Apple TV vs Google TV vs Boxee vs Roku vs Chromecast. How do we keep this site running This post may contain affiliate links the cost is the same to you, but we get a referral fee. Compensation does not affect rankings. Thanks Tired of watching Netflix and Hulu on your tiny computer screen or tablet Streaming media players connect to your television so you dont have to squint your eyes at a small screen. In this comparison we take a look at the top streaming media players and pick our winners for best receiver. Included in this review are Apple TV, Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Play. How To Convert Wii Iso To Ps2 Iso. CDMU_b0Y/hqdefault.jpg' alt='Boxee Download Linux' title='Boxee Download Linux' />Followed instructions but I did not have option to download to IPad. I only got the option to redownload to Kindle or delete. Any other suggestions of how to bring. HippoRemote Pro turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a wireless keyboard, trackpad, remote control and gamepad for your computer. Boxee was a crossplatform freeware HTPC Home Theater PC software application with a 10foot user interface and social networking features designed for the living. On, WD TV Live, TVersity and Chromecast, as well as a few others. We share our top 3 picks for best streaming media player and for each, we share the pros and cons, so that you can decide which one might fit your budget and entertainment needs best. What Is a Media Streaming Player First off, if youre new to the whole digital media player thing a streaming media player or digital media playeradaptor is basically a set top box that you can use to stream television shows and movies some free with ads, some paid to your television set or projector. They typically include an interface that is easier to use and more reliable than if you were to simply hookup your PC or laptop to your television set. Does a Media Streaming Device Offer Everything my Cable Service Does A streaming media player offers access to pre recorded TV shows and movies. Only a small number offer the ability to view or record live TV although with access to pre recorded shows, this might not be a feature youd miss terribly. You can read all about media streaming players, how they work, pros and cons, and how to get up and running with an antenna and digital tuner to view and record live TV, in our digital media player review. We should point out that we are more or less at the beginning of the streaming media devices revolution. That means theyll likely be more supported i. That being said, were miles from where we were last year, and there are some solid offerings on the market that had enough features to make it a no brainer for us to cut the cord on our cable subscription and save 8. Discounts and Promotions. Every now and then, a given media player will go on sale. To keep the discount codes from cluttering up the article, were posting them in the comments section below. Price Drops. Because the streaming media player space is so competitive, there are frequent price drops. Well try to post the new prices below in our comparison table as they happen, but bear with us and please leave comments to help us out. Also, please note that all pricing is from at time of writing. Boxee Download Linux' title='Boxee Download Linux' />Roku Review1. View on Amazon. Hands down this company offers the widest range of media access. How does Roku work Roku can stream from virtually any media service you can imagine as well as casting directly from your i. OS or Android smartphone or tablet. The Roku Ultra is their top of the line streaming media device, which offers 4. K streaming and HDR picture quality. The biggest downside is that their high end products only work on 4. K TVs, which are still fairly new. So you may have to go with a lower end product for your TV. But, do not worry I personally own the Roku Streaming Stick HDMI and love it. It plugs directly into the HDMI port and is very discreet. I do a lot of traveling and its easy to connect every time, plus the quality seems great to me. Pros. Cons. Built in headphone jack on remote. Intuitive interface. Easy setup. Full Amazon and Netflix support you can search, browse, and add movies to your queue including your instant watching queueRemote Finder. Roku Express works great for older TVs HDMI and composite outputsStream content from i. OS or Android device. Going International English For Tourism Cd'>Going International English For Tourism Cd. No access to i. Tunes content. No internal storage. Pricing. Roku Express 2. Roku Express 2. Roku Streaming Stick Roku Premier 4. Roku Premier 6. Roku Ultra Video. Struggling to pick a Roku device This one minute video shows the key features of each streaming media player offered from Roku. Apple TV Review2. View at Best Buy. Apple is known for its secure, streamlined and user friendly interface and this is no exception. It took a few versions to get it just right, but the latest version allows almost as much access to media as the Roku. What does Apple TV do It allows you to access your i. Tunes account for convenient access to your existing music and videos as well as easy downloads of new movies and other entertainment. But the coolest part might be that you can show your Mac or Mac. Book screen on your TV, wirelessly requires OS X 1. Mavericks. If you are an Apple addict, this is the box for you. Pros. Cons. Fourth Generation has Siri, App Store and Third Party Controllers. Fourth Generation remote has a charging connector no batteries neededMultiple connection ports HDMI, ethernet, etc. Has internal storage. Solid, clean, easy to use and familiar to Apple users user interface. Can be controlled via your Apple device i. Phone, i. Pad, etc. Tunes has a limited selection of TV shows compared to Amazon VOD only supported networks are ABC, Fox, Disney, PBS, and BBCDoesnt support as many apps i. Pandora as the competition. Pricing. Amazon Fire TV Stick Review3. View on Amazon. Amazon Fire TV Stick takes our 3 spot this year away from Chromecast. The Amazon Fire TV family includes three different streaming media devices Fire TV, Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Gaming Edition. These come at various price points and specialize in different things. The Fire TV is great for 4. K TVs, the Fire TV Stick is great for the basic TV viewing or the Gaming Edition is great for the gamers obviously. The portability and ease of startup for these devices is a definite plus, and their ASAP Advance Streaming and Prediction will personalize the experience for you with recommendations based on your screening habits, which helps with quicker media turnaround. Overall, we felt that Amazon Fire TV Stick outperformed Chromecast. It has more apps and options, which are among the reasons we ranked it higher in our rankings. Pros. Cons. Various price points. Fire TV and Fire TV Gaming Edition have 2 GB of memory and Amazon Fire TV Stick with and without Voice Remote have 1 GB of memory. Portable. Over 3. TV shows and movies. Alexa works well with Amazon Fire Stick. Easy to travel with. No web browser capabilities. Customers complain that Parental Controls dont work. Pricing. Streaming Media Player Comparison Chart. Below is a massive comparison chart to help you learn more about each device. Find out what you can watch on it, what accessories are included and the technical specs of the device. What Can I Watch On ItThe chart outlines the media streaming services that stream television shows and movies to your box that are supported by each media player i. Hulu Plus, Amazon, You. Tube, HBO Go What Do I Get With It Accessories The chart also shows the accessories and goodies you get with each media player. Some come fully loaded with remote control Via App you use your Internet enabled device as the remote control via a free app, keyboard, and wireless N connections, while others come stripped down to save costs. As a note, because Google TV comes in so many varieties, you should be sure to double check your particular smart TV or Buddy Box. For this review were using the Hisense Pulse.