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NFT: Buying a Streaming Stick for TV

Samiam : 11/18/2022 9:37 am
Can someone explain why I would need more than a streaming stick to watch some tv stations like Apple TV or mirror from IPad to the tv? The Roku stick costs about $30 and the Roku ultra costs close to $100 and both are 4K. Looks like they do the same thing; what am I missing by buying the stick?
I have the $30 one  
Jim in Forest Hills : 11/18/2022 9:45 am : link
never looked at the $100 version but I love mine. So easy to setup and use. I bought another one for my downstairs smart tv because I prefer the interface vs LGs. The new ones control volume which is helpful.
the more expensive one  
UConn4523 : 11/18/2022 9:47 am : link
can be hard wired (faster and more reliable connection) and has options for better picture and audio. If you don't care about any of those just get the basic 4K version for $30.
Google Chromecast  
jimvinct : 11/18/2022 9:48 am : link
With Google TV.
I the Amazon fire 4k and works great.  
bigblue1124 : 11/18/2022 9:58 am : link
You can download more apps and streamline all your apps in one place. With black Friday around the corner, you are probably better off waiting until them regardless of what you purchase.
It's nice to be able to hard wire  
AnnapolisMike : 11/18/2022 9:58 am : link
your streaming device and it will likely have a little more internal memory and a better processor.

That said we have a 4k firestick and it works perfectly.
that should have been, I have the Amazon fire 4k and works great.  
bigblue1124 : 11/18/2022 9:59 am : link
.
I have the amazon 4K Firestick  
LawrenceTaylor56 : 11/18/2022 10:01 am : link
Have movies loaded up. As well as IPTV that offers 3,000 channels including all sports packages for $15 a month.
I’ve been been using  
JoeyBigBlue : 11/18/2022 10:03 am : link
Amazon firesticks for the last 4 to 5 and they are great and pretty reliable. My only gripe is that the remotes aren’t great quality and you might need to replace them every so often.
I think there are 3 very good choices  
arniefez : 11/18/2022 10:27 am : link
Roku - who is your cable provider if you have one? Roku works great. It's easy to use and has every app you could ever need and more including the Spectrum app if they're you're cable provider.

Amazon Fire Stick - IMO make sure you don't get the base model. It's slower than than a Roku but the mid range 4K version works well and has every app the Roku has except the Roku channel and more importantly the Spectrum app. If Charter/Spectrum is your cable provider that's a deal breaker for me. On the plus side you can google and see there are many modifications that can be made to Fire Sticks so if you don't need the Spectrum app and are the kind of person that likes to modify your toys it's the option for you. I think overall Roku is faster and easier to use but that's just my opinion.

Apple TV - 4 times the price. Typical Apple build quality. If you're a person who has iPhone's and iPad's and Mac desktops and/or laptops it's worth the money IMO. If you've got a high end TV to match with it the picture quality is significantly better than the built in apps on the TV. It also allows you to link your Apple music and photo library's across all your Apple devices. I believe you can do photo's with Roku and Fire Stick by loading them onto the device too I've just never done it so I might not describing it accurately.

Just my .2 and there are a lot of places on line that review streaming players. There are more than these 3 but I think these are the best options. They all are quality products. Pick one and enjoy.
A big selling point for Roku is the remote  
TXRabbit : 11/18/2022 10:50 am : link
The higher end ones have headphone jacks in the remotes which is a phenomenal option for those late night watchers or people who really enjoy hearing all dialogues
Spend extra  
bigblue18 : 11/18/2022 11:02 am : link
for the Nvidia Shield for it's up scaling capabilities, worth every dime, made fox for giants best picture I've ever had
RE: Spend extra  
giantBCP : 11/18/2022 11:09 am : link
In comment 15911942 bigblue18 said:
Quote:
for the Nvidia Shield for it's up scaling capabilities, worth every dime, made fox for giants best picture I've ever had


I agree in spending extra, but I would definitely recommend an Apple TV 4K if you’re on the Apple ecosystem.
You need to understand  
I Love Clams Casino : 11/18/2022 11:12 am : link
if you're buying just a streaming stick, like a Google Chromecast.

In this setup, you have to initiate the viewing of your show on the device that you're streaming from Smartphone. Basically what you're doing is authenticating your user details on your device, then sending it from the device to the TV. This tends to be klunky, and somewhat unreliable. If you want to stop or FF, you would have to do it on your IPAD or phone that you're streaming from. Additionally, whatever software you are using will have to have the option of streaming to the stick. You would see an icon on your viewing software that looks like this -

OR if you're buying a stick like an Amazon Fire stick, the software is already installed on the stick, and you're not sending from your device to another. You authenticate your user details on the stick itself and once you have it there, it keeps it for every time you go in.....there's a remote that comes with it and you use the remote to pause FF and rewind....which is much less klunky.

Hope this helps -
Amazon Fire Stick  
Samiam : 11/18/2022 12:29 pm : link
Does that allow me to,mirror what’s on the IPad to the tv? I thought it didn’t. I have a yoga app and I want to mirror that to the tv so I can see it better
RE: the more expensive one  
aimrocky : 11/18/2022 12:33 pm : link
In comment 15911824 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
can be hard wired (faster and more reliable connection) and has options for better picture and audio. If you don't care about any of those just get the basic 4K version for $30.


The Roku Ultra also has a better wifi antenna. I have a TV that I'll roll onto our patio and the streaming stick would have spotty service. I replaced it with the Ultra and haven't had any issues.
RE: Amazon Fire Stick  
RicFlair : 11/18/2022 12:37 pm : link
In comment 15912097 Samiam said:
Quote:
Does that allow me to,mirror what’s on the IPad to the tv? I thought it didn’t. I have a yoga app and I want to mirror that to the tv so I can see it better




Google what you want to do and there’s a an app you can put on the fire stick to do that n
Roku Ultra  
aimrocky : 11/18/2022 12:37 pm : link
Last month I set up multiple TV's in my basement, all tied to hardwired Roku Ultra's. Through that, I found out that the Roku ethernet port is capped at 100 mbps. That's nothing to sneeze at, but figured I'd mention it because I'll occasionally try streaming files in the 85+ mbps range.
RE: You need to understand  
BH28 : 11/18/2022 12:42 pm : link
In comment 15911969 I Love Clams Casino said:
Quote:
if you're buying just a streaming stick, like a Google Chromecast.

In this setup, you have to initiate the viewing of your show on the device that you're streaming from Smartphone. Basically what you're doing is authenticating your user details on your device, then sending it from the device to the TV. This tends to be klunky, and somewhat unreliable. If you want to stop or FF, you would have to do it on your IPAD or phone that you're streaming from. Additionally, whatever software you are using will have to have the option of streaming to the stick. You would see an icon on your viewing software that looks like this -

OR if you're buying a stick like an Amazon Fire stick, the software is already installed on the stick, and you're not sending from your device to another. You authenticate your user details on the stick itself and once you have it there, it keeps it for every time you go in.....there's a remote that comes with it and you use the remote to pause FF and rewind....which is much less klunky.

Hope this helps -


The google chromecast you are referring to doesn't exist anymore. The current version, chromecast with google TV, has all of the apps built into like a firestick or roku stick, comes with a remote, and the added benefit of still being to cast to the device from your smartphone.
We have three Rokus in our home  
blueblood : 11/18/2022 1:06 pm : link
and they all work just fine. Get the $30.00 one.
I have the Amazon firestick 4k  
Collins25 : 11/18/2022 1:36 pm : link
I jailbreak them and load with various apps for movies and TV shows. I also subscribe to an IPTV service that gives me more than I ever could get with cable and satellite. I'll never pay for cable again.
I have a basic Fire stick  
Matt M. : 11/18/2022 2:14 pm : link
and never had any issues.
Not a big deal  
BobOnLI : 11/18/2022 4:47 pm : link
But Roku doesn’t have an Amazon photo app, as far as I can tell. I think you can get the Roku channel on fire stick but I don’t use it. I prefer the Roku user interface but may just be me.
RE: I have the Amazon firestick 4k  
giantBCP : 11/19/2022 6:42 am : link
In comment 15912172 Collins25 said:
Quote:
I jailbreak them and load with various apps for movies and TV shows. I also subscribe to an IPTV service that gives me more than I ever could get with cable and satellite. I'll never pay for cable again.


What service do you subscribe to? I’m interested in getting into something like that. Do you use a VPN?
RE: RE: I have the Amazon firestick 4k  
Collins25 : 11/19/2022 12:31 pm : link
In comment 15912589 giantBCP said:
Quote:
In comment 15912172 Collins25 said:


Quote:


I jailbreak them and load with various apps for movies and TV shows. I also subscribe to an IPTV service that gives me more than I ever could get with cable and satellite. I'll never pay for cable again.



What service do you subscribe to? I’m interested in getting into something like that. Do you use a VPN?




Message me offline. Info is in my bio.
Yes use a VPN  
arniefez : 11/19/2022 1:19 pm : link
as often as you can on anything that connects to the internet. Most of the major streaming apps won’t allow VPN connection but use one for any site that will allow it
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