So, I'm looking to finally buy one of these so I can stream content but there are a LOT of opinions out there in Internetland.

Anyone got any thoughts on any of these pro or con? Why?

We use the appletv a lot. Netflix and amazon prime work good, hbo work good, airplay from phone to tv work good.

Did you find this guide already?:

http://www.cnet.com/news/chromecast-vs- ... d-you-buy/

Realize you probably googled before asking here so maybe you did. That looks really helpful though especially the chart at the bottom.

I don't have any of them as I can stream netflix and youtube via an internet ready dvd player and I haven't been motivated enough to spend the money to be able to stream anything else. The roku 3 is the one I'd be most inclined to get though.

Yeah I found that. It's helpful but I thought I'd reach out for personal experiences.

The Roku 3 is pretty nice with tons of features. The Chromecast looks pretty unbeatable at the $35 price tag.

But, I'm already neck deep in Apple land and have to say, the ability to play my entire music collection via ITunes through whatever tv the Apple Tv is hooked up to might swing me towards it. Assuming I can do that using an IMac desktop computer.

It would most likely only be used for Netflix, HBO GO, and ESPN Games.

I was totally thinking of that Alabama nonsense while typing. I think about him a lot actually.

The other advantage of apple is my daughter can drive the hell out of that thing and if she's watching cartoons on netflix I know that she's not exposed to the shitty ads for plastic Chinese garbage.

I love my Roku 2, though it's definitely not a perfect device.

Important things to know (in order as I think of them):
1. It doesn't have a web browser, so cannot connect to Internet connections that require inputting a password on a webpage. So, you can't take it to a hotel, for example, and expect it to work. (There are workarounds, but require a computer that can share its wifi.)

2. The actual streaming on the Netflix app (or, "channel" in Roku-lingo) works very well. The UI for the app feels pretty slop-shod. Many people opt to buy the Roku app called "Instant Watch Browser for Netflix" (3.99) that makes the Netflix library much easier to browse. It's not much worse than any other device-based Netflix app--I've used the Wii version and the PS3 version, and the Roku version feels slightly worse, but not majorly so. All of them are much less convenient than the Netflix website.

3. People who try to use Roku as a way to "cut the cord" and get rid of cable end up disappointed since heavy-hitting cable-based apps require cable log-in to use. This shouldn't be surprising, of course, but negative reviews for the Roku often complain about how they stopped cable, tried to use the Roku to continue to get their content for free, and were unable to.

4. As someone who already subscribes to Netflix/Hulu Plus, getting these on my TV rather than watching on my laptop is more than worth the price of admission. Everything else is gravy. If I did not subscribe to those, I'd probably be somewhat disappointed in the non-subscription channels that are offered. It seems better than what's offered on the other streaming devices, but it's still a hit or miss (and miss, and miss) experience trying to dig up apps that are worth the time.

5. The lack of a browser also means that unless there is a way to access content through a specific app, you can't access the content. So if there is a website you use frequently for streaming (or downloading), whether legal or illegal, and there is no app, you're going to be out of luck. (There are some work-arounds using the paid Roku app PLEX, but that requires using a computer to stream the content and the app then mirrors the content through Roku. Which is fine if you have a computer that can do the necessary tricks. I do not.)

There's about a 1000 things I could say, but this is already too long.

How do you make Amazon Prime work on Apple TV?

I have an Apple TV and a Roku...the thing that suxxors about Roku is that HBOGo doesn't work on Roku if you have Comcast as your cable provider. Roku has a LOT of stuff though, tons of channels, but it requires a little more work. AppleTV, like most Apple shit, is plug and play. My main problem with AppleTV is no Amazon Prime, but Crack is about to tell me how that works so my daughter I can watch all the early seasons of Wild Kratts that aren't on Netflix.

My daughter gets them queued up on the iPad or my phone and then touches the airplay icon. Are yours not on the same wifi network?

Oh yeah, that. I could do that.

I want an Amazon Prime app right there on the ATV.

I used to have an Apple TV and I really only used it to either leech HBO Go from my ex's brother-in-law or stream music from my computer. I had/have a Samsung tv and Netflix and Hulu are integrated into it so I just use that for those. The only thing I really watched on HBO Go was GOT and I just get that another way now. I don't really miss streaming music since I now just play it through my phone and Bose Soundlink.

I have a Roku 2 and a Chromecast. Roku generally works well but the interface can be clunky. I use it for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Go, Showtime Anytime, Watch ESPN, Dish Sports (to get BeinSports for soccer), PBS, PBS Kids, Disney Jr, NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, and other random shit my wife might watch on Lifetime or A&E.

The Chromecast was mainly to stream English Premier League via NBC Sports Live Extra from a Chrome tab since they don't have a channel/app. I will say that it's very dependent on how well your computer performs/how new it is and even then, I have found recently that I have to drop the rate down to 480p in order for it not to stutter or be glitchy. YouTube works flawlessly from computer or phone. Haven't tried Netflix or Hulu or anything else since I use the Roku for that.

This thread make my head hurt.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Sounds like I will probably just go with Apple TV since it will probably integrate better with all my current devices.

Also, I think they just released a software update for it this month.

It'll get me by until I buy a new tv in about 5 years. By then, who knows what technology TV's will have.

I have a Chromecast and can't complain at all. I like using it from my phone which is always around me. Amazon Prime works with it too, and you can switch devices, easily: (If I leave the room, my son can control it with his phone.) It also works with my ipad, netflix account, and HBO go if I decide to get that.

Whichever one you get, make sure you have enough bandwidth. With our old DSL connection we were getting about 4mb download, so whenever the kids were streaming and I was surfing the internet, their stream would stutter. I'm now on a 10mb+ cable and it's worked flawlessly.

Chromecast is definitely the best value at $35 out the door. I've even seen them on sale for $29. Mine came with 3 free months of Netflix because I bought it when it came out, so I really paid $11. I bought an extra one for the upstairs TV. (Note: you have to have an HDMI input on your tv. It won't work with old machines, like the one we threw in the basement for the kids.)