Apple TV vs Roku
Apr 22, 2010 04:29 AM Filed in: Computing
For a couple years I’ve had an Apple TV connected to my television. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? A TV hooked to a TV. Actually, the Apple TV isn’t a TV. The Apple TV non-TV is one of the few products Apple makes for which the marketing approach is confused, to say the least.
My Apple TV is connected via a cable to the television and wirelessly to my stereo system, my laptop and even my iPhone. It stores all of my music—currently 183 days’ worth of 24/7 music, according to iTunes—plus theatrical movies, TV shows, boring home movies, music videos and all the digital photos I’ve taken over the last few years. And, the iPhone makes the coolest remote control for all of it, though it’s not required.
The Apple TV can play these media through the television or the stereo, as appropriate. Pictures of your family vacations can drift slowly across your screen much like a computer screensaver. Through Apple TV’s iTunes Store on the Web, you can rent or buy movies, TV shows and music. The Apple TV can also play most of the seemingly infinite number of free Internet Radio stations. And there’s YouTube: in case we ever manage to extend the day past 24 hours, there’ll still be something stupid to watch.
I think “iPod TV” would have been a more intuitive name for Apple TV. Most people are familiar with Apple’s iPod; iPods play music and videos on the go. Hook up your iPod to a TV and you’ve got the basic Apple TV concept, though Internet Radio, YouTube and the iTunes Store flesh out the product features.
Now, I’m a geek, no question. I love this stuff, and I happen to love Apple’s products. At home we’ve got a bushel basket full of Apple products.
So, this next statement comes as a surprise even to me: as much as I love my Apple TV, it rates a big red “F” in on-demand rental and purchase of movies or TV shows. The selection is wide, the store is always open, but delivery is a major problem. Downloads of movies, which are taking place over my cable connection through a wireless router, are achingly slow. I’ve tried eliminating the wireless leg of the trip; it’s not better.
One night last week my wife and I were in the mood for something serious, so we purchased “The Hangover” on the Apple TV. I should have known better. It didn’t complete downloading until the next day. This has been a continuing, reproducible issue for us. And what was the chicken doing in the hotel room, anyway?
The $229 160GB Apple TV shines sparklingly for playing my music on demand, for playing movies I’ve already downloaded and for the frankly unique presentation of years of photos.
Enter the Roku. This is a new product from a company of the same name. Roku started as an add-on for Netflix to enable members to stream videos right to their TV, without worrying whether the Postal Service was canceling Saturday deliveries.
A few months ago the company added capabilities and re-branded the product to a wider audience. It can still serve up your Netflix queue, but already can do so much more that you just know this is going to expand.
In addition to Netflix (if you’re a member), you can rent or buy movies from Amazon.com. I bought my Roku HD box from Amazon for $100 and at the time they offered a $20 credit for movies purchased via the Roku.
It’s an easy set up. Per my usual, I ignored the instructions and just plugged things in the way that seemed to be logical. It all worked. Later, I checked the instructions and I’m impressed. Six easy steps in big type, good pictures, with very few decisions to make.
There are on-screen instructions to follow, and there are a couple of codes you’ll need to enter on your computer to finish the setup, but it’s straightforward. The Roku remote is a breeze to use.
On Roku, you add channels you want, though most of the commercial content is through Netflix and Amazon. Other options are MLB.TV (subscription), Flickr, Twit.TV, MediaFly, Pandora (Internet radio), and more. I’m sure YouTube will be there soon.
Here’s the best part: the downloads are lightning. I don’t have a Netflix membership, so I rented a movie from Amazon. A couple minutes after making the decision we were watching the movie. The remote has pause, rewind and fast-forward just like a DVD. It absolutely smokes the Apple TV by comparison.
The Roku is available in three models: Roku SD ($80 Standard Definition); Roku HD ($100 High Definition) and Roku HD-XR ($130 HD Extended Wireless Range).
I won’t give up my Apple TV. It does a lot Roku doesn’t begin to do. But for renting movies I want to watch now, the Roku delivers.
My Apple TV is connected via a cable to the television and wirelessly to my stereo system, my laptop and even my iPhone. It stores all of my music—currently 183 days’ worth of 24/7 music, according to iTunes—plus theatrical movies, TV shows, boring home movies, music videos and all the digital photos I’ve taken over the last few years. And, the iPhone makes the coolest remote control for all of it, though it’s not required.
The Apple TV can play these media through the television or the stereo, as appropriate. Pictures of your family vacations can drift slowly across your screen much like a computer screensaver. Through Apple TV’s iTunes Store on the Web, you can rent or buy movies, TV shows and music. The Apple TV can also play most of the seemingly infinite number of free Internet Radio stations. And there’s YouTube: in case we ever manage to extend the day past 24 hours, there’ll still be something stupid to watch.
I think “iPod TV” would have been a more intuitive name for Apple TV. Most people are familiar with Apple’s iPod; iPods play music and videos on the go. Hook up your iPod to a TV and you’ve got the basic Apple TV concept, though Internet Radio, YouTube and the iTunes Store flesh out the product features.
Now, I’m a geek, no question. I love this stuff, and I happen to love Apple’s products. At home we’ve got a bushel basket full of Apple products.
So, this next statement comes as a surprise even to me: as much as I love my Apple TV, it rates a big red “F” in on-demand rental and purchase of movies or TV shows. The selection is wide, the store is always open, but delivery is a major problem. Downloads of movies, which are taking place over my cable connection through a wireless router, are achingly slow. I’ve tried eliminating the wireless leg of the trip; it’s not better.
One night last week my wife and I were in the mood for something serious, so we purchased “The Hangover” on the Apple TV. I should have known better. It didn’t complete downloading until the next day. This has been a continuing, reproducible issue for us. And what was the chicken doing in the hotel room, anyway?
The $229 160GB Apple TV shines sparklingly for playing my music on demand, for playing movies I’ve already downloaded and for the frankly unique presentation of years of photos.
Enter the Roku. This is a new product from a company of the same name. Roku started as an add-on for Netflix to enable members to stream videos right to their TV, without worrying whether the Postal Service was canceling Saturday deliveries.
A few months ago the company added capabilities and re-branded the product to a wider audience. It can still serve up your Netflix queue, but already can do so much more that you just know this is going to expand.
In addition to Netflix (if you’re a member), you can rent or buy movies from Amazon.com. I bought my Roku HD box from Amazon for $100 and at the time they offered a $20 credit for movies purchased via the Roku.
It’s an easy set up. Per my usual, I ignored the instructions and just plugged things in the way that seemed to be logical. It all worked. Later, I checked the instructions and I’m impressed. Six easy steps in big type, good pictures, with very few decisions to make.
There are on-screen instructions to follow, and there are a couple of codes you’ll need to enter on your computer to finish the setup, but it’s straightforward. The Roku remote is a breeze to use.
On Roku, you add channels you want, though most of the commercial content is through Netflix and Amazon. Other options are MLB.TV (subscription), Flickr, Twit.TV, MediaFly, Pandora (Internet radio), and more. I’m sure YouTube will be there soon.
Here’s the best part: the downloads are lightning. I don’t have a Netflix membership, so I rented a movie from Amazon. A couple minutes after making the decision we were watching the movie. The remote has pause, rewind and fast-forward just like a DVD. It absolutely smokes the Apple TV by comparison.
The Roku is available in three models: Roku SD ($80 Standard Definition); Roku HD ($100 High Definition) and Roku HD-XR ($130 HD Extended Wireless Range).
I won’t give up my Apple TV. It does a lot Roku doesn’t begin to do. But for renting movies I want to watch now, the Roku delivers.
0 Comments