AppleTV vs. Roku?

tcnoble · November 2014

FI and I are moving in to a howse two days after Thanksgiving! Yeah! But while working out our budget we came to the conclusion that spending $50/month on satellite or cable isn't feasible - especially given our work hours and time away from home. So we are looking in to getting an AppleTV or Roku set up. If anyone has either system I would love to hear any info, tips, things you love/hate, etc.

lacqueredlover · November 2014

I had the AppleTV and loved it, used Netflix and Hulu on there all the time. However it broke last month so we decided to pre-order the new Amazon version which is just a stick that you plug into the TV.

dolewhipper · November 2014

I love the Roku. A few months ago Fi changed all the electronics around and disconnected the cable box but connected the Roku. We realized we were paying for cable but not using it! We've been on only Roku for about 4 months now and saving $60 a month.

Roku also has a handy USB stick. I'd wait till Black Friday/Cyber Monday for deals on Amazon.com on any of this stuff though, that is, if you can wait.

cupcait927 · November 2014

H and I have the Roku and we love it. We don't have cable and use the Roku for our tv in the bedroom. We just bought a new tv for our living room and got a smart TV so we didn't have to fuss with getting another roku or the like.

daria24 · November 2014

We have the Roku, my ILs have an AppleTV. I find the Roku much more user-friendly. The interface is designed better. We have cable but we use the Roku for Netflix and HBO Go.

tcnoble · November 2014

The one thing that has us leaning towards AppleTV is because you can stream from your iPad. I'm not sure, can you do that with Roku or the new Amazon Fire set up??

sophhabobopha · November 2014

I really like my Roku 2.

penguin44 · November 2014

We watch Hulu plus and Netflix on DH's playstation 3. SIL has a Roku and loves it. I don't know much about it though.

kvruns · November 2014

We use AppleTV to stream movies that are downloaded on the ipad and then also to play music from phone or ipad through the TV. We have Roku too so really didn't need both but that's FI for ya.... If you aren't looking to stream anything from an ipad (or other Apple product) then I think I'd go for a cheaper option

Google Chrome (I think that is the name) is like the USB stick that works like a Roku and its something like $30 so a cheap option too.

and I want to know where you can get cable/satellite for $50 that would be nice

southernbelle0915 · November 2014

We have a Roku. LOVE it.

charlieyankee03 · November 2014

We have a Chromecast, which plugs directly into the tv and has some apps to access Hulu/Netflix/etc. We like it because you can use your computer or phone and cast the browser onto the screen as well. We cut cable about a year and a half ago and love it. My brother and SIL got rid of cable and put the money they would have spent on it towards getting a housekeeper a couple times a month.

beethery · November 2014

My parents have a Roku and use it occasionally. They also have DirecTV and a DVR.

We've got a blu-ray player in the living room that has all the different video rental apps on it, plus a SmartTV upstairs. Those are awesome.

hellohkb · November 2014

Have you looked into Chromecast?

flutteringinfl · November 2014

We have an Apple TV and love it. We mostly use it to watch Netflix and HBO Go, and to sync FI's iMac and iPhone screens. I thought it sounded silly and useless before FI bought it because we already used our PS3 to watch Netflix (and we didn't have access to HBO Go at the time), but it really does make everything more seamless and easy to watch.

dcbride86 · November 2014

FI and I have both. We've had our Apple TV for a few years and got Roku as a Christmas gift last year. I think we've used the Roku twice, but that could be because it's connected to the downstairs TV, which we almost never use.

arrippa · November 2014

Groupon Goods is selling a Roku on sale.

beethery said:

My parents have a Roku and use it occasionally. They also have DirecTV and a DVR.

We've got a blu-ray player in the living room that has all the different video rental apps on it, plus a SmartTV upstairs. Those are awesome.

I have a Blu-ray player that streams Amazon, Netflix and Hulu.

wandajune6 · November 2014

We have a Blu-ray that streams, Chromecast, and Roku (an old one and a 2). We're a little over-wired.

The Chromecast is cheaper than the Roku but doesn't work with Amazon prime video. We love it for streaming from our phones and computers- handy since we both do lots of technical stuff while working from home. It allows us to use the TV as an extra computer monitor. The Roku doesn't work with HBO Go (I don't have HBO Go but my sister can't make it work with her account).

Apple TV strikes me as being somewhere between Roku and Chromecast. I have used Apple TV on my PC and Mac and find that it's much easier on a Mac.

QueerFemme · November 2014

We have a Roku in the living room and the bedroom and we love it. We stream netflix and amazon prime and rarely have any issues.

vulpiepop · November 2014

We have a Roku and I like it. The only problem I ever had with it was when I stream stuff from Hulu sometimes but that problem persists across multiple devices (Roku, WiiU, and my Computer); it's something to do with their streaming ads from different servers instead of their own. Any other channel doesn't have any problems though. I could stream from Netflix, Amazon and I could stream my TEDtalks from it just fine.

I can't do as much with it as I can with the FILs' AppleTV though. With AppleTV we could stream stuff from iPhones and iPads and the macbook. And, of course, you have itunes on there too.

Personally, I like AppleTV better but Roku is nice too. If you're just looking to stream Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, Roku will do the job just fine.

beethery · November 2014

arrippa said:

Groupon Goods is selling a Roku on sale.
show previous quotes

beethery said:

My parents have a Roku and use it occasionally. They also have DirecTV and a DVR.

We've got a blu-ray player in the living room that has all the different video rental apps on it, plus a SmartTV upstairs. Those are awesome.

I have a Blu-ray player that streams Amazon, Netflix and Hulu.

Yup, the sony one we've got is soooooo good for that shit. Amazon on the DVD player is the best shit EVER.

iloveotters2014 · November 2014

The only real difference between the two that I've noticed is Amazon Prime vs. Itunes. If you use Itunes I would get the apple TV but if you use Amazon Prime then I would go for the Roku.

Other than that they both have the ability for netflix and hulu and stuff

loro929 · November 2014

As many PPs, we have an AppleTV that we mainly use for Netflix and HBOgo. I also use a Mac computer, have an iPhone and iPad. I like that you can stream any of the devices on the TV screen using the AppleTV.

tcnoble · November 2014

Thanks for all the input everyone! We have been reading and comparing and it looks like the Roku 3 will win out. We do have Apple devices but we don't buy movies/episodes on iTunes or anything so that's kind of a moot point for us. It looks like Roku will be our best option.

cupcait927 · November 2014

vulpiepop said:

We have a Roku and I like it. The only problem I ever had with it was when I stream stuff from Hulu sometimes but that problem persists across multiple devices (Roku, WiiU, and my Computer); it's something to do with their streaming ads from different servers instead of their own. Any other channel doesn't have any problems though. I could stream from Netflix, Amazon and I could stream my TEDtalks from it just fine.

I can't do as much with it as I can with the FILs' AppleTV though. With AppleTV we could stream stuff from iPhones and iPads and the macbook. And, of course, you have itunes on there too.

Personally, I like AppleTV better but Roku is nice too. If you're just looking to stream Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, Roku will do the job just fine.

The bolded makes me feel a lot better. We were having issues with Hulu on our Roku and on the Wii (when we had one). I don't seem to have the same issue when I use the app on our TV or my iPhone but it seems to have gotten better on all my devices. I was convinced it had something to do with the signal in our house.

AppleTV vs. Roku?

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