Best way to stream

Discussion in 'Geek Cave: Computers, Tablets, HT, Phones, Games' started by Cspirou, Oct 17, 2020.

  1. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    So I am getting a new TV and I got to thinking what's the best way to stream Netflix, Hulu or a similar service? Here are the options I can see before me

    -App on TV itself
    -external device like Apple TV, Roku or Nvidia shield
    -computer with HDMI port and accessing Netflix through a web browser on full screen mode

    Features I would want (not all required but more is better):
    -least lag possible
    -highest resolution
    -connection to an external DAC (this is SBAF goddamit)
    -wireless audio option to use Bluetooth or AptX to watch when kids are sleeping
    -super bonus. A crossfeed audio option specifically for headphones
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Right off the bat I'm pretty sure the TV itself is the worst. The hardware on a TV should be dedicated to video signal processing primarily. Adding streaming to that would take away resources. I also remember using the in-laws TV and after awhile it ran super slow.

    Plus just read a bunch of stories about SmartTVs collecting user data. While I'm sure other devices mentioned do it as well, just seems extra insidious from the TV.
     
  3. jnak00

    jnak00 Friend

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    I've used Android TV (on the TV itself) and Roku. They both work well, but if the TV already has streaming ability, I would go with that first. Less cost and setup.

    Connecting to a DAC will depend on your TV. Most streaming boxes only have HDMI out these days so the audio output will have to come from your TV. Unless you use an optical splitter, but that's not a real elegant solution.

    Same thing with Bluetooth. I think most modern TVs will allow Bluetooth connection to headphones. No idea on crossfeed though.

    So, start with the TV and then go from there if the TV is insufficient.
     
  4. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I'll probably end up using a KanexPro to extract SPDIF from the HDMI
     
  5. scblock

    scblock Friend

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    All your ideas are valid options, and I've tried them in the past. Direct streaming on the TV itself has some advantages, like not needing another box, but you're limited to whatever is in the TV, which in my experience (Samsung, Vizio, and TCL/Roku) is less polished than a dedicated box. And you may get limited updates to the built-in software, or just abandoned broken channels. I find the computer option too unwieldy for day to day use, and don't like worrying about fan noise either. Maybe if I could keep the actual machine in another room it would be better.

    My personal preference is an Apple TV. I especially like that it can send audio over AirPlay, which means I can use one of my Raspberry Pi streamers connected to an external DAC and headphone amp when I want.
     
  6. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    My Panasonic plasma tv no longer receives updates and the Netflix app is too old for Netflix to let it connect. Shield TV to the rescue.

    I tried Roku and Amazon sticks, but Shield has them beat hands down for interface, applications, connections and power. I even have a USB high-def receiver for recording local channels via antenna connected to it. Works perfectly
     
  7. LetMeBeFrank

    LetMeBeFrank Won't tell anyone my name is actually Francis

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    Nvidia shield is the best streamer, hands down. It supports 4k 60fps, all audio codecs, It has LDAC bluetooth, and supports hi res output via usb to dacs.
     
  8. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    My LG C7 has great built in streaming. Always the highest quality and the wiimote-like remote is very convenient. 3 years later, it is still responsive (the streaming apps at least).

    I’m sure newer premium LG TVs will be much faster still.

    I owned a Shield TV back in 2015 and didn’t think it was all that great. I’m sure it got better over time.

    We use the Apple TV 4K all the time. It’s always snappy, but I hate the remote so much. The touchpad like surface is just dumb and it doesn’t integrate well with the Logitech Harmony remote (scrolling back/forward in time is only step by step and super slow...)

    And for SPDif output, can’t you use the TV TOSLink?
     
  9. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    Attention Roku Users!

    Thinking my 2nd gen circa 2015 Roku 2 may be having a few very slight issues with remote plex server. Slight glitches in movement on some files that are not random but repeatable. Files play normally elsewhere. Thinking perhaps the codec or SW for the plex app may like a more recent piece of hardware.

    The question I have is based on your experience: should I get something like Roku Express 4k or Ultra even though I use an older 720p plasma and have no need to dolby this or 4k that.

    Or is there any benefit to moving to another platform like the Apple tv HD? My preference is to spend a little as possible and right now $39.99 looks like a nice deal on the Roku Express 4k
     
  10. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    There's an increasing amount of free content on Roku now, and it seems to be an increasingly widely supported platform. Never had a problem with the Roku 3 I was using until recently, but I now have a TV with it pre-installed. Would've been fine with an external box, but try finding a TV without some streaming hardware already in it these days...

    For $40 the Roku 4k seems to me like a no-brainer. If you're already used to the interface (which personally I like) and have been happy with the performance historically, then why not - unless you want native access to eg Apple TV content (Velvet Underground doc!).
     
  11. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    The newer gen Roku's have faster processors and more memory. So it is not JUST because they can output 4K, but the additional processing is a welcome advantage. Plus the apps will keep updating on that platform for awhile. Wifi is also a bit upgraded.

    Advantage of a Roku Ultra over the Express 4K or Apple Apple TV HD, is that the Ultra not only has headphone jack in the remote, but also has a micro-SD card slot to use for installing more apps. And you can still get the Apple TV app on Roku.

    I have had seriously less issues out of my Roku Express 4K than the Fire TV stick.
     
  12. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    @Biodegraded, @Azimuth

    Thanks for the info. I am still on the fence. My 2nd gen 4210x has an sd card slot but I have never seen the need to use it. I do not have a lot of channels. And I have no need for headphone out. But the faster processor intrigues me.

    A zippier interface would be welcomed. A vid on youtube was enlightening as it compared a bunch of streamers with some random tests. One that the Apple TV just blew away the Roku Ultra and all the others was how fast it could scroll through title art for about 500 movies from a Plex server. I use the Roku to get content from a remote Plex server a lot.. It was 6 to 10 times faster than the others.

    No need for Apple content at the moment so it is a tough decision, although the new Ultra is even cheaper than the best prices I have seen on the Apple HD used.
     
  13. Qildail

    Qildail Friend

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    @bixby If you ever want to get into the Apple television content, it's available as a Roku Channel now; so you're not tied to the Apple hardware there. That being said, we're an Apple TV house and have had almost no issues -- in fact the HBO Max app probably runs better on the Apple TV than anything else we have (including Roku).

    Yes, there's the Apple hardware "tax", but Roku offers snappy boxes for good money. If we weren't "all in" on the Apple ecosphere here, it would be the next choice for our environment.

    I'll echo what others above me have said about upgrading for the sake of the hardware, even if you're not going to use all of it straight away. You'll push out the planned obsolescence date a bit further if you reach for the best you can afford.

    Cheers.
     
  14. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    Thanks for all the input, it helped. I made a decision to stay with my ancient Roku box. I added the Android phone remote for it and routed Ethernet to it to see how it does. Response is snappy enough for me to scroll through movie titles faster than my eyes can process. Whether the minor random time glitches still occur remain to be seen.

    And Plex support does not list my model as degraded performance like many other pre-2017 models. I have close to the latest builds for Plex and Roku OS. No need to add more electronic waste to the planet, for now.
     
  15. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    Last edited: Dec 15, 2021
  16. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    There was a great tangent about streamers in the Film and Episodic Content, but thought I'd bring my question up in a dedicated streaming thread.

    Has anyone found a device that can do it all properly in the months since?

    I would like to watch Youtube HDR (VP9, moving to AV1)
    Watch Dolby Vision, HDR10/10+, and HLG content.
    Utilize Atmos soundtracks
    Play videos from a NAS via Kodi
    And properly frame rate match to Disney+

    The Amazon Firestick 4k Max utilized a chipset that could do all of this, but I couldn't get native 24p content to play properly on Disney+. No amount of tweaking, forcing framerates, etc. could get Disney+ to do anything other than 60frames.

    My 2017 Nvidia Shield does frame rates perfectly, but doesn't decode VP9, neither do the new ones.
    I read that the Apple TV 4K could do everything except Kodi playback, but haven't been able to confirm (does Plex work?)

    I have an older LG C8 TV, so the built in streaming chipset does VP9, but can't pass through full quality Atmos nor could I get Kodi or equivalent onto it.

    An HTPC with a current gen RTX card might do everything assuming the web versions of the streaming services output properly through a browser. But now we are talking close to a $1000 since RTX 3xxx cards are all crazy priced.
     
  17. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    I can confirm Plex works on Apple TV. The Apple TV box itself also has frame rate settings you can adjust. If you're okay using Plex instead of Kodi, you should be able to get all those features from Apple TV. Also double check if there are third party apps that may allow streaming via Kodi, there are a few fully featured video middlemen apps that let you connect to sources that don't have their own apps.
     
  18. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    To respond to myself, after the most recent updates, the Apple TV 4K Wifi + Ethernet (seriously?), is now the best streamer.

    1. Youtube HDR works well.
    2. All formats of HDR playback are available as far as I am able to test so far.
    3. Atmos works.
    4. No free 1 to 1 replacement for Kodi, but VLC works fine as a player without the nice interface and library. Infuse looks good, but want me to pay $90 to watch anything over 720P. A few other paid apps that I didn't try yet because they are paid, so, good enough for now, but not 100% satisfied.
    5. With the box set to 4K HDR and not Dolby Vision, frame rate match finally works as well as it can with Disney+ (wasn't a problem with the other streaming services I use). Dolby Vision breaks it and goes back to 60fps instead of the 24fps that most of the content is). A touch jittery now and then (maybe the whole 23.xxx vs 24 thing), but at least it isn't unnaturally smoothed anymore.

    The device itself is tiny and unobtrusive. The remote feels great to hold, though the touch pad function of the click wheel needs some getting used to. The system overall is very snappy. If I am able to hide most of the Apple TV stuff on the homepage, I will be happy to stop looking for a new device. I would have preferred to stick to an Android TV device and I will miss the option of being able to play games on my PC through my Shield, but I haven't done that in nearly a year and likely won't need that functionality going forward. And remarkably, only $150.
     
  19. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    I use an Apple TV too, it just works. For a Kodi replacement I use Jellyfin on the server side and Infuse Pro on the TV, it's like $10 per year and works very well.
     
  20. sfoclt

    sfoclt Friend

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    “The remote feels great to hold, though the touch pad function of the click wheel needs some getting used to.”

    You can turn the touchpad functionality off in Settings under Remotes and Devises (to click only). It is easier for me to just deal with clicks.
     

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