Roku vs Fire vs Chrome vs Apple TV

"mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
01/14/2018 at 17:47 • Filed to: None

Which one is best. Fight.

DISCUSSION (19)

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 17:54

Apple TV.

I have a fire stick and an Apple TV. I can airplay stuff I have in my hard drive and use Netflix and amazon prime. Also, the touch pad lets you navigate quicker than the clicking you have to do for the fire tv. The Apple TV also has diction for typing. The Amazin alexa remote only lets you search through amazon apps only so it doesn’t work for Netflix.

AestheticsInMotion > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 17:57

Minor thread jack, but if I have a chrome stick but no internet connection (I just use cellular data) is there any way to actually use the chrome stick? Or does it have to be hooked up to wifi to function

Nibby > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 18:11

super nintendo

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 18:13

I like my chromecast for just being able to put stuff on my TV from my phone.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 18:13

I got a fire stick for Christmas and I really like it. And you don’t need a prime account to use the third party apps like hulu and netflix

XJDano > AestheticsInMotion
01/14/2018 at 18:19

Wifi.

XJDano > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 18:21

I only have chromecast and PS3 for amazon viewing. It works for what I want. I haven’t tried the others so I can’t comment on them.

Spanfeller is a twat > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 18:33

chrome cast rules.... except that it doesn’t seem to work correctly here. my sisters use Apple TV because they have iPhones, but I enjoy casting content from my android phone so I must use my chrome cast which is also cheaper and does cast from Macs too... I’ve never used fire nor roku

random001 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 18:38

Roku is the most open, but they’re having some sound issues. Apple TV sucks. Chromecast is ok, but there are things locked out. Hacked Fire is the best, but you gotta hack it.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 19:20

Non. I have a smart tv with built in amazon, hulu, and netflix apps.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 19:21

Rabbit ears.

AestheticsInMotion > XJDano
01/14/2018 at 19:27

Rats

His Stigness > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 19:29

Shield TV.

I think the only thing it doesn’t do is Apple stuff, but I’m sure there’s a way to sideload it. But it can run Google and Amazon stuff natively, no sideloading of Amazon Video. It can also do 4k and HDR. It can run some pretty awesome games, and if you have an Nvidia card in your computer you can stream from that your Shield.

It is also one of the best devices for running a Plex server because it uses hardware transcoding instead of the CPU like everything else. As long as your local network is fast enough it can easily transcode 4k.

Oh and because it’s Android TV you can cast to it too if you’re too lazy to go to a particular app like Youtube, Netflix, or Hulu.

I absolutely love mine and it’s worth every penny.

JDMatt > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 20:13

Playstation 4. I use it to play games and for netflix and amazon prime video

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 20:21

Fire or Roku for low cost of entry. PS4 is better overall, but of course is more pricy.

I have a Prime account, so I use Fire, but I like the Roku remote more.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 20:54

Tough choice. I have Chromecast, Roku and Apple TV (as well as PS3, Xbox 360, WDTV and some other boxes). I like the Apple TV for the user interface, integration with iOS devices and overall polish, but sometimes it doesn’t play nicely with obscure HDMI devices (composite converters, splitters, etc.). Chromecast is OK, but it doesn’t seem to excel in any particular area. Roku, whilst lacking the overall polish of the Apple TV, works well, plays nice with others and has decent support from channel providers.

I got the Apple TV and the Chromecast cheap over at a local pawn shop, and the Roku was free from my cable company. I had paid retail for a Roku years ago, and still have it on the upstairs TV. If you’re already invested in the Apple ecosystem, Apple TV is a great choice. But if you don’t want to spend the money for an Apple TV, or your video setup, like mine, is not exactly simple, Roku is a solid option.

TrickJos > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 21:30

Apple TV. Especially if you have an iPhone. It is powerful, fast, and intuitive.

I’ve been an Apple fan for a long time but I wasn’t quick to adopt the Apple TV. I tried a Fire TV and a Roku before I got an Apple TV.

There’s an Amazon app for Apple TV finally so I really don’t see a reason to buy anything else.

GLiddy > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/14/2018 at 23:50

Roku beats Fire beats Chromecast. I own all 3. I can’t speak to Apple TV. I own one but I haven’t taken it out of the box.

My Chromecast experience was awful. For whatever reason, mine kept disconnecting from the network, and failed to cast most of the time. Others apparently have better experiences, but those aren’t mine.

Fire is decent, but I’m not fond of the interface. I would tend to give it a higher score because of the ability to sideload programs such as Kodi, but in reality I didn’t get into Kodi. Sorry pirates and hackers, but even ‘free’ isn’t worth the wasted time chasing down dead links, bugs, security issues and possible legal issues.

Roku. The winner of the 3 in my book. So many ‘channels’ are available that everyone will find something compelling. I’m sorry that there is not a standard UI for every Roku app (channel), so you may find yourself relearning how to navigate each. I get Amazon, Netflix, a channel through my library, and even my church on Roku. It wins the contest.

Apple TV. As I said, I just acquired one as a promotion for signing up for a streaming service and haven’t set it up yet. I have hopes it may be good, but I’m not so sure of being limited by the petty whims of Apple. Does YouTube TV or Amazon Prime work? I’m not sure..

Pistol Whipped Cream > mkbruin, Atlas VP
01/16/2018 at 17:11

Apple TV if you care to use airplay. If not, roku is the best bang for the buck.