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Apple TV: Best From the blog Middle Class Tech Media Streamer?

Apple TV: Best Media Streamer?

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Apple TV: Best

From the blog

Middle Class Tech

Media Streamer?

Streaming Media Devices

Market has gotten more crowded in 2014 —Apple TV

—Roku lineup

—Amazon Fire TV

—Chromecast

—Google’s new Nexus Player

Apple TV —Biggest criticism: “Not much content” (Macworld)

—Now offers 58 channels

58 Channels

Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Vimeo, etc. — Bloomberg TV for financial news — Vevo for music videos — Crackle for Sony content (including Seinfeld) — Yahoo’s Flickr for crowdsourced photos

Lifehack: You can even use Flickr photos for Apple TV screen saver images — Use metadata tags to search for image topics — Can even upload your own images to Flickr and then

have them appear in the Apple TV screen saver

Mainstream TV Channels

Channels that require no cable/sat TV subscription, including:

—ABC

—CNBC

—Smithsonian Channel

—Fox Now

—Britain’s Sky News

Canned episodes, not a live stream

Old School TV Channels

These channels require an old school cable/sat TV subscription (that includes the channel)

—Disney’s three channels

—PBS and PBS Kids

—FX Now (featuring all episodes of The Simpsons)

—A&E (strong on reality TV)

—History channel

Premium Cable Channels

Apple TV features access to many subscription-based “premium” TV services

—HBO GO

—Showtime Anytime

—ESPN

These will serve only to taunt you on Apple TV if you don’t have cable/sat TV service + dedicated subscription to these

Amazon Fire TV

Same price as Apple TV: $99 — All major streaming boxes are $99

— Roku 3 = $99

Prime Instant Video subscribers will get the most from Amazon Fire TV — $99/year Amazon Prime required for Prime Instant

Video access

— Supplement or substitute for Netflix

— Prime Instant Video offers smaller selection

— Like Netflix, there is original content

Amazon Fire TV

Offers some features not on Apple TV —More intelligent remote control

Continually pushes you into Amazon’s entertainment ecosystem —Available only with $99/year Amazon Prime

Amazon Fire TV can be used without Amazon Prime, but…. —Amazon Fire TV is really designed for users

who subscribe to Amazon Prime

Roku Lineup

Includes four models —Priced from $49 to $99

—More models than any competitor

The top shelf Roku 3 competes with Apple TV

All Roku devices offer 1,200+ channels —Largest channel selection of any

streaming media box company

—Agnostic: Doesn’t push you into a particular ecosystem (different from Apple and Amazon)

Roku Lineup

Roku best for those who: — Not dedicated to a particular ecosystem

— Love Roku’s cross-channel search feature

Those who use Apple’s iTunes or Amazon’s Prime Instant Video are best served by streaming boxes from those respective companies

Roku if you want largest selection of channels — Many, however, are junk channels

— Much foreign language content

— Not everyone likes this much crap content

Apple AirPlay

Wi-fi enabled media casting tech

Built into all Apple devices and computers

Send music and video from your iOS devices and Mac computers to your TV and surround sound speakers

Some AV receivers have AirPlay built in

—Like some models from Denon, Yamaha, and Pioneer Elite

Apple AirPlay

Apple TV is the best, least expensive way to AirPlay-enable your TV or home theater — If you don’t already have it built into your AV receiver

AirPlay leverages your investment in Apple’s hardware — Supported by all iPads, iPhones, iPod Touches,

and Mac computers

For those with iOS and OS X devices, not using AirPlay is missing great casting functionality — Your mobile devices can act as remote controls — Said CNET in August 2014: “AirPlay is just awesome”

The Remote Control

Apple’s sleek cold aluminum remote is smallest, slickest, most attractive on the market

Problems: — Only IR (Infrared; a beam of light) — Because no radio frequency (wi-fi or Bluetooth),

must point remote at the Apple TV box — This is a pain in some living rooms

Both Amazon Fire TV and Roku 3 offer radio frequency remotes — No line of sight requirement — Fire TV also offers voice navigation from the remote

Your Digital Ecosystem

Best streaming media box depends on your digital ecosystem — Those with many Apple iDevices in their home

are best served by Apple TV

— Those who use iTunes for music, TV episodes, and movies best served by Apple TV

Fire TV best if: — You’re into Prime Instant Video

— You have Amazon hardware (Fire tablet)

Roku 3 if you’re ecosystem agnostic

Apple TV Best for Who?

Those who use iTunes for music, movies, and TV episodes —To purchase or rent

People who love Beats Music for on-demand music streaming

Those who use iTunes Radio for Pandora-like music discovery

If you can’t do without your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or other Apple hardware

Where Do You Fall?

If you simply suck down a ton of Netflix and Hulu Plus: — All major media streaming boxes will serve

you well

If you’re into a particular hardware/service ecosystem, go that route — Amazon Prime Instant Video devotees

should go with Fire TV — iTunes fans should adopt Apple TV — Those in the middle should consider any

of these boxes—or go with Roku 3

Apple TV the Best?

Apple TV best for those who have multiple Apple devices floating around their home — AirPlay alone makes it worth while

Intuitive navigation Slick interface Apple’s minimalistic design DNA

— If you’re a fan of Apple’s design and approach to all things digital, you’ll love Apple TV

Apple quality — Missing from some competing devices

These slides are derived from the Amazon Kindle book

Home Theater

for the Internet Age

Other Books by Curt Robbins

Understanding Personal Data Security

Understanding Digital Music

Understanding Cutting the Cord

Understanding Home Theater

About Curt Robbins

Publishes a blog: Middle Class Tech

Flipboard magazine: Middle Class Tech

Twitter: @CurtRobbins

Surround Sound Formats

Excerpt from Home Theater for the Internet Age