Apple TV vs Roku vs ?

In My Humble Opinion
1

A while back, I thought about getting a streaming media box. Yesterday I caught the episode of South Park where Randy buys a Blockbuster Video store, only to find that no one rents physical videos anymore. That reminded me that watching obscure vids would be easier if I had a streaming box.

I found this review of Apple TV vs Roku.

Now, I became an Apple guy in 2005. I find Apple much nicer and much less annoying than Microsoft. Apple TV is a natural, right? But when I read an ‘Apple TV vs …’ article months ago, ISTR that there were some limiting factors to Apple’s offering. I can’t remember what they were. Anyway…

OK, Roku has lots of options. Realistically, I’d probably sign up for Netflix. I went to Hulu last year, but I didn’t and haven’t spent much time there. (I might if I had more time. But then, I might get to some of my unread books instead.) NASA is nice. I’ve missed it on my cable since I moved away from L.A. I watch YouTube on the computer, and don’t need it on TV.

Fifty or sixty dollars seems like a bargain.

I bought my Phillips LCD TV in 2006. It’s not HD, and I’m not sure of the input options. I know it’s hooked up to the cable with composite leads. I would like a larger, HD TV, and the SO seems amenable to that idea, so the only reason I’d need to worry about hooking up the old TV is if I decide to put a TV in my room.

But the article doesn’t specifically say what Apple offers. I’d like to get NASA.

Pay for what content? Netflix and Amazon are givens. What are they talking about?

I don’t have an iPad (yet), but I’ve often wished I could copy a couple of my DVDs onto my computer so that I can watch a movie during a flight. I assume that I could download a Netflix or Amazon movie onto my computer?

I don’t stream music, so that’s not a factor. Might be nice if I could stream a video from my MacBook Pro to the TV.

The bottom line is:

OK, it sounds like I could use either one. As I said, my viewing habits are rather limited. I want to watch Netflix and Amazon rentals. I want to be able to download my rentals to my MacBook and/or (future) iPad. If I’m reading the article correctly, I should be able to accomplish these downloads anywhere I happen to be. (Not sure why I’d need a box for that, since I wouldn’t be travelling with the box.)

So: Do you agree that Apple TV ‘wins by a nose’? Or are there features on the Roku that I might find useful? What about other boxes? Since this is quite new to me, please feel free to explain the whole streaming video thing to me. ‘All the kids know about it’, but I’m rather behind the times. The extent of my streaming video experience has been YouTube and watching Survivor: Ponderosa and such.

2

Pay for content from Itunes - probably the primary way to get shows on your AppleTV is to pay for them by episode or by season from itunes (you can do the same thing with Amazon Instant Video - but Amazon also has Netflix like Prime Instant Video as well).
You cannot download a Netflix movie on your computer, ever. You can download movies from Itunes that you paid for locally, and movies that you “buy” from Amazon Instant Video, but not Amazon Prime videos.
I believe the AppleTvs support video streaming of some sort from Ipad/Macbooks,etc - but I don’t have one.
I do have a Roku, and the easiest thing I found is Roku + PlayOn (buy lifetime subscription - sometimes the Roku is free with it - http://www.playon.tv) - the Playon channel adds hulu (“regular” and totally free like the computer - not “plus” which actually has less than you can view on your computer for free). Plus the various network websites and more. Then the Roku itself adds Netflix, Amazon, CNN international, and a few others I don’t use much.

3

Jacob - a couple of questions.

  1. Does PlayOn + Roku require the same PC Server software used by other devices or is it standalone?
  2. Can you use multiple Roku devices? At the same time?
4

Playon does require a PC running while accessing it (or laptop, whatever - something running windows 7 or earlier). I can use multiple Rokus at the same time - it depends on how fast your PC is, it has to transcode the video on the fly from whatever format it is in on hulu, etc to what your Roku can support. Multiple Rokus worked for me on a Phenom II x4 965 no problem. I haven’t tried anything slower but I am pretty sure something like an i3 or FX-4100 would have plenty of juice to run two at once. With one at a time I think pretty much any PC would work - it can buffer longer at the beginning and reduce video quality if it has to, I think.

5

Thanks jacob - I’m not interested in having my PC running as a server for this. It is far away from my projector and other video stuff.

6

It needn’t be close, the PC itself isn’t connected to the Roku physically - it just needs to be on the same network. Edit to add, and wholly controlled by the Roku - you browse hulu directly on the Roku, etc.

7

I have the Apple TV - no experience with the Roku.

I like the mirroring from my iPad to my TV via the Apple TV. I also like being able to control it from iPad and iPhone - yeah, I am an Apple geek.

I use iTunes to rent movies and TV shows - that is where the information with reviews, etc. comes in. I have not turned on the Hulu Plus option. I do use Netflix and the interface is great.

It is very easy to use, which I also like.

8

I realize that, but can the Roku bring it out of sleep mode?

9

I’d just like to mention that Youtube is available for Roku. I think it’s technically one of the “unofficial” channels, but it’s easy to add and works fine. I had forgotten it wasn’t a regular channel.

10

I’d love to know how to add Youtube to my Roku. I can’t find a private channel code that works.

11

Why not just get a computer on a stick with hdmi output to the tv monitor?

Use it to browse via wifi, or plug in a ethernet cable. You can then stream tv shows and movies off the net or of your nas. Can also stream music or play online games.

12

Here’s the bottom line:

  1. Apple TV allows content from netflix & hulu & iTunes
  2. Roku allows content from netflix & hulu & Amazon instant video.

The one you want depends on where you get most of your content. Apple TV plays nicely with your current apple products but if you get most of your videos via Amazon - it’s no good for you. And vice versa.

Personally, I get my content via Amazon & Netflix, and I use an Xbox 360.

Oh, yeah. Before you buy anything else, you definitely should consider getting an HD TV - and since you should do that, you should consider getting an internet-ready TV.

For example, this one here -

It’s a Samsung and it includes internet abiliities, with access to Facebook, netflix, hulu and amazon video. Basically, it’s like having a TV with a built in Roku.

These internet ready tvs come in all sizes & prices so you’ll want to shop around. There’s no Apple and/or iTunes version of these tvs available, though.

I don’t have a Roku, but I know Apple TV only offers a few things, and Nasa isn’t one of them. Apple TV, as it exists right now, is mostly just a way to get iTunes content on your tv. See here for their whole lineup:

You can buy videos via itunes or Amazon instant video and play them on you computer. You can’t do this with Netflix.

You could certainly do this with Apple TV, if you bought the movie via iTunes.

You can watch content from Netflix, Hulu, iTunes & Amazon Instant video on your Macbook and on your iPad.

If you want to watch that content on your TV, then you’re limited to what I said up top.

Apple TV - can’t watch Amazon Instant Video
Roku/Internet TVs - can’t watch content from iTunes

Whichever one you want depends on your content acquisition habits.

13

You know, I’d forgotten about Internet-ready TVs. And we’ve been wanting a larger TV anyway. Thanks for the link. I found a 46" Sony that looks reasonable.

14

Well, dammit. I don’t remember where we got it. We added a bunch of private channels when we got the box a year or two ago, but now I can’t figure out how we got youtube. In googling I found some info about going through Plex or Playon but I think we just added it as a channel on its own. I saw that Roku recently disallowed youtube but ours works fine. Better leave well enough alone. Sorry :frowning:

15

Interesting thread, as I’m thinking about this, too. I have nothing really to add except I love seeing phrases, like the one I quoted, that would be incomprehensible to everyone on the planet just a few years ago.

16

Did you make a decision Mr Mace?