Want to marathon every episode of the original "Star Trek" at 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning? You got it. You just need the right device to help bring it to your living room.
The one you choose will depend on your viewing habits, brand loyalty, and how you prefer to consume your streaming media.
Apple TV
The latest version of the Apple TV box arrived in 2015. It comes stocked with a slick user interface, Siri-enabled voice search, a sleek remote control, and integration with Apple's app store.The gadget is made to appeal to iPhone and Mac-toting Apple fans who rely on iTunes to stay caught up on their favorite television shows and movies. The Apple TV comes in two flavors, which are separated by the amount of built-in storage space.
The 32 GB version of the latest Apple TV costs $149 and will handle the needs of most streaming fans. If you plan to go nuts downloading apps and games, then the $199 option with 64 GB of storage is worth the upgrade.
Should you buy an Apple TV? If you are already a heavy user of iTunes and have invested in a lot of purchases through Apple’s media store, then this makes sense.
Think of the Apple TV as a luxury gadget. It’s one of the most expensive streaming boxes on the market. If money is a consideration, then you can check out one of the more budget-friendly options from the competition.
Amazon Fire
Amazon's streaming gadget comes in two very different flavors. The Fire TV Stick is an easy-on-the-wallet $40 box that comes with an Alexa Voice Remote. You get access to all the usual streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Now, but the Alexa integration is a bonus for people who already enjoy Amazon's voice-activated devices like the Echo and Dot.The Amazon Fire TV costs $90 but supports 4K TV. This one will appeal to videophiles who want to feast their eyes on super-high-quality 4K content, but most viewers will be satisfied with the more affordable Fire TV Stick.
The Fire TV devices are a good fit for Amazon Prime fans who stream a lot of the online retailing behemoth’s videos, including original shows like "Man in the High Castle" and the car-obsessed "The Grand Tour."
Google Chromecast
Google’s $35 Chromecast is the low-price leader for streaming video gadgets. One of the reasons it's so cheap is that it doesn’t come with a remote. You’ll need your phone or a tablet (or a computer) to operate it. It works with Android, iOS, or Windows devices.The round gadget is small and cute and easy to tuck away behind your television. While you can use it to access the usual suspects of Netflix, Hulu, and other popular streaming services, it doesn't play nice with Apple’s iTunes or Amazon's streaming-video app.
What the Chromecast does well is mirror your computing devices onto your television. That means you can pull up a website on your phone, send it to your Chromecast, and see it on the big screen by using the downloadable Chromecast app.
You’ll get the best results at home if you have a strong Wi-Fi network in place. If you already spend a lot of your streaming video time on your smartphone, then you will probably enjoy playing around with Chromecast.
Roku
Roku is one of the pioneers of streaming video gadgets. The 2016 version of the Roku Streaming Stick pops in at a very reasonable $50 and hooks you up with your Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and Google Play videos (once again, there’s no iTunes support).It comes with a capable remote, but you can also download a Roku app for your iOS or Android device and use it with the Streaming Stick for voice search. The app also features a private listening option that runs the audio through your headphones. This is a great way to keep the noise down in a crowded household.
The Roku is a solid, all-purpose video streamer with a lot of versatility.
Mix it up
The true connoisseur of streaming video may choose not to settle on a single streaming box. You could find yourself filling up the HDMI ports on your television with two or three different devices.This may mean wrangling more remote controls, but it also gives you the widest set of options. For example, there is no dedicated Amazon video app for the Apple TV. There is a workaround, but you may find it easier to just invest in a low-cost Fire box to go along with your Apple device and then sit back and enjoy the best of both worlds.
