Apple TV vs Roku

[redgreenski]

I never used Apple TV, I barely know what it can do.

My TV currently has built in Roku. It allows me to select to play Playstation, Netflix, Amazon and Cable TV. Unfortunately I don't have Spotify on it...

1. What will Apple TV offer me that Roku does not.
2. What will Roku offer me that's better than in Apple TV.

 

[techwarrior]

Most apps are available on both platforms, there may be a handful only available on one or the other, so that might influence your decision. But, that is a rapidly changing topic. Currently, ATV does not offer Amazon Prime video, but that should change this month. For many users, Prime was the key decision point in their decision. I don't believe Spotify has an ATV app, but you can airplay Spotify from Mac or iOS through ATV. There are apps for iHeart, Pandora, and Apple Music if any of those are your thing.

ATV offers users with Mac and\or iOS devices seamless Airplay audio or video from Apple devices. If your content provider supports single sign on, ATV might be easier to authenticate new apps. ATV syncs photos from iCloud, so when you are out and about and take photos, they will automatically appear on the ATV. ATV associates iTunes rental\purchases with your iTunes account, so instantly available if you use iTunes for content. Finally, ATV supports Home Kit, becoming the hub that connects Home Kit enabled smart home devices like door locks, lights, fans, etc.

If your main use is video on demand from the various apps, you will not get much additional benefit from ATV, but if the other Apple centric capabilities are of interest, ATV might be a nice addition.

Personally, I use ATV to enable whole house audio streaming when entertaining. From iTunes on my Mac, I select both of my ATVs and a speaker connected to an Airport Express as my audio output and start playing music throughout the house, and on the back patio. This takes very little thought to enable, and can be controlled by an app on my iOS devices.

 

[lvavila]

Currently, ATV does not offer Amazon Prime video, but that should change this month. For many users, Prime was the key decision point in their decision.

Prime to ATV came out today.

I own a 2 Rokus and 3 ATV's (along with 1 firestick). No doubt I am an Apple fan but that aside I feel the UI and experience better than the Roku boxes. Siri integration is good but not great. Netflix, Tablo and Youtube interfaces look and seem to work better on an ATV then Roku. Siri voice searches work well against Youtube.

Otherwise Roku and the ATV "do" the same thing... serve up video.

 

[archer75]

It depends on the apps you need. I prefer the Nvidia Shield for my needs. I also have a couple of roku's and they are fine but certainly not pretty. ATV is fine depending on your needs.

 

[mattopotamus]

I personally prefer the ATV interface. While both have a universal search, I find the TV app on the ATV to be pretty damn perfect.

 

[ra4oasis]

I've got a Roku Express, and an Apple TV 4. The interface on the ATV is so much better, and more attractive, in my opinion. Roku has a LOT of "channels" and such, but I honestly don't need anything that the Apple TV doesn't offer, especially now that Amazon Prime is out. I am kind of all in on the Apple ecosystem too, so it's nice that Apple Music is on the Apple TV, and all my photos are super easy to view as well. The Roku was a steal, as I think it was something like $30, but the ATV is just a superior experience.

 

[Alx9876]

"Home-share" is the best feature of AppleTv. Roku does suffer from lower picture quality. Ultimately it depends on your uses or wants out of it. The AppleTv also supports Home Kit now as a hub for the home.

 

[archer75]

"Home-share" is the best feature of AppleTv. Roku does suffer from lower picture quality. Ultimately it depends on your uses or wants out of it. The AppleTv also supports Home Kit now as a hub for the home.

Plex goes above and beyond home share. Working outside the home and can share to friends and family. Roku picture quality should be the same.
Homekit is pretty much useless. Despite apples list I can't find a thing that uses it. I have many smart devices and switches and nothing works with homekit. They do work with smartthings and the shield is now also a smart things hub.

 

[Alx9876]

Plex goes above and beyond home share. Working outside the home and can share to friends and family. Roku picture quality should be the same.
Homekit is pretty much useless. Despite apples list I can't find a thing that uses it. I have many smart devices and switches and nothing works with homekit. They do work with smartthings and the shield is now also a smart things hub.

Not trying to disagree with you but Plex fails allot. I actually gave up on Plex because of how much it disconnects and fails so often. Home Share does what I need it to do and never drops off.

 

[archer75]

Not trying to disagree with you but Plex fails allot. I actually gave up on Plex because of how much it disconnects and fails so often. Home Share does what I need it to do and never drops off.

Then you have a problem with your setup. Plex never fails for me. And I use it daily.

 

[mattopotamus]

I've got a Roku Express, and an Apple TV 4. The interface on the ATV is so much better, and more attractive, in my opinion. Roku has a LOT of "channels" and such, but I honestly don't need anything that the Apple TV doesn't offer, especially now that Amazon Prime is out. I am kind of all in on the Apple ecosystem too, so it's nice that Apple Music is on the Apple TV, and all my photos are super easy to view as well. The Roku was a steal, as I think it was something like $30, but the ATV is just a superior experience.

I am hoping this apple and google playing nice makes it way to the Echo. I want apple music baked in.

 

[mikef07]

Not trying to disagree with you but Plex fails allot. I actually gave up on Plex because of how much it disconnects and fails so often. Home Share does what I need it to do and never drops off.

Just picked up a Roku Premier plus because of how frustrated I was in two of the 2nd Generations ability to connect with home sharing. It blows Apple TV out of the water so far. Incredibly fast connection and not one disconnect. No buffering, no picture problems. Unreal how good plex is. Auto loads art work

 

[mattopotamus]

Just picked up a Roku Premier plus because of how frustrated I was in two of the 2nd Generations ability to connect with home sharing. It blows Apple TV out of the water so far. Incredibly fast connection and not one disconnect. No buffering, no picture problems. Unreal how good plex is. Auto loads art work

Comparing a 2nd Gen ATV to a brand new Roku isn't really apples to apples considering the ATV is on Gen4.

 

[geesus]

Just picked up a Roku Premier plus because of how frustrated I was in two of the 2nd Generations ability to connect with home sharing. It blows Apple TV out of the water so far. Incredibly fast connection and not one disconnect. No buffering, no picture problems. Unreal how good plex is. Auto loads art work

I couldn't disagree with you more. Had a Roku Premier after selling my Apple 4 and put up with it for a year until returning to the 4K Apple and my media watching life is so much happier it's untrue. I found the Roku a buggy mess, with firmware upgrades that progressively made the system worse. Also, how on earth they get away with putting adverts on the home screen, on a premium device you have bought, is beyond me.

The Apple 4K is a far, far superior device.

 

[kohlson]

For our little corner of the world (our house, in-laws house) ATV works pretty well. Nice and easy interface and reliability. ATV has one thing Roku does not - iTunes - though not as big of a deal as it once was. And while it's nice to have Amazon (and yay for ATV3!) it was already available on the TV and the Tivo.

 

[mikef07]

Comparing a 2nd Gen ATV to a brand new Roku isn't really apples to apples considering the ATV is on Gen4.

Maybe, but I was so sick of the spinning circle on 2 different Apple TVs just trying to stream from an imac I thought I would try something new. At $50 and since it has an RF remote instead of infrared and it has literally not had one hiccup and it plays any format I throw at it I am pretty happy with it.

I was also sick and tired of the Apple TV putting through no audio from time to time to a Samsung TV and have not had that once with the Roku. Much prefer the way it groups the videos as well. All around a much more polished situation for what I do. Since multiple TVs have Plex built in I can pretty much access my media anywhere in the house with the same menu.

 

[thisismyusername]

I've owned several Apple TV 3s, a Roku stick, and a Roku 4, plus I've used the Apple TV 4k several times in the Apple store.

The Roku stick completely sucks because it's so slow; we only have it for guests in our spare room.

The Apple TV 4k's UI is much nicer and much faster than the Roku 4's. For example, Netflix starts up much faster on the latest Apple TV than it does on my Roku 4. This is the biggest reason I'm considering moving back to an Apple TV.

Regarding the UI, each Roku app feels like it was developed by a completely separate team that had no idea what other app developers were doing. Even things like the onscreen keyboards are different with some being alphabetical and some being qwerty. With the Apple TV, at least the main apps have a consistent look and feel.

The Roku home screen has (unobtrusive) adds whereas the Apple TV does not. This doesn't bother me that much but I completely understand that lots of people might hate this.

The other obvious thing you get with Apple TV is integration with other Apple devices and iTunes.

Regarding stability, I've never had any problems with any of them outside of having to reset both Apple TVs and Rokus on rare occasions.

If I had to pick one today, I'd buy an Apple TV 4K especially now that Amazon Prime is on it and this is coming from someone who doesn't use iTunes and has never purchased movies from it.

Not trying to disagree with you but Plex fails allot. I actually gave up on Plex because of how much it disconnects and fails so often. Home Share does what I need it to do and never drops off.

I'd say this is a problem on your end and not with Plex. Myself and countless others use Plex on a daily basis and it's rock solid for us. It's very stable no matter if I'm using it at home or watching something remotely. Home Share isn't nearly in the same league as Plex.