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You're the second one in the thread to say this. I've used 4 streaming platforms, but not Fire TV, and my platform of choice is Roku. Care to explain why Fire TV is better? I'm sure the OP would like some detail.
You're the second one in the thread to say this. I've used 4 streaming platforms, but not Fire TV, and my platform of choice is Roku. Care to explain why Fire TV is better? I'm sure the OP would like some detail.
Roku is better but Fire TV allows you to use Kodi and gain access to all the content (not entirely legal) that it has
You're the second one in the thread to say this. I've used 4 streaming platforms, but not Fire TV, and my platform of choice is Roku. Care to explain why Fire TV is better? I'm sure the OP would like some detail.
I'll second the motion that FireTV is better than Roku. Here's why (some of this is opinion, some is fact based on the specs)
While Roku has tons of "homemade" channels, as well as some movie channels that stream older movies it lacks the ability to easily stream content that many want. The latest shows, movies, live tv, etc... are difficult to obtain without purchasing the Playon app for $40 and using a pc as a "server" of sorts to stream content through. It is also limited to a dual core 900 MHz processor and no internal storage and 512 MB of RAM. You also cannot get Amazon instant video on the Roku, which if you have Amazon Prime, offers thousands of additional tv and movie options. Gaming is also pretty much non-existent on the Roku offerings.
FireTV has similar channel offerings to the Roku (albeit out of the box not nearly as many of the homemade channels) but in addition since it is Android based (open source) it also allows for easy sideloading of Kodi and nearly unlimited customization through the API tool which can be downloaded for free. Kodi allows the use of repositories which give you access to live tv, all the new tv shows, and movies that are on the market including many of those "homemade" channels that Roku offers. Most are in 1080p hi-def. Amazon Fire boasts a quad core 1.7 GHz processor, 8 GB of internal memory, and 2GB of RAM. Since it also includes a very sleek user interface, navigation is easier and cleaner.
The Fire offering loads more quickly than the Roku and there is a visible difference between the quality of streaming on Roku vs Fire TV (go watch the PBS channel on both for example) and Kodi is completely free. No need to purchase anything additional to get the same content you have to pay for on Roku, and no servers to set up or need for a pc.
Overall, I found the FireTV to be faster, easier to use, and has a cleaner user interface which makes the experience more enjoyable. I've owned almost all of the Roku boxes and a Chromecast and neither could keep pace with my FireTV in our case. Your mileage may vary.
In other words: Fire TV is easier to hack to allow you to illegally stream TV.
Got it.
Fire TV is not better video quality. That's ridiculous.
I would also like to know the difference between Amazon instant video and Prime. Prime subscriber here and that's all I need on my Roku. What is this Instant Video I am missing out on?
In other words: Fire TV is easier to hack to allow you to illegally stream TV.
Got it.
Fire TV is not better video quality. That's ridiculous.
I would also like to know the difference between Amazon instant video and Prime. Prime subscriber here and that's all I need on my Roku. What is this Instant Video I am missing out on?
Fire TV is open source. Meaning you can modify it to your liking. What you do with it outside of it's intended use is on you. It isn't illegal to stream live tv unless you are streaming it to a crowd of people. Personal use is legal and within the law. (Do the research) Downloading is illegal and streaming content as public performance is illegal and neither are things I partake in.
Amazon instant video requires renting or buying a title. Amazon Prime includes a lot of those for free, although there are still some purchases that can be made. Look at AIV as more of the Blockbuster movie store of Amazon.
If you challenge the video quality between the two, go test it for yourself. While "some" options are very similar, I found many more of the Roku offerings to be lower quality than Fire. It could be processing speed or a number of other factors, but there are also reviews and research out there that you can review.
You're the second one in the thread to say this. I've used 4 streaming platforms, but not Fire TV, and my platform of choice is Roku. Care to explain why Fire TV is better? I'm sure the OP would like some detail.
the interface was snappier. fire-tv is easier to use without a credit card. several first episodes of amazon stuff is free to watch without a subscription.
they provide adb interface within the developer options so one could install alternate os's (like kodi).
...
In other words: Fire TV is easier to hack to allow you to illegally stream TV.
Got it.
Fire TV is not better video quality. That's ridiculous.
I would also like to know the difference between Amazon instant video and Prime. Prime subscriber here and that's all I need on my Roku. What is this Instant Video I am missing out on?
why does everyone look at me like i'm a criminal when i tell them i use kodi ?
Stanley I ask the same question. Just because it has the capability to do things that are not in line with the law doesn't mean we use it that way. It's open source.
Matter of factly..... Roku has channels like Justin.tv that stream live content non-stop to include channels such as HBO, Cinemax, etc....
why does everyone look at me like i'm a criminal when i tell them i use kodi ?
I use Kodi on the Google Nexus TV platform. To me, it's a lot of hoop-jumping to get at illicit content, so I don't use it very often. I get why people who download/stream that stuff like it, but it's not a friendly enough tool that I would be comfortable setting up a non-technical friend or relative with it.
For someone who only wants legal content, I wouldn't recommend Kodi at all. Wrong tool for that job, IMO.
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