Amazon Fire Stick or Roku? Internet TV?

[12intheBox]

Keep in mind that for streaming 4k - unless you have unlimited bandwidth, it uses up a lot of data on your internet plan to watch 4k movies regularly. Specifically, Netflix streaming 4k uses 6.8 gigabytes per hour of viewing. If you're rural, you likely have a significant cap on your data, and 4k could kill it. Note this wouldn't apply for regular tv if they are broadcasting at 4k - rare, but will become more common. And you may not need 4k, unless you have a huge tv and your tv room is also huge. Otherwise, regular hd may be enough.

A cap on data? I can’t imagine such a cruel world.

 

[1maGoh]

I have Apple TV and it gets all the channels you said.

We looked at getting an apple TV a while back, but I just can't bring myself to support them. We ended up with the Roku and it works really well.

Despite technically being a millennial and a huge nerd, I hate integrating new technology into the every day parts of my life. I don't use electronics for more than 1 or 2 functions each and they don't take to each other (my laptop being an outlier there). Therefore I Roku is great for us.

 

[RamFan503]

I have both a Roku and fire stick. I tend to use the Roku as the system and apps just seem more intuitive.

I have spectrum cable and also have an app that I can pick up several channels for fairly cheap.

Still, the reddit streams for football still seem to work better and are more consistently clear.

I’ve tried the kodi app to stream games but all I seem to be able to find is porn.

 

[RamBall]

With fibre you should be able to get way better than 50mb, I get 250mb and could get 1G if I wanted to pay for it. And I'm just on coax, the speeds with fibre are amazing.

 

[Akrasian]

A cap on data? I can’t imagine such a cruel world.

In the Phoenix area on Cox where I live, it's a terabyte unless you want to spend a bunch more for more data. In small town Oklahoma, where I lived for a couple of years, it's 300 gigs, and exceeding it repeatedly was costly. Without net neutrality, the rumor is that ISPs will start to reduce it further, unless you are getting data from their favored providers (i.e. maybe Netflix pays them extra, for instance)

 

[rdlkgliders]

Nvidia Shield

 

[12intheBox]

In the Phoenix area on Cox where I live, it's a terabyte unless you want to spend a bunch more for more data. In small town Oklahoma, where I lived for a couple of years, it's 300 gigs, and exceeding it repeatedly was costly. Without net neutrality, the rumor is that ISPs will start to reduce it further, unless you are getting data from their favored providers (i.e. maybe Netflix pays them extra, for instance)

Not sure that these ISPs will want to encourage us to ever turn off their services when all is said and done.

Data gets cheaper every year. The technology in data communication just keeps improving making the data more and more compact.

As long as we will deal with commercials and ads, they will want to be on in our homes 24/7.

 

[Hey Man]

Loyal Ram, here is another option.
I have the One for over a year, than just bought a Skystream 3 for 125.00.
Very happy and don't have to pay for anything. I'm close enough to Philly to get local channels with antenna.
Also haven't missed a Rams game since getting rid of DirecTV either.

 

[Hey Man]

Loyal Ram
Here is a couple pictures of the box that my player came in.
The media player came pull up any show or movie you could ever want to see, from HBO, Netflix, Hulu Amazon and so on without paying extra.
Just need good internet speed.

 

[Akrasian]

Not sure that these ISPs will want to encourage us to ever turn off their services when all is said and done.

Data gets cheaper every year. The technology in data communication just keeps improving making the data more and more compact.

As long as we will deal with commercials and ads, they will want to be on in our homes 24/7.

It won't be spun as a negative. It would be "get a terabyte of data free. But sign up with Netflix through us - one combined bill - and get unlimited Netflix streaming at home." Then they would get a kickback from netflix for not throttling the speed of netflix connections, AND get a portion of the monthly netflix fee - which Netflix would be glad to pay since the cable company has basically eliminated most cases of sharing passwords.

 

[12intheBox]

It won't be spun as a negative. It would be "get a terabyte of data free. But sign up with Netflix through us - one combined bill - and get unlimited Netflix streaming at home." Then they would get a kickback from netflix for not throttling the speed of netflix connections, AND get a portion of the monthly netflix fee - which Netflix would be glad to pay since the cable company has basically eliminated most cases of sharing passwords.

Different markets mean different things for now - but the race is on to be the one stop shop for data. Your phone, your internet, your tv for now. Virtual reality / video calling and teleconferencing down the road. Someone will offer unlimited data (because additional data won’t be a real cost for them their network will be so robust) and the others will be forced to follow suit. As fiber reaches more and more neighborhoods, the concept of limiting data will be like paying for long distance phone calls.

 

[1maGoh]

As fiber reaches more and more neighborhoods, the concept of limiting data will be like paying for long distance phone calls

This. That's future thinking. Probably really darn accurate too.

 

[FaulkSF]

Looking at cutting the cord too. What's everyone's experience with Hulu? Looks great at $45/mo compared to the minimum of $70/mo from Direct, Dish or local cable.
https://www.hulu.com/live-tv

 

[Oldgeek]

It depends what you like to watch. Look at Philo $20 and Pluto (free). Also Sling is good. I cut the cord from Directv $154. after the GOT finished. I went with Fire Stick 4k for the future, but until Frontier upgrades to fiber, I don't have the bandwidth. I'm learning how to use VPN and Kodi next.

 

[Oldgeek]

Can anyone help with the best setup for getting Rams games? Thanks

 

[Mojo Ram]

No cable no satellite, nothing. I stream apps through the PS4 using a wired connection.

 

[Loyal]

Ok, they added NFL Channel to my streaming service....The value of it just went WAY up! (Firestick)

 

[Dodgersrf]

Can anyone help with the best setup for getting Rams games? Thanks

If using Kodi. Rising Tides is a pretty good sports add on.

 

[Oldgeek]

If using Kodi. Rising Tides is a pretty good sports add on.

Thanks I have Kodi and will look into Rising Tides.