Learn A Streaming Device Buyers Guide

A Streaming Device Buyers Guide

Last Updated: December 13, 2019

Written by:

With the Holiday shopping season rapidly coming to a close, is a streaming device on your list this year? Use our streaming device buyers guide to help you make the right choice. It’s a great way to enjoy popular services, like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu.

While some use their smart TV or videogame console to stream content, others cast video from their smartphone. Still, a dedicated streaming device provides a straightforward solution. In the same manner as our buyers guides for streaming services and wireless routers, here’s a streaming device buyers guide.

Roku Ranks at the Top of the Media Streaming Device World

There are good reasons for Roku’s massive popularity among consumers. For example, their family of devices provides a simple user interface and excellent performance. Most importantly, they are neutral when it comes to the various streaming services on the market.

roku-streaming-stick-plus — The Roku Streaming Stick+ is a great option. Image copyright Roku.

While the Amazon Fire TV Stick is another great option, its interface favors content from Amazon Prime. While this isn’t a problem for Prime subscribers, other users might find that tendency annoying. It’s a major reason why so many turn to Roku.

The Roku Streaming Stick+ ranked first on CNET’s list of the top streaming devices for 2019. For nearly $50, users are able to easily stream 4K HDR video. It includes voice control and a fast processor. This Roku’s portability also lets you grab it and go when traveling.

Alexa Powers the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Subscribers to Amazon Prime need to check out the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. It’s also priced at $50, which tends to be the sweet spot for most streaming devices. One advantage over the Roku Streaming Stick+ is its superior voice control provided by Alexa. Pairing the device with an Amazon Echo works best for this feature.

As noted earlier, the Fire TV Stick’s user interface strongly suggests content from Amazon Prime. Frankly, it’s over the top at times. If this isn’t bothersome, this streaming device’s feature set compares well with the Roku family and others.

Also, note that the Fire TV Stick 4K doesn’t provide an app for You Tube TV. This is likely to be a showstopper for many users. You Tube TV continues to grow in popularity. In that case, the platform-agnostic Roku family remains the best choice.

The Apple TV 4K Provides Great Performance at a Premium

The Apple TV 4K is likely on the wishlist of Apple fans if they already don’t own one. With support for 4K video and Dolby Atmos sound, its feature set ranks at the top of the streaming device heap. Of course, being an Apple device, this high-end functionality comes with a high-end price. The Apple TV 4K costs $169, over three times as much as the other devices in our buyers guide.

For this price, users receive superior performance, a great remote and voice control capabilities powered by Siri. Unfortunately, the Apple TV 4K won’t stream YouTube content in 4K or HDR. This is due to incompatibility with the codec. Remember what we said about the platform-agnostic Roku?

In the end, expect the majority of users to opt for the cheaper options from Roku or Amazon.

Remember to stream HD content you need at least 5 Mbps of Internet speed per device. For streaming content in 4K, the speed requirement increases to 25 Mbps. As always, perform regular Internet speed tests to ensure you get the speed your ISP promised.

About the Authors

Learn A Streaming Device Buyers Guide

Perform a Speed Test Before Using Your Chromecast

Last Updated: January 15, 2014

Written by:

Google’s new robust streaming device, the Chromecast, is both wonderful and inexpensive, but before you connect to your TV, make sure you perform a speed test on your device. Once you know your speed is up to par, you’re only a few simple steps away from enjoying your new Chromecast.

What Is a Google Chromecast?

Chromecast is a dongle (a small piece of hardware that attaches to your device) that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and is powered by a USB cable. By using your smartphone (or laptop) you can use Chromecast to stream content from the Internet: Netflix, Youtube, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, and the Google Play store (and more). Chromecast is simply just a transmitter between your TV and your streaming service via your device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop).

How Do I Set Up Chromecast?

You need to make sure you have home WiFi. If you don’t, you’re out of luck.
You need to analyze your home bandwidth. Perform a speed test on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop (the test incorporates HTML5 technology, so it will run on any device and browser, without a separate application to download). Your WiFi should be nice and robust in the vicinity of your TV. Use the speed test as well to test how strong your WiFi signal is (a weak signal means weak streaming).
Follow the directions on the box: plug it in (you will need a free HDMI port, and remember that you need to either plug the power via USB or use the power adapter included in the box).
Switch your input until you see “set me up” on your TV
Set up the Chomecast by going to google.com/chromecast/setup (we recommend that you use the device that you plan to use as your remote as the set up device, either your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and don’t worry, once you’re up and running you can connect as many devices as you feel).
Download the Chromecast app or utility (remember: you will probably need a firmware update out of the box; things might stop working while the Chromecast updates, but afterwards it should work perfectly).
Connect to your WiFi network via inputting your password (you better know your password by now!).
Once the Chromcast is connected, it should say “ready to cast.”

You are ready to stream. Go to Netflix or YouTube, and you will see a logo for streaming. Activate it, and what’s streaming on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop should now be streaming on your TV. Happy Streaming!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

About the Authors

Learn A Streaming Device Buyers Guide

Best Roku Channels

Last Updated: October 2, 2013

Written by:

Roku is a streaming device that allows users to stream content from the Internet to the TV. Though many DVD players include some of the more common streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu, there are a lot more streaming sites out there that are only available on streaming devices such as the Roku.

But what are the best Roku channels available?

Netflix: Netflix is currently the number one channel viewed on Roku. It requires a subscription to Netflix to view. The Roku channel code is (12).

Hulu Plus: It also has a monthly fee. Hulu Plus allows its users to see current television episodes as early as the day after they air. And if you are a fan of the classics, you can watch episodes of I Love Lucy and other favorites. It also has hundreds of movies for your viewing pleasure. The Roku channel code is (2285).

Amazon Instant Video: Although Amazon is new to the scene, they came bearing gifts. They have over 100,000 movies and TV episodes crossing all platforms and genres of entertainment. All of these items can be rented or bought and added to Your Video Library. The Roku channel code is (13).

HBO GO: This is a paid service, in a sense. It is included in a user’s monthly subscription to HBO. The streaming service gives viewers access to all of HBO’s movies and episodes, old and new. The Roku channel code is (hbogo).

Angry Birds: Yes, you heard right. The Angry Birds channel can only be installed on the Roku 2 and later models, and Angry Birds Space must be used on the Roku 3 device. Games are played via the Roku enhanced remote. The Roku channel code is (angrybirds).

This is a very small list. Other top titles include Pandora, YouTube, and NBA Game Time. There are other streaming devices on the market, but according to Parks Associates, Roku is the streaming device of choice. There are also a slew of private channels which can be shared or restricted to specific people. Go ahead and take a look at all the possibilities Roku has to offer. You may find it a necessary addition to your entertainment network. Then you can decide the best Roku channels for your household.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

About the Authors

Learn A Streaming Device Buyers Guide

Five Streaming Devices You Need to Know

Last Updated: July 1, 2013

Written by:

Here are five streaming devices that you should look into if you’re interested in finally weaning yourself off cable TV.

Roku 3

Advantages:
• Supports 1080p video and dual-band WiFi streaming with built-in wireless and Ethernet.
• Has an all new interface that helps with the hundreds of streaming channels (750 to be exact) from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle, MLB.TV, and Amazon. It also offers music, games and Internet TV, IGN, blip.tv, etc.
• It is super clean and very easy to use.
• The remote has a headphone jack; you can mute your TV and listen on your headphones.
• At $100, this is probably the best streaming device out there right now.

Disadvantages:
• Roku 3 doesn’t provide users with YouTube (or iTunes). Though it has 750 channels, it doesn’t have every available channel.
• No AirPlay (or similar function).

Apple TV

Advantages:
• Now features HBO GO.
• Big buttons and grid, with the iTunes Store up top, makes the user interface super simple.
• Get Netflix, Hulu Plus, and MLB.TV.
• With AirPlay, all of your music, videos and photos can be streamed from your iOS device to your TV. This is huge!
• At $100, this is a great streaming device.

Disadvantages:
• Even with the new addition of HBO GO and WatchESPN, there aren’t enough channels.
• If you don’t have Apple devices, you can’t use the AirPlay function.

PlayStation 3

Advantages:
• Games. Games. Games. If you’re a gamer or have children, you understand.
• A solid Blu-ray player for those who have a Blu-ray collection.
• NFL Sunday Ticket. Yes, every out-of-market game is available. If you’re an NFL fan who’s willing to pay a few bucks for a great app, this is your streaming player.
• The ability to stream media from PCs and attached USB drives. This is basically like AirPlay for PCs: Your PC has plenty of media just waiting to stream to your TV.
• A vast collection of apps such as Netflix, Vudu, Hulu Plus, Amazon, etc.

Disadvantages:
• $270 is pretty expensive for a streaming player.
• As amazing as the PS3 is, it’s really only for gamers. Plus, the controller is not really a remote, so you’ll have to buy one separately, which means more money out of your pocket.

Sony Bravia TV

Advantages:
• Sony has stuffed this device with tons of content and channels, but one stands out: Skype. Imagine calling your loved ones or instant messaging your friends, all while sprawled out on the couch.
• YouTube is included. Now that YouTube has pay service, you can watch a lot more movies and television or stream Coachella performances from your TV — and in 3D!
• As with the PS3, you’ll get firmware updates regularly to make the Internet function bigger and better — a Smart TV is kind of like having a computer for a television.

Disadvantages:
• $1500 is expensive and you can buy a cheaper TV and a Roku 3 and get most of the same features.
• The navigation has a frustrating learning curve.

Apple iPad

Advantages:
• Stream video from every service: HBO GO, WatchESPN, Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, Crackle, and more.
• Stream audio from every service: Pandora, Spotify, Songza, etc.
• If you have a keyboard and Dropbox, you now have a legitimate laptop.
• Stream from anywhere!

Disadvantages:
• $499 is expensive for streaming and the iPad really only works well with headphones.

Besides the five devices mentioned above, there are even more streaming devices available to include the Roku Streaming Stick, 3M Streaming projector, Boxee player, TiVo player, and Sony Blu-ray player. Do some research before buying (and make sure your WiFi is working and your broadband is fast—an internet speed test will help). Happy streaming!