When the new Apple TV was announced earlier this month, I was initially on the fence about it. As more information was released and discussed (e.g., AirPlay functionality plus support with the Apple Remote apps on iOS) I became pretty intrigued, especially for the relatively low entry price of $99.
That said, I didn't really enjoy my previous Apple TV (see my original review here: gdgt.com/apple/apple-tv/review/3qo/ ). The number of problems (and Apple's lack of support after the warranty had conveniently expired) left me with a pretty sour taste in my mouth.
Anyway, Roku announced that they'll support Hulu Plus later this month! Combined with the number of other channels and content providers that Roku already offers (Netflix, Amazon Video, Last.FM, Pandora, etc) plus support for 1080p, it seems like there's no contest.
Only downside is that my Apple Remote app won't work with it (meaning yet another remote to keep track of), and no support for AirPlay (thought realistically, I'm not sure how much I'd use this).
Roku seems like the digital media player to beat!
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With today's news, Roku seems more compelling than new Apple TV.
I agree completely, I actually was about to order my Apple TV. Then the news of Hulu Plus on the Roku box came out and I've now decided to purchase the Roku box instead!
Does anyone know if there is a way to stream media from within the home network to the Roku box?
Does anyone know if there is a way to stream media from within the home network to the Roku box?
My interest in Roku has definitely piqued after this announcement. I too was considering the new Apple TV. At this point I think its only selling point is AirPlay so I can play all my music from my MBP library.
Nice discussion, but I have to disagree. Video quality on the Roku is at the mercy of Netflix which will adjust base on bandwidth leaving you with video that is often subpar. The apple TV will buffer enough to give you the best video quality. You must also pay for each app through the individual vendor with no way to register a single payment account with Roku. What a pain. Finally, I don't think most folks have enough bandwidth to be able to watch videos at 1080p. 720p also looks great on my 52 inch TV so I'm not sure I would be missing much. I also think that AirPlay is going to be killer. Just my 2c.
I have had both the older Apple TV and the Roku HD for about a year or so and enjoy them both, but definitely find that I use the Roku box much more. One of my biggest reasons for liking it so much has been it's ability to stream content without the need to manage terebytes of video storage myself, but the new Apple TV now has this feature as well. As for Airplay, it seems like a nice novelty, but I really doubt that I would actually use it much.
In terms of content, Apple has Fox and ABC plus Netflix, while Roku via Hulu and Amazon VOD has Fox, ABC, and NBC. Neither yet has good access to CBS shows (though I imagine they will yield... iTunes has them as downloads and Amazon previously carried CBS shows).
As a whole, I still think that the plethora of options available on Roku (Amazon VOD, Netflix, MLB, Pandora, and soon Hulu Plus) and the even lower entry price makes it the more appealing choice.
In terms of content, Apple has Fox and ABC plus Netflix, while Roku via Hulu and Amazon VOD has Fox, ABC, and NBC. Neither yet has good access to CBS shows (though I imagine they will yield... iTunes has them as downloads and Amazon previously carried CBS shows).
As a whole, I still think that the plethora of options available on Roku (Amazon VOD, Netflix, MLB, Pandora, and soon Hulu Plus) and the even lower entry price makes it the more appealing choice.
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