G+_Charles Griffin Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 So, what's the big deal about a Chromecast and why do I want one? I want one, because it's new and cheap, but to be honest compared to my Roku 3 I think a Chromecast is clunky. Agree? Disagree and why? I thought I might try casting content from CouchTuner, but I'm pretty sure it won't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Get an Android stick and have the ability to have both a Chromecast and a full Android device. I use the Logitech k400 to control mine but you can also use your phone as a mouse and keyboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Yeah, but I want a dedicated device on my TV. I don't want it dependant on my phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 If that's what you like to do no problem. It's just not how I roll Robert Stevens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson? Android stick or box or whatever you wanna call them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Yeah that's fine Todd Gless. I have a Roku 3, a Roku Streaming Stick and an Apple TV. I don't like the Streaming Stick much at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Chris Clark Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Charles Griffin I use it because I find it more convenient than a Roku, which I own. I use my phone all the time and if I find something on YouTube, Netflix...etc, that I want to watch, I just push a button and it shows up on the TV. With other dedicated boxes, I'd have to grab that remote, find the app on the box, open it (or download it if its not already and sign in), then search and find what I want to watch and then hit play. Why do that when I've had it pulled up on my phone screen for 10 minutes doing all of this? It's simpler to push a button and it appears on the TV. The other benefit to me is YouTube. On dedicated boxes, you have to select a video, watch it, select another, watch it. With Chromecast I just scroll through the YouTube app, select videos I want to watch and add them to the queue. Then it just plays them in sequence one after the other with no input from me whatsoever. It's totally changed how I consume YouTube and I find doing it any other way to be extremely irritating. Anyway, those are some of the reasons I prefer it. I haven't tuned to my Roku in months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 That's exactly how I use the Roku Chris Clark. I use the YouTube app on my phone to find what I want to watch and then watch it on my Roku. Same thing with Netflix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Brandon Giesing / CosiC Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Android TV is perfect then, it's a dedicated device when you want it but it works as a Chromecast when you don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Chris Clark Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Robert Stevens? I actually use my TV remote with the Chromecast once I start streaming. My TV (and most modern TVs) supports CEC so the TV remote fully controls play/pause on the Chromecast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 I've looked at the Android TV. The Nexus is out. I'm actually looking at the new Fire TV. I know it's not Android TV but I'm pretty certain my next set top box is going to be 4K or nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Brandon Giesing / CosiC Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson fire TV is not that great, I would suggest the Shield TV. It supports 4K and has amazing hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 That's another one I'm looking at Brandon Giesing. When you say the Fire TV is not that great, have you real world experience with the new 4K model? I like the Shield specs. The price seems fine. I have no use for that retarded game controller and my only real complaint is the size of the damned thing. Oh, and the fact that it has a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson? That's because the roku streaming stick is something I would never recommend. It's junk and garbage. If you would like I could recommend a few models if you would list your max price. Seriously starting to remember why I don't post in threads like this lol. No one knows of any of the good Android set top boxes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Price is not the object Todd Gless. I went to Best Buy to see the nVidia Shield for myself and that thing is huge. My TVs are wall mounted and my Roku(s) are mounted behind the TVs where they cannot be seen. Plus I'm not thrilled by the prospect of a fan running all night in the bedroom. I never turn my Roku 3 off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson? Ok when did I ever recommend to get the shield? Never. None of the stuff I use or would recommend has a fan in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 You didn't Todd Gless. I'm just mentioning stuff I've already been looking at which included only the Shield, the Nexus and the Fire TV. Please fire away with your suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 I guess I should mention that the Apps that are really important to me: Netflix Hulu Plus Amazon Instant Video Plex YouTube Google Play Music oh and Sling TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson? What's your budget though man? Only will be using it on wifi? Want a remote? What's the uses for this? Have any remote drives at your place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 I mainly stream from Netflix, Amazon and YouTube and Sling TV. Currently everything is Wifi. I have 802.11ac available. I can go GB ethernet if required. I have a full rack of server equipment and I run Plex as a VM for all local content. I don't care that much what it costs. But I want it quiet and out of sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Brandon Giesing / CosiC Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson? well all those apps work on Android TV except Instant Video but Fire TV doesn't work with Play Music or YouTube. It does have a third party YouTube App but reviews say it's so horrible and keeps crashing. So your trade-off is one amazon service and the buggy Fire OS UI or Google Apps and the Play Store with a better sideloading process to run any Android app if need be along with Chromecast support for even more apps. Unless you have Prime and are locked into amazons ecosystem, a Android TV is a way better option. If you don't absolutely need 4K and don't need super high gaming performance, the Nexus Player is a great option that's cheap and on sale even cheaper 99% of the time. Also no fan if you are worried about that and it's tiny. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Randy Hudson? I don't know much about the plex side since I will never use plex. I need to know your uses though. Will you be copying large files across your network? What size are the movies (I'm assuming) that is on your server that you will be streaming? My Android sticks have zero problems streaming 1080p movies of up to 5gb,haven't tried higher except once and it was a 13gb movie that just would not work. That was on the 2.4 band also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Todd Gless Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Brandon Giesing? Amazon instant video works on my Android sticks along with everyone else I have gotten to purchase one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Brandon Giesing I wouldn't say I'm locked into Amazon, but I do have Prime so I'd like to have access to that. All of the stuff we've been discussing already works on the Roku including Amazon and Google Play Music (via the Plex App) and it works well for me so I don't see any reason to switch to the Nexus for less functionality. Right now 4K seems to be the only compelling reason to do anything. I know 4K isn't all that yet. When I got my first Blu-Ray player 95% of all the available titles were just studios up-scaling their existing DVD masters and slapping them on Blu-Ray discs. Many were no better than the DVDs I already owned. But that changed over time and I think 4K is the next wave and eventually it's going to be better. I don't want to invest in new hardware with old technology. If I get a new set top box it's probably going to be 4K. Otherwise I really can't see any reason to change. What I have now works fine at 1080P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Todd Gless I'm currently streaming on the 5 gHz band. My average file from Plex is 720p, around 2-5GB. I've done 1080p as large at 13GB. BTW: I found it impossible to stream such files on 2.4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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