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Author Topic: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?  (Read 1750 times)

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Marvey

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Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« on: November 10, 2014, 07:08:04 PM »
Ok, getting sick of that $180 per month cable bill from the cable monopolies. TW cable TV blanks out every now and then while we are watching shows.

I need a box with remote. No, the iPhone does not qualify as a suitable appliance remote. Narrowed down to two choices:
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Roku
What should I get? Don't care about local TV. Cartoon network would be nice. I don't know much about them or how they work.
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cizx

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2014, 07:18:49 PM »
Probably Amazon, unless you have a lot of local media you want to play... then I'd say Roku because their Plex implementation is a little better.

If you have Amazon Prime, go with Amazon.  I've used both, and quality wise they're about the same.  Roku will give you a little breathing room outside the Amazon ecosystem, but Amazon's ecosystem is pretty good.
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ultrabike

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2014, 07:23:32 PM »
I was faced with this same dilema a few months ago.

Ended up with the Roku 3 and a Netflix subscription. Absolutely Love it and should have done that a long time ago.

You can also acces Amazon with the Roku 3, but what I didn't like about the service (vs. Netflix) is that plenty of the movies in it you have to pay extra, even if you have Amazon prime. With Netflix I pay about $8 a month and get 2 HD streams and most of the stuff is included with the monthly fee. LOTs of programs and worthy movies included. LOVE the interface.

Works great with Youtube, but you might need the iPhone App to quickly search. With Netflix the browsing capability is pretty awesome so no need for the iPhone App there.
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Marvey

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2014, 07:29:40 PM »
That's what I'm afraid of with Amazon. Too easy to click and buy; and I can see Julie or kids running up the tab to the same as our current cable bill.
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cizx

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2014, 07:32:28 PM »
Amazon does Netflix as well.  Thing about Netflix, though, is that if you want true HD, you have to pay more per month.  It's not a lot more, but it's more than $8.

Get Amazon Prime if you don't have it, and a lot of that stuff will be free.  I think you can set some sort of parental lockout, but since my cat can't work the remote, I never had to worry about it.
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ultrabike

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2014, 07:35:54 PM »
Quote from: marvey on November 10, 2014, 07:29:40 PM
That's what I'm afraid of with Amazon. Too easy to click and buy; and I can see Julie or kids running up the tab to the same as our current cable bill.
I gave a go to both at the same time (Amazon and Netflix) off the Roku 3. Netflix was winners. Have personalized profiles for each of the kids, wife, and self. We finished "The Killing" and going through a few other shows. Kids went through My Little Ponny, Batman (the good one), Scooby, Strawberry Shortcake, Transformers... You name it. All included, and easy to access. No extra charge.

We are in the middle of one movie currently.

Youtube does fantastic too (relative to some of the other crapy implemetnations I tried).

Quote from: cizx on November 10, 2014, 07:32:28 PM
Amazon does Netflix as well.  Thing about Netflix, though, is that if you want true HD, you have to pay more per month.  It's not a lot more, but it's more than $8.

Get Amazon Prime if you don't have it, and a lot of that stuff will be free.  I think you can set some sort of parental lockout, but since my cat can't work the remote, I never had to worry about it.

FWIW I paid about $8 for 2 HD streams like a few months ago. A LOT of stuff was not free with Amazon Prime. Plenty of shows were $$ to rent... Most of the free ones were crap. Was a bit disappointed.

As far as interfaces, Roku is proly not as commited to the Amazon environment. Their Netflix port is awesome though. Not sure if the Amazon box works exactly the same. I got the Roku 3 though which is pretty snappy. The older ones are proly a little slower.
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No_One411

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2014, 07:49:07 PM »
My bias is for the Roku since I do like to support local Saratoga (hometown) businesses.

With that said, the Roku supports much more channels out of box, though some of them are probably irrelevant. I think some premium stuff also needs a cable subscription to access to. (Fox, HBO, etc.).

It can also do Amazon Prime for an added cost, if that matters. Can't speak for Cartoon Network, since I haven't watched in like...10 years. Crunchyroll is available if they do watch anime though.

Amazon TV has much better games, if that is a thing to consider. If that doesn't matter, and you're just looking for a streaming device, I'd go with the Roku.
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ultrabike

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2014, 07:52:32 PM »
If you have Amazon prime already for shipping, it proly makes sense to keep it. LOL! I'm proly in the Netflix fanboy phase currently.
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Marvey

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2014, 08:08:14 PM »
I found out CN isn't available for streaming anyways. Since I already have prime, I'll grab the Fire TV box.
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Questhate

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Re: Amazon Fire TV or Roku - advice needed?
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2014, 09:28:57 PM »
Roku does prime video too. I'd personally lean Roku since all of the Fire products just shove Amazon products/ecosystem down your throat. Amazon Prime Free video catalog is terrible.

Also maybe consider the Nexus Player? New version of Android TV -- and also acts as a Chromecast for occasions you'd like that (screen/phone mirroring). The UI probably isn't as polished as the Roku or Fire TV at this point, but will (maybe?) get there eventually. No ethernet though sorta kills it for me.

Personally, I'd go Roku 3 if I bought one today. Can get Amazon Prime content, Google Play content, plus it supports almost every other streaming media outlet. And it's super cool having a headphone jack in the remote for watching TV without waking everyone up.
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