Is the Apple TV Device worth it?

Apple TV has the best selection of 4k content, exclusive extras, and the best app support from what I can tell.

Apple charges more because they can. Firestick works just fine.

You might want to consider Roku as well.

What the hell does Apple TV DO? Like what is it used for?

[QUOTE] What the hell does Apple TV DO? Like what is it used for?

Apple TV does what it is supposed to. Takes advantage of people’s vanity by charging them more for an inferior product that doesn’t work with anything not made by Apple. Well, the tv itself doesn’t have to be from Apple.

[QUOTE] Well, the tv itself doesn’t have to be from Apple.

Apple doesn’t make televisions.

I have used AppleTV (older model), Firestick, and Roku. For the price, I prefer Roku, but miss being able to mirror my iPad and iPhone. I’d like to try AppleTV again, but can’t justify the price when my Roku meets my needs.

I recommend Apple TV. I had a Roku. I stream onto my 4K projector. I was using a Roku Ultra 4K and the quality was good, but the Apple TV 4K blows it away

I have both Apple TV and Firestick. I FEEL like Apple TV has better picture quality and sound, but not so much to justify the expense on that alone. However, it's pretty handy if you have other Apple products and services, such as an iPhone, MacBook, iTunes, etc. The interface is much sleeker, as you'd expect from Apple.

I haven't had a Roku in a decade, but people who have them tend to love them.

Dumb question. Can you elaborate on picture quality. The picture isn't blurred or pixelated is it? I want it to look the same as the picture that I would get from a built in app on a smart TV.

[quote] For the price, I prefer Roku, but miss being able to mirror my iPad and iPhone.

There are apps which will make the connection.

The only thing I want from Appletv is the original programming.

The Firestick lets you receive Apple+ TV, which is where the original programming is. That's in Australia, anyway.

If you want to watch HBO Max then your only option is AppleTV since that is not available on either RikI or Firestick.

Given how cheap smart TVs are now it’s almost cheaper to buy a new TV with built in apps.

If you already use an iPhone or an iPad, then the AppleTV device is the natural best choice . . . If you use an Android phone then in my opinion the AppleTV device is still the right choice but your learning curve will be longer . . .

Oh my god, r7! really?

Yes. I have an old 40 inch flatscreen tv, needless to say it doesn't have smart tv. I love my apple tv, even if it's the first gen.

I prefer my Apple TV 4th Gen to earlier models, my Roku and the built in Smart Apps on my TVs. Roku was better than Apple TV until the latter created tvOS and the former buckled to anti-piracy forces.

Roku ....... Best $30 I've ever spent.

[quote]If you want to watch HBO Max then your only option is AppleTV since that is not available on either RikI or Firestick

It's definitely available on Amazon Fire devices (not just the stick.) You just have to do some maneuvering to install it, but it works fine. Same goes for "Rikl," which I assume is actually ROKU.

The newer versions of Roku now allow AirPlay, as well.

Has anyone played games on AppleTV?

My 4 year old smart tv doesn't support any new streaming apps and the ones that are already there are not updated. It's also slow to load. The Apple TV has everything and the Itunes store has thousands of 4K movies. My smart TV, although 4K, doesn't have 4K compatibility with other streaming apps. You can also watch bonus features with Itunes movies with the AppleTV. I resisted getting one but now wish I hadn't for so long.

Thanks for all the help. I went to BB and got one today. I just finished setting it up and I love it. Thanks.

[QUOTE] It's definitely available on Amazon Fire devices (not just the stick.) You just have to do some maneuvering to install it

Maneuvering? That’s what poor people with Android devices do. When you’re an Apple user, you plug it in and it just works.

Please explain the exact 'Maneuvering' that I should do to get HBOMAX on my Kindle Fire...

I don't know about the Kindle Fire (which is a tablet, not a streaming device), but here's how to install it on a FIre TV or Fire Stick.

[quote] If you want to watch HBO Max then your only option is AppleTV since that is not available on either RikI or Firestick

Not anymore.

Haha...Hbomax will be compatible with Amazon Kindle. Just download the app.

r30 A Kindle is a book reader. HBO Max will be available on FIRE devices.

What is so great about HBO Max? What am I missing out on?

R31. You're correct. It's the Amazon fire tablet. Sorry, me bad.

r32 HBO Max has all the HBO stuff, plus TCM movies, Warner Bros. TV and movies, etc. Lots of content. It's free if you have HBO on your cable already.

Itunes appears to be having a fire sale on most TV shows right now. Lots of complete series for under $30.

HBO Max sucks.

I have HBO on YouTube TV. I have figured out if or how I can get HBO Max. Not that I need it.

Haven't*

Apple TV is the nicest, but expensive and has an unintuitive remote. Unless you’ve got an Apple boner, a Roku or Fire Stick works fine. I didn’t like Chromecast, but maybe it has improved.

No love for the Chromecast?

I have an Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.

I don’t connect my TV to the internet despite the apps being on the TV because it slows the TV down with time and it begins lagging.

Roku is my favorite.

The Amazon Firestick was the device of choice for hacker types who wanted to be able to sideload "jailbroken" apps for watching free (but illegal) cable channels. However, I predict it will be overtaken by the new Google Chromecast with Google TV. The new Google Chromecast turns your TV into a smart TV, unlike the previous versions which merely allowed you to cast from another device. And like the Firestick, it's based on Android, which makes it eminently hackable.

Does anyone own a Roku TV or Fire TV (both built in.) If so, which do you feel is better?

I have two things to contribute with out actually answering anyone's questions --

1. Target has/will have Roku sticks for $30 ONLINE as a Black Friday promotion, though I think the promo is active now while supplies last. That's a $20-30 savings. I don't have a Roku, I just saw the ad and thought of this thread.

2. Last Christmas we got my parents Apple TV box, the newest one. It was around $300 at that time. My casual observation is that they loved the picture quality and sound, and the integration with their phones and iPad, but just didn't like the remote, thus they stuck to their Firestick. Costco was having a sale on TVs last month and my dad ended up buying a very nice 75" LG for $900-some dollars, and it came with Apple TV, so they really don't need their Apple TV box now. If you're going to be in the market for a new TV soon, maybe hold off on buying a very expensive external streaming device like Apple TV. Also I think you can download the Apple TV app on your Firestick if you just want to check out the streaming interface before you buy.

I've had Roku Ultra, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick, the Nvidia Shield Pro, Chromecast, Apple TV 4K and my usual TV in the living room has built in Android TV.

I gave my sister the Roku ultra. It was great but I hated the interface. I'd still say it's the best bang for your buck. I've had Rokus before but the interface hasn't changed in actual YEARS. If they would just update it, it would be top of the pack again. I also like the remote for this one the best.

I gave my other sister the Fire TV. I just hate it when they push their products first.

I gave my mom the Nvidia Shield Pro. Android TV is great on these things ... it is not great on many smart TVs as it SLOWS DOWN. Your TV is basically a computer with a crappy amount of ram. The Shield bypasses all of that. I just hated the remote SO MUCH. It was one of those touch remotes and if I breathed on it, the dang thing did something or switched on. Flames off the side of my face. Heav--heath-heathing flames ... flames .. heaving ... They have a newer Nvidia Shield. I have not used it.

I kept the Apple TV 4k. I absolutely despise the remote but ... it strangely works with my Sony TV remote. I didn't even know it would until one day I grabbed it and pressed a button on it. I liked that I could use my phone as a keyboard when needed. I like the interface. It's simple. It just works. I occasionally play Apple Arcade games on it. I use my Playstation 4 controller. It has a fast processor. It will never want for anything. Finally unlike the Nvidia Shield I've never had a crash. There's also not that many options on the dang thing which I appreciate as I get older and less adept at technology.

Love my Apple TV. Have four of them. Plus if you buy one you get a free year of Apple TV+ streaming service.

Android tv with built in Chromecast

OP here, this was a great choice. I am loving it. So much better and cleaner and it has extended the life of my TV by at least another 5 to 10 years.

[Apple TV is the nicest, but expensive and has an unintuitive remote.

The saving grace is that you can just use your iOS devices to control Apple TV. The iPhone remote app, iPad. Even the Apple Watch has a remote app to control playback.

So Apple is like Roku, it is used for streaming? You pay a monthly fee for Apple content?

There is an Apple TV device that hooks up to your television, R50, and then there’s Apple TV Plus which is a separate streaming service. Think it’s like $4.99 a month. I have the device but not the service, since I prefer Netflix and Hulu. However I have purchased content like movies and shows through iTunes as well, so the Apple TV gives me a one-stop place to view everything together.

I don't know about the device but the content on Apple TV is abysmal. I received a free one year subscription when I upgraded my I phone 4 months ago and I have yet to find anything to watch. There were some movies I wanted to watch but you had to pay extra for all of them. No thanks.

Apple’s original tv+ content is actually really good. Servant, Defending Jacob, Dickinson, and The Morning Show are all really excellent.

R52 clearly doesn’t understand how Apple TV+ works.

I haven’t used Apple TV Plus but I would imagine that, like Amazon Prime or any other service that sells standalone content, they probably incorporate movies and shows from iTunes somewhere in order to give the appearance of a fuller library when you’re browsing. Then when you click on it, you find that it’s actually something from the iTunes Store that must be purchased. So I can see why someone like R52 would be confused by it. It confuses me on Amazon Prime as well.

If you go to the TV app, and click on the Apple TV+ icon it will show you only the stuff that’s available to stream and filter out the “paid” stuff.