Can somebody tell me why one would buy an ATV2 over a Roku LT especially since Roku has more content, does the same 720p as ATV2 and only costs $50? I have an Apple TV 2 that I only use for Netflix streaming. I don't have an iPad to make use of the AirPlay mirroring feature. I have iPhone 4, but I have heard that AirPlay with Apple TV is only limited to the 4S? In hindsight I am wondering if I would have been more happy with the Roku purchase?
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Apple TV 2 vs Roku LT - which would you buy?
- Thread starter saintforlife
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Can somebody tell me why one would buy an ATV2 over a Roku LT especially since Roku has more content, does the same 720p as ATV2 and only costs $50? I have an Apple TV 2 that I only use for Netflix streaming. I don't have an iPad to make use of the AirPlay mirroring feature. I have iPhone 4, but I have heard that AirPlay with Apple TV is only limited to the 4S? In hindsight I am wondering if I would have been more happy with the Roku purchase?
AirPlay mirroring is limited to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. The iPhone 4 can still AirPlay music and video with compatible apps.
If you have a 1080p capable HDTV then the ROKU 2 XD or XDS is the way to go for Netflix which streams at 1080p. It's $30 more than the LT, but there is a difference in quality between a 720p stream and a 1080p stream. I have the ATV2 and the ROKU 2 XS, and I find myself using the Roku a lot more because of the 1080p streaming.
I agree with you that Roku does seem to have more streaming options but ATV2 has slowly started to add new options (NHL, NBA, MLB, WSJ, Vimeo, Flickr). I'm hoping that in future upgrades we'll see Hulu+, at the very least. It's already in the App Store for all other iOS devices, so I can't see why it won't come to ATV2.
What made ME decide on an ATV2, however, is AirPlay. In my opinion, it offers the best and simplest way for me to stream my entire music collection through my main speakers in the living room. I also like being able to whip out my iPhone and AirPlay my vacation photos right onto my 46" TV and show them to my friends and family, without making everyone huddle around my computer. -- AirPlay is available on any device that's running iOS 4 or later, so it's not limited to just the newest iPhone. You can also AirPlay all of your pictures, movies, and music directly from your Mac or PC, through iTunes. What is limited is AirPlay Mirroring (iPhone 4S and iPad 2 only).
YouTube, Netflix, and iTunes movie & show rentals are added bonuses. What really is of value to me (and probably most ATV2 users) is AirPlay and how it brings all together in such an easy, yet elegant, way.
What made ME decide on an ATV2, however, is AirPlay. In my opinion, it offers the best and simplest way for me to stream my entire music collection through my main speakers in the living room. I also like being able to whip out my iPhone and AirPlay my vacation photos right onto my 46" TV and show them to my friends and family, without making everyone huddle around my computer. -- AirPlay is available on any device that's running iOS 4 or later, so it's not limited to just the newest iPhone. You can also AirPlay all of your pictures, movies, and music directly from your Mac or PC, through iTunes. What is limited is AirPlay Mirroring (iPhone 4S and iPad 2 only).
YouTube, Netflix, and iTunes movie & show rentals are added bonuses. What really is of value to me (and probably most ATV2 users) is AirPlay and how it brings all together in such an easy, yet elegant, way.
I ended up selling both of my apple tvs and wend with the roku. You can stream your own content via plex. Which also is a wonderful program.
Curious about this -- are you able to stream protected content, like a TV show purchased from iTunes?
If Apple doesn't allow more apps in the next 3 or so months, I am selling my ATV2 and buying a Roku. The Roku does so much more for half the price.
I think I'm kind of heading in the same direction. While I love some of the things AppleTV can do, I'm also getting tired of some of the limitations. Plus, it seems like I spend more time troubleshooting it than I do actually using it. I'm constantly having to reconnect it Home Sharing. The other day, running an upgrade on it wiped out all of my settings. Plus, just weird buggy stuff.
I'm the biggest Apple cheerleader, and I'm always talking about how good they are when it comes to product integration...but AppleTV seems like it's never quite up to par compared to their other products.
One reason: Hulu
The ONLY reason I am buying a Roku over ATV2 is for HuluPlus. C'mon Apple, quit giving away the streaming box market just to preserve iTunes TV sales. Heck, I can buy a 1080p Roku and subscribe to Hulu Plus for a month for less than subscribing to two TV series on iTunes.
I am a huge Apple fan, but Roku has kicked your butt on this one. Sorry, you lost a sale.
The ONLY reason I am buying a Roku over ATV2 is for HuluPlus. C'mon Apple, quit giving away the streaming box market just to preserve iTunes TV sales. Heck, I can buy a 1080p Roku and subscribe to Hulu Plus for a month for less than subscribing to two TV series on iTunes.
I am a huge Apple fan, but Roku has kicked your butt on this one. Sorry, you lost a sale.
The ONLY reason I am buying a Roku over ATV2 is for HuluPlus. C'mon Apple, quit giving away the streaming box market just to preserve iTunes TV sales. Heck, I can buy a 1080p Roku and subscribe to Hulu Plus for a month for less than subscribing to two TV series on iTunes.
I am a huge Apple fan, but Roku has kicked your butt on this one. Sorry, you lost a sale.
If u want hulu that bad jailbreak the apple tv
I am looking for a streaming player too but the more I read the more I want a Roku...so it seems the biggest drawback is I can't play my iTunes collection from my MBP or podcasts from my iPod with a Roku?
If you have a newer iOS device, you lose AirPlay. If you have a 4s, you lose AirPlay mirroring. You also lose the ability to rent movies directly from the AppleTV, photo streaming from iCloud, and iTunes match ( which you can access with your computer off).
I have one of the newer 1080p Rokus, but I prefer Appletv. I have a 4s, so that plays a part. They both get used in my setup, but no question, I would take the Appletv over Roku.
It's always funny when people come to a Mac site to ask if we'd prefer an Apple device to the latest Acme gadget.
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Hulu plus? Really? Paying for ads just seems the wrong direction to me.
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The ONLY reason I am buying a Roku over ATV2 is for HuluPlus. C'mon Apple, quit giving away the streaming box market just to preserve iTunes TV sales. Heck, I can buy a 1080p Roku and subscribe to Hulu Plus for a month for less than subscribing to two TV series on iTunes.
I am a huge Apple fan, but Roku has kicked your butt on this one. Sorry, you lost a sale.
Hulu plus? Really? Paying for ads just seems the wrong direction to me.
It might be funny if people on here actually preferred the Apple device, but by my count the Roku is winning this poll by more than 2 to 1. Personally I have an ATV2 and have never tried the Roku but I may have to try it out now.
No, even if I buy a Roku it will be for another room and I will keep my ATV2. I have far too much time invested in converting movies and my wife is familiar with the interface now.
The Roku is a solid devise, but don't let the long list of content trip you up. Most people don't even think of using most of those services. Unless one of them is important to you, the extra apps don't matter. It seems that Hulu and Amazon content is really the only really content that is important to a lot of people.
The reason why I would pick AppleTV over Roku is because the AppleTV is incredibly reliable and convenient to play all my music, podcasts and ripped DVDs. With Roku, you have Plex, and Plex is actually pretty sweet software - but it isn't reliable. It crashes, especially on a small box like a Roku. iTunes/AppleTV is much more reliable.
The reason why I would pick AppleTV over Roku is because the AppleTV is incredibly reliable and convenient to play all my music, podcasts and ripped DVDs. With Roku, you have Plex, and Plex is actually pretty sweet software - but it isn't reliable. It crashes, especially on a small box like a Roku. iTunes/AppleTV is much more reliable.
I have a Roku player and AppleTV and still find myself using the AppleTV most of the time. I am not the biggest fan of the interface on the Roku. I love the integration Apple has between all its devices (Airplay, homesharing, etc.). That being said, I do turn on the roku for amazon instant watch and hulu plus. I wish we would see this on the AppleTV!
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Why pay more and then have to hack the device? I'm not going to jump through hoops just for Apple. Their choice is to block Hulu. My choice is to support the device that does what Apple should.
Why pay more and then have to hack the device? I'm not going to jump through hoops just for Apple. Their choice is to block Hulu. My choice is to support the device that does what Apple should.
HBOgo is easily my favorite thing about roku. But I'm thinking about picking up an Atv tomorrow just for the convenience of AirPlay. I really wanna be able to stream videos from my Mbp to my tv. With roku I have to transfer everything I want to watch on to a flash drive and plug it in.
Kind of sucks that there isn't an all in one device out there. I think Id have to buy 3-4 different devices to do all the things I want to do, like hbogo, mirror my Mbp, watch videos that aren't in mp4 format, hulu, netflix, and stream videos from iTunes.
Kind of sucks that there isn't an all in one device out there. I think Id have to buy 3-4 different devices to do all the things I want to do, like hbogo, mirror my Mbp, watch videos that aren't in mp4 format, hulu, netflix, and stream videos from iTunes.