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I’ve got a Roku 4k and the apps seem very unreliable on it. At the moment Amazon prime doesn’t load, neither does rakouten. IPlayer has just conked too.
Is the fire or Apple TV stick more reliable?
I've found the Chromecast with Google TV to be really good (nicer to use than the fire stick I also have).
https://store.google.com/gb/product/chromecast_google_tv?hl=en-GB
I've had a Fire stick for about 9 months and it's been mostly fine but has definitely glitched a few times, but when it does, I simply unplug it from the power supply then reconnect it and let it do whatever software updates it needs to...
I've also had to uninstall some apps and clear the cache when it's running low on memory.
So, I'd give it 8/10 for reliability...
Only used Apple TV, it's very reliable though, all the apps work great, got to be one of the best if not the best supported platform - only really makes sense though if you're in the Apple ecosystem IMO
Not that it helps at all but the non 4k Roku seems reliable for around the five months I've had it. It came with a 3 month trial of Apple TV.
Chromecast here, and happy to recommend
Never had an issue with ROKU sticks. They seem to have more services than the others too.
Our Fire TV is pretty reliable. It's used quite a bit to stream live TV upstairs where there isn't a TV aerial. Now and again an app will freeze and you have to reboot it to get it going again, but doesn't happen often.
I’ve only got an Apple TV 4K (not tried the other sticks) but it’s been decent so far. Use it for Zwifting / Disney Plus / Amazon Prime and works well enough.
Hmm - it’s odd that the Roku is problematic for us. We’ve had two now, the original and the 4K one.
I've got an Apple TV & a Fire Stick. The Apple is much smoother and nicer to use, the Fire Stick menu is a bit clunkier & I find it takes me longer to find the app I want. But they both work pretty well, no issues.
Had AppleTVs. Slick. Smooth. Work well. Did get on with MKVs.
4K firestick. Less smooth. More glitchy. Fairly simple. Gets on with all file formats thrown at it.
given the huge subsidy Amazon throw at the firestick and its cheap price on sale it is hard to beat it.
I’ve got one of each.
Our Roku stick is a couple of years old. It has lived its life on the back of the TV in the home office, and gets used fairly regularly for apps such as Netflix or iPlayer, and for mirroring iPhone video via Airplay. It’s reliable, and a pretty good setup experience etc. The choice of apps isn’t always as good as you’d hope: it never got a GCN app for example (one of the things I used to mirror).
We got an Apple TV 4K last year to supplement the PC under the TV in the living room. It’s lovely. My only criticism of it is that the app/user integration could work a little better. I really like it though.
I got the FireStick last year too, intending to use it with a VPN client for streaming from abroad (I think the Apple TV could probably do this now). I really despise it though. It’s slow and ad-laden, and apps on it crash regularly. I also have a couple of Kindles which I like a lot, but I feel with the Fire Stick like Amazon is trying extra hard to ram its services down my throat. I use a VPN on my phone instead and Airplay from that to the Apple TV.
I find the fire stick 4k pretty good,.(it might be a 4k max, I can't remember) but as said the stock interface does try to steer you toward Amazon video. Other than that, no complaints tbh.
I've had almost every generation of apple TVs - they are great: smooth, reliable, minimal glitches.
All the major apps work great - the exception being youtube: its fully awful. My suspicion is that the app on the apple TV has been deliberately enshittified by google. I had prime video for a while too, this was also total shit, and there was something weird going on with the region settings - it seemed to think I was in India, so content was almost exclusively indian. Spent ages on the phone with their tech support - they couldn't figure out how to fix it, so I had to cancel my subscription in the end.
If you have an iphone, the facetime integration is great, as is the integration with airpods (both connectivity and spatial audio).
Serious question.. Why would you buy an apple TV over a proper 4k OLED smart TV?
What?
An Apple TV is the streaming box, not the actual screen.
I use a Roku stick and it's been great so far, just need a 90 degree connector for really awkward hotel TVs.
Had a 3rd gen Apple TV before. Meh. It worked well, don't get me wrong, but the app choice was terrible and you couldn't sideload anything. The Roku does the same thing and fits in a glasses case so is far better for travelling.
Serious question.. Why would you buy an apple TV over a proper 4k OLED smart TV?
I have a 4k OLED smart TV. The apple TV is just a smart box.
It's an LG - they make the best screens (IMO), but the interface/remote is absolute dogshit. The apple TV is a relatively cheap upgrade to the OS. We don't really watch broadcast telly, so just use the apple's interface and remote for everything.
OPs roku might have a hardware fault by the sound of it.
Apple TV is good though mine is in the garage for Zwift now. Did think I would get one for the living room but the Samsung OS isn’t that bad, and has Airplay built in.
One thing to note: if you need subtitles on iPlayer, don’t get the Apple https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/comments/hl71hk/bbc_iplayer_subtitles
To clarify, AppleTVs
Did NOT get on with MKVs.
🤦🏻♂️ autocorrected to the opposite meaning.
I've had two Firesticks (the second was an Amazon-sent replacement for the first) and they both went in the bin after becoming completely unresponsive.
I now have two Roku sticks (both non-4K as I don't have a 4K tv) and they seem ok, touchwood. You might have to uninstall the problematic app (highlight the app & press the star (*) button on the remote and select uninstall) and then reinstall it. I had an issue with C5 not loading so tried that and it cured it.
Apple TV 4K: £150
Chromecast with G TV 4K: £59
[£35 if you're happy with HD]
For something that streams the same stuff..... 🤔
(actually I think the Chromecast may do more)
Chromecast isn't the same though (AFAIK), it's just a receiver for your phone.
If there was a Chromecast app for Roku I'd be sorted, stupid f'n Pixel....
Firestick, hacked and can watch anything from live sport to the very latest films, series etc etc. All work perfectly 99% of the time. £80 a year.
Got it mainly for watching football as I'm not paying Sky and BT etc their rip off prices nor could I afford to. I've got no idea why anyone does.
Chromecast isn’t the same though (AFAIK), it’s just a receiver for your phone.
Nah. Ours is the "Chromecast with Google TV". That's the £59 one (might be cheaper). It just plugs into the TV and has its own remote. Very good at aggregating all the services/channels.
you don't [I]need[/I] to pay that though. Loads of older models (refurbed or new!) on eBay etc. I bought a gen 2 4k for my parents for £76, does everything they need (i.e. just watch telly!)Apple TV 4K: £150
that will be down to either how the video is encoded in your MKV (it's just a container that holds files) or the app you're trying to use to play them. I have no problem playing them on ATV via Plex (H. 264 or H. 265 normally I think)To clarify, AppleTVs
Did NOT get on with MKVs.
We have about 3 Google Chromecast TVs and one Firestick.
Google is handsdown the better option IME.
Firestick doesn't work well with Channel 5 for some reason and is very laggy across the piece. It's all a bit low rent.
Googles just work. And they offer pretty good sound integration with Dolby etc and bluetooth headphone connections.
For £59 they are excellent, at £35 (HD) they are awesome.
Plus, you can cast photos and audio from pretty much any phone, (i)pad or laptop.
Nah. Ours is the “Chromecast with Google TV”. That’s the £59 one (might be cheaper). It just plugs into the TV and has its own remote. Very good at aggregating all the services/channels.
This.
No phone required, seems fast and a much nicer experience than my Firestick.
Firestick, hacked and can watch anything from live sport to the very latest films, series etc etc. All work perfectly 99% of the time. £80 a year.
I do this on my Chromecast also (it's the same app - Firesticks run a Android apps). You're overpaying BTW!
I do this on my Chromecast also (it’s the same app – Firesticks run a Android apps). You’re overpaying BTW!
...and to state the blindingly obvious, a great variety of IPTV apps are available on the Apple TV if that's how you want to access stuff.
Quick update. I’m a bit confused why some apps worked but not others.
Whilst waiting for the Apple TV I’d ordered, having got fed up with faffing around, I wondered if the WiFi signal despite being recorded as good/excellent by the Roku was the problem so have connected it to a WiFi extender rather than the mesh and this seems to have started the apps that stopped working. Very odd though as the apps did work and then stopped but no charge to the position of the tv or mesh WiFi points.
Buffering probably.