Well, on Apple TV you have the ability to watch anything from an iOS device thanks to AirPlay – a technology that takes whatever you're seeing on your screen and sends it to your TV. Three of the four (Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV) also support native Amazon Prime Video apps as well – which is great for anyone interested in streaming award-winning hits like Catastrophe and Transparent off Amazon's video service.Īt least you can rest assured knowing that whichever box you buy, you can watch most of your favorite shows. The good news is that all four major players support Netflix and YouTube, the two staples of streaming video. the answer is a bit murky, unfortunately, and it largely depends on which ecosystem you're tied into. So which one offers the most content? Well. Winner: We like Roku's simple interface the best, but recognize that some might appreciate the Apple TV's flashy, colorful and well-organized aesthetic.
It has games, productivity apps, music and video streaming apps from a number of high-profile developers, offering a great selection of content while still keeping everything organized and easy to find.Īll of these options are clearly a lightyears ahead of Chromecast, which doesn't actually have a GUI as it's designed so you can simply 'throw' content at your TV from your phone or tablet. While the old Apple TV rather enthusiastically offered you iTunes-based content above all others, its current operating system integrates all your other apps in a more helpful way. If you're a Prime subscriber, you'll find recommended films and shows readily, with additional for-purchase options listed further on the home screen. Similarly, Amazon Fire TV devices have a pretty straight forward interface as well – however, it largely depends on you subscribing to Amazon Prime to function. There's a spot for everything in the home channel, and while Roku doesn't have the most interesting app selection in the world (we'll cover that in a second), it's not hard to find something to watch.
Why? Everything is easy to find and relatively straight forward. Setup is one thing, but actually using the device on a day-to-day basis is another.Īfter using each interface for a number of years, we have to say, Roku probably has the best, most-intuitive interface. Winner(s): None of these players are hard to setup, but we quite liked how easy it was to setup both the Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. You should also have a relatively fast internet connection (greater than 15mbps) if you plan on streaming 4K videos. What does that mean for you? Well, any TV you want to hook up to one of these players will require an HDMI port (except in the case of the Roku Express which can use standard composite RWY cables). While all four major players differ in the variety of ports offered along their backside, there's one common thread among all of them: the HDMI cable.
Chromecast for mac vs fire stick code#
Chromecast and Roku require you to connect the players to the web using a code that appears on your screen, while Apple and Amazon can connect to the internet without requiring you to go to a website to register them first. That being said, all four of the major streaming video players are pretty easy to setup. When looking for a brand-new streaming video player it's important to find one that's easy to setup – especially if you're buying it for someone who might not know their way around technology like you do. Easiest setup: Apple TV / Amazon Fire TV Stick If you want a budget-friendly streamer, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is the cheapest streaming model from Amazon yet at just $29.99 / £29.99 / AU$59.99. First up, there’s the Amazon Fire TV Stick 2020, the latest version of the Amazon Fire TV Stick comes with HDR for better color and contrast, as well as enhanced performance. UPDATE: If you’re on the lookout for new streaming options, then check out the two latest releases from the Amazon Fire TV range.
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