Apple TV vs. Roku
Anybody who's paid attention to me here or on Twitter knows that I love Roku.
But this past weekend, I had to make some room on my television stand for its bigger-named competitor: Apple TV.
For fathers day this past weekend, my wife gifted me the Apple TV. We already had a Roku player for a couple years, but I have wanted to experience the Apple TV and how it integrates with other Apple devices, such as the iPhone and the iPad.
For people who want to stream such multimedia content as Netflix, Youtube, Amazon Video on Demand, and iTunes, these two devices can individually satisfy some of your needs.
In a video below, I cover some of the main features, similarities and differences between Apple TV ($99) and Roku (starting at $59). There are big pluses for both devices: Apple TV works very well with iDevices, plus offers iTunes, Youtube, Netflix and compatibility with many apps in Apple's App Store. [I've yet to play with the Boxee, another device that brings Internet content to your TV; it costs $199, which puts it in a different price point than Apple TV and Roku. And what about Google TV? -- I've heard so many poor reviews of it that I haven't even had an itch to try it out.]
Roku is an exciting upstart company with a device that's attracting scores of media companies to develop independent multimedia content for its platform. That means more choices for the consumer. If you value independent fare, take a close look at the Roku.
Take a gander at the vid below, then let me know if you have any follow-up questions or points to make.
Comments
Hi Gus, nice video - I love the ending line! I don't have the Apple TV, but I do have two Roku's - one thing you might want to mention is that is one of the only boxes that can stream Netflix, Amazon Video and Hulu Plus. It's basically my substitute for cable TV. Re: Google TV, as a diehard gadget guy, it is one of the most disappointing pieces of technology I have purchased. Since I don't have cable or satellite it is basically a cheap very low capacity computer used to websurf, watch Netflix and Amazon. Not much else - can't even watch Hulu Plus or the web episodes of most TV shows. It has a rudimentary media player that can't play anything on my network I am hoping for some more capability with an upgrade, but so far it's been a wasted purchase. (Hasn't stopped my interest in further gadget purchases, though - I just ordered up a PS3 move bundle today.)
Posted by: jijiN | June 21, 2011 4:42 PM
There are more channels for Roku which are called private channels. Such channels that add even more content and fun are justin.tv, many of the porn tube channels (free on ur tv), cnn international, bbc international and some others that really extend the devices use.
Google roku private channels.
Posted by: joe | June 21, 2011 11:47 PM
Our company, KoldCast TV, has a channel on Roku. Aside from our relationship with the company, and our personal thoughts about the Roku player, which are all very good, the feedback we have been receiving from Roku users has been phenomenal. It is rare that we receive such positive feedback from our audience. Needless to say, we are quite pleased.
Posted by: David S. Samuels | June 22, 2011 2:55 PM
This couldn't have been timed better! I bought my husband a universal remote for father's day, but apparently I forgot a conversation we had a while back about how much he hates the one my dad has. I bought the same one. So, I am thinking of returning it and investing in Apple TV. We have the very first Roku box and love it to death. My 2 year old does too, and if your queue is any indication, so does yours. Said two year old also loves Louie, although she really just loves the theme song. Thanks for the review!
Posted by: Sarah | June 22, 2011 4:25 PM
Does the roku support 5.1 if connected nto reciever via a hdmi cable?
Yes, though you might have only limited functionality. Check out this link: http://support.roku.com/entries/244210-does-the-roku-player-support-5-1-surround-sound
Posted by: Louie ballis | June 29, 2011 5:15 PM
Boxee takes the cake over all of them. Local content is respected. All the technical support features and great snappy interface. I have owned Roku, AppleTV and Boxee long enough to see what works and what doesn't. The AppleTV is too limited for local and non-apple media. The Roku is clunky and slow, with poor audio / HD quality content. Boxee has its quirks, including a bit of a loopy user community, but it surpasses everything else that is available today.
Posted by: Ensey | July 1, 2011 8:20 AM
I have been using a Roku for quite some time now and I certainly wouldn't consider it to be clunky and slow. The video quality can be quite good, but of course, this depends on the content being viewed. Some stuff looks fantastic and other stuff isn't worthy of viewing. The only reason I feel that one could argue in favor of the Apple TV would be the connectivity with the various Apple devices. Admittedly, that is a pretty strong argument in Apple's favor.
Posted by: Rodgman | August 30, 2011 1:33 PM