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Apple TV Fell to Fourth Most Popular Streaming Media Device in U.S. in 2014

Ghost31 said:
What is so great about roku?
Click to expand...

For our uses I'd say the following (not in any specific order):
1) No line of sight remote (I know you can use iphone/ipad/ipod to control AppleTV but it's more of a hassle.. you can also do the same with the Roku)
2) Apps, while we have a lot of content in iTunes, it is nice to be able to get to UV, Google Play, etc... also nieces and nephews enjoy some of the games (the remote has some motion controls).
3) PLEX - I know this is another "app" but PLEX alone is a very BIG reason we use the Roku. With Plex I was able to box up our DVD/BluRays and store them out of the way.
4) The Remote has a port for headphones. This comes in very nice when my Wife has homework to do and needs the room to be quiet, and I'm working and need something on in the background. It means we can still be together while we do things each of us need to get done.
5) You can add a micro SD for additional storage if needed. I"m not sure if this allows for more buffering or just more apps, but either way I haven't yet needed to add storage and we don't seem to have any buffering issues.
6) The remote doesn't vanish into every crack in a chair/couch.
7) USB support
8) Supports more file types
9) Universal search (search for content across sources)

I'm sure different people have different reasons
 
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Scarpad said:
The only real advantage Roku has if Apple TV gets an App Store etc is that it allows private channels that support piracy
Click to expand...

Pretty presumptuous ... We use plex a lot and we don't pirate content. Also the Roku allows for Google Play, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Flixster, Roku Media, You Tube, Vudu, Crackle, Blockbuster, Pandora, etc.. all on one device (I know some of those are available to AppleTV)

There are many other apps that I know people care about for religious content, Science, Educational (Smithsonian, NASA, PBS, TED, University/college apps, Hist Channel, Discovery, )

There's also some games, and other misc apps...

Then there's hardware benefits that many people enjoy (the remote, ability to add a Micro SD for more storage, etc.)

So to say that the only real advantage Roku has over Apple TV is based on being able to support piracy is simply not true.

The fact of the matter is that Roku gives people more choice and options for the kinds of content, and the sources of that content that can be accessed from the device.

I love Apple products, but in this area Apple has allowed the AppleTV to fall behind the curve. I'm excited what Apple may have in store for the next Apple TV and will certainly pick one up if the new Apple TV turns out to be a better device than the Roku 3.

Right now the biggest 2 advantages the current AppleTV have are:
* Access to the Apple eco system (iTunes, Apple Music, Apple Cloud storage for accessing your iTunes Movies, Music, TV, etc...)
* Airplay.

But for our (and many other people's) uses those two advantages don't seem to offset other deficiencies in Apps and the Remote.
 
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I love my XboxOne. I can get any/all OSX/iOSmedia through it, plus channels and apps and videos
(not to mention games). It's incredibly easy and satisfying to use, too. That, combined with my "smart TV" (for maybe an app or two the Xbox doesn't have yet) I don't see any need for another darned tech thing in my house.
 
I'm fine with the ATV the way it is. All my issues with the ATV is the crappy software and the fact that there's no consistency between the ATV and iTunes. The only hardware change I'd like is a faster connectivity and USB ports so I can add my external hard drive. Frankly I don't want Apple to touch the box because they are only going to be dicks and completely ruin it.

I know they'll probably do stupid stuff like remove the Ethernet Port, probably somehow screw up the Home Sharing feature (they already did it on the Music side), screw around with the remote and other unnecessary changes that won't be for the benefit of the consumer, but to further lock us in.
 
arkmannj said:
Pretty presumptuous ... We use plex a lot and we don't pirate content. Also the Roku allows for Google Play, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Flixster, Roku Media, You Tube, Vudu, Crackle, Blockbuster, Pandora, etc.. all on one device (I know some of those are available to AppleTV)

There are many other apps that I know people care about for religious content, Science, Educational (Smithsonian, NASA, PBS, TED, University/college apps, Hist Channel, Discovery, )

There's also some games, and other misc apps...

Then there's hardware benefits that many people enjoy (the remote, ability to add a Micro SD for more storage, etc.)

So to say that the only real advantage Roku has over Apple TV is based on being able to support piracy is simply not true.

The fact of the matter is that Roku gives people more choice and options for the kinds of content, and the sources of that content that can be accessed from the device.

I love Apple products, but in this area Apple has allowed the AppleTV to fall behind the curve. I'm excited what Apple may have in store for the next Apple TV and will certainly pick one up if the new Apple TV turns out to be a better device than the Roku 3.

Right now the biggest 2 advantages the current AppleTV have are:
* Access to the Apple eco system (iTunes, Apple Music, Apple Cloud storage for accessing your iTunes Movies, Music, TV, etc...)
* Airplay.

But for our (and many other people's) uses those two advantages don't seem to offset other deficiencies in Apps and the Remote.
Click to expand...


Right well read my reply again IF appleTV gets an App store a lot of those listed Advantages Including Plex should dissapear
 
Scarpad said:
Right well read my reply again IF appleTV gets an App store a lot of those listed Advantages Including Plex should dissapear
Click to expand...

I was saying it was presumptuous to assume the advantage is based on piracy.
then I was just illustrating other benefits that are obviously not centered around piracy, that is to say the advantage is people want to use Roku mostly for content they have not purchased.
We could debate the legality of it, but our has our personal collections in Plex, we don't download media we haven't purchased. I assume many other people use plex the same way. Not everyone is a pirate.

I well agree and understand that if the AppleTV gets an App store that the benefits of other platforms may disappear/diminish (assuming Apple isn't to heavy handed in what kind of apps they allow)
 
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arkmannj said:
For our uses I'd say the following (not in any specific order):
1) No line of sight remote (I know you can use iphone/ipad/ipod to control AppleTV but it's more of a hassle.. you can also do the same with the AppleTV)
2) Apps, while we have a lot of content in iTunes, it is nice to be able to get to UV, Google Play, etc... also nieces and nephews enjoy some of the games (the remote has some motion controls).
3) PLEX - I know this is another "app" but PLEX alone is a very BIG reason we use the Roku. With Plex I was able to box up our DVD/BluRays and store them out of the way.
4) The Remote has a port for headphones. This comes in very nice when my Wife has homework to do and needs the room to be quiet, and I'm working and need something on in the background. It means we can still be together while we do things each of us need to get done.
5) You can add a micro SD for additional storage if needed. I"m not sure if this allows for more buffering or just more apps, but either way I haven't yet needed to add storage and we don't seem to have any buffering issues.
6) The remote doesn't vanish into every crack in a chair/couch.
7) USB support
8) Supports more file types
9) Universal search (search for content across sources)

I'm sure different people have different reasons
Click to expand...

Those are legit good reasons that roku is worth it. Wow. Didn't expect all that. If I could just use my iTunes on it...I have 160 movies bought so far and a bunch of TV shows. If it wasn't for that, I would be more open to giving it a try
 
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Westside guy said:
It is unfortunate we need these set top boxes at all, but that is the reality of it.

I bought an LG "smart television" back in late 2011. It came with all sorts of apps for Netflix, Hulu, and even Plex; but the interface is pretty clunky - we stopped using it pretty quickly. Now just the other day we received an email from Amazon telling us the Amazon app is going to stop working next month.

I don't know about you guys, but I don't replace my television every few years. I expect to be using this same television for many years still to come. Having TV-based apps that EOL in under four years is ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Yup. This is the exact reason why SmartTV's are failing pretty hard (probably even worse than "3D" did)
1. No standard interface, even among devices using the same OS and Manufacturer
2. Rapid obsolescence, even Samsung is doing this. Smart TV's are Dead on Arrival because the software and hardware goes obsolete faster than a cell phone.

To give context. Everyone I know that has a TV only upgraded their TV's for the following reasons:
- No TV to TV
- BW TV to Color TV
- CRT to HD LCD
(and a good 20 years between each of these) LCD's only have a lifespan of about 7 years, but on the other hand, they are relatively much much cheaper and larger than CRT's have ever been.

"Cable-ready", 3D, and SmartTV's thus far have been useless upgrades. Outside the US, the Cable Companies didn't even enable CableCard, so connecting a Coaxial cable to a TV only worked if the Cable Company offered in-the-clear Analog. Not a single one offers in-the-clear Digital cable. So the "tuner" in these TV's was only useful for receiving the one or two ASTC channels, and even then, only if you had a previous outside VHF/UHF antenna.

The SmartTV vs "internet TV Box" is a duplication of the VHF/UHF vs Cable problem. Every TV might come with the ability to tune OTA signals, but it's an inferior experience and often ridiculous extra cost versus the "extra box" that did everything. Back in the mid-80's when Cable was "new" in my area, the TV could only tune the first 6 or 13 channels, and needed a separate box to tune anything else anyway. So the "separate box" is going to be the preference as long as you can train people to "select an input" on the screen. That in-itself is often a frustrating experience on a SmartTV.

This is what is happening with the "external boxes", people need the box anyway because the software on the TV is abandoned by the manufacturer in the same way they've been abandoning the software on their cell phone/smartphones. The box is a much easier to replace item when a large TV costs several hundred-to-thousands dollars more. This also goes back to why people don't want to buy an complete iMac and want a Mac Pro or MacMini, replacing a perfectly good high-quality LCD unnecessarily when a separate box can be replaced/upgraded more often.

Like I'll admit in a way the Samsung "evolution kit" was probably the right idea but wrong application. The correct application would have been to put the SmartTV parts in it's own box that connects to any TV. That box would have an HDMI IN and a HDMI out that match a HDMI-IN and HDMI-OUT on the TV, and the TV could be sold with a single HDMI-input and a Displayport input (for connecting to a computer), the rest of the inputs would be on the separate box. The separate SmartTV box could come in "UHD" "HD" and "Basic" models that support UHD (4K/8K), HD (1080p60/720p60) and "Basic" (1080i/720p/480p/480i over Component/S-Video/Composite.) The high end boxes could connect to "dumb" home theater equipment via HDMI or just the audio portion via S/PDIF.

Right now it's a giant mess to connect a SmartTV or external box to a home theater and most people who even have one, leave the home theater on one input that is connected to the TV and let the TV do the switching rather than the home theater. So it's a huge disappointment when playing back video on the SmartTV or a separate box (Eg PS3/PS4 or Wii/WiiU) and it's only in stereo. Only Blueray players even seem to care about surround-sound.
 
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nosadge3 said:
Getting the "HDCP playback" (or whatever it is) error message nearly every time I want to use my ATV (have to restart ATV to make it function properly) has caused me to consider another player. I would probably go with ROKU if I decided to switch.
Click to expand...

This happens because your cables are too long, or they pass through another device.

Of all the equipment I have, only the "TV" box and the MacMini fail to go through an HDMI-in pass-thru. The Wii U trips HDMI-CEC when it "wakes up" every 15 minutes, so that's another device I can't stick on a HDMI switch.
 
Ghost31 said:
Those are legit good reasons that roku is worth it. Wow. Didn't expect all that. If I could just use my iTunes on it...I have 160 movies bought so far and a bunch of TV shows. If it wasn't for that, I would be more open to giving it a try
Click to expand...
Edit: just did a quick check. there's no Native iTunes player.

however, you can do it with a 'hack' of using Plex as a middleman. Plex itself streams your itunes library to the Roku
 
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Kaibelf said:
I guess you missed the wedge marked "other" in the article.
Click to expand...

If they were too small to break out, they are too small to be ranked.

If you want to split hairs that small to defend a really old product that isn't that great anymore... More power to you. Apple is getting spanked here. End of story.
 
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bushido said:
mine refuses to stream anything local unless i want to wait an hour for it to buffer while netflix etc all stream perfectly. its the strangest thing
Click to expand...

Wired or wireless? I had problems with the buffering as well but switched my Mac wifi to the 5 GHz channel (the apple tv is wired to the router) and haven't had any problems since.
 
Have a Roku 2, 3, chromcast and an Apple TV 3. We use Roku and chromcast the most. Apple TV 3 is in the bedroom but doesn't get much use. My dad had an apple tv 2 but it nolonger supports YouTube so I bought him a Roku and he loves it. I will be interested to see what Apple TV 4 brings.
 
I rarely use my ATV2 now, just occasionally in order to Airplay something from the iMac. With the advent of SMART TVs and the fact I can cast from my Android phone or use Chromecast ATV has become pretty much redundant.

In technology you ignore the market at your peril.
 
Roku is the largest slice of pie :D

makes sense, every time a new streaming services comes out. their the first ones to get it.... I think its more than just product cycles.
 
I understand the Roku overtaking it for being basically an Apple TV but better (except that it lacks AirPlay and the iTunes Store), but the Chromecast looks pretty bad.
 
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LordVic said:
Edit: just did a quick check. there's no Native iTunes player.

however, you can do it with a 'hack' of using Plex as a middleman. Plex itself streams your itunes library to the Roku
Click to expand...
Eh, these things sound like too much work to set up. I got sick of the Apple TV too, mostly because of stupid Home Sharing not working right to let me use my iPhone as a remote. I just connect my laptop to a TV nowadays. Supports everything locally, even Adobe Flash and t****nts from TheP***teB*y. No special setup required.
 
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I have an Appletv, Roku, Chromecast, and Mac Mini hooked to my setup. I use Appletv the most. I don't care for most of Roku's apps. The main reason I got it was for Amazon and Vudu, but we mainly stick with ITunes for rentals and Netflix for old programs. I mainly use Roomie's remote app to control everything, so I don't need line of site for anything in my system. I rarely use the Chromecast, but I got it for Christmas and hooked it up out of curiosity. It would be first to go, if I had to downsize for some reason.
 
TimUSCA said:
Only the most hardcore Apple haters could ignore the fact that both have their advantages.

Roku: Wireless headphone jack, remote design, and Amazon Prime
Apple TV: Better UI, seamless AirPlay, iTunes integration, and IR for universal remotes
Click to expand...

Better UI is subjective. I use my Roku a lot for Netflix, and I think the Netflix UI (which is used on all of their other devices) is leagues ahead of Apple's "we control the horizontal, we control the vertical" approach.

AirPlay/iTunes integration is great if you're entrenched in the Apple ecosystem - but of course, it's no good if you don't have other iDevices or a Mac. The Roku does do Miracast screen streaming, so it has multiplatform support going for it (e.g. Android and Windows 10).

I am fairly sure many of the Rokus have IR sensors too - it's just that an RF remote is supplied and preferred. I don't know if the very latest Roku 3 does, but the older one did.

Since I'm in the UK I can't use Amazon Prime on my Roku anyway - it's a technically different service to the American one and so the apps aren't the same. Netflix does work, of course. This is probably something that needs fixing if they want all the Brits to sign up to Prime for the new "Top Gear" next year.
 
Really looking forward to the new Apple TV. Love my current gen, but it definitely feels dated and in need of more content.

An App Store will blow this whole thing apart. I'm imagining something akin to a casual game system at that point.

I'm also expecting this will not stay as low as $99.
 
Out if my Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast and Fire TV, the only one we dumped was the Apple TV, useless in Europe and far too limited, games in the Fire TV are pretty poor don't see casual gaming on the new Apple TV being any better
 
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