#4334578 - 02/04/17 04:05 AM
Best streaming device for TV's?
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Dart
Measured in Llamathrusts
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Measured in Llamathrusts
Lifer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Alabaster, AL USA
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So we bought a Sony Blu Ray player with streaming via WiFi, and have been watching stuff on YouTube with it. Pretty neat.
The problem is that while it's a good unit, it will bail out with the dreaded "application too large" error which means the RAM isn't keeping up or cycling properly. The WiFi signal is well above the minimums stated in the specs and is solid.
I'm thinking we need a dedicated streaming box.
Looking at reviews and stuff, I'm not helped much by them. I'm not interested in gaming, HBO, 4K, 3D, perfect audio, etc.; I just want something to stream YouTube on my 1080i TV without crapping out every tenth video, or if I pause or back up slightly.
Any advice or recommendations?
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events. More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.comFrom Laser: "The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
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#4334587 - 02/04/17 04:27 AM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 13,854
F4UDash4
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 13,854
SC
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Before I bought a smart TV with built in capabilities I was pleased with Roku, and the new Roku boxes are much better than what I had then.
"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
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#4334608 - 02/04/17 07:45 AM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,688
CyBerkut
Administrator
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Administrator
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,688
Florida
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I have a TCL TV that has ROKU built in to it,which works well. Presumably, the ROKU boxes that F4UDash4 speaks of, work well too. They have some where the remote lets you use ear buds for private listening. The supplied remote for my TCL ROKU TV does not have that... but I have installed the ROKU app on my smart phone, and that lets me use my BlueTooth ear buds for private listening while watching TV. That works particularly well, as the sound via the smartphone App levels the volume out better... with the TV's included sound, I would find myself cranking up the volume to hear dialog, and then getting blasted by loud soundtrack music or effects. That app based private listening goes a long way toward improving 'domestic tranquility'. ChromeCAST has a pretty good reputation AFAIK, but I don't have experience with it.
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#4334621 - 02/04/17 01:45 PM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,624
JohnnyChemo
Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,624
Buffalo, NY
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+1 for Roku. I've got three of them - a Roku streaming stick (device plugs into an HDMI port) and is pretty reasonable price wise. I've also got a Roku 4 Ultra whic has an Ethernet port and can handle 4K resolutions. Rock solid, really nice remote (with headphone jack as mentioned above), good picture and nice selection of streaming channels.
Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as "bad luck.” -Robert Heinlein
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#4334753 - 02/05/17 03:06 AM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 15,786
Haggart
I Fought Diablo
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I Fought Diablo
Veteran
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 15,786
The Lone Star State
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We have a 40" large screen tv we bought about 5 years ago. Last month i bought a Chromecast device ($35.00) at Best Buy. I installed it directly to the stereo receiver which makes up our sound system. No problems at all - we like it a lot.
"everything lives by a law, a central balance sustains all"
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#4334756 - 02/05/17 03:41 AM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 19,581
Raw Kryptonite
Beat the Kobayashi Maru
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Beat the Kobayashi Maru
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 19,581
MS
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We've had smart tv's and enjoyed it, but Sony's for some reason don't always get along with the youtube app, crashing a LOT. The older one had a lot of issues running out of memory etc. The Sharp tv hasn't shown any issues at all, but has few apps. I passed up the Chromecast and went with an Amazon Fire TV set up. First the small $40 USB one, the Fire Stick, then took it back in favor of the Fire TV box for better video quality and 4K capable. I think I paid $80 at the time, but it's well worth it. Excellent but simple remote, very fast. Wifi works beautifully with it in a spot that sometimes would have issues for other devices. We're on 802.11N, 5 GHz here and still no issues or lag. It's AC capable though. It has more apps than any other one that I looked at and far more main apps than the Sony tv's. The main ones: Netflix, Youtube, Amazon Prime but also CW (not on many) and CBS (for upcoming Star Trek show) as well as most other channels I can think of that have an app. The ONLY thing it's missing that I'd like is a Vudu app for streaming our purchased blu-ray movies that I usually get with a digital code. For Vudu, I go back to the Sharp and Sony TV's apps. https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Fire-TV-St...=amazon+fire+tv
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#4334841 - 02/05/17 05:34 PM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,735
David Kennard
Member
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Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,735
Northern Virginia, USA
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I would highly recommend the nVidia Shield TV but for your criteria the best option, as mentioned by others, is a Roku. Add a memory card to it and you will not be disappointed at all. The Chromecast is great but having a physical remote like the Roku does vs using a phone or tablet to control the Chromecast is worth the bump up.
Last edited by David Kennard; 02/05/17 05:36 PM.
"I'm a hundred miles away son, ready to strike"GPL Racing: Average Drivers ClubSimHQ Motorsports: SimHQ MotorsportsEVGA Z170 Classified K MB, Intel i7-6700K CPU, EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 FTW2 GPU, EVGA 850 G3 PSU, Bitfenix Dawn TG Case, Windows 10, 32gb T-Force Delta RGB DDR4 3600MHz Memory, 500gb WD Black SN750 NVMe Boot Drive
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#4334852 - 02/05/17 06:57 PM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Khai]
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,984
Master
meh
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meh
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,984
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I'd go with the Chromecast for streaming Youtube. mines a first Gen, works perfectly. I just cast from my phone/tablet/PC to the Tv. no fuss. and it's cheap (and it works with play music, BBC Iplayer, Netflix....) If you mainly want it for streaming youtube then get a Chromecast. You can use your phone to tag videos to watch on the device. In fact everyone in the room can add youtube videos to a list that the device will play. But the chromecast isnt that great for netflix, amazon, hulu etc. Its not exactly the device's strong point. If you mainly want it for streaming services like netflix etc then get a Roku box.
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#4335089 - 02/06/17 04:40 PM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Master]
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,849
Falstar
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,849
Edina, MN 55439
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I'd go with the Chromecast for streaming Youtube. mines a first Gen, works perfectly. I just cast from my phone/tablet/PC to the Tv. no fuss. and it's cheap (and it works with play music, BBC Iplayer, Netflix....) If you mainly want it for streaming youtube then get a Chromecast. You can use your phone to tag videos to watch on the device. In fact everyone in the room can add youtube videos to a list that the device will play. But the chromecast isnt that great for netflix, amazon, hulu etc. Its not exactly the device's strong point. If you mainly want it for streaming services like netflix etc then get a Roku box. +1 Combine the chromecast with VideoStream for Chome works great. My Vizo already had Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, IHeart, etc. It's great casting any vid to it, all for $25 on sale. Wish Roku would have better sales.
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#4335347 - 02/07/17 08:18 PM
Re: Best streaming device for TV's?
[Re: Dart]
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Dart
Measured in Llamathrusts
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Measured in Llamathrusts
Lifer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Alabaster, AL USA
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I bought a Roku Ultra because A) I like marketing stuff and it's "ultra," and B) it was on sale and C) I had apparently been given several Best Buy gift cards over several holidays and since my wife has total recall of everything not only knew this but where they were placed that D) meant that I paid just the tax on it, the HDMI cable, and the micro SD card.
This should have put me on notice, as the most expensive thing in the world is a free pet.
The Roku is great and even has a "find remote" feature. It does what it says it will do.
At either 720 or 1080p resolution.
Apparently my 30" flat screen HDTV is an ancient piece of obsolete crap, as it's 1080i, not 1080p, and modern, hip, progressive devices would rather be seen hanging out with a Betamax player in a phone booth than support 1080i resolution.
720 looks pretty good, but on stuff like football games, it will matter this fall. Wife says we could just buy a modern TV that has 1080p, and put this one in our son's room.
So 200 bucks for a bigger TV to allow us to play the "free" streaming device. Life is weird.
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events. More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.comFrom Laser: "The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
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Exodus
by RedOneAlpha. 04/18/24 05:46 PM
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