I keep getting asked why there's no Nvidia Shield in this video: this is about PLATFORMS not specific devices. This additionally is aimed at general consumers who are not in the market for the Shield. The Shield is an Android/Google TV device and much of what you saw with the Onn will apply there as well.
When i check reviews for Android TV apps, there seem to be complaints from those who have Nvidia shield. Is it not popular enough or what for those who make apps for Android tv. or that it's hard to make apps for Android TV that work properly
I find that device overrated. I had one briefly and wasn't impressed. I get the same apps, and great picture quality, on the much cheaper Onn 4K Pro, along with the necessary hardware.
Yeah this never works out here in the real world, sadly. Personally I just make a new Google account (in case of Android TV/Google TV) and log into the set top box with that so that it doesn't affect my personal account
I set it up so the wife is logged into all the devices except the one in the media room, which is mine. I usually don't care what's on TV unless I'm in the media room and she doesn't come in here to watch TV, so it works for us.
New price 39$ Walmart ONN 4k Pro is my best buy for the money with 32g memory, fast, WiFi 6, Ethernet port, USB 3 port, backlight voice remote, Google TV guide over 150+ live channels + more.
Great, concise presentation, it was a time finally to someone talking well to the general public which Tv smart interface platform to get buying Tv set for streaming, not for cable Tv or Dish Tv. Many thanks to the video presenter, even thought most of these displayed 4 platforms for streaming TV programs and Chanels are trying to be competitive and going in sync with each other for the customer’s $. Each one as its pluses and minuses, at least using my experience w/ Roku and Apple TV. Most recently we selected TCL Google TV set and will see how it perform compare to the previous older two, Roku and Apple TV. But it’s already clear for me as a user of these 3 mentioned that Roku platform, which a popular TCL brand dropped for Google Tv, is more clean, user-friendly, and more free content for all ages and interests. With other words seems to me the pioneer Roku smart interface should be the choice of most families and seniors across age groups. Google Tv, relative a new is providing with confusingly too many ads, recommendations which only by creating a multiple profiles can be useful for a family with kids of different age, but creating profiles is a one more cumbersome layer of user not friendly complications.
Lon, I just happened across your channel and Im really impressed. Your presentation is outstanding, clear, concise, stripped of unnecessary distractions and extremely informative. Your pace is perfect not too fast and not too slow. I was wondering if you could do a video on remote controls for streaming boxes. Im considering cutting the Comcast cord but one of the things my wife and I like about our Comcast boxes is the backlit remote control. It also happens to be very robust. It seems that for streaming sites like UA-camTV it's much easier to enter channel numbers using a keypad or voice entry. None of the remotes you show in your video have a keypad for number entry and the voice feature doesn't work within the UA-camTV app. I have a Harmony Universal remote which I love except for the small non backlit keys. We watch TV in the dark and I need a flashlight to see the keys. The ideal situation would be to pair my Comcast remote with my Apple TV box but Im not sure if that's possible at least I haven't been able to figure out how to do so. The remote is the key interface for both the hardware and software and we are constantly using it. Anyway just a suggestion. Thank you I just started to explore your videos and if the rest are like this one Im quite impressed.
I think it would have been interesting to look at the accessibility options for each box. The built-in screen readers for each device, the print enhancements for each device. I am blind, I use Apple TV because of the excellent built-in screen reader. A lot of those free channels that you talk about on some of the boxes are directly from pluto tv just with a different branding. 0:14
Great video. I have three of those boxes, but the one I use 99% of the time is the Apple TV. I use the Mac to cast feature at least twice a day to stream youtube videos I've downloaded.
We have Roku TVs with Firesticks plugged into them. We prefer Roku for its simplicity, but the Firestick integrates better with our Alexa driven smart home. My wife often uses the Firestick to monitor our back door Wyze camera to watch for deliveries and to check on our porch cat.
Me personally ive had firesticks for years now they were my go to device because, i was able to sideload 3rd party apps. But when the first walmart onn 4k device came out the 20 dollar version i liked it over the firesticks same amount of storage 8 gb but to me the onn was a smoother. But when walmart onn 4k pro streaming box came out with 32 gigs of storage and other features it was a no brainer for me. I have looked back put away my firesticks replaced them with my walmart onn 4k pro streaming boxes
2:16 Minor correction Lon - Whatever is _selected_ shows the banner background. It’s just that the first option is selected by default. I have Apple TV, Roku Ultra (x2), & Fire Stick 4K. Apple is hands down the best. Crucially, NO ADS!! Roku started adding unremovable ads to the home screen & that's ruined it for me. Now my family is getting Apple TV for Xmas because forced ads are egregious.
@@luizsalazar87 Looked into this & it's a hacky inconsistent solution which just isn't necessary for Apple. Apple TV also runs rings around Roku Ultra speed wise, being basically an iPhone 13 without a screen. It also can technically multi-task, which Roku cannot due to limited RAM & OS restrictions.
@@NinjaRunningWild not sure what you find hacky or inconsistent about it. That's like saying using Cloudfare or Google DNS instead of your ISP DNS is hacky. Yes, due to Roku having no multi tasking all other platforms are snappier. I wouldn't recommend buying a Roku streaming device but if it's built into the TV it's a very usable platform.
I have two of the top end Roku boxes like the ones you showed. They're mainly pretty good. I also have an nVidia Shield Pro or whatever their top of the line thing is called. I have that as it works with waaaay more formats when I plug a hard drive in via USB compared to the Roku. I don't use the nVidia Shield Pro for any streaming services, I can't imagine it would perform any better in regards to video and audio than the Roku. So I don't use it for streaming, especially since the Shield UI is a li'l sucky.
The Roku media player is VERY limited (read as crap). Apple TV has FE File Explorer which can play a ton of formats, even old avi & mpeg files, which is pretty surprising. It can seemingly play most anything.
@@NinjaRunningWild That's interesting as even Macs can't do that unless you install non-Apple software. I think the Apple TV is lacking in connections from what I recall? No USB? Or USB doubles as something else? Can't remember. There was some other deal-breaker.
@@GameSack You're right about it not having USB, but you can put your USB drive on the network via your router & access it. That's how I’m using it. FE has its own format decoder. Probably not as thorough as say VLC, but I rarely find files it can't play, even, like I said, old crap I've downloaded decades ago from Kazaa. FE also has its own file system, so you can transfer files to it & play them directly. Your choice Joe, just informing you. Thanks for GameSack! 🕹️
@@GameSack I didn't. Most routers have built-in file-sharing. If there's a USB connection on your router you can (at least on NetGear) just plug a USB drive into it & it should be automatically shared locally to the network. Everything on your local network should be able to access it (EG - Roku, Steam Deck, my Sony TV, et al). It's way easier than it sounds. Get a few files for a test, throw them on a drive, plug it in & see for yourself. I guarantee you it's easier than editing video.
I currently have a Roku TV, but I am getting a new Google TV soon, so I found this video to be helpful as it shows the features of the OS themselves. Also, I signed up for the Plex account w your link - apparently you can also use it on your desktop PC. I appreciate you showing it off in your video, Lon. Myself, I have no interest in amazon's or apple's (expensive) ecosystem. I hate advertising too, but what are you going to do? These boxes are often so inexpensive (along with all the free programming options) that they have to subsidize the cost with sponsorships & featured ads to make any sort of profit.
I've tried everything but Apple TV, and I love the Roku in general the best. The only thing that keeps me from having it as my primary is the lack of support for Channels DVR. If they could just get that app running on there, I'd be on board - but it is the best live TV and DVR app I've used.
Great video. The only point I slightly disagree with is that powerful steaming devices are not a good fit for older TVs. I have an older LG (about 10 years old, older 4G capability) that still has a beautiful picture but the built in streaming apps and interface are sluggish and clunky. Just bought a Roku Ultra LT for it and it works so well now.
I also have an Android TV box, but of the type you get from a TV operator to watch, among other things, TV channels. then you will also get tips on the start page in the box on films and series that are available on the operator's play channels. At least here in Sweden I might add that my TV subscription also includes at least 2 different streaming services
Im growing tired of my Fire TV Cube(software gets laggy) BUT I think the device control is pretty sweet (can turn my TV and soundbar on/off with the remote OR my voice). I also have a Fire TV recast that puts antenna channels in the live TV section so I don't pay for cable. Oh and it upscales non 4k content. You can also cloud game on it with Amazon Luna
With the Apple TV app on the Top Shelf you can change it so it just shows your Continue Watching list rather than the atv+ ‘advertising’. Settings > Apps > TV > Top Shelf
@@RichMiller I think he mispoke because you don't need a personal device for each profile you create on an apple tv. I think he meant to say that all profiles require an apple account and I think you can choose that if you switch between certain profiles you have to enter the password associated with them.
Great video, thank you. I currently have a WDTV Live that is on its last legs and I am looking to replace it. I have a large library of media files (Movies & TV Series with subtitles) stored on a NAS that I have ripped from DVD's over decades. As one person in the family has a hearing dasability, it is crucial for me that the media player device automatically associates the corresponding .SRT subtitle file with each media file identically named. Does any device support this functionality?
@ Aren’t you aware of the issues with Tablo compatibility with Roku in the last couple of months? Tablo and its community certainly is. UPDATE: The incompatibility problem was finally fixed after seven weeks.
🎉thanks I appreciate it if the comparison and then the perspective of a parent and restricting content for kids. Also going to check out your in-depth review of the Fire stick. I'm wanting to compare Amazon Luna on the Fire stick to Apple TV and it's gaming.
With the Roku you can disable a lot the extra items found on the Roku home screen by going to the Home Screen settings. Even the seasonal sections can be disabled. The Roku I set up for my mom only has four side bar items.
Nowadays the TVs come with all apps and do have Google TV as the basic platform. If we buy a new TV , will we still have a need for these external boxes?
A couple of years ago, I bought an Amazon Fire smart TV. After a few months, I came to loathe the Fire interface. Now I have an Apple TV, a Roku, and a Google ONN Wally World box all plugged in, use them all except for the built in Fire interface. So you are never stuck using the built-in apps on any TV, And you won't be stuck having to buy a whole new TV once the built-n apps stop being supported.
My opinion is that if you’re looking at buying a TV that has built-in streaming hardware, then buy a Roku TV. They make all of their money by putting ads in front of you, so they’re incentivized to keep your devices running smoothly as long as possible. I’ve got a Roku TV that’s 7 years old, was very inexpensive, and yet it still runs smoothly and doesn’t give me any problems streaming content.
Great overview, thx Lon! I really love my Tv 4k, but find the Plex client on it really crappy for my atmos content. Infuse seems to recognise my media fine but not plex. Would be great if you could point me to a video of yours where you perhaps covered this. Thx.
I'm curious about actual streaming performance, like how often and quickly they get to the top mbps. Apple's TV+ seems particularly challenging here, at its top bitrate it has a higher quality stream than most mainstream services, but the double edged sword with that is lesser streamers like some TVs built in Roku's struggle to get that high bitrate and it ends up looking worse than 480p for some stretches. My PS5 does much better but it still has that very low quality start of the stream unlike every other service. Not sure if an Apple TV 4K would help, or a Google Streamer would be fine here.
As a Fire Stick user for years, you really don't know just how egregious the advertising push has gotten until you see the other devices with minimal to zero advertising. The Fire TV home interface is literally ALL ad space. It's ridiculous and has become terrible user experience. While others are at least just recommending other things to watch (which is still a mess), the Fire interface is trying to sell you trucks and sandwiches first and foremost.
Lon, I don't know if you answer questions through the comments section of your videos but here goes. I don't completely understand moca adapters and how they work but I have an idea. I have a ROKU Premier+ with available HDMI and ethernet ports currently connected to my television using wifi for streaming. Is it possible to connect a moca adapter to the ROKU device to use the wired cable outlet signal to stream? If it's possible, should I get a more consistent stream using the moca device? .....or if anyone else sees this post and has an answer, please chime in. Thanks.
@@blueline308 No - Roku is Roku - its own platform. Fire TV is Android but not Google's version of the TV platform. Shield is running with Google's software.
@@blueline308 Roku is its own version of Linux. Android devices are, well, Android, which is a heavily altered version of Linux but with lower performance due to the Java programmed architecture & other inefficiencies they've added.
I have had pretty much all these boxes for years, but standardized on the Apple TV latest gen. It’s decent, but the UA-cam app voice search has been semi-broken for at least 2 years and they don’t seem interested in fixing it. Makes me want to hook up one of the other boxes…
Regardingthe Apple TV, I don't see how to configure the system as you have stated, in that it requires a passcode to access my profile. From what I am seeing, turning on restrictions is system wide and hides all content from all profile that are outside of the restrictions limits. Is there something I'm missing?
My wife got me a Roku for Christmas one year, never knew what it was. Love it! The next year my wife got me an Apple TV. Did NOT love it. I’ve been a diehard Roku guy ever since.
I was a diehard Roku user for 10 years. They were the only one of the affordable hardware devices that was “platform agnostic”. Because they didn’t have their own streaming service, they were happy to offer everyone’s apps. When Amazon and Google were fighting and pulling each other’s apps, Roku was there chugging along happily. The Apple TV was good, but I couldn’t deal with the price at the time. Fast forward and Roku offers its own streaming services and is now getting in on the fighting. They also started ramping up ads & data collection in a big way. The Apple TV has turned out to be my new go-to. While the price is higher up front, that’s the price you pay for a device that makes it money by selling you the device - not selling your data. I still use Roku devices because I own them, and I despise waste. But when it’s inevitably time to replace them they’ll get replaced with Apple TV boxes.
I'd like to see a comparison of these players head to head streaming the same live sports program from the same service (like Hulu live or UA-cam live) via wifi, both 1080p and 4k. Compared for buffering, overall delay, and pixelation.
Having used a FEW Google set-top boxes, they were OK but NOT that great for smart home control OR actually controlling the devices the box was connected too! I have owned a Fire Cube Gen3 for over a year and what an improvement for me! With a simple voice commands I can turn my TV, soundbar, and LED backlighting on, works FLAWLESS with the Google TV app with total voice commands, and will switch my inputs for my DVD, music storage device, and my radio tuner. No other 'Box' can do this and work with all my smart home devices and can even view my cameras on my TV from several brands ALL via voice control! It all comes down to individual user needs and for me, Amazon works the best for my setup. Of course, others will have different needs.
So it looks like the best streaming devices were the Onn & Fire TV options. You have the ability to sideload any third-party apps as long as your regular streaming apps if needed. I honestly don't see the point of Apple TV or Roku when you can't do anything with them!
Very informative and well done video, Lon. I think personally I like the Apple TV the best because it's less in your face with ads. As users on the internet we are constantly bombarded with ads, so If I can pay a bit more for an Apple TV and have to see less ads, I will pick that option every single time.
Then the question is how the boxes work together with ARC or simply Link function on the TV. because if the box doesn't want to cooperate well with the TV, you might get frustrated
I wish someone would review specifically for Atmos home theater and high resolution Spatial Audio. I have a dedicated home theater 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos setup and having difficult finding a single streamer that has broad support across services.
I find Google TV or at least something based on Android to be vital so you can side load stuff like smarttube, projectivity etc.... You can do that on fire TV as well but that's not going to be an option forever since they're moving away from an Android base TV box to something proprietary.
@@NinjaRunningWild the FIrestick 4K Max has never once been "slow". It navigates and launches stuff as fast and smooth as I could possibly ask for. This old nonsense of "java is slow" is nonsense and always has been.
I don't follow, they are moving away from Android? That's going to make them a no go for me as well eventually if I ever have to upgrade. I'm a big user of TiviMate for a super cheap IPTV service for thousands of live TV channels and thousands of movies and TV shows on demand (VoD).
There are those who have problems getting Dolby Digital 5.1 on Chromecast devices. the problem is perhaps that they are not Dolby licensed and, for example, cannot send out a Dolby Digital plus signal like normal Dolby Digital. on a licensed device, Dolby must be backwards compatible
Curious to get your view on their video processing power. Does Netflix not Apple TV look better than it does on Amazon, Google or Roku because of the better chipset?
After all, there are apps that can give you free channels like Pluto even if they are not the same type of channels that you have via your cable TV operator
Google TV offers an 'apps only' Mode in which there are basically no ads. Unfortunately, this wasn't mentioned in the video. Could have been helpful info for some people.
Do you think that the streaming boxes that only have a 10/100 ethernet port are even worth buying at this point? Before they are outdated I think that port will end up preventing them from streaming from certain sources at full quality. I have been in the Roku setups now for quite some time, I use wired lan in my house. I have Roku 3's need to upgrade....but the brand new 2024 ultra only has the 10/100 ethernet still very frustrating....why the heck didn't they put gigabit ethernet on there. I am down to a few choice now, apple tv 4k, google tv streamer 4k or whatever that's called, and maybe NVIdia.....that google box in this video is 10/100 but at least the usb 3.0 port supports a gigabit ethernet adapter
What is the best device for sunshine / moonlight for pc games to play via controller on tv? You said the onn box wasnt good enough, but what is if i can do eithernet? Just looking for the cheapest device to get this setup.
To me this come down to where you want all your content to live. I’m an Apple person but I think all of these are decent in its own way. With that said I’m more of a a fan of the Apple TV or Roku!
If using google tv like Sony Bravia 9 then might get 4k playback from original content and titles like lord of rings otherwise it’s going be hd with 5.1ch audio. Is my experience with my a15 chip Apple TV and as well if casting with laptop or tablet.
yes and if you have Roku TV, settings require you to keep it connected on internet for settings you set to even stay working. feels like ad/control extortion to keep connected. Recently they forced a TOS change and if you didn't agree to arbitration, TV was disabled
Nvidia shield pro is still a great streaming device. The new ONN pro is pretty good too. It just got a new update. ROKU ultra is awesome as well. I have all three of them.😊😊😊
Absolutely there's nothing better than the Nvidia Shield even though it's still the same 2013 device. Would love to see what a 2025 Nvidia Shield would perform like. I have had everything out there and all of them are in the dumpster because the shield is freaking good
I don't really agree with you there because even if you have an older TV, you may not want a slow box or one that may not work so well with all games. There are also those who test how fast different boxes are and what they can handle
Australian perspective here. AppleTV is easily the best here and our household has two - but we also have an Amazon 4K Firestick which in developer mode allows the best of both Amazon store and APK sideloading. Roku is non-existent here at least in my experience.
The Fire Stick is hard to beat for the price. It has a browser for streaming online tv, live webcams, and movie sites, and with a cheap dongle you can connect an external HD or thumb drive to play your own audio video files.
The older Android TV interface is so much better than the new Google TV interface. Despite looking quite similar, it has more snappy response, and notably fewer ads.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I keep getting asked why there's no Nvidia Shield in this video: this is about PLATFORMS not specific devices. This additionally is aimed at general consumers who are not in the market for the Shield. The Shield is an Android/Google TV device and much of what you saw with the Onn will apply there as well.
When i check reviews for Android TV apps, there seem to be complaints from those who have Nvidia shield. Is it not popular enough or what for those who make apps for Android tv. or that it's hard to make apps for Android TV that work properly
someone would then perhaps compare it to you having compared mobile phones with different operating systems but not testing a Samsung mobile
I find that device overrated. I had one briefly and wasn't impressed. I get the same apps, and great picture quality, on the much cheaper Onn 4K Pro, along with the necessary hardware.
Training family members to log into their own accounts... everyone good luck with that one!
Yeah this never works out here in the real world, sadly. Personally I just make a new Google account (in case of Android TV/Google TV) and log into the set top box with that so that it doesn't affect my personal account
I put a pin number on my Hulu and Disney+ Accounts lol, can't get in unless they know my pin.
I set it up so the wife is logged into all the devices except the one in the media room, which is mine. I usually don't care what's on TV unless I'm in the media room and she doesn't come in here to watch TV, so it works for us.
New price 39$ Walmart ONN 4k Pro is my best buy for the money with 32g memory, fast, WiFi 6, Ethernet port, USB 3 port, backlight voice remote, Google TV guide over 150+ live channels + more.
@@AAa-qd8hb how does this compare to Roku ultra
Great, concise presentation, it was a time finally to someone talking well to the general public which Tv smart interface platform to get buying Tv set for streaming, not for cable Tv or Dish Tv. Many thanks to the video presenter, even thought most of these displayed 4 platforms for streaming TV programs and Chanels are trying to be competitive and going in sync with each other for the customer’s $.
Each one as its pluses and minuses, at least using my experience w/ Roku and Apple TV. Most recently we selected TCL Google TV set and will see how it perform compare to the previous older two, Roku and Apple TV. But it’s already clear for me as a user of these 3 mentioned that Roku platform, which a popular TCL brand dropped for Google Tv, is more clean, user-friendly, and more free content for all ages and interests.
With other words seems to me the pioneer Roku smart interface should be the choice of most families and seniors across age groups. Google Tv, relative a new is providing with confusingly too many ads, recommendations which only by creating a multiple profiles can be useful for a family with kids of different age, but creating profiles is a one more cumbersome layer of user not friendly complications.
Lon, I just happened across your channel and Im really impressed. Your presentation is outstanding, clear, concise, stripped of unnecessary distractions and extremely informative. Your pace is perfect not too fast and not too slow. I was wondering if you could do a video on remote controls for streaming boxes. Im considering cutting the Comcast cord but one of the things my wife and I like about our Comcast boxes is the backlit remote control. It also happens to be very robust. It seems that for streaming sites like UA-camTV it's much easier to enter channel numbers using a keypad or voice entry. None of the remotes you show in your video have a keypad for number entry and the voice feature doesn't work within the UA-camTV app. I have a Harmony Universal remote which I love except for the small non backlit keys. We watch TV in the dark and I need a flashlight to see the keys. The ideal situation would be to pair my Comcast remote with my Apple TV box but Im not sure if that's possible at least I haven't been able to figure out how to do so. The remote is the key interface for both the hardware and software and we are constantly using it. Anyway just a suggestion. Thank you I just started to explore your videos and if the rest are like this one Im quite impressed.
I think it would have been interesting to look at the accessibility options for each box. The built-in screen readers for each device, the print enhancements for each device. I am blind, I use Apple TV because of the excellent built-in screen reader.
A lot of those free channels that you talk about on some of the boxes are directly from pluto tv just with a different branding.
0:14
Great video. I have three of those boxes, but the one I use 99% of the time is the Apple TV. I use the Mac to cast feature at least twice a day to stream youtube videos I've downloaded.
Fantastic video and very detailed ! Thank you so much Lon
Another proper comparison video. Thank you
Google TV + Projectivy = No Ads only apps and you choose how things look
Great but how do you get projectivity to be the default launcher?
@@gearheadtechnology it prompts you once installed
@greekmanx it didn't prompt me, but I figured out you have to enable accessibility mode within the settings and then it took over.
@@gearheadtechnology I have installed in on a shield and Google chromecast tv and both prompted so I assumed it always did so my bad
@@gearheadtechnology search my channel I did a how to
Thanks, I found this review to be very helpful. 😊
Especially the children's interface.
We have Roku TVs with Firesticks plugged into them. We prefer Roku for its simplicity, but the Firestick integrates better with our Alexa driven smart home. My wife often uses the Firestick to monitor our back door Wyze camera to watch for deliveries and to check on our porch cat.
Thank you for all your work‼
Me personally ive had firesticks for years now they were my go to device because, i was able to sideload 3rd party apps. But when the first walmart onn 4k device came out the 20 dollar version i liked it over the firesticks same amount of storage 8 gb but to me the onn was a smoother. But when walmart onn 4k pro streaming box came out with 32 gigs of storage and other features it was a no brainer for me. I have looked back put away my firesticks replaced them with my walmart onn 4k pro streaming boxes
I've been with Roku since the dawn of time and will not change.
2:16 Minor correction Lon - Whatever is _selected_ shows the banner background. It’s just that the first option is selected by default.
I have Apple TV, Roku Ultra (x2), & Fire Stick 4K. Apple is hands down the best. Crucially, NO ADS!! Roku started adding unremovable ads to the home screen & that's ruined it for me. Now my family is getting Apple TV for Xmas because forced ads are egregious.
are* egregious.
@NinjaRunningWild If you install AdGuard Home it will remove the banner ads in the Roku home screen
@@DarthVader1977 I noticed after, but didn't want to edit. I was reflowing that sentence. Anyways, fixed.
@@luizsalazar87 Looked into this & it's a hacky inconsistent solution which just isn't necessary for Apple. Apple TV also runs rings around Roku Ultra speed wise, being basically an iPhone 13 without a screen. It also can technically multi-task, which Roku cannot due to limited RAM & OS restrictions.
@@NinjaRunningWild not sure what you find hacky or inconsistent about it. That's like saying using Cloudfare or Google DNS instead of your ISP DNS is hacky.
Yes, due to Roku having no multi tasking all other platforms are snappier. I wouldn't recommend buying a Roku streaming device but if it's built into the TV it's a very usable platform.
I have two of the top end Roku boxes like the ones you showed. They're mainly pretty good. I also have an nVidia Shield Pro or whatever their top of the line thing is called. I have that as it works with waaaay more formats when I plug a hard drive in via USB compared to the Roku. I don't use the nVidia Shield Pro for any streaming services, I can't imagine it would perform any better in regards to video and audio than the Roku. So I don't use it for streaming, especially since the Shield UI is a li'l sucky.
The Roku media player is VERY limited (read as crap). Apple TV has FE File Explorer which can play a ton of formats, even old avi & mpeg files, which is pretty surprising. It can seemingly play most anything.
@@NinjaRunningWild That's interesting as even Macs can't do that unless you install non-Apple software. I think the Apple TV is lacking in connections from what I recall? No USB? Or USB doubles as something else? Can't remember. There was some other deal-breaker.
@@GameSack You're right about it not having USB, but you can put your USB drive on the network via your router & access it. That's how I’m using it. FE has its own format decoder. Probably not as thorough as say VLC, but I rarely find files it can't play, even, like I said, old crap I've downloaded decades ago from Kazaa. FE also has its own file system, so you can transfer files to it & play them directly. Your choice Joe, just informing you. Thanks for GameSack! 🕹️
@@NinjaRunningWild Yeah I'm not really interested in setting up a network.
@@GameSack I didn't. Most routers have built-in file-sharing. If there's a USB connection on your router you can (at least on NetGear) just plug a USB drive into it & it should be automatically shared locally to the network.
Everything on your local network should be able to access it (EG - Roku, Steam Deck, my Sony TV, et al). It's way easier than it sounds. Get a few files for a test, throw them on a drive, plug it in & see for yourself. I guarantee you it's easier than editing video.
I currently have a Roku TV, but I am getting a new Google TV soon, so I found this video to be helpful as it shows the features of the OS themselves. Also, I signed up for the Plex account w your link - apparently you can also use it on your desktop PC. I appreciate you showing it off in your video, Lon. Myself, I have no interest in amazon's or apple's (expensive) ecosystem.
I hate advertising too, but what are you going to do? These boxes are often so inexpensive (along with all the free programming options) that they have to subsidize the cost with sponsorships & featured ads to make any sort of profit.
I've long since abandoned these things for Mini PCs that do so much more for not much more.
Still rocking the 2015 Nvidia shield, with Wolf Launcher (so no ads)
@@Oldskool4Lifethe Onn box will run Wolf Launcher. It's the only way.
Shield way better then all of them
I've tried everything but Apple TV, and I love the Roku in general the best. The only thing that keeps me from having it as my primary is the lack of support for Channels DVR. If they could just get that app running on there, I'd be on board - but it is the best live TV and DVR app I've used.
Great job putting this together for us. Thank you.
Great video. The only point I slightly disagree with is that powerful steaming devices are not a good fit for older TVs. I have an older LG (about 10 years old, older 4G capability) that still has a beautiful picture but the built in streaming apps and interface are sluggish and clunky.
Just bought a Roku Ultra LT for it and it works so well now.
Hard to move on from my Nvidia Shield due to the network storage feature. 8tb external drive connected to it and media gets ripped and dropped on it.
That looks like the only good option. I already have the movies I like and dont need to stream anything
I also have an Android TV box, but of the type you get from a TV operator to watch, among other things, TV channels. then you will also get tips on the start page in the box on films and series that are available on the operator's play
channels. At least here in Sweden
I might add that my TV subscription also includes at least 2 different streaming services
Can I connect a digital player like these to an older box tv via hdmi-to-rca cable cord?
Plex Rules!!! You can also have your own server with an older PC with Intel Quicksync to re-encode on the fly. Awesome piece of software!!!
Curious if any of these devices will work without local Wi-Fi, meaning streaming directly from a pixel Android phone using 5G from the phone itself?
Here you go 6:10
Im growing tired of my Fire TV Cube(software gets laggy) BUT I think the device control is pretty sweet (can turn my TV and soundbar on/off with the remote OR my voice). I also have a Fire TV recast that puts antenna channels in the live TV section so I don't pay for cable. Oh and it upscales non 4k content. You can also cloud game on it with Amazon Luna
Top Picks For You on the Roku home screen above the channel icons can be disabled in the settings.
How do these compare to Tanggula X5 PRO?
With the Apple TV app on the Top Shelf you can change it so it just shows your Continue Watching list rather than the atv+ ‘advertising’.
Settings > Apps > TV > Top Shelf
What are the personal devices that are required on Apple TV? Could you please be specific with the types of devices and what they imply?
No devices are required.
@@estusflask982 I don't understand 17:26 -->
@@RichMiller I think he mispoke because you don't need a personal device for each profile you create on an apple tv. I think he meant to say that all profiles require an apple account and I think you can choose that if you switch between certain profiles you have to enter the password associated with them.
There are games for Android boxes. Google also has a gaming service that you can play on Chromecast Ultra
Great video, thank you. I currently have a WDTV Live that is on its last legs and I am looking to replace it. I have a large library of media files (Movies & TV Series with subtitles) stored on a NAS that I have ripped from DVD's over decades. As one person in the family has a hearing dasability, it is crucial for me that the media player device automatically associates the corresponding .SRT subtitle file with each media file identically named. Does any device support this functionality?
Plex can do that for you quite well. Any of these would work but the Apple TV and Nvidia shield would probably be your best bet.
I use Roku, but it no longer works with the Tablo DVR. Keep that in mind if you’re in the market for either.
Yes it does! We have 2 Roku Ultras and watch Tablo DVR all the time with them
@ Aren’t you aware of the issues with Tablo compatibility with Roku in the last couple of months? Tablo and its community certainly is. UPDATE: The incompatibility problem was finally fixed after seven weeks.
🎉thanks I appreciate it if the comparison and then the perspective of a parent and restricting content for kids. Also going to check out your in-depth review of the Fire stick. I'm wanting to compare Amazon Luna on the Fire stick to Apple TV and it's gaming.
Onn supports custom apps and launchers 👀
With the Roku you can disable a lot the extra items found on the Roku home screen by going to the Home Screen settings. Even the seasonal sections can be disabled. The Roku I set up for my mom only has four side bar items.
So can you get rid of the stuff on the top part of the Home Screen?
Nowadays the TVs come with all apps and do have Google TV as the basic platform. If we buy a new TV , will we still have a need for these external boxes?
Good boxes always have better hardware for streaming than smart tvs. Plus boxes are portable. You can take them anywhere.
Eventually the TV will become dumber.. My 2016 LG OLED's smart apps are not doing too well these days.
A couple of years ago, I bought an Amazon Fire smart TV. After a few months, I came to loathe the Fire interface. Now I have an Apple TV, a Roku, and a Google ONN Wally World box all plugged in, use them all except for the built in Fire interface. So you are never stuck using the built-in apps on any TV, And you won't be stuck having to buy a whole new TV once the built-n apps stop being supported.
@@christinemurphy7683 This is the way👍
My opinion is that if you’re looking at buying a TV that has built-in streaming hardware, then buy a Roku TV. They make all of their money by putting ads in front of you, so they’re incentivized to keep your devices running smoothly as long as possible. I’ve got a Roku TV that’s 7 years old, was very inexpensive, and yet it still runs smoothly and doesn’t give me any problems streaming content.
Great overview, thx Lon! I really love my Tv 4k, but find the Plex client on it really crappy for my atmos content. Infuse seems to recognise my media fine but not plex. Would be great if you could point me to a video of yours where you perhaps covered this. Thx.
I'm curious about actual streaming performance, like how often and quickly they get to the top mbps. Apple's TV+ seems particularly challenging here, at its top bitrate it has a higher quality stream than most mainstream services, but the double edged sword with that is lesser streamers like some TVs built in Roku's struggle to get that high bitrate and it ends up looking worse than 480p for some stretches. My PS5 does much better but it still has that very low quality start of the stream unlike every other service. Not sure if an Apple TV 4K would help, or a Google Streamer would be fine here.
Lon, am I correct in assuming that the ad-supported free channels do not allow skipping or fast searching through the advertisements?
You are correct
As a Fire Stick user for years, you really don't know just how egregious the advertising push has gotten until you see the other devices with minimal to zero advertising. The Fire TV home interface is literally ALL ad space. It's ridiculous and has become terrible user experience. While others are at least just recommending other things to watch (which is still a mess), the Fire interface is trying to sell you trucks and sandwiches first and foremost.
Did you switch? I got annoyed as well with the over the top advertising and switched to an onn 4k pro.
is there any device that will access and play the programs
provided with my Xfinity subscription
Yes see here: ua-cam.com/video/Mx34Oyc8qzE/v-deo.html
Lon, I don't know if you answer questions through the comments section of your videos but here goes. I don't completely understand moca adapters and how they work but I have an idea. I have a ROKU Premier+ with available HDMI and ethernet ports currently connected to my television using wifi for streaming. Is it possible to connect a moca adapter to the ROKU device to use the wired cable outlet signal to stream? If it's possible, should I get a more consistent stream using the moca device? .....or if anyone else sees this post and has an answer, please chime in. Thanks.
Shield❤
You left out the GOAT...Shield !
Surprised at that...especially with the Apple TV included.
This was a look at each platform - shield falls under the Google/android tv category
@@LonSeidman So is everything but the Apple.
@@blueline308 No - Roku is Roku - its own platform. Fire TV is Android but not Google's version of the TV platform. Shield is running with Google's software.
@@blueline308 Roku is its own version of Linux. Android devices are, well, Android, which is a heavily altered version of Linux but with lower performance due to the Java programmed architecture & other inefficiencies they've added.
26:23 Can you get peacock on Google tv or Roku?
PLEX‼
Im using Google tv and Rokus and Tizen. Xbox for games
I have had pretty much all these boxes for years, but standardized on the Apple TV latest gen. It’s decent, but the UA-cam app voice search has been semi-broken for at least 2 years and they don’t seem interested in fixing it. Makes me want to hook up one of the other boxes…
Regardingthe Apple TV, I don't see how to configure the system as you have stated, in that it requires a passcode to access my profile. From what I am seeing, turning on restrictions is system wide and hides all content from all profile that are outside of the restrictions limits. Is there something I'm missing?
@@danielbazinga Sounds like your kids locked you out.
@@discopants68nope, permissions just don’t work in the way that’s described in the video
My wife got me a Roku for Christmas one year, never knew what it was. Love it! The next year my wife got me an Apple TV. Did NOT love it. I’ve been a diehard Roku guy ever since.
I was a diehard Roku user for 10 years. They were the only one of the affordable hardware devices that was “platform agnostic”. Because they didn’t have their own streaming service, they were happy to offer everyone’s apps. When Amazon and Google were fighting and pulling each other’s apps, Roku was there chugging along happily. The Apple TV was good, but I couldn’t deal with the price at the time.
Fast forward and Roku offers its own streaming services and is now getting in on the fighting. They also started ramping up ads & data collection in a big way. The Apple TV has turned out to be my new go-to. While the price is higher up front, that’s the price you pay for a device that makes it money by selling you the device - not selling your data. I still use Roku devices because I own them, and I despise waste. But when it’s inevitably time to replace them they’ll get replaced with Apple TV boxes.
I have never used Apple TV or Google TV but have used the other two. I am not a fan of the navigation or Fire TV but do like Roku.
great video bro
I'd like to see a comparison of these players head to head streaming the same live sports program from the same service (like Hulu live or UA-cam live) via wifi, both 1080p and 4k. Compared for buffering, overall delay, and pixelation.
Having used a FEW Google set-top boxes, they were OK but NOT that great for smart home control OR actually controlling the devices the box was connected too! I have owned a Fire Cube Gen3 for over a year and what an improvement for me! With a simple voice commands I can turn my TV, soundbar, and LED backlighting on, works FLAWLESS with the Google TV app with total voice commands, and will switch my inputs for my DVD, music storage device, and my radio tuner. No other 'Box' can do this and work with all my smart home devices and can even view my cameras on my TV from several brands ALL via voice control!
It all comes down to individual user needs and for me, Amazon works the best for my setup. Of course, others will have different needs.
So it looks like the best streaming devices were the Onn & Fire TV options. You have the ability to sideload any third-party apps as long as your regular streaming apps if needed. I honestly don't see the point of Apple TV or Roku when you can't do anything with them!
OMG...Plex streams Masters of Horror!? I know what I am watching tomorrow! (I noticed it when you were scrolling thru Plex)
A box must also be able to be used for music. with Apple TV, for example, you should be able to receive music in Dolby Atmos from Apple Music
Very informative and well done video, Lon. I think personally I like the Apple TV the best because it's less in your face with ads. As users on the internet we are constantly bombarded with ads, so If I can pay a bit more for an Apple TV and have to see less ads, I will pick that option every single time.
Then the question is how the boxes work together with ARC or simply Link function on the TV. because if the box doesn't want to cooperate well with the TV, you might get frustrated
I wish someone would review specifically for Atmos home theater and high resolution Spatial Audio. I have a dedicated home theater 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos setup and having difficult finding a single streamer that has broad support across services.
I'm looking for a high-end streaming box like the WiiM Ultra Music Streamer & Digital Preamp | 3.5" Touchscreen for Video instead of Audio.
I find Google TV or at least something based on Android to be vital so you can side load stuff like smarttube, projectivity etc.... You can do that on fire TV as well but that's not going to be an option forever since they're moving away from an Android base TV box to something proprietary.
They're slow though being Java based.
@@NinjaRunningWild the FIrestick 4K Max has never once been "slow". It navigates and launches stuff as fast and smooth as I could possibly ask for. This old nonsense of "java is slow" is nonsense and always has been.
I don't follow, they are moving away from Android? That's going to make them a no go for me as well eventually if I ever have to upgrade.
I'm a big user of TiviMate for a super cheap IPTV service for thousands of live TV channels and thousands of movies and TV shows on demand (VoD).
How the heck did you miss the shield?
This was about platforms, not specific devices. Shield is a Google/Android TV
There are those who have problems getting Dolby Digital 5.1 on Chromecast devices. the problem is perhaps that they are not Dolby licensed and, for example, cannot send out a Dolby Digital plus signal like normal Dolby Digital. on a licensed device, Dolby must be backwards compatible
Lon you should do a review of the newest Tablo on Apple Tv. It’s so much better than channels and hdhomerun now a days
Curious to get your view on their video processing power. Does Netflix not Apple TV look better than it does on Amazon, Google or Roku because of the better chipset?
No, the chipset and faster speed aren't involved in the video quality.
After all, there are apps that can give you free channels like Pluto even if they are not the same type of channels that you have via your cable TV operator
Fire Stick lost major points in our house recently when my wife couldn’t mirror her workouts from
her iPhone. Roku saved the day there.
Talk about ad blocking routers 😊
Google TV offers an 'apps only' Mode in which there are basically no ads. Unfortunately, this wasn't mentioned in the video. Could have been helpful info for some people.
It gets rid of the recommendations - there are still ads after it’s enabled. I’ve covered this before.
There are several different Android TV boxes. sen How many of those support audio with 24/192 khz . is a different matter
Do you think that the streaming boxes that only have a 10/100 ethernet port are even worth buying at this point? Before they are outdated I think that port will end up preventing them from streaming from certain sources at full quality. I have been in the Roku setups now for quite some time, I use wired lan in my house. I have Roku 3's need to upgrade....but the brand new 2024 ultra only has the 10/100 ethernet still very frustrating....why the heck didn't they put gigabit ethernet on there. I am down to a few choice now, apple tv 4k, google tv streamer 4k or whatever that's called, and maybe NVIdia.....that google box in this video is 10/100 but at least the usb 3.0 port supports a gigabit ethernet adapter
I'll stick with Roku.
You do know theirs more than one kind of Roku?
What is the best device for sunshine / moonlight for pc games to play via controller on tv? You said the onn box wasnt good enough, but what is if i can do eithernet? Just looking for the cheapest device to get this setup.
Dolby atmos is still behind 5.1, Atmos is only good when you have speakers on the ceiling
Nov 2024
can you please verify if the onn google tv box supports VPNS ...
To me this come down to where you want all your content to live. I’m an Apple person but I think all of these are decent in its own way. With that said I’m more of a a fan of the Apple TV or Roku!
Ugoos SK1 tvbox is the best. IMO.
Batteries Not Included! Great movie.
Where was NVidia Shield tv?
see the pinned comment
If using google tv like Sony Bravia 9 then might get 4k playback from original content and titles like lord of rings otherwise it’s going be hd with 5.1ch audio. Is my experience with my a15 chip Apple TV and as well if casting with laptop or tablet.
There are youtube channels that do deeper tests of boxes
Tu should probably also check that the box can really send out Dolby Digital 5.1 and not just Dolby Digital 2.0. Same As for DTS
Philo seems to buffer a lot on Apple TV. I wonder if Roku would work better.
That top row of suggestions on Roku can be turned off in settings.
Yes, as well as the side home screen options. You cannot however turn off the left corner ads which is ridiculous & insufferable.
yes and if you have Roku TV, settings require you to keep it connected on internet for settings you set to even stay working. feels like ad/control extortion to keep connected. Recently they forced a TOS change and if you didn't agree to arbitration, TV was disabled
Nvidia shield pro is still a great streaming device. The new ONN pro is pretty good too. It just got a new update. ROKU ultra is awesome as well. I have all three of them.😊😊😊
I like Google TV’s setting for simplified home view. Limits some of the ads and recommendations, more clean.
Absolutely there's nothing better than the Nvidia Shield even though it's still the same 2013 device. Would love to see what a 2025 Nvidia Shield would perform like. I have had everything out there and all of them are in the dumpster because the shield is freaking good
I don't really agree with you there because even if you have an older TV, you may not want a slow box or one that may not work so well with all games. There are also those who test how fast different boxes are and what they can handle
Mi Box ?
I tried all of them, and I'm going to stick with the Google Chromecast TV.
Australian perspective here. AppleTV is easily the best here and our household has two - but we also have an Amazon 4K Firestick which in developer mode allows the best of both Amazon store and APK sideloading. Roku is non-existent here at least in my experience.
The Fire Stick is hard to beat for the price. It has a browser for streaming online tv, live webcams, and movie sites, and with a cheap dongle you can connect an external HD or thumb drive to play your own audio video files.
Whay abouy Google Streamer?
The older Android TV interface is so much better than the new Google TV interface.
Despite looking quite similar, it has more snappy response, and notably fewer ads.