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How Many Streaming Boxes do you use?

KittyKatta

KittyKatta

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 24, 2011
1,058
1,212
SoCal
I was doing some evaluation in our media centers and realized something a bit disturbing. We have 5 Streaming Boxes and only 3 TV's.

Living Room - 55" HDTV with 3D
- Apple TV. Stream from iTunes Library. YouTube. AirPlay. NetFlix. Hulu
- PS3. DVD/BluRay/3D Movies.
- Tivo HD. DVR shows that we cant stream.

Bedroom - 37" HDTV
- Roku. Mainly for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon on Demand, Plex
- Apple TV. Netflix. Airplay. Hulu.

Downstairs - 50" HDTV
- Roku 2 XS. Netflix. Hulu. Amazon. USB Stick with TV/Movies
- Mac Mini. iTunes Server. Plex (but plex doesnt see 80% of my unprotected iTunes library)


Obviously there's some redundancy going on but the point is that in order to view what we want then we have to use mulitple boxes. And thats a shame because recommending a "Perfect" streaming box is tough to do. (Apple has the iOS ecosystem so hopefully they figure out how to get channel apps on the aTV because its my personal favorite of them all).

So what is everyone else running their homes with? :D
 
P

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
AppleTV's for Hulu and Netflix and content from iTunes running on Mac Pro. The handful of times I have watched stuff on Amazon Prime, I have just watched them on my iPad. Frankly I find that most of the content on Netflix is the same stuff on Amazon Prime so not having it on the AppleTV isn't much of a loss to me.
 
T

Trav1s

macrumors newbie
Dec 26, 2012
6
0
Nowhere, Nebraska
Two TVs and two streaming boxes. The ATV3 is upstairs on the main TV and the Roku 2XD in the basement. Both are connected wirelessly to the network.
 
C

cdavis11

macrumors 6502
Aug 31, 2009
289
65
Used to have 2x aTVs with Roku 2 backups on each.

Now I've got 3 aTVs with a Roku on the main TV only. Gave one of my Rokus away to a friend at work.

Couldn't be happier.
 
APlotdevice

APlotdevice

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2011
3,145
3,861
1x AppleTV for AirPlay.
1x Panasonic Blu-Ray player for Amazon Prime (and discs of course)

(Both connected to the same TV.)

I just purchased the AppleTV today. Had a Roku for a little while, but between the completely borked Blip.TV app and serious limitations to Twonky Beam, it just wasn't as useful as I would have liked it to be.
 
slu

slu

macrumors 68000
Sep 15, 2004
1,636
107
Buffalo
Three AppleTVs, three TVs. We don't have cable, so Netflix and Airplay are what we use it most for.
 
C

carr1on

macrumors newbie
May 22, 2011
13
0
ATV3 and Boxee Box. The Boxee is the best media file streamer made, IMO. I use the ATV3 for Hulu and Netflix. And the rare iTunes purchase. The ATV3 is certainly prettier, and easier than the Boxee. But dangit, the Boxee eats every file format known to man with no complaints. And it has enough horsepower to play 25Gb Blu-Ray rips with no hesitation. :)
 
M

mikeb13

macrumors regular
Jun 19, 2009
174
236
I have a Roku 3, Xbox 360, and my Samsung TV has a Smart Hub. Ever since I got the Roku 3, I stopped streaming from the other 2 devices. The Roku 3 is the best streaming device out there.
 
M

mslide

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2007
707
2
3 Apple TVs, one for each TV. I have several other devices capable of streaming (e.g. xbox 360, wii), that are connected to a couple of those TVs, but they are not used for that.
 
I

institute

macrumors regular
Oct 10, 2012
177
0
Two ATV3s attached to two TVs with one also attached to a modest sound system so it is also used for playing audio from my home computer. I would also have to include my iPad and iPod touch as they carry many of the apps that I Airplay to the ATVs including Plex, Air Video Server, NFL GamePass, etc.
 
taeclee99

taeclee99

macrumors 6502a
Jun 4, 2002
826
2
Anywhere but here
Living Room

Boxee Box for local streaming and playback
PS3 - Netflix, Amazon, Hulu

Bedroom

Boxee Box - for local streaming
Roku 3 - Amazon, Netflix, HBO GO, Hulu, TWC app, Plex for local media

The Roku 3 is my main go to box for everything. It truly is the best streamer on the market. The Boxee is great for local file playback but with DLINK abandoning support, I cannot recommend it.
 
sulliweb

sulliweb

macrumors 6502
Mar 13, 2011
250
8
2 ATVs for 2 TVs, and an Acer Revo that acts as my iTunes server but is also useful for streaming content from websites, and a little game play.
 
B

bearcatrp

macrumors 68000
Sep 24, 2008
1,730
69
Boon Docks USA
2 ATV3's but looking for a replacement as I'm getting tired of iTunes. Looking for a box that will pull it from my server, similar to how the xbox does. Xbox sucks (already tried it) so looking at the new roku that just got release.
 
2

2020mike

macrumors 6502
May 14, 2012
338
3
I have an Xbox 360 in the living room to stream Netflix and Amazon, in the man cave I have another 360 and the Apple TV, as well as a no frills blu ray player for blu rays and DVDs. I only have those two TVA since I'm not a fan or TVs in the bedroom.
 
lucasfer899

lucasfer899

macrumors 6502
Sep 23, 2012
432
2
London
There's a few in my house :rolleyes:

Lounge (TV room)
46" Samsung HDTV
xbox360 Music Streaming from NAS
PS3 netflix/playtv/iPlayer/4OD/YouTube/Amazon/LoveFilm/Stream movies from NAS

Games Room (w/ arcade machines and stuff)
40" Samsung HDTV (Soon to be replaced with 103" Projector screen)
xbox360 (Doesn't get used)
PS3 /Stream movies from NAS

Kitchen (open plan living area, for some reason called kitchen)
55" Panasonic Plasma HDTV
xbox XBMC used at times to stream from NAS
xbox 360 not used
Apple TV AirPlay/Netlix
PS3 netflix/playtv/iPlayer/4OD/YouTube/Amazon/LoveFilm

We really should streamline it a bit...
 
J

jdechko

macrumors 601
Jul 1, 2004
4,230
325
Only 1 ATV for now.

If we end up buying a small TV for the bedroom, I'll probably check out the Roku 3. Not that I don't love the AppleTV, but I like the idea of a Headphone Jack on the Roku Remote.

However, between now and then, if Apple updates the Remote.app to let me accomplish the same function, I'll probably pick up another AppleTV.
 
lucasfer899

lucasfer899

macrumors 6502
Sep 23, 2012
432
2
London
APlotdevice said:
My parent's old house had a room like that. In America we call them "Great Rooms".
Click to expand...

Good name, actually ;p
Well, it was originally a small kitchen, but them we had it extended out, so now it caters for a 8 person dining table, very large kitchen area, with a bar, and a home cinema system, along with sliding and folding glass doors that open up the entire width of the back of the house. So I guess that's why we call it the kitchen, kinda odd, though. :rolleyes:
 
Southern Dad

Southern Dad

macrumors 68000
May 23, 2010
1,545
625
Shady Dale, Georgia
Let's say that I have too dang many.
  • Living Room (Apple TV2)
  • Kitchen (Power Mac G-5)
  • Home Office (Blueray Player with Streaming)
  • Master Bedroom (Apple TV 1)
  • Master Bathroom (RCA Streaming Device)
  • Daughter's Room (Power Mac G-5)
  • Back Deck (RCA Streaming Device)

A lot of time, I just stream for background noise. My daughter hates regular television. Streaming was made for her.
 
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