I'm looking to replace my old Apple TV :cane: with something else.
My old Apple TV has a limited number of apps for content (basically whatever Apple decides to add), so more variety would be nice. I have actually tried the newer 4th gen Apple TV, but that remote... Basically, after about 20 minutes of running through the setup and grabbing apps from the app store, I was fed up with the remote and had resorted to using my old one. After 30 minutes I boxed everything back up and back to the Apple store it went.
At this point I'm leaning towards a Roku, but with 7 or 8 different ones to choose from I'm not sure if spending some extra money for a higher end one would be worth it if the lower end/cost model would work just as well. I am also aware that there are other similar devices out there. Google has one and Amazon as well.
Anyone have any experience they'd care to share? Suggestions, comments? Thanks!
I have 4 Amazon FireTV boxes and one Amazon Cube. I like the cube because it is integrated with Alexa which is proving to be pretty darned handy. They have a good assortment of apps and it just works.
The latest FireTV does not have built in Ethernet. It requires a separate adapter if you want a wired connection. Costs $14.50 I think and I tried ordering one back in December but there was a 45 day wait for it so I canceled it and just used wireless which actually worked fine to my surprise.
I had one of the original Roku high end models and to be honest I just never cared for the interface. Looks a little cartoonish IMO.
So I have The FireTV boxes on all TV's and the Cube on my main TV. I also have a Google Chromecast device and I don't really care for it.
I have a few tvs with roku built in. I feared the minimal remote at first but now its my favorite thing. OS is responsive, plays well with my media server, and has a decent app library, also easy to cast to. Some features are buried way deep in the menus which is frustrating to find.
I had a chrome stick for a while, dont bother. Id buy another roku.
I went through several set top boxes before settling on the Roku. I bought a new smart tv that has most of my favorite apps built in, so I don't even really use it anymore, but of the various ones I tried out, the Roku was the best.
I just use the antenna on my house. My parents though have a newer Apple TV and like it, but I don't like theirs. The interface is awkward to me and I really don't like the remote. I've heard some really good things about the FireTV and Roku's from my coworkers though.
Time for me to pipe in. I have Rokus, from different years on all my TVs, and I love them. I also have an Apple TV 1st gen, don't like near as much. It's Ok. I tell everyone to get a Roku if they are looking.
Thanks Joe for the recommendation on the FireTV. Guess now I need to get me one of those, to try it out.
I also have PS4, PS3 and PSTV. I use the PS3 for DVDs. PS4 for gaming, and some Netflix watching along with Youtube on occasion. PSTV was a little bit of gaming. But I'm a PS fanboy, had to have it, since I have the PS1, PS2 and PSP already. Needed Wanted them all.
All my TVs are dumb, and will stay that way as long as I can find them that way.
I have 2 old WD TV live boxes but find the interface cluncky and wifi slow compared to ethernet. I believe they are discontinued and unavaialbe. While looking into Roku, I could not confirm they would see files on my media server and only talked about streaming online, which most of my TVs do built in.
For Roku users, how good its it for file formats and seeing a media server by itself.
Some versions I saw required an app running on the host Mac to stream to the device....
Was wondering if Roku was named after the number 6 in Japanese and it was!
so when you say Roku say it like your a Samurai :laugh:
You speak Japanese Tracy? I took it in high school and college. Actually minored in it.
My Mom's Japanese, I lived there twice-3 years each time. (Navy Brat)
I can understand it more than I can speak it now.
Quote from: Just_A_Mac_Guy on September 19, 2018, 11:31:18 AMFor Roku users, how good its it for file formats and seeing a media server by itself.
Some versions I saw required an app running on the host Mac to stream to the device....
I use .mp4 and .mkv for video streaming, and I like Plex as a media player, but yes, Plex must be running on a server somewhere to feed it. This is true in most cases (that you need a server), but my Roku 3 does have a USB port and an SD card slot so you can add memory to it and play directly from one of these through the built-in Roku media player.
One plus on the Roku 3 - the remote is like a Wii controller in that it's motion sensitive so there's some neat games (like Angry Birds) you can download to it. Also, there's a headphone jack and volume control in the remote for watching late at night and not disturbing the family.
Quote from: Tracy on September 19, 2018, 11:43:20 AMWas wondering if Roku was named after the number 6 in Japanese and it was!
so when you say Roku say it like your a Samurai :laugh:
HAI :ninja:
All the apps on my two LG smart TV's suck compared to the exact same apps on my FireTV boxes and Cube.
As far as playing Media files on the Roku, as I said I only have an old model, but I never had much luck doing that unless using Plex which is free kind of. On my old Roku you could use it just fine but versions that are out now for Android is only free if you only want to watch 2 minutes of content at a time. You have to pay to be able to watch it longer though the app isn't terribly expensive. Not sure if the Roku version is like that or not.
Amazon actually has some 4K content on it and it looks awesome on my 4K TV.
Quote from: Joe on September 19, 2018, 02:28:08 PMAll the apps on my two LG smart TV's suck compared to the exact same apps on my FireTV boxes and Cube.
True that, we don't use the apps on the TV anymore, we use the DVD player or the Firestick
Quote from: DigiCorn on September 19, 2018, 12:52:46 PMQuote from: Just_A_Mac_Guy on September 19, 2018, 11:31:18 AMAlso, there's a headphone jack and volume control in the remote for watching late at night and not disturbing the family.
This is one of the best features! Also a reason I use the PS4 at times to stream.
My old Roku doesn't have the headphone jack in the remote which I would have liked to have had back in the day. These days I listen to everything with my bluetooth headphones or earbuds.
Quote from: Joe on September 19, 2018, 02:28:08 PMAll the apps on my two LG smart TV's suck compared to the exact same apps on my FireTV boxes and Cube.
As far as playing Media files on the Roku, as I said I only have an old model, but I never had much luck doing that unless using Plex which is free kind of. On my old Roku you could use it just fine but versions that are out now for Android is only free if you only want to watch 2 minutes of content at a time. You have to pay to be able to watch it longer though the app isn't terribly expensive. Not sure if the Roku version is like that or not.
Amazon actually has some 4K content on it and it looks awesome on my 4K TV.
I have a Sony TV, and while there's not as many apps, they all work as intended. It's Android. And Netflix and Amazon both support the 4K TV features.
Quote from: Joe on September 20, 2018, 07:15:23 AMMy old Roku doesn't have the headphone jack in the remote which I would have liked to have had back in the day. These days I listen to everything with my bluetooth headphones or earbuds.
Boy. Sucks to be you.
Quote from: DigiCorn on September 19, 2018, 12:52:46 PM
I use .mp4 and .mkv for video streaming, and I like Plex as a media player, but yes, Plex must be running on a server somewhere to feed it. This is true in most cases (that you need a server), but my Roku 3 does have a USB port and an SD card slot so you can add memory to it and play directly from one of these through the built-in Roku media player.[/quote]
Yea that's what I've come up against. I have 3 tvs and family that want to watch different streams. The WD boxs do not require the host computer to be involved, it sees the shared folders and play the files directly. I'll have to look at amazon or Kajiji
Quote from: DigiCorn on September 20, 2018, 09:30:41 AMQuote from: Joe on September 19, 2018, 02:28:08 PMAll the apps on my two LG smart TV's suck compared to the exact same apps on my FireTV boxes and Cube.
As far as playing Media files on the Roku, as I said I only have an old model, but I never had much luck doing that unless using Plex which is free kind of. On my old Roku you could use it just fine but versions that are out now for Android is only free if you only want to watch 2 minutes of content at a time. You have to pay to be able to watch it longer though the app isn't terribly expensive. Not sure if the Roku version is like that or not.
Amazon actually has some 4K content on it and it looks awesome on my 4K TV.
I have a Sony TV, and while there's not as many apps, they all work as intended. It's Android. And Netflix and Amazon both support the 4K TV features.
LG has their own WEB OS. Not a fan of it and those apps also support 4K on the LG. All of their tends tend to be crash happy so that I why I use the Amazon Fire TV boxes and Cube. Better OS (Android) then those running on the TV.
Quote from: Joe on September 20, 2018, 07:15:23 AMMy old Roku doesn't have the headphone jack in the remote which I would have liked to have had back in the day. These days I listen to everything with my bluetooth headphones or earbuds.
Boy. Sucks to be you.
I prefer wireless now anyway sucker!
Quote from: Just_A_Mac_Guy on September 20, 2018, 10:02:28 AMYea that's what I've come up against. I have 3 tvs and family that want to watch different streams. The WD boxs do not require the host computer to be involved, it sees the shared folders and play the files directly. I'll have to look at amazon or Kajiji
About the best thing I've found for managing your own entertainment library is Kodi. It has a bad piracy reputation because of all the old 3rd party add-ons that have been now mostly scrubbed from existence. You can install it on the Fire TV but not from the app store. You need a 3rd party app to flash the APK file. It cannot be installed on Roku at all. Kodi has a great interface and a lot of 3rd party skins to give you about any look you want. You can create your play lists from about any kind of device you would want to. I currently have an 8 TB NAS unit. The software will scrape all of the TV / Movie data from online websites so you always have great show / movie info and icons and arranges everything so it makes sense and is easy to find. You can install it on a PC or Mac too if you want to try it out and learn about it before you go out and buy the box to put it on.
Quote from: Joe on September 20, 2018, 11:45:19 AMQuote from: Just_A_Mac_Guy on September 20, 2018, 10:02:28 AMYea that's what I've come up against. I have 3 tvs and family that want to watch different streams. The WD boxs do not require the host computer to be involved, it sees the shared folders and play the files directly. I'll have to look at amazon or Kajiji
About the best thing I've found for managing your own entertainment library is Kodi. It has a bad piracy reputation because of all the old 3rd party add-ons that have been now mostly scrubbed from existence. You can install it on the Fire TV but not from the app store. You need a 3rd party app to flash the APK file. It cannot be installed on Roku at all. Kodi has a great interface and a lot of 3rd party skins to give you about any look you want. You can create your play lists from about any kind of device you would want to. I currently have an 8 TB NAS unit. The software will scrape all of the TV / Movie data from online websites so you always have great show / movie info and icons and arranges everything so it makes sense and is easy to find. You can install it on a PC or Mac too if you want to try it out and learn about it before you go out and buy the box to put it on.
There is a Kodi app on Android. I haven't run it, tho. I bought a lifetime subscription (for $59.95) from PlayOn years ago and got a free Roku LT for my troubles. It's 720 and has HDMI and component connection availability, but that's fine on the bedroom TV where I don't have an open HDMI port (it only has 2 - one for Dirctv and one for the DVD player.
Funny you mention Kodi, it's on our (hopped-up) Firestick.
We can watch movies that just hit the theatre, although sometimes the quality is bootleg or the language is not English so it takes a couple of tries.
:ninja:
Quote from: born2print on September 20, 2018, 12:32:06 PMFunny you mention Kodi, it's on our (hopped-up) Firestick.
We can watch movies that just hit the theatre, although sometimes the quality is bootleg or the language is not English so it takes a couple of tries.
:ninja:
Yeah that is the 3rd party add-ons I mentioned. There was a crackdown about a year ago and wiped most of the really good ones out.
I know a guy in England that runs Kodi on a RaspberryPi. And he's quite happy with it. Can not be the Zero model though.
Quote from: scottrsimons on September 20, 2018, 12:58:50 PMI know a guy in England that runs Kodi on a RaspberryPi. And he's quite happy with it. Can not be the Zero model though.
I got to get me one of those. I know a guy that runs MAME and Plex off of one.
Quote from: DigiCorn on September 20, 2018, 01:15:57 PMQuote from: scottrsimons on September 20, 2018, 12:58:50 PMI know a guy in England that runs Kodi on a RaspberryPi. And he's quite happy with it. Can not be the Zero model though.
I got to get me one of those. I know a guy that runs MAME and Plex off of one.
I have a Zero that I got with a magazine for free, but haven't really done anything with it yet, and it's been 2-3 years. But I have one. :banana:
I've been wanting to get a raspberry pi to make a hand held emulator for old gameboy and gameboy advance games. It'd be cool to make one that could do all that and psp games too.
Yeah Kodi will run on about anything...Mac, Windows, Linux, Android. It used to run on an Apple TV until Apple made it where you can't jailbreak it though so that killed that off.
Quote from: AaronH on September 20, 2018, 03:54:08 PMI've been wanting to get a raspberry pi to make a hand held emulator for old gameboy and gameboy advance games. It'd be cool to make one that could do all that and psp games too.
I got a hacked XBox at the swap meat that does all that
Quote from: DigiCorn on September 20, 2018, 06:48:23 PMQuote from: AaronH on September 20, 2018, 03:54:08 PMI've been wanting to get a raspberry pi to make a hand held emulator for old gameboy and gameboy advance games. It'd be cool to make one that could do all that and psp games too.
I got a hacked XBox at the swap meat that does all that
gross.