Media Streamer Advice

raiyani on 25/08/2024 - 00:22
Last edited 25/08/2024 - 12:15 by 1 other user

Hi all, I have an older Sony 4k TV and the interface and CPU is now just painfully slow so I added the Telstra TV (Roku 3) media streamer which has been working great, and now I find Telstra will be bricking these come end of Oct.

I'm looking for a replacement which will be fast and snappy, and I don't mind so much about advanced audio codecs, and occasionally will stream from home plex server or via plugged in USB. I'd like a quick and responsive UI and be able to stream Netflix and co.

There are plenty that would do the above, but I'd also like to start streaming games from my PC, I haven't tried yet but read moonlight/sunshine are good and I will be running over Wi-Fi 6, my Wi-Fi setup should be pretty decent so hopefully it'll cut it. Also, I'm using an ultrawide 2k monitor on the PC, will that make difference? I think it will stream whatever game it is currently running as on my PC correct?

From what I've read, there aren't many good 'recent' options, so far the 3 I'm considering are:

Nvidia Shield Pro : from 2019 but still considered one of the best, no Wi-Fi 6 support
Apple TV 4k Gen 3: (Gen 4 coming soon?) Will I be hampered in any way being a completely Android/Google household?
Amazon Fire Cube 4k: Interface is very clunky, I have a Fire Stick 4k in the bedroom.

If it matters, I've ordered an 8bitdo Ultimate 2.4ghz which I think should be compatible with all the above and have an Xbox controller I use on the PC.

I appreciate any advice and recommendations, thanks in advance.

Computing Media Server

Comments

    • raiyani on 25/08/2024 - 02:09

      Thanks JV, that's interesting, first I've heard about this.

      • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 02:48
        -1

        I do recommend the Google devices but it might not be the smoothest experience ever. They don't use crazy fast chips like the apple tv does.

        • jv on 25/08/2024 - 09:15
          -1

          This new one is faster, and more RAM

          • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 14:56

            @jv: Yes but many have said it's not fast enough. I will have to get it myself to test it

            • jv on 25/08/2024 - 15:06

              @HaydosK:

              Yes but many have said it's not fast enough.

              The current one is fast enough.

              • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 15:21

                @jv: The current Chromecast? Yes it is but they are looking for the fastest and it's definitely not the fastest. I get downvoted for saying it's good lol

  • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 01:44

    What apps other than Netflix and Plex will you use? What is in your Plex library? Old tv shows? 100gb 4k Dolby vision videos?

    • raiyani on 25/08/2024 - 02:08

      Nothing particularly heavy, more recent titles and shows and a couple of remux which I think are overkill for me, I dont need the best of the best for video codecs. I'm more concerned about game streaming performance.

      I mainly just use to stream YouTube for the kids, Netflix, prime etc.

      Will also use 9now and 7+ for live TV since these don't come with a TV tuner.

      If there are any recommendations for cool apps

      • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 02:30

        It's really hard to say. I really love the apple TV but I haven't bought it because it's too expensive lol and if I do buy I will wait for the next gen with a deal (I'm an ozbargainer remember). The shield I have a love hate relationship with. I also don't own it but I know it's not for everyone. It won't be a smooth experience at all. It might have power or whatever but optimization is key and it fails at that. Google Chromecast is better optimized but that literally has trash specs so expect it to work better with streaming apps than the shield ( you can run 4k video off a potato) but not be ultra fast in menus or other UI elements. Fire TV is probably the worst thing you could buy though. You have to go through so many hoops just to make it look nice and every update breaks things and it's full of ads. Getting into a Locked down system sucks. The apple TV doesn't let you change those things also but it doesn't come with ads out of the box if I remember correctly. You could really choose any but if you wanted to have the best experience out of the box I think the ATV wins. Especially in your case because you dont need fancy formats. You should treat it like a streaming service and gaming device and it will deliver. If you want it to play remuxes it can't pass through any lossless surround format and it cant play dolby vision from a disc. It's only capable of streaming Dolby vision. You should also get the 128gb with Ethernet for the best connection. I really hate using Wi-Fi with streaming boxes. It's literally a one step fix that will make everything way smoother. Last thing I wanted to say. Do you need the ability to sideload? Ignore if you don't know what this is. If you do you need to buy a android tv streamer because apple TV will only have the Apple app store available for apps. It really doesn't sound like you will need this but sometimes apps aren't available in the app store on Android devices and you can just install it via an APK.

        • raiyani on 25/08/2024 - 03:05

          I don't think I'll need to sideload but I read somewhere that from v15 onwards you may be able to, but there were some caveats mentioning it might be ios only and not tvos, and possibly in Europe only after the court ruling.

          So far it sounds like atv may be the way to go, ideally I would want the gen4 when it arrives but I have some somewhat downtime coming in the next couple of weeks which I would have liked to utilise, but the gen 3 may be enough for me. Considering the price it seems a waste to pay for that when hopefully the gen4 will be out soon for not much more than the current gen 3 price.

          • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 03:38

            @raiyani: Yeah it's only for the eu and it's hard to find ipas for them if it's like iPhone apps and idk how many people make apps for them

            I don't think you should wait. Get one now hopefully on sale and wait for the l next gen to come out and go on sale for cheap. It will be a while before they even announce it and it's not going to have some groundbreaking feature that will make the old one irrelevant.

      • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 02:34

        For cool apps I just recommended looking at the free streaming apps like some you have listed from networks. There are so many and some have things you actually want to watch. Sbs on demand is very good and I have even seen people from other countries use it for free content. There is also Tubi but that's not great. Mostly because it's not from the major networks. I also recommend uninstalling anything that you don't use to save space and speed up the device. My Google Chromecast came with like 10 streaming services I don't use and that had only 8gb of storage!

  • AustriaBargain on 25/08/2024 - 02:07
    +1

    Apple TV. Other boxes and interfaces come and go, but Apple TV is going to be around of a long time. When you upgrade to a new Apple TV transferring all to it will be easy and you won't have to learn anything new, wife won't have to learn anything new, you won't even need to think about it. It's very performant and all the apps are tailored made for it because it's Apple TV, I mean more often than for Android streaming boxes anyway. Apple stuff is popular for a reason.

  • CyberMurning on 25/08/2024 - 07:19
    +1

    Google tv with chrome. The 4k model.
    They can play fhd x265 just fine.

  • Bruceflix on 25/08/2024 - 08:09

    Firecube tv. Outperforms most but has annoying Amazon ads

  • Cheaplikethebird on 25/08/2024 - 09:43
    -1

    Used Surface Pro 4 for ~$150 off eBay plus a Rii X8 mini BT keyboard goes alright. Can stick the SP onto the back of the TV with adhesive velcro strips.

  • Hvrd on 25/08/2024 - 10:04

    I'm waiting for the next chrome cast 4k deal

  • Axelstrife on 25/08/2024 - 10:18

    I'm looking for a replacement which will be fast and snappy, and I don't mind so much about advanced audio codecs, and occasionally will stream from home plex server or via plugged in USB.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0rpQBzeECV8

    I made this little short back when i owned both Nvidia Shield 2019 and the Apple TV 4k 2nd gen 2021, this should answer you better than me babbleing on about why this is better than that since i see you use Plex as i do and also not worried about advanced codecs which is really the only thing the shield has over competitors.

    I am also an Android household, Phones and tablets.

    Note: I now own the latest version of the apple tv 4k and it's even faster than the one in this video.

  • ihfree on 25/08/2024 - 10:22
    +1

    I changed to a AppleTV from a CCwGTV about a year ago and have been happy with the experience. My main reason for change was advertising I couldn't get rid of. Both are sufficient with the Apple TV being a faster device.

    When I first changed I was a member of multiple streaming services. Now I'm primarily a Plex/YouTube.

    Apple TV

    • ad free
    • fast, lag free interface
    • can have multiple YouTube profile signed in
    • no external storage
    • better text entry on remote
    • better remote
    • base model doesn't have Ethernet if that's important

    Google TV is also sufficient

    • limited storage space if you have a lot of apps
    • ads on the home screen. The commercial tv ads got annoying. There are workarounds but they're difficult.
    • Google Assistant is built in
    • voice search is a bit more intuitive than the apple Tv, IMO
    • can connect a USB hub and more devices
    • can be used with external storage (few posts on Reddit explaining this)
    • Bruceflix on 25/08/2024 - 10:38

      If lossless audio passthrough is important to you don't overlook Firestick/firecube.

    • HaydosK on 27/08/2024 - 18:45

      It's not very hard to change the launcher but understand it's annoying. Fire TV os makes it harder because Amazon is a pain

  • boomramada on 25/08/2024 - 13:40

    Nvidia Shield Pro : from 2019 2015 but still considered one of the best, no Wi-Fi 6 support

    This, and you don't need Wifi 6, can play anything you throw at it, and the support for PLEX server.

    "Old but not obsolete" - Arnold Schwarzenegger

    • HaydosK on 25/08/2024 - 14:58
      -5

      It can't play anything and they don't seem to have much Plex media. Something that performs well at streaming would be better

    • kranix on 25/08/2024 - 20:11

      I love my Shield TV Pro. It plays everything, runs Kodi and Plex well, and is a great games emulator as well. The AI upscaling is gorgeous… I haven't seen anything better anywhere. 1080p streams look nearly as good as 4K on my LG OLED TV.

      Not sure why you wrote 2015. The latest Shield TV Pro came out in 2019.

  • UosdwisRDewoh on 25/08/2024 - 13:48

    Just found out today about the Telstra TVs being bricked, I would love to have my two just as media players but sounds like that isn't even going to be allowed.
    I wonder if simply disconnecting them from internet will do the trick but that sounds too easy.

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