- Nov 29, 2003
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Casting from your iphone, ipad, etc to the streaming box/TV.
Poll: Fire Stick or Roku?
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Casting from your iphone, ipad, etc to the streaming box/TV.
- Nov 29, 2003
- 16,065
- 20,681
Just a note, the new Chromecast with Android/Google TV is out and it works like a Roku/Fire unit, no more on having to use a phone.
I just built a outdoor theater and instead of getting another Roku, I decided to get a Shield with Android TV and I really like how it works, if the new Chromecast is anything like it, Google finally has a winner in the streaming boxes, also only $50.
I just built a outdoor theater and instead of getting another Roku, I decided to get a Shield with Android TV and I really like how it works, if the new Chromecast is anything like it, Google finally has a winner in the streaming boxes, also only $50.
I’ve waited until I had a little time with it to comment , but after setup, I can’t say I’ve seen what they said as far as it being sluggish.
Perhaps right at setup as it populated all the app info, but after that, I won’t say it’s as slick as my 2019 shield, but it’s not far behind.
I’d say it’s easily as smooth as any fire device or roku I’ve got.
Pretty neat little dongle.
I ordered the new Google TV Chromecast (GTV) the day it released and have had an entire weekend with it. The only sluggishness I've noticed is within the Amazon Prime app. Everything else seems to operate at least as smoothly and quickly as on my 4K FireTV stick. GTV unfortunately doesn't have an Amazon Music app, and the one I sideloaded is terrible and not worth the bother. Other drawbacks are that CBS All Access is 2.1 audio only (it's 5.1 on my 2016 Rokus), and I heard Hulu is 2.1 only as well. It also doesn't have the Apple TV+ app like other Google devices.
Of course the main attraction of the GTV is YouTubeTV integration, which includes a dedicated startup button on the remote (you can program it for any YouTube branded app), and full voice control functions via the built-in Google Assistant.
I recently got an LG OLED TV and was disappointed with the smart TV apps (no HBO Max), and my 4K FireTV stick was mostly okay doing the job I needed it to (especially after sideloading HBO Max). But I really wanted a streaming device that would be my go-to for all my streaming needs. The GTV isn't quite there yet, but it's new and has all the potential and is priced right.
Of course the main attraction of the GTV is YouTubeTV integration, which includes a dedicated startup button on the remote (you can program it for any YouTube branded app), and full voice control functions via the built-in Google Assistant.
I recently got an LG OLED TV and was disappointed with the smart TV apps (no HBO Max), and my 4K FireTV stick was mostly okay doing the job I needed it to (especially after sideloading HBO Max). But I really wanted a streaming device that would be my go-to for all my streaming needs. The GTV isn't quite there yet, but it's new and has all the potential and is priced right.
I've looked at buying the Chromecast Google TV unit, but is it any better than the Fire Stick? I have read it is lacking. I have the old version of the Chromecast and it works good with the aspect of casting anything from my Chrome Book to the TV. But sometimes there is jerking and a delay. My speed is fast enough at 100 down. I thought about buying the Shield, but at $200 is a bit spendy and I am not into gaming. I am looking for a good Android box and there are a lot out there. I do like the idea of taking anything from the Chrome Book and putting it on the screen.
It’s WiFi for now. There is an Ethernet adapter coming.
I have read some other usb Ethernet adapters will work.
Personally my biggest gripe thus far is the lack of HDR support on some apps. Vudu for one.
HDR will spoil you. Lol.
Here is a good overview comparison of the various devices with the new Google TV added to the mix.
FWIW: Due to a number of bugs and annoyances introduced on the AppleTV 4k, we are back to using the Firestick 4k in the living room. It isn't as snappy, but it also doesn't have the audio and subtitle issues we've seen on the AppleTV recently.
After reading through this thread I am glad we went with the Fire Cube.
Tried the fire stick 4k and found the drawback is lack of storage space on it, so went with the Fire Cube.
Don’t like that Amazon throws in their bloated software we will never use, but like the fact we were able to load apps we wanted by going and clicking on the part to allow it.
The fire stick 4k kept buffering way too often for our liking so we tested out the fire cube and that solved the buffering issues. A bit more expensive but the results were well worth it in the end.
If someone comes up with a better item that will play / allow you to put in other apps we like then I would be open to testing it out.
Tried the fire stick 4k and found the drawback is lack of storage space on it, so went with the Fire Cube.
Don’t like that Amazon throws in their bloated software we will never use, but like the fact we were able to load apps we wanted by going and clicking on the part to allow it.
The fire stick 4k kept buffering way too often for our liking so we tested out the fire cube and that solved the buffering issues. A bit more expensive but the results were well worth it in the end.
If someone comes up with a better item that will play / allow you to put in other apps we like then I would be open to testing it out.
You made the right choice IMO. I’ve never had a stick device that was good enough. Usually poor WiFi, especially in the early versions of them. The Cube is powerful and the software is solid.
I used to be totally in the AppleTV camp and I still have one, just don’t use it often as the remote just sucks for live streaming services and is just a little better for the other services.
Note that if you subscribe to Peacock and/or HBO Max that even though they aren’t in the App Store, you can sideload them and it isn’t all that difficult.
And if you decide you want OTA and a DVR for it, Amazon’s Recast device can fill that bill quite well and it works great.
I used to be totally in the AppleTV camp and I still have one, just don’t use it often as the remote just sucks for live streaming services and is just a little better for the other services.
Note that if you subscribe to Peacock and/or HBO Max that even though they aren’t in the App Store, you can sideload them and it isn’t all that difficult.
And if you decide you want OTA and a DVR for it, Amazon’s Recast device can fill that bill quite well and it works great.
I have a FireStick, Roku, and AppleTV. I mostly use the AppleTV but occasionally use the other two. I use the Roku to watch Fox Sports in 4K HDR. I bought the FireStick simply because it offered Hulu in 5.1. All that said, I had my first closed captions issue on the Apple TV on the ABC app last night. It was there and I couldn't get rid of it. Other apps worked just fine.
I’ve got a Cube, Roku Ultra and AppleTV4K. Started with AppleTV back in the day when it looked like a Mac Mini and had a hard disk drive in it. Still have that somewhere but no idea if it is actually working or not.
The Cube and FireTV just makes for as close to a ‘one box’ solution for me. Recast for OTA DVR, good remote especially compared to the ATV’s, and all the services are supported other than the two I sideloaded. And it works with my security cameras.
Roku falls in my ‘could have been’ category, but corporate nonsense keeps it from being quite as versatile. No HBO Max (yeah I know Apple’s AirPlay is coming ‘soon’, I”ve heard that story before!), no Atmos audio from Netflix even though the box supposedly supports that. Last postings I’ve read about that has Roku and Netflix busy pointing fingers at each other. Roku has no semblance of a ‘continue watching’ or ‘up next’ that FireTV and ATV has. But it does have the best voice control, seems to support voice trickplay on every service I use on it.
My comments about sticks is more about the early ones that worked so poorly and I’ve never even considered getting another one.
Props to my trusty 2016 Roku Premiere+. I fired it up to watch the latest episode of Star Trek Discovery on CBS All Access, and it looks like they've updated the app, with thumbnails now when I scan forward or back, while still letting me toggle to Dolby Digital Plus audio. I know I can get Dolby Vision from my 4K FireTV stick, but my LG OLED upscales so well, I'd rather go with my only device that gives me 5.1 audio.
- Nov 29, 2003
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Bought the new Roku Ultra ( with Dolby Vision and Atmos) for the outdoor theater and brought the Nvidia Shield inside for HBO MAX, I have to say it's upscaler is the best I have ever used, even my wife noticed how much nicer the picture looked ( watched the first 5 episodes of Lovecraft on the Roku HBO app, last night watched #6 on the Shield's HBO MAX app), been playing with it today to see how much better on certain apps, Star Trek Discovery looked 4K on it, 1080P movies on Vudu also looked a lot better, even live TV on YTTV looks more detailed.
4K content looks the same on the Roku and the Shield.
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