlay programs in quite a lot of makes from Audi, Nissan, Volvo, Chevy, Ford, Porsche, Mazda, and extra.
It comes with a novel energy/information “Y” cable, which splits into three USB connections. That’s definitely one solution to discover out your automotive’s USB port can do an entire lot greater than you would possibly assume, together with updating firmware, powering sprint cams, and so forth.
To make FireDrive work, you join the longer finish of the “Y” cable to your automotive’s energy provide, the shorter finish to a CarPlay port, and the third USB-C connection to the system. Then you plug a Fire TV Stick (offered individually) into the HDMI port on the FireDrive. You may use it to transform a wired-only CarPlay system to wi-fi by way of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Boot all of it up and you can begin watching your favourite films and reveals proper in your car’s infotainment show. You may even obtain and play video games — you may simply want to make use of your telephone’s hotspot or your automotive’s to attach the Fire TV to the web. You cannot actually use a Fire TV Stick with out web, until you put in a customized launcher, however even then you definately’ll want entry to native media.
Does FireDrive work, and what are customers saying about it?
The CarlinKit FireDrive Link Pro has over 70 critiques on Amazon, on the time of writing, with 4 out of 5 stars. Over half of these critiques are 5 stars and one other 20% are 4 stars, so individuals appear to be fairly constructive in regards to the expertise. Of course, the easiest way to seek out out if it really works is to look nearer at among the feedback customers have shared.
Some have stated they “got it to work” after small points, with slightly issue setting it up or issues with navigation and quantity throughout use. Another person mentions their “connection keeps dropping,” but it surely’s arduous to inform if that is as a result of their telephone or Wi-Fi hotspot connection or the system itself — they do not supply any extra data. A 2025 Camry proprietor says the setup was easy and “works exactly as expected,” albeit that they had to make use of a workaround to attach on to the system’s IP handle. Ultimately, it looks like it really works nicely, although it may be a bit harder to attach than initially marketed. Considering the worth, and the choice to make use of Fire TV wherever you go, it may be value the price and trouble for many.
One query is whether or not or not it may be used with different HDMI units. The retailer itemizing explicitly mentions Amazon Fire TV Sticks, not Roku units or different Fire TV Stick options. However, $60 plus the price of a streaming system is some huge cash to throw right down to try it out. You might want to get a Fire TV Stick if you do not have a spare helpful — the FireDrive would not include one.