Roku Express Box or Amazon Fire Stick

Lambyr

I've got an old Roku 3. There are thousands, of channels of varying quality, themes, content, etc. As you might expect, it's quantity over quality but there are some decent channels available through it depending on what you like.

You're unlikely to find the latest movies available for free on any of them. A lot of the free movie channels show low-budget, cult and/or public domain movies supported by some ads. There is a lot of specialised content on there too - eg. fishing channels, or religious channels, or boating channels, etc. Though I've never bothered looking at those.

I think with a Roku, you'll get a lot more out of it if you have a subscription to at least one of the major subscription services (Netflix, Amazon, Now TV). Amazon, Google Play and one or two others offer a PPV service on Roku. A Roku is also a really good client device if you ever plan to run a Plex media server but that's often an enthusiast pursuit.

If you really like older, obscure cult B-movies and don't need everything in HD, Roku might be a decent option too. Roku supports HD but the free channels rarely offer it. Netflix, Amazon, etc. do offer HD.

If such movies do appeal to you, Shudder TV (also available on Roku) at 4.99 a month is a superior option for horror movie fans. Newer stuff on Shudder is in HD too.

Inner_Zone

jshm2 wrote: »

If you have neither a smart box (in your case Tivo) and neither a smart TV then you have the choice of

HUMAX HDR-1100S
AMAZON Fire TV Stick
AMAZON Fire TV with 4k
SKY Now TV Smart Box
NVIDIA Shield TV 2017
or an
Apple TV 4k

That's a very short list of equipment capable of adding Smart functionality.

jshm2 wrote: »

Decide on your budget and go for it. You probably won't need to bother upgrading your TV either if it is already full HD. If you have a smart TV already then you really do not need these devices for that functionality.

Smart TV apps vary between brands as to what they offer and quite often get discontinued, so additional devices may be required depending on service required.

Tyler_Du

Without paying for a streaming service or Kodi (not strictly legal depending on use) you be restricted to catch up tv apps such as iplayer / all4 etc

WayneTripp

I am new to all this and not very technically adept. if on contract with Virgin Media with just the old box (not tivo) and our Television does not have a smart connection. On our contract we get the maximum number of channels including , BT sports , eurosports and some sky Channels but not sky atlantic. we also have facilities for Catch up TV. So what more would we receive free with the amazon fire stck. is still available at £24.95 anywhere,

DCFC79

LongLostFriends wrote: »

We are on a Virgin Package which includes both Broadband and TV. We have read in an article in the Daily Mail television magazine recommending the Roku Express Box and/or the Amazon Fire stick. what extra channels films etc can you receive free with either of these items. We only have the basic TV box (not Tivo) or a Smart TV. if so which is the better.

Amazon fire stick

That gives you some idea as to what channels or apps available on Prime

Or this 1 might be better

Roku box

That shows you whats available.

Its all dependent on what you watch as some apps may be available on 1 and not the other.

There's also the Now TV box and Chromecast, google for the apps included for each.

AnneMarie4687 wrote: »

If you have not got a Smart Television, what are the advantages of buying either Roku Express box or an Amazon Fire Stick. What exactly do they do that is free that would improve what I already have .I presume you need a combined Television and Broadband package to be able to use these gadgets which I do.Will it make any difference if your provider is Virgin Media, BT ,Sky, Talk Talk etc. Thank you for any simple easy to understand explanation.

Well for a start the apps on the TV could at some point stop working as the TV producer stops supporting (or its cumbersome to use the app on the TV but easier to use on either device) it where as the firestick and Roku box it may be considered less likely to happen, the updating of the TV app is another option too.

All you need to use either device is a TV and a broadband connection and both devices will connect to that.

DCFC79

WayneTripp wrote: »

I am new to all this and not very technically adept. if on contract with Virgin Media with just the old box (not tivo) and our Television does not have a smart connection. On our contract we get the maximum number of channels including , BT sports , eurosports and some sky Channels but not sky atlantic. we also have facilities for Catch up TV. So what more would we receive free with the amazon fire stick. is still available at £24.95 anywhere,

All depends on what you watch.

Do you watch BT Sports, Eurosports ?

Check out the 2 links I previously posted, as I said there's Now TV box and Chromecast.

JohnM1946

The amazon fire stick is now available at £29.95 at several retailers including Currys, Tesco and on line at Amazon. At that price I think buying one is good as it will allowsible additional options if you do not have a Smart Television

Inner_Zone

JohnM1946 wrote: »

The amazon fire stick is now available at £29.95 at several retailers including Currys, Tesco and on line at Amazon. At that price I think buying one is good as it will allowsible additional options if you do not have a Smart Television

Considering it was £5 cheaper a few weeks ago is hardly a a good offer.

Robisere

jshm2 wrote: »

If you have neither a smart box (in your case Tivo) and neither a smart TV then you have the choice of

HUMAX HDR-1100S
AMAZON Fire TV Stick
AMAZON Fire TV with 4k
SKY Now TV Smart Box
NVIDIA Shield TV 2017
or an
Apple TV 4k

Decide on your budget and go for it. You probably won't need to bother upgrading your TV either if it is already full HD. If you have a smart TV already then you really do not need these devices for that functionality.

You can go for the Android Boxes but those are mostly used for piracy and many are really low quality builds.

HUMAX HDR-1100S - needs a dish, it's a Freesat box. If you have a Sky dish, it may need a new LNB:
https://www.freesat.co.uk/help/using-your-existing-satellite-dish/

That is what I bought and fitted, when I left Sky and bought a HDR-1100S.

buglawton

I wouldn't risk anything Amazon right now as YouTube will be removed from it Jan 1st unless there's an end to the current Amazon vs Google war. At home we watch quite a lot of Youtube - full length foreign TV, video holiday brochures, music, on our Roku.