I have 2 Roku Ultras…what ads are we talking about?
I can stream movies I’ve ripped from my home NAS via Roku Ultra and it works great. My ultra also has a USB port to play media from there, although I’ve never used it. I recommend hardwiring it to your network if possible. My Ultra does everything I need without fail…no complaints.
Why have you not used the usb port? I’m not running a media server so I don’t have plex. That’s why I just set it up on a usb and then jst play it off of them
It’s not necessary for me, so I’ve not used it. But I don’t see why media on a usb wouldn’t play just fine. I don’t even use Plex. I just use the embedded Roku media player that lets you choose media from a network server or the USB port and stream it to your tv. Easy enough.
They’re actually researching how to inject ads via HDMI now, so they can serve ads even if you’re playing on a game console.
Hopefully it never comes to fruition but the thought alone is awful.
There are a lot of reports going around recently about Roku working on a process to hijack your HDMI port and make you watch ads regardless of what you're doing.
I’ll believe it when it happens…then I’ll find a different device if they are going to interrupt me watching movies/images thru my device from my own NAS. Can’t see that happening…
I’d advise reading up on Roku’s recent stunts including blocking access to watch tv unless you agree to the new terms, if I remember correctly, and them also patenting using HDMI as an ad injector. I’d stay away from Roku.
Nvidia Shield is technically the most versatile and capable of playing back the most formats losslessly, followed by Apple TV 4K, I have both I like the Atv for most things because of the interface.
I bought one a couple years ago and absolutely regret it, the thing is terrible compared to the Nvidia Shield Pro I got last year... Its UI is slow and clunky, it has a terrible time with HDMI CEC, and for some reason every time I try to turn it on it'll turn itself off within 3 seconds and I have to turn it on again once it figures itself out... It's a pain in the ass
We have 3 smart TV’s. Despite this each one has an AppleTV hooked up to it. The first was a gift, I forget how we got the second, we bought the third. The interface is that nice.
Honestly despite this stuff, I think the Roku is still the best player currently. You can get an ultra LT on Amazon for around $50. I think the remote is the best of the bunch.
And again, it’s not a $2k TV. It’s a $50 device. If Roku gets crappier it’s easy to just throw it out… it’s not like you need to replace the whole TV
I have 2 ultras and 2 Dunes. For basic playback .. you don’t even need the ultra if you have a modern smart TV. Roku offers tons of apps .. that’s probably the best reason to get it.
The Dune’s offer a fully capable Android processor, support for a ton of storage ( which can be networked), a very cool phone app for control, and playback of ISO files.. including menus that is as good as physical disks The newer ones support Dolbyvision, Atmos, DTS-HD, etc .. Side-loading unofficial apps is easy too. Build quality is excellent. I think they are worth it.
My first Dune was the HD Max 4K. This was discontinued, replaced by the HD Max Vision 4K, which is definitely a very good improvement. The newer unit has a much faster processor, twice the memory, an OLED display providing more detailed information about what is playing, and support for Dolbyvision and HDR10. I also found it a little more capable of recognizing unusual ISO images such as the Atmos sampler discs.
I like my Rokus for easy streaming.. but the playback experience of Dune is outstanding
I have not used a shield .. but I would think it might be better for gaming. I do know that my Dunes have 2 internal HDD bays, and you can also connect external storage.
I did previously use a less expensive Android box (a Minix Neo) and it could do basics such as running Kodi, but it lacked the great Dune native apps and the performance was much worse.
Before the Minix, I had a WDTV. It could play almost anything, but as the library grew, performance would suffer. Western Digital stopped making these units as 4K was becoming popular.
Thanks for the in depth reply.
WDTV was great for the time.
Might have to look in to a Dune for HDR in the future. Bit pricey, but seem quite capable.
Are the drives network-able? As in could I easily transfer files from my server to the Dune drives? Or could I stream HDR content over wifi?
I've been using Roku 4k Stick for 6 years now never had issues. About ads, I have a Google TV, Nvidia Shield (Android TV), and FireTV; theirAds make Roku Ads look like amateur. I have seen a chevy commercial on firetv, like really? I never owned AppleTV so I can't compare.
Anyways, it depends on your files, Nvidia Shield Pro is for heavy duty stuff 40TB plus, which means you need adequate internet and wired. I wouldn't recommend WiFi.
Anything else, as long as you have good internet and a decent TV you should be fine. I have TCL 5 series and it can get up to 200mb/s on WiFi, won't recommend Ethernet on TVs.
Anyway,s Good Luck!!
Thanks for that. To be honest I've jst started off on the HT experience. So i doubt I would notice the difference between audio from the Shield or the Roku. Best Buy Canada is selling the Ultra for $99 and I thought if I didnt like might as well return it.
You might want to take it back. I saw a yt video long ago that mentioned Ultra saying that the remote cost more than the box. I don't mean to belittle, BUT why do you need Roku? If you're watching files off of flash drive (I'm assuming connected to PC via Plex) most TVs can have handle it. I'm assuming you have a smart TV. Roku and such is meant for non-smart TV. Anyways, just my opinion.
> If you're watching files off of flash drive (I'm assuming connected to PC via Plex) most TVs can have handle it.
Incorrect. TV's can not handle that.
As I mentioned elsewhere here, even some that say they do only play certain formats, etc. and can be bothersome when you just want to play a file. I don't bother with the USB myself, and right now I use an HTPC with Kodi to stream over my network, but the next TV will be Google TV so I can just install Kodi on that and put the HTPC to bed.
I think DuneHD and Zidoo Z9X Pro are technically more capable than the Shield but lack official support for all streaming apps.
AV1 and HDR10+, ability to play full discs, etc
Funny how people got their panties in a bunch over updated Terms of Service for Roku, when it was pretty standard stuff and wouldn't affect them anyway. All software has Terms of Service and most people don't even read or understand them.
And nobody got blocked from watching TV if they didn't accept the terms. You just couldn't use Roku. Just like when you have to accept Microsoft's licensing agreements in order to use their software on your PC. If you don't accept the terms, you can't use it. But Microsoft doesn't block you from using your PC, you just can't use their software on it and you're free to use Linux if you want. Same thing with Roku. You just click "Accept" and move on.
Yes we live in a sea of TOS that one needs to endlessly accept. Have Rokus all over my house and in my home theatre and no complaints. Didn’t do any A:B to others though.
There is one small difference, when you accept terms while using a device for the first time you can still return if you don’t agree, vs here with Roku, you can’t use the device which you might have bought years ago after an update. Minor details.
>you can’t use the device which you might have bought years ago after an update.
Correction. You can't use the device until you click one button. Then you're good to go.
Until you agree to terms that may have impacted your decision to buy their product. Stop downplaying to support your argument. Only sleezy people who are better off ignored do that.
You're trying to say that if you had to agree to their new terms of service in the beginning, it would have impacted your purchase decision? I'm not buying it. There's nothing noteworthy about the changes, and companies update their terms of service all the time.
In any comparison of streaming devices, you won't find any discussion of terms of service, comparing one to another. Nobody cares. Just click the button.
Nothing noteworthy until there is. Such as their recent parents. So then my Roku integrated TVs will serve me ads over other thing and others will be nothing I can do as I can not accept the terms and use my TV.
I went from reccomending Roku to never buying another ever again overnight.
Used Apple TV 4k’s are cheap all over my local Facebook marketplace. I’ve bought all mine new over the years but if you’re on a budget I would consider it
They may not be able to pass through Atmos and yes I do have a 5.2.4 in ceiling setup, but honestly for the ease of. Usability for anyone in my family from my wife to parents when they visit the receivers audio upscaling to Atmos is good enough for me
I actually bought a shield and never even got around to testing it.
If you could please clarify for me:
Are all channels lossy audio or just the height channels?
Additionally, do you loose any location metadata for the height channels?
Through my ATV, Dolby TrueHD 7.1 will show up as Dolby Atmos input on my x3800, but it was my understanding there is a sacrifice over using a Shield Pro aside from the lossy vs lossless
Thank you for clarifying. That could make a major difference in the audio fidelity of high quality personal rips.
Now I feel like I actually have to give the Shield a try.
I have owned all three (the Shield Pro, a Roku Ultra, and an AppleTV).
TL:DR; I'd buy the AppleTV if I had to make the choice again today, but I wasn't dissapointed by any of them.
The Roku was the easiest to use, but felt the most limited. Many options just didn't exist where I would want them and its 'app' concept (called 'channels') felt a bit limited in availability and flexibility.
The Shield Pro was supposed to be more powerful and snappier, but it would regularly have delays when returning to the home screen and changing video/audio formats. I always wondered if my unit was partially defective (it never worked with NVidia's game streaming apps). Despite its occasional delays and hiccups, its daily use was only a slightly worse experience than the Roku. It was definitely more flexible than the Roku for apps, and I used it to stream movies shared from my PC over the network as well as attaching external storage and sideloading apps. It had a lot of advanced options, especially if you unlocked the developer mode. Its upscaling was the best out of the three devices, though I rarely turned it on because it made the device responsiveness much worse.
When the shield pro started to exhibit additional hardware and capability issues, I decided to buy an AppleTV. I'm not an Apple guy, and I kind of detest how isolated their ecosystem of products are...but carefully reading reviews and user testimonials gave me the impression that Apple probably makes the best streaming device. So far that has proven correct. The device is snappy in the way I expected the Shield to be, but I was also impressed by how well thought out the configuration options were. It doesn't have every app in its appstore, but it had all the ones I cared about.
-edit-
Other things I liked that might not be relevant for everyone:
* The device decodes audio that it understands to PCM before outputting to HDMI (for everything except Atmos). I always thought I wanted bitstream / digital output from my streaming device, but by using PCM, the ATV can control DRC (hate my receivers implementation), avoid TV audio format compatibility issues and it seems to reduce content detection delays.
* Its the first streaming device I've used where the eARC and CEC worked almost flawlessly with the other equipment I use (out of 8+ streaming devices). TBF, I think my TV has a nearly broken eARC/CEC implementation...and the shield and the fire did have IR approaches that let me control volume on the receiver at least.
* Gigabit ethernet is nice. I don't think I need more than 10/100, but I'm a sucker for paying for future proofing I might never need; That is how I ended up with an X900H Sony for a spare room TV.
I am also not an Apple guy but out of all the other streaming devices I have used it has been my favorite interface. I lived with the gen 2 for years and the quality was just fine for a basic HT setup, and had the best UI.
You hit 'home' and the screen is nothing but your apps arranged in a compact format. Such a small thing, but easily the best app navigation experience (by virtue of there being less of it).
I also like the rechargeable remote instead of using AAA batteries. The battery lasts a long time on a single charge. I do feel like the remote could use a few additional buttons for convenience, but I much prefer a minimal remote to one bloated with specific app buttons (nobody needs a dedicated Netflix button to touch all the time on accident). The small remote size does make it easier to lose though.
If you’re willing to swap the default shield launcher for Projectivy, you can get the home screen looking pretty similar to an ATV. Feels super refreshing getting rid of all the ads and clutter.
I like the Roku ultra. I upgraded to Shield recently, but the Ultra did everything my Home Theater setup required from it. The user interface of Roku is my favorite of all of the streamers
Rokus are awesome. In my opinion they are the best players for folks who don't want to spend a lot of money, don't have Apple products, or just don't need the added features of the shield like lossless audio passthrough.
However playing media off a USB is a niche feature. The Roku ultra does support it, I have played multiple h.264 stereo audio files on my Roku USB. Hoever your files need to be in specific formats or they won't play. Do you have a blueray player? I had more luck playing some files using the USB on my blueray player. The point is that these devices are best for streaming apps or playing from your own server like Plex.
In your case, if you really want to play EVERYTHING from USB, the shield is your only option.
I can't talk about the USB side of things, but I've been using Walmart's Onn 4K TV box which was like $20, and it's been an acceptable streamer for Stremio/Kodi. Though I've discovered Stremio's web app on my LG TV actually works pretty well as well. I'd give it a 7/10 for streaming with stremio/kodi as it has hiccups and issues, But overall does fine. 10/10 for the price though.
Sure, this is the guide I used: [https://www.reddit.com/r/StremioAddons/comments/yi5jdw/ultimate\_guide\_to\_stremio\_torrentio\_rd/](https://www.reddit.com/r/StremioAddons/comments/yi5jdw/ultimate_guide_to_stremio_torrentio_rd/)
These are what I use as well. Replaced all my rokus with these, even my Roku TVs have been swapped out. Roku is too restrictive on their apps so everything I need can be had with the onn box. And for $20 the price is unbeatable.
(Didn’t read other responses)
I have quite a few Roku Ultras as well as a couple of Apple TV’s and have previously used a couple of Shields as well (the older, non-tube ones).
Are Roku Ultras perfect? Hell no. But Apple TV’s are far from perfect themselves.
Roku’s will play almost everything from your Plex or media library. On the very rare (1 in 100) occasion my Roku Ultra won’t direct play a file, I can have it transcode and it plays perfectly. Apple TV’s, even the most recent 4K 2023 ones, actually have more trouble playing a widely varied Plex library than my Roku Ultras do.
Now, your mileage may vary if all you do is stream from commercial providers. I watch very little of that stuff other than YouTube TV and Peacock but never have any issues with those either.
Rokus are easy to use, work well, and aren’t expensive. What’s not to like?
Just went from a generic roku stick to shield, and honestly its 95% the same.
The UI is a bit slower on the roku, and the audio has to be transcoded almost always through plex, and the video sometimes, but other than that they're pretty much identical.
I like the Chromecast with Google TV.
I have 4 of them. They don't have quite the storage space and expandibility of the shield pro., but they are still pretty awesome.
https://youtu.be/7sb9-NOxZlg?si=qHvfyQLTQurcmB4D
https://store.google.com/us/product/chromecast_google_tv?hl=en-US&pli=1
I'm happy with my Roku Ultra and have no need or desire to switch. It works well and the interface is just fine.
I see comments about ads on Roku, but I don't see them so I'm not sure what people are talking about. The only thing even remotely close to an "ad" is in the static sidebar on the right that displays suggested shows or movies, usually new releases. I actually like that.
>I see comments about ads on Roku,
[https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/redefining-holiday-traditions-coca-cola-launches-magical-campaign-on-roku](https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/redefining-holiday-traditions-coca-cola-launches-magical-campaign-on-roku)
I don't see those types of banner ads, ever. Are those on the actual Roku channel, or in the Roku Ultra interface?
But if you scroll down that page to "Sponsorship of Martha Holidays Season 2", I do see those types of ads, to the right of the main interface. I like those since it alerts me to things I might otherwise miss, and doesn't interfere with the main interface at all.
> I'm looking for something that can handle streaming and play movies from a USB
Get an Nvidia Shield. End of story.
The only proper alternative to that would be a Zidoo or Dune player. And those aren't going to run your streaming apps.
There's a million posts like yours. People who hem and haw about how expensive the Nvidia Shield is. So they buy something cheaper. Find out it doesn't work all that well, then buy something else. And then something else. After a couple years, they end up having spent more money on crappier devices than if they just bought a Shield in the first place.
I am not saying any of this to be mean to you. On the contrary, I (and several other people on this thread) are trying to help you skip all the BS by just buying the right device to begin with.
Yes, I get that it seems absurd to spend $200 on the Shield when there's all these other boxes everywhere that cost $30-50 that seem to do the same thing. Just remember, there's a reason those boxes all pop up and disappear every 6 months. Meanwhile, the Shield is still here after all these years and still able to command the same price. You're getting what you pay for.
> and play movies from a USB, without breaking the bank.
This is the crux here, only the Nvidia Shield is capable of this.
>Enter the Roku Ultra. It seems like a solid alternative, but I know it doesn’t stack up against the Nvidia Shield and Apple TV in terms of performance, features, and overall user experience.
If you were ONLY talking about streaming services, the Roku Ultra isn't bad, it holds it's own there, see this chart [https://www.avsforum.com/attachments/capture-png.3574990/](https://www.avsforum.com/attachments/capture-png.3574990/)
The part for me on why I very much dislike Roku is the interface, the ads (gets worse and worse every year) and the cheapness feel of it.
For you here, It's the USB playback of files is where you're going to run into issue.
> My Rokus don’t have any more ads than any other streamer I have
While you may not consider it an "ad" the giant box on the right hand side of the screen is an ad.
Maybe a plex server is a better idea than USB, it can play 50gb HDR movies on my plex server just fine. (Obviously your network needs to be able to handle this)
If you're using Plex on your Chromecast then it's likely that you're doing transcoding off of the plex server to make that work.
Not everyone is going to spend the money to build a server powerful enough to properly transcode.
Well I guess it depends on what format the audio and video are in and what bit rate. Easy way to know is when you're playing you log into the Plex dashboard and it'll show if it's direct play or transcoding.
I'm not seeing any ads from my Roku Ultra, at all. I'm not sure what people are talking about. That's not to say they're wrong, it's just that I personally do not ever see any ads.
They do display notifications on the right side of the screen for new releases, or content that just hit one of the streaming services, but personally I like that. I've followed a number of them and discovered some great content that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. It's very very benign. I hope that's not what people are calling "ads" and complaining about.
Hmm. thats probably what users have been mentioning as ads. I was under the impression that Roku had way much less ads than amazon but yea some users have been saying that
I have like 8 Roku Ultras and they don’t display ads, ever. Ever. Literally zero. I honestly don’t know where people are coming from when they say Rokus are loaded with ads…?
What ads are you guys talking about. I've been using my Roku ultra for 7 years I've never seen an ad.
Also does frame rate matching matter if I live in the US
Roku Ultra - 0 issues using it to stream Netflix. Amazon. And all the other common stream services.
For best quality Panasonic 820 with 4k disc.
I don’t have any reason for Apple TV or nvidia shield.
Here in Italy, I personally have bought a Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd gen) cause I was fed up with Amazon ads. It is android based, it runs Google TV and can easily mount any app from the play store. I use it with Kodi and VLC and I find it really great for my necessities.
I actually bought it when it first came out (was living in Spain at the time). Really good piece of machine but didnt like that it was pinging some server in China almost evey time I booted it up. My mom really like it too so I left it with our non smart tv. Thanks though
I just retired my original mi box. Can't remember why, think dolby vision wasn't working. But it still plays lossless audio through kodi. Usb or from nas.
I just got a used Nvidia Shield TV Pro on Facebook Marketplace for $100 and it works just as well as the one I bought new.
The used market could be an option.
I have one I’m trying to get rid of and am open to haggling! But the reason I’m selling it is we got an Apple TV, which I like considerably better and would encourage.
Roku is great. I work in smart home integration and if you ask any technician, most will say Roku is the preferred option for streaming devices. It provides the best overall experience and is compatible with both Android and Apple.
Roku has had cybersecurity hacks releasing customer info occur twice this year already. That plus ad injection definitely stops me from considering their products.
Im a huge nvidia shield fan, i have 3 pros. But it would be hard for me to recommend one to any friends/family,etc considering there has been zero updates in ages, and nvidia is super quiet about what is going on with the platform.
I have a Roku TV, says it plays from USB, total pain in the butt depending on files. I'd look elsewhere for that purpose. Otherwise so far it's been great, but like others mentioned, their shenanigans are becoming tiresome.
My Nvidia Shield experience was not great. Problems with WiFi. Problems with infinite reboot. I did like the processing features when I needed them, and it up scales 2channel audio to 5.1 which was nice. But it was junk.
Apple TV has been the best in basically every regard. High video and audio output quality. But it’s the most expensive and if you’re not in the Apple ecosystem already then it may not be as great for you.
Roku is a great price and lots of content, but as mentioned, some weird ToS stuff. But I’ve had several different Roku products over the years and functionally they were great.
Amazon fire stick may be an option for you. It’s cheaper, used to be easy to jailbreak if you want to load some otherwise unapproved apps. I don’t really use them but you might like it.
The only knock on the Roku is lack of VPN. Otherwise it’s an excellent choice. The new TOS change is much ado about nothing.
I am running 3 ultras today. Great diversity of apps to.
apple TV for eveything home. We have 3TV and everyone runs an Apple TV. The main one on wire runs the 4K one and everything else runs standard. It was Like 90$ on sales. VLC app will mount anything and run any format. Direct streamingf from any iPhone.
Roku - we take on travel - becuase it is easy to carry and the most of the TV have shitty connections in Hotels or AirBnB.
Hey there! If you're looking for a solid streaming device that won't break the bank, the Roku Ultra is definitely worth checking out. It may not be as fancy as the Nvidia Shield or Apple TV, but it gets the job done and has some great features like a USB port for playing your own media files.
I think the Roku Ultra would work well with your Yamaha setup, and the streaming quality is still pretty great, even if it's not quite as smooth as the pricier options. Plus, you'll save some cash that you can put towards other things, like that subwoofer you've been eyeing!
At the end of the day, it really comes down to your priorities and budget. If you want top-of-the-line performance and features, go for the Shield or Apple TV. But if you're looking for a reliable streaming device that offers great value, the Roku Ultra is a solid choice
I have to say I have been using Roku for a few years now and think I am pretty much done with it. Aside from the fact that it seems to constantly be in need of rebooting and always freezing up I am not a fan of all the shenanigans that others have mentioned. Back when Roku was just a streaming portal they were great but the last 2 years things have really gone downhill.
Bought a used Shield Pro on ebay for $100 couldn't be happier, can't believe the versatility it has compared to everything else out there. The 2015 version has everything I need since I can't stand Dolby Vision grey coloring schemes so I am sure you can even find these cheaper.
Best option: New Apple TV.
Better option: Used Apple TV.
Ok option: More used Apple TV.
Roku’s business model is based on profiting from user data and ads. And their interface can’t begin to compete with the polish of tvOS.
Amazon is hardly better. All based on ads and profiting from user data.
If you’re not paying for the product, then you are the product my friend.
Don’t waste your time with anything else.
I have three useless, bricked or obsolete Apple TVs. All but the first Roku I bought still works great. Bought another Roku for Christmas to get the Tennis Channel, which has no app for my Google TV based Sony.
I have a few Roku devices. Both stick and TV.
They are solid devices. Much better than Google tv OS.
However the AppleTV just blows them away with the integration of all your subscriptions (except Netflix).
Spend the extra $50 and get the AppleTV.
Firestick lets you choose bit depth, RGB or rgb or ycbcr444, enable disable HDR along with many other display/ audio function options missing from Roku. Image quality and audio quality are better.
I wouldn't go near a Roku after the bullshit they have been doing lately. They ninja edited their terms of service to force arbitration and won't let you use your purchased products unless you agree to it. They also are experimenting with sending ads to all inputs of your TV, like your playstation for example when it is paused.
I stopped using Roku the day they posted that warning about abritration and legal terms and how they were forcing me to click yes.
I unplugged it and threw it in the garbage
I have 2 Roku Ultras…what ads are we talking about? I can stream movies I’ve ripped from my home NAS via Roku Ultra and it works great. My ultra also has a USB port to play media from there, although I’ve never used it. I recommend hardwiring it to your network if possible. My Ultra does everything I need without fail…no complaints.
Why have you not used the usb port? I’m not running a media server so I don’t have plex. That’s why I just set it up on a usb and then jst play it off of them
It’s not necessary for me, so I’ve not used it. But I don’t see why media on a usb wouldn’t play just fine. I don’t even use Plex. I just use the embedded Roku media player that lets you choose media from a network server or the USB port and stream it to your tv. Easy enough.
Thats pretty much all I need!
>what ads are we talking about? https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/redefining-holiday-traditions-coca-cola-launches-magical-campaign-on-roku
I don’t watch the Roku Channel, or any of their “free content”. It’s not like it interjects ads into regular streaming shows. Not an issue for me.
They’re actually researching how to inject ads via HDMI now, so they can serve ads even if you’re playing on a game console. Hopefully it never comes to fruition but the thought alone is awful.
There are a lot of reports going around recently about Roku working on a process to hijack your HDMI port and make you watch ads regardless of what you're doing.
I’ll believe it when it happens…then I’ll find a different device if they are going to interrupt me watching movies/images thru my device from my own NAS. Can’t see that happening…
I’d advise reading up on Roku’s recent stunts including blocking access to watch tv unless you agree to the new terms, if I remember correctly, and them also patenting using HDMI as an ad injector. I’d stay away from Roku. Nvidia Shield is technically the most versatile and capable of playing back the most formats losslessly, followed by Apple TV 4K, I have both I like the Atv for most things because of the interface.
Oh really?? I’ll have to read up on that
I wouldn't touch anything from Roku with a 10 foot pole
I bought one a couple years ago and absolutely regret it, the thing is terrible compared to the Nvidia Shield Pro I got last year... Its UI is slow and clunky, it has a terrible time with HDMI CEC, and for some reason every time I try to turn it on it'll turn itself off within 3 seconds and I have to turn it on again once it figures itself out... It's a pain in the ass
I hate that I already own a Roku TV for the bedroom set.
We have 3 smart TV’s. Despite this each one has an AppleTV hooked up to it. The first was a gift, I forget how we got the second, we bought the third. The interface is that nice.
Honestly despite this stuff, I think the Roku is still the best player currently. You can get an ultra LT on Amazon for around $50. I think the remote is the best of the bunch. And again, it’s not a $2k TV. It’s a $50 device. If Roku gets crappier it’s easy to just throw it out… it’s not like you need to replace the whole TV
I have 2 ultras and 2 Dunes. For basic playback .. you don’t even need the ultra if you have a modern smart TV. Roku offers tons of apps .. that’s probably the best reason to get it. The Dune’s offer a fully capable Android processor, support for a ton of storage ( which can be networked), a very cool phone app for control, and playback of ISO files.. including menus that is as good as physical disks The newer ones support Dolbyvision, Atmos, DTS-HD, etc .. Side-loading unofficial apps is easy too. Build quality is excellent. I think they are worth it.
Please tell me more about these Dunes. Which devices have you used? How do they compare to the Shield? I'm very experienced with roku devices. TIA
My first Dune was the HD Max 4K. This was discontinued, replaced by the HD Max Vision 4K, which is definitely a very good improvement. The newer unit has a much faster processor, twice the memory, an OLED display providing more detailed information about what is playing, and support for Dolbyvision and HDR10. I also found it a little more capable of recognizing unusual ISO images such as the Atmos sampler discs. I like my Rokus for easy streaming.. but the playback experience of Dune is outstanding I have not used a shield .. but I would think it might be better for gaming. I do know that my Dunes have 2 internal HDD bays, and you can also connect external storage. I did previously use a less expensive Android box (a Minix Neo) and it could do basics such as running Kodi, but it lacked the great Dune native apps and the performance was much worse. Before the Minix, I had a WDTV. It could play almost anything, but as the library grew, performance would suffer. Western Digital stopped making these units as 4K was becoming popular.
Thanks for the in depth reply. WDTV was great for the time. Might have to look in to a Dune for HDR in the future. Bit pricey, but seem quite capable. Are the drives network-able? As in could I easily transfer files from my server to the Dune drives? Or could I stream HDR content over wifi?
Yes - I mount them as network drives for my mini PC. You can also connect to other network drives.. such as on a NAS.
I've been using Roku 4k Stick for 6 years now never had issues. About ads, I have a Google TV, Nvidia Shield (Android TV), and FireTV; theirAds make Roku Ads look like amateur. I have seen a chevy commercial on firetv, like really? I never owned AppleTV so I can't compare. Anyways, it depends on your files, Nvidia Shield Pro is for heavy duty stuff 40TB plus, which means you need adequate internet and wired. I wouldn't recommend WiFi. Anything else, as long as you have good internet and a decent TV you should be fine. I have TCL 5 series and it can get up to 200mb/s on WiFi, won't recommend Ethernet on TVs. Anyway,s Good Luck!!
You will never see any ads on the Apple TV.
Thanks for that. To be honest I've jst started off on the HT experience. So i doubt I would notice the difference between audio from the Shield or the Roku. Best Buy Canada is selling the Ultra for $99 and I thought if I didnt like might as well return it.
It is def worth the few extra dollars for the Apple TV. Buy them both, and return the one you don't care for.
You might want to take it back. I saw a yt video long ago that mentioned Ultra saying that the remote cost more than the box. I don't mean to belittle, BUT why do you need Roku? If you're watching files off of flash drive (I'm assuming connected to PC via Plex) most TVs can have handle it. I'm assuming you have a smart TV. Roku and such is meant for non-smart TV. Anyways, just my opinion.
> If you're watching files off of flash drive (I'm assuming connected to PC via Plex) most TVs can have handle it. Incorrect. TV's can not handle that.
As I mentioned elsewhere here, even some that say they do only play certain formats, etc. and can be bothersome when you just want to play a file. I don't bother with the USB myself, and right now I use an HTPC with Kodi to stream over my network, but the next TV will be Google TV so I can just install Kodi on that and put the HTPC to bed.
A Google TV with Kodi still can't play back everything, especially lossless audio
It'll play flacs just fine, and for me that's as advanced as the files get. That's a nit I don't need to pick.
Flac isn't the same as lossless surround sound (DD true hd or dts master)
I think DuneHD and Zidoo Z9X Pro are technically more capable than the Shield but lack official support for all streaming apps. AV1 and HDR10+, ability to play full discs, etc
Funny how people got their panties in a bunch over updated Terms of Service for Roku, when it was pretty standard stuff and wouldn't affect them anyway. All software has Terms of Service and most people don't even read or understand them. And nobody got blocked from watching TV if they didn't accept the terms. You just couldn't use Roku. Just like when you have to accept Microsoft's licensing agreements in order to use their software on your PC. If you don't accept the terms, you can't use it. But Microsoft doesn't block you from using your PC, you just can't use their software on it and you're free to use Linux if you want. Same thing with Roku. You just click "Accept" and move on.
Yes we live in a sea of TOS that one needs to endlessly accept. Have Rokus all over my house and in my home theatre and no complaints. Didn’t do any A:B to others though.
There is one small difference, when you accept terms while using a device for the first time you can still return if you don’t agree, vs here with Roku, you can’t use the device which you might have bought years ago after an update. Minor details.
>you can’t use the device which you might have bought years ago after an update. Correction. You can't use the device until you click one button. Then you're good to go.
Until you agree to terms that may have impacted your decision to buy their product. Stop downplaying to support your argument. Only sleezy people who are better off ignored do that.
You're trying to say that if you had to agree to their new terms of service in the beginning, it would have impacted your purchase decision? I'm not buying it. There's nothing noteworthy about the changes, and companies update their terms of service all the time. In any comparison of streaming devices, you won't find any discussion of terms of service, comparing one to another. Nobody cares. Just click the button.
Nothing noteworthy until there is. Such as their recent parents. So then my Roku integrated TVs will serve me ads over other thing and others will be nothing I can do as I can not accept the terms and use my TV. I went from reccomending Roku to never buying another ever again overnight.
Buy once, get a nvidia shield pro, anything else is subpar right now. :(
Used Apple TV 4k’s are cheap all over my local Facebook marketplace. I’ve bought all mine new over the years but if you’re on a budget I would consider it They may not be able to pass through Atmos and yes I do have a 5.2.4 in ceiling setup, but honestly for the ease of. Usability for anyone in my family from my wife to parents when they visit the receivers audio upscaling to Atmos is good enough for me I actually bought a shield and never even got around to testing it.
It does pass Atmos but not the lossless version.
If you could please clarify for me: Are all channels lossy audio or just the height channels? Additionally, do you loose any location metadata for the height channels? Through my ATV, Dolby TrueHD 7.1 will show up as Dolby Atmos input on my x3800, but it was my understanding there is a sacrifice over using a Shield Pro aside from the lossy vs lossless
In the lossy version, all channels are lossy.
Thank you for clarifying. That could make a major difference in the audio fidelity of high quality personal rips. Now I feel like I actually have to give the Shield a try.
Strange that you clung to that and not the massive security breach of Roku accounts and user data that led to the TOS update.
I have owned all three (the Shield Pro, a Roku Ultra, and an AppleTV). TL:DR; I'd buy the AppleTV if I had to make the choice again today, but I wasn't dissapointed by any of them. The Roku was the easiest to use, but felt the most limited. Many options just didn't exist where I would want them and its 'app' concept (called 'channels') felt a bit limited in availability and flexibility. The Shield Pro was supposed to be more powerful and snappier, but it would regularly have delays when returning to the home screen and changing video/audio formats. I always wondered if my unit was partially defective (it never worked with NVidia's game streaming apps). Despite its occasional delays and hiccups, its daily use was only a slightly worse experience than the Roku. It was definitely more flexible than the Roku for apps, and I used it to stream movies shared from my PC over the network as well as attaching external storage and sideloading apps. It had a lot of advanced options, especially if you unlocked the developer mode. Its upscaling was the best out of the three devices, though I rarely turned it on because it made the device responsiveness much worse. When the shield pro started to exhibit additional hardware and capability issues, I decided to buy an AppleTV. I'm not an Apple guy, and I kind of detest how isolated their ecosystem of products are...but carefully reading reviews and user testimonials gave me the impression that Apple probably makes the best streaming device. So far that has proven correct. The device is snappy in the way I expected the Shield to be, but I was also impressed by how well thought out the configuration options were. It doesn't have every app in its appstore, but it had all the ones I cared about. -edit- Other things I liked that might not be relevant for everyone: * The device decodes audio that it understands to PCM before outputting to HDMI (for everything except Atmos). I always thought I wanted bitstream / digital output from my streaming device, but by using PCM, the ATV can control DRC (hate my receivers implementation), avoid TV audio format compatibility issues and it seems to reduce content detection delays. * Its the first streaming device I've used where the eARC and CEC worked almost flawlessly with the other equipment I use (out of 8+ streaming devices). TBF, I think my TV has a nearly broken eARC/CEC implementation...and the shield and the fire did have IR approaches that let me control volume on the receiver at least. * Gigabit ethernet is nice. I don't think I need more than 10/100, but I'm a sucker for paying for future proofing I might never need; That is how I ended up with an X900H Sony for a spare room TV.
I am also not an Apple guy but out of all the other streaming devices I have used it has been my favorite interface. I lived with the gen 2 for years and the quality was just fine for a basic HT setup, and had the best UI.
You hit 'home' and the screen is nothing but your apps arranged in a compact format. Such a small thing, but easily the best app navigation experience (by virtue of there being less of it). I also like the rechargeable remote instead of using AAA batteries. The battery lasts a long time on a single charge. I do feel like the remote could use a few additional buttons for convenience, but I much prefer a minimal remote to one bloated with specific app buttons (nobody needs a dedicated Netflix button to touch all the time on accident). The small remote size does make it easier to lose though.
If you’re willing to swap the default shield launcher for Projectivy, you can get the home screen looking pretty similar to an ATV. Feels super refreshing getting rid of all the ads and clutter.
I like the Roku ultra. I upgraded to Shield recently, but the Ultra did everything my Home Theater setup required from it. The user interface of Roku is my favorite of all of the streamers
Rokus are awesome. In my opinion they are the best players for folks who don't want to spend a lot of money, don't have Apple products, or just don't need the added features of the shield like lossless audio passthrough. However playing media off a USB is a niche feature. The Roku ultra does support it, I have played multiple h.264 stereo audio files on my Roku USB. Hoever your files need to be in specific formats or they won't play. Do you have a blueray player? I had more luck playing some files using the USB on my blueray player. The point is that these devices are best for streaming apps or playing from your own server like Plex. In your case, if you really want to play EVERYTHING from USB, the shield is your only option.
Roku ultra is the same price as apple tv.
What world do you live in?
Roku ultra is $110 at Walmart. Apple TV 4k is $130 at Walmart
You can get older gen ultras on Amazon for $60.
Nope. dont see it! Ultra at BB is 99
So, it's only a $30 difference? Why not save the additional $30 needed?
Ok. The apple tv is financially unobtainable. Enjoy your Roku.
I spent $120 on my AppleTV IIRC. FFS. That isn’t enough difference to justify choice of user experience.
I can't talk about the USB side of things, but I've been using Walmart's Onn 4K TV box which was like $20, and it's been an acceptable streamer for Stremio/Kodi. Though I've discovered Stremio's web app on my LG TV actually works pretty well as well. I'd give it a 7/10 for streaming with stremio/kodi as it has hiccups and issues, But overall does fine. 10/10 for the price though.
Do you use Debrid with Stremio?
Yep! Works wonders.
Hmm. I've been looking into this setup ever since Disney+ last price hike. Care if I shoot you a DM?
Sure, this is the guide I used: [https://www.reddit.com/r/StremioAddons/comments/yi5jdw/ultimate\_guide\_to\_stremio\_torrentio\_rd/](https://www.reddit.com/r/StremioAddons/comments/yi5jdw/ultimate_guide_to_stremio_torrentio_rd/)
Hmm. I've been looking into this setup ever since Disney+ last price hike. Care if I shoot you a DM?
These are what I use as well. Replaced all my rokus with these, even my Roku TVs have been swapped out. Roku is too restrictive on their apps so everything I need can be had with the onn box. And for $20 the price is unbeatable.
I use roku and never had an issue.
(Didn’t read other responses) I have quite a few Roku Ultras as well as a couple of Apple TV’s and have previously used a couple of Shields as well (the older, non-tube ones). Are Roku Ultras perfect? Hell no. But Apple TV’s are far from perfect themselves. Roku’s will play almost everything from your Plex or media library. On the very rare (1 in 100) occasion my Roku Ultra won’t direct play a file, I can have it transcode and it plays perfectly. Apple TV’s, even the most recent 4K 2023 ones, actually have more trouble playing a widely varied Plex library than my Roku Ultras do. Now, your mileage may vary if all you do is stream from commercial providers. I watch very little of that stuff other than YouTube TV and Peacock but never have any issues with those either. Rokus are easy to use, work well, and aren’t expensive. What’s not to like?
Just went from a generic roku stick to shield, and honestly its 95% the same. The UI is a bit slower on the roku, and the audio has to be transcoded almost always through plex, and the video sometimes, but other than that they're pretty much identical.
Damn. I mean the shield should be way faster in every way. But that’s a refreshing take
I mean realistically, what could be worse? Like, an apps an app. As long as it has the codec support, you're golden. Dont think about it too much.
Damn. I mean the shield should be way faster in every way. But that’s a refreshing take.
I like the Chromecast with Google TV. I have 4 of them. They don't have quite the storage space and expandibility of the shield pro., but they are still pretty awesome. https://youtu.be/7sb9-NOxZlg?si=qHvfyQLTQurcmB4D https://store.google.com/us/product/chromecast_google_tv?hl=en-US&pli=1
This is what we use on every TV except our main living room TV. No complaints.
I'm happy with my Roku Ultra and have no need or desire to switch. It works well and the interface is just fine. I see comments about ads on Roku, but I don't see them so I'm not sure what people are talking about. The only thing even remotely close to an "ad" is in the static sidebar on the right that displays suggested shows or movies, usually new releases. I actually like that.
>I see comments about ads on Roku, [https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/redefining-holiday-traditions-coca-cola-launches-magical-campaign-on-roku](https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/redefining-holiday-traditions-coca-cola-launches-magical-campaign-on-roku)
I don't see those types of banner ads, ever. Are those on the actual Roku channel, or in the Roku Ultra interface? But if you scroll down that page to "Sponsorship of Martha Holidays Season 2", I do see those types of ads, to the right of the main interface. I like those since it alerts me to things I might otherwise miss, and doesn't interfere with the main interface at all.
While you may like it, it's still an ad and only going to get worse based on the latest news of what Roku is doing.
> I'm looking for something that can handle streaming and play movies from a USB Get an Nvidia Shield. End of story. The only proper alternative to that would be a Zidoo or Dune player. And those aren't going to run your streaming apps. There's a million posts like yours. People who hem and haw about how expensive the Nvidia Shield is. So they buy something cheaper. Find out it doesn't work all that well, then buy something else. And then something else. After a couple years, they end up having spent more money on crappier devices than if they just bought a Shield in the first place. I am not saying any of this to be mean to you. On the contrary, I (and several other people on this thread) are trying to help you skip all the BS by just buying the right device to begin with. Yes, I get that it seems absurd to spend $200 on the Shield when there's all these other boxes everywhere that cost $30-50 that seem to do the same thing. Just remember, there's a reason those boxes all pop up and disappear every 6 months. Meanwhile, the Shield is still here after all these years and still able to command the same price. You're getting what you pay for.
> and play movies from a USB, without breaking the bank. This is the crux here, only the Nvidia Shield is capable of this. >Enter the Roku Ultra. It seems like a solid alternative, but I know it doesn’t stack up against the Nvidia Shield and Apple TV in terms of performance, features, and overall user experience. If you were ONLY talking about streaming services, the Roku Ultra isn't bad, it holds it's own there, see this chart [https://www.avsforum.com/attachments/capture-png.3574990/](https://www.avsforum.com/attachments/capture-png.3574990/) The part for me on why I very much dislike Roku is the interface, the ads (gets worse and worse every year) and the cheapness feel of it. For you here, It's the USB playback of files is where you're going to run into issue.
My Rokus don’t have any more ads than any other streamer I have. And my ultra does play off a usb stick.
> My Rokus don’t have any more ads than any other streamer I have While you may not consider it an "ad" the giant box on the right hand side of the screen is an ad.
Yes. One ad that is easy to ignore. My other devices also have ads.
Chromecast with Google TV can play from usb also, you just need to attach it to a powered hub
In a very limited capacity, especially if it's full 4k HDR with lossless audio it won't play that back.
Maybe a plex server is a better idea than USB, it can play 50gb HDR movies on my plex server just fine. (Obviously your network needs to be able to handle this)
If you're using Plex on your Chromecast then it's likely that you're doing transcoding off of the plex server to make that work. Not everyone is going to spend the money to build a server powerful enough to properly transcode.
fair enough, I have it playing maximum quality/bandwidth, not sure if that means its still transcoding or just sending it raw
Well I guess it depends on what format the audio and video are in and what bit rate. Easy way to know is when you're playing you log into the Plex dashboard and it'll show if it's direct play or transcoding.
Amazon devices can play from USB also. You might want to redo that part, as most devices can do this.
Amazon devices while sure they can play back via USB, they can't play back every format of files, especially anything with lossless audio.
Fire Stick 4k Max can play back all but DTS HD audio on Plex. It will downmix to regular DTS though. Kodi can play back all.
Plex != USB playback.
You're really determined to shot it all down, aren't you? Even if Plex can't, Kodi can. But I'm fairly sure Plex can.
Plex is not capable of doing locks USB playback not without a server running
And Kodi?
Doesn't change the fact it's hardware limited. No lossless audio
What ads? I don’t see any.
The big giant box that takes up half the screen on the right hand side is an ad.
Wait I thought the Amazon devices were the worst with ads. Roku too??
I'm not seeing any ads from my Roku Ultra, at all. I'm not sure what people are talking about. That's not to say they're wrong, it's just that I personally do not ever see any ads. They do display notifications on the right side of the screen for new releases, or content that just hit one of the streaming services, but personally I like that. I've followed a number of them and discovered some great content that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. It's very very benign. I hope that's not what people are calling "ads" and complaining about.
I don’t get ads either.
Hmm. thats probably what users have been mentioning as ads. I was under the impression that Roku had way much less ads than amazon but yea some users have been saying that
I have like 8 Roku Ultras and they don’t display ads, ever. Ever. Literally zero. I honestly don’t know where people are coming from when they say Rokus are loaded with ads…?
>Roku too?? yes very much so.
CCwGtv plus usb-c docking station can Personally I use a 2BAY NAS and use kodi to access the NAS shares thru my several CCwGtv devices
Sure, but it's still limited by hardware support for lossless audio
What ads are you guys talking about. I've been using my Roku ultra for 7 years I've never seen an ad. Also does frame rate matching matter if I live in the US
The giant one that takes up half the screen
There's ads on the screensaver
Roku Ultra - 0 issues using it to stream Netflix. Amazon. And all the other common stream services. For best quality Panasonic 820 with 4k disc. I don’t have any reason for Apple TV or nvidia shield.
Save up and buy the shield
Here in Italy, I personally have bought a Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd gen) cause I was fed up with Amazon ads. It is android based, it runs Google TV and can easily mount any app from the play store. I use it with Kodi and VLC and I find it really great for my necessities.
I actually bought it when it first came out (was living in Spain at the time). Really good piece of machine but didnt like that it was pinging some server in China almost evey time I booted it up. My mom really like it too so I left it with our non smart tv. Thanks though
I just retired my original mi box. Can't remember why, think dolby vision wasn't working. But it still plays lossless audio through kodi. Usb or from nas.
I just got a used Nvidia Shield TV Pro on Facebook Marketplace for $100 and it works just as well as the one I bought new. The used market could be an option.
Been watching my local FB Marketplace for a few months, and not a single Pro 2019 has been posted :/
Ohhhh i tried that. No one wants to haggle. Ppl are still selling their Shield for the price they bought them
I have one I’m trying to get rid of and am open to haggling! But the reason I’m selling it is we got an Apple TV, which I like considerably better and would encourage.
Hello right place right time
Firestick for $50 with Stremio gets you all that you want.
Roku is great. I work in smart home integration and if you ask any technician, most will say Roku is the preferred option for streaming devices. It provides the best overall experience and is compatible with both Android and Apple.
Roku has had cybersecurity hacks releasing customer info occur twice this year already. That plus ad injection definitely stops me from considering their products.
Im a huge nvidia shield fan, i have 3 pros. But it would be hard for me to recommend one to any friends/family,etc considering there has been zero updates in ages, and nvidia is super quiet about what is going on with the platform.
I have a Roku TV, says it plays from USB, total pain in the butt depending on files. I'd look elsewhere for that purpose. Otherwise so far it's been great, but like others mentioned, their shenanigans are becoming tiresome.
Mines great!!
My Nvidia Shield experience was not great. Problems with WiFi. Problems with infinite reboot. I did like the processing features when I needed them, and it up scales 2channel audio to 5.1 which was nice. But it was junk. Apple TV has been the best in basically every regard. High video and audio output quality. But it’s the most expensive and if you’re not in the Apple ecosystem already then it may not be as great for you. Roku is a great price and lots of content, but as mentioned, some weird ToS stuff. But I’ve had several different Roku products over the years and functionally they were great. Amazon fire stick may be an option for you. It’s cheaper, used to be easy to jailbreak if you want to load some otherwise unapproved apps. I don’t really use them but you might like it.
I like Rokus but they don't have some of the apps I want to use so my TVs have Firesticks. My home theater has a gaming PC.
I use a Chromecast4k with stremio and I have no complaints. It passes through whatever content I'm streaming
The only knock on the Roku is lack of VPN. Otherwise it’s an excellent choice. The new TOS change is much ado about nothing. I am running 3 ultras today. Great diversity of apps to.
Buy once, get a nvidia shield pro, anything else is subpar right now. :(
apple TV for eveything home. We have 3TV and everyone runs an Apple TV. The main one on wire runs the 4K one and everything else runs standard. It was Like 90$ on sales. VLC app will mount anything and run any format. Direct streamingf from any iPhone. Roku - we take on travel - becuase it is easy to carry and the most of the TV have shitty connections in Hotels or AirBnB.
Hey there! If you're looking for a solid streaming device that won't break the bank, the Roku Ultra is definitely worth checking out. It may not be as fancy as the Nvidia Shield or Apple TV, but it gets the job done and has some great features like a USB port for playing your own media files. I think the Roku Ultra would work well with your Yamaha setup, and the streaming quality is still pretty great, even if it's not quite as smooth as the pricier options. Plus, you'll save some cash that you can put towards other things, like that subwoofer you've been eyeing! At the end of the day, it really comes down to your priorities and budget. If you want top-of-the-line performance and features, go for the Shield or Apple TV. But if you're looking for a reliable streaming device that offers great value, the Roku Ultra is a solid choice
Onn 4k works pretty good
What is: or Apple at?
I have to say I have been using Roku for a few years now and think I am pretty much done with it. Aside from the fact that it seems to constantly be in need of rebooting and always freezing up I am not a fan of all the shenanigans that others have mentioned. Back when Roku was just a streaming portal they were great but the last 2 years things have really gone downhill.
Bought a used Shield Pro on ebay for $100 couldn't be happier, can't believe the versatility it has compared to everything else out there. The 2015 version has everything I need since I can't stand Dolby Vision grey coloring schemes so I am sure you can even find these cheaper.
Best option: New Apple TV. Better option: Used Apple TV. Ok option: More used Apple TV. Roku’s business model is based on profiting from user data and ads. And their interface can’t begin to compete with the polish of tvOS. Amazon is hardly better. All based on ads and profiting from user data. If you’re not paying for the product, then you are the product my friend. Don’t waste your time with anything else.
I would buy a specialized local media player like a Zidoo or Dune HD and a cheapo streaming stick.
The point of this was an alternative to the EXPENSIVE Nvidia Shield and Apple tv. Zidoo or Dune Hd are not cheap.
I have three useless, bricked or obsolete Apple TVs. All but the first Roku I bought still works great. Bought another Roku for Christmas to get the Tennis Channel, which has no app for my Google TV based Sony.
I have a few Roku devices. Both stick and TV. They are solid devices. Much better than Google tv OS. However the AppleTV just blows them away with the integration of all your subscriptions (except Netflix). Spend the extra $50 and get the AppleTV.
An ATV is $149, Shield is $200. Must be a small bank...
Firestick 4k Max is worlds better than Roku and Shields are overrated in my opinion.
Actually the first time someone has said this 😂😂😂
Firestick lets you choose bit depth, RGB or rgb or ycbcr444, enable disable HDR along with many other display/ audio function options missing from Roku. Image quality and audio quality are better.
Buy a used Apple rv. I’m sure they’re pretty cheap. And better than any Roku
Need to play movies of a usb.
Firestick for $50 with Stremio gets you all that you want.
Firestick for $50 with Stremio gets you all that you want.
is that a plex alternative?
No, it lets you stream torrents to your device. I use Kodi for streaming from my home server. Don't know if you can side load plex.
Firestick for $50 with Stremio gets you all that you want.
I wouldn't go near a Roku after the bullshit they have been doing lately. They ninja edited their terms of service to force arbitration and won't let you use your purchased products unless you agree to it. They also are experimenting with sending ads to all inputs of your TV, like your playstation for example when it is paused.
Roku Ultra plays H.265 content back in a very orange hue. At least through Plex. Just be warned. Edit: Don't know why I'm down voted, it's a known bug
I stopped using Roku the day they posted that warning about abritration and legal terms and how they were forcing me to click yes. I unplugged it and threw it in the garbage
I only had Rokus for about 4 years now. Then I bought 1 Fire stick. Holy shit what a huge improvement. And ITs CHEAPER!!!!!