Starter guideWhat Streaming Device Do I Opt For?

Apple TV

The Apple TV 4K (with HDR10 and Dolby Vision) is the newest Apple TV. The 4^th generation Apple TV supporting 1080p content can still be found. A robust streaming device, the Apple TV with its sleek and polished design is available with an Apple product. Support for app for the latest tvOS came out after the release of the device, and since then has been continuing. The designing of tvOS platform was done with a focus on apps and offers support for one-of-a-kind features such as a redesigned UI and latest Siri integration.

Android Sticks and Boxes

You can find various Android Sticks and Android Boxes from numerous manufacturers. Please go through our Android Box Guide here for a complete review on choosing the appropriate Android Box or stick to your aims. Remember that the iOS that cannot be found in an Android TV device cannot be found in such boxes.

Android TV

Android TV is often mistaken for standard Android boxes mentioned. It has an Android version optimized to offer a better user-friendly experience. You can only find a few set-top boxes, including:

Roku

Roku, as of 2^nd October, 2017, gives 5 models – which range from the 29USD basic Roku Express to 99USD HDR/4K Roku Ultra. There are many channels in Roku which supports about all streaming services. TVs are also offered by Roku with built-in Roku with either 4K or HD. You can get a complete comparison of each model’s features. Remember that Roku activation is completely free of cost. You can find the official support website at Official Roku Support.

Google Chromecast

It offers access to many streaming apps, and is available in 2 models:

1. Chromecast Ultra – It is priced $69, and offers HDR and 4K UHD streaming.
2. Basic Chromecast – It is available at $35.

Chromecast stands out as it lets users control playback of videos through a laptop / PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Amazon Fire TV

Amazon Prime

Something to consider when buying a fire tv device is that a prime membership will go a long way and can help you get extra free content. Click here to get a free trail.

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Game Consoles

For streaming purposes, consoles are very common. These often contain basic streaming services aboard, such as Plex, HBO and Netflix. However, high use of power, need for another subscription and high entry costs are some of the minuses. Gaming consoles are a wonderful option if you happen to be a gamer, and these support the streaming services of your choice. These may also like DVD / Blu-ray players.

Home Theater Personal Computer (HTPC)

This is a famous alternative to dedicated third party streaming boxes. It includes connecting a dedicated computer to your Projector / Monitor / TV for accessing the content of your choice. It offers more control and flexibility than any standard set-top box. You may configure these for very basic purposes, such as watching streaming websites like Amazon Video or Netflix. You may use these for accessing your own media collection, via either a media server such as Emby or Plex or some media app such as VLC or Kodi. There is also the option to set up a USB Tuner or TV tuner card for OTA signals processing for HTPC playback or even the installation of an OTA DVR system. These might even have DVD or Blu-ray drives and also audio cards set up for supporting the newest audio codecs, transforming them into high-powered home theater equipments.

For set-top boxes, HTPCs happen to be homegrown solutions. These may be as complex or as simple as you want. However, HTPCs can soon turn into a pricey and on-going effort.

News

Other than different local newscasts that can be accessed over air by an antenna, you can find lots of websites that offer live streaming. They can offer but not be limited to On-demand only, Short segments or clips and Full broadcasts live-streamed

Sports

Live Streaming Services and OTA channels are the best choices for accessing various sports online. Usually, it is wise to choose a service with login credentials available for TV Everywhere apps for your preferred sports channel. Some type of subscription service might also be there in professional sports leagues. In numerous cases, however, live games might be unavailable or local games can be blacked out. You might also get some sports events’ live streamed by Amazon Prime, Facebook, Yahoo Sports and Twitter.

For more sports information check out 506sports.com it’s a great resource for information on all things sports scheduling. They let you know whats being played in what area.

Aggregators – Finding Movies and Shows

Want to watch a specific show in the same website? You can find varied content sources and also apps in some cases from these TV Guide websites:

• Reelgood – Look for TV shows and movies across various services, including broadcaster websites and other free sites. This includes the capacity to search via free services without the need for an account login. Typically, these are free services – albeit ad-supported.
• Yidio – You can watch, personalize, discover and search Movies and TV Shows across Amazon, Hulu, Netflix etc.
• JustWatch – Find movies and TV shows across Netflix, HBO Now, Google Play and more. Lets you search through free services, supported by ads. International and US.
• CanIStream.It – It lets you see whether, and where, a specific movie / show is accessible for streaming

TV Listings for OTA and Live Streaming Services

• Titantv.com – Cable TV is the default for this website. You may use the plus symbol in the middle of the page adjacent to Location for adding lineup for new channel for Broadcast (antenna) or Live Streaming TV. This comprises of Pluto TV as well as AT&T Watch TV, although CBS All Access is not included. For each OTA or service, you may set a new listing page. This specifies whether there is a national or local feed.
• Streamingtvguides.com – The website offers all the TV listings for your region for the majority of biggest live streaming services.
• CBS All Access – This page can be used to access the prime time schedule of CBS for the ongoing and the upcoming week.
• Hoopla Digital – This page can be used to browse through TV shows in varied categories, and search for TV shows newly added on the website, browse movie categories or search movies added newly on Hoopla Digital.