OP here. We do have a Toshiba tv that’s capable of receiving Netflix and hulu, and maybe even Amazon. But it’s so slowly responsive and cumbersome to use that I’d like to do something else. And, of course, we have two other tvs that are not capable of such reception, so I’m looking to see how this streaming thing will work in this house with all three.
Missed edit window:
I just did some more Googling and found that apparently some smart TVs will not pass-through surround sound when the signal is from an external device, but will output 5.1 sound when using one of their own internal apps. I guess you just have to research each individual TV thoroughly.
(Boy, it used to be a lot easier to keep up with stuff.)
At our house:
Living Room: non-smart flat-screen TV with smart Blu-Ray player/surround sound reciever combo. The Blu-Ray player runs apps for Hulu, Amazon Streaming, Netflix, etc.
Bedroom: non-smart flat-screen TV with Roku, which is basically a little box that runs streaming apps like the ones above.
Anywhere: iPad (fairly common), MacBook Pro (less common, although for certain web-based streaming I’ll hook it up to the TV with an HDMI cable), iPhones (almost never for full streaming programs, although short videos on social media, etc. get viewed this way a lot).
When we’re watching a program on one of the TVs, it’s basically the exact same experience as watching on cable or satellite. Groups crowding around an iPad doesn’t happen.
Uh 5.1 is one of the forms of surround sound. It’s basically the starting point and then you get into 6.1, 7.1, dolby digital, THX and so forth. But it is surround sound.
How good does your wireless have to be for the streaming to work? I have WiFi in my house but sometimes it’s kind of flakey.
We mostly use an Apple TV but I use my iPad when I’m traveling. I get around the surround thing discussed above using an Onkyo A/V receiver. The Apple TV, XBox, Cable Box, etc all go through that first before going out to the TV.
I watch them on TV via Apple TV, or I watch them on the iPad (or computer), or I stream it from my iPad (or computer) to the TV via Apple TV and Apple Airplay, or whatever it’s called.
Yeah, AirPlay is da bomb.
Slight hijack / diversion: I have zero use for movies or series “TV shows”, new or olde tyme. I watch sports. Not yak-yak talk shows about sports, not daily highlight shows. Actual, you know, *games *from start to finish.
I don’t mind not seeing them live real-time. I often watch them several days after they’ve been played. The event is still new to me since I don’t follow the ESPN soap opera. Right now I’m using a DVR to time-shift the stuff I get over Comcast xfinity.
So …
What low cost streaming service provides feeds like this for major US and/or worldwide sports?
And most important: If the service contains any advertising, can I skip past commercials? I refuse to watch anything where I can’t bypass the advertising. Better yet if it doesn’t have any to begin with.
I use my Playstation3 to watch streaming content on my TV - Netflix, Crunchyroll, MLB.tv etc.
I know. You misread that sentence. What I was saying was “some smart TVs will not pass-through any surround sound when the signal is from an external device, but will at least output 5.1 surround sound when using one of their own internal apps.”
My own systems for streaming, in order of usage:
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DVRs.
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Desktop PC.
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Android tablet (Nook HD+).
If I didn’t have the DVRs, I’d get something like a Roku.
The Roku consistently amazes me. It’s the tiniest little box, almost feels like it’s empty, but it does such a better job of streaming stuff than my Blu-ray player does that it isn’t even funny. It’s remarkably simple to set up and use - I liked it so much I bought a second one for the living room (my first one went in the nursery) and I got that one for IIRC 20 bucks reconditioned on Woot. It is truly a thing of beauty.
I had a Sony Blu Ray player that was the worst piece of shit equipment for streaming that I ever had.
We watch stuff on the PlayStation 4. Either Netflix or Amazon.
We have a DVD player that’s also a blu-ray player, although we’ve never rented a blu-ray disc. The comments above lead me toward getting a Roku box for streaming. Would a Roku interfere with the DVD player and what it does? Would it interfere with the U-verse box that brings the cable programming? Jeez, I’m so far behind!
Both you and Zsofia have said your Blu-ray players were bad for streaming. Would you mind sharing why specifically?
As long as you have an unused HDMI input available on your TV you can plug in the Roku and you’ll be all set. The only way it might interfere is if you have to unplug another device to make room for the Roku.
Roku for Netflix and Amazon Prime.