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streaming boxes for Netflix, Amazon Prime etc

Salad
Salad Posts: 10,189
in Not Sports Related
Can anyone recommend any good, low-cost devices for watching Netflix & Amazon Prime etc. on the TV?
(my bluray player does BBC but not these two, so have to use PC)
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Comments

  • Atletico Addick
    Atletico Addick Posts: 5,843
    HDMI cable if your TV and PC/laptop has a HDMI port, and it is in reachable length to one another.

    Otherwise I HIGHLY recommend one of these, takes 10 seconds to set up and can turn it on with one click of a button.

    http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/digital-home/3465401/google-chromecast-release-date-price-specs-devices-services-uk/
  • Dazzler21
    Dazzler21 Posts: 51,344
    PC VGA and sound cable into your tv... sorted.
  • Oakster
    Oakster Posts: 6,812
    I use a Mac Mini but its not cheap...
  • Dazzler21
    Dazzler21 Posts: 51,344
    I also use my kindle fire micro hdmi to hdmi cable and device are about £100 all in.
  • redlanered
    redlanered Posts: 2,195
    We use our Wii for Netflix..works well and means we didn't need to buy another gadget
  • csr_cafc
    csr_cafc Posts: 267
    Chromecast...£30 simple
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 15,567
    csr_cafc said:

    Chromecast...£30 simple

    What's that?
  • tangoflash
    tangoflash Posts: 10,784
    I use my PS3, but if you have Virgin (and probably Sky, but not checked) and use a TIVO box, you can access it through there, as there's a seperate channel for this. Seen it on Virgin, but I only have the V+ box and doesn't work for that.
  • ct_addick
    ct_addick Posts: 4,333
    Kap10 said:

    csr_cafc said:

    Chromecast...£30 simple

    What's that?
    I would recommend Chromecast as a cost effective solution.....

    http://www.google.com/intl/en-US/chrome/devices/chromecast/
  • Salad
    Salad Posts: 10,189
    edited March 2014
    Thanks all.
    Chromecast you seem to need some sort of android phone or ipad etc to control, is that right? I don't have any such device, so need something that you work direct with a supplied remote-control. Also don't have Virgin or Sky.
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  • Atletico Addick
    Atletico Addick Posts: 5,843
    Salad said:

    Thanks all.
    Chromecast you seem to need some sort of android phone or ipad etc to control, is that right? I don't have any such device, so need something that you work direct with a supplied remote-control. Also don't have Virgin or Sky.

    Plug it into your laptop/PC and can stream netflix from that, you press one button at the top right of your browser and it streams it onto your TV
  • Salad
    Salad Posts: 10,189
    PC different room and don't have laptop
  • Atletico Addick
    Atletico Addick Posts: 5,843
    Wireless so will work :-)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK4u6wm-HIk
  • buckshee
    buckshee Posts: 7,867
    edited March 2014
    Roku stick has even better reviews. I have the roku 3 and it's a lovely bit of kit , so easy to use and doesn't rely on stuff being beamed across like the chrome cast. Plus it comes with a remote which the chromecast doesn't .

    http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/roku-streaming-stick-hits-uk-costs-50/


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQOBE9n-4bs
  • Salad
    Salad Posts: 10,189
    but I don't have smartphones etc. just want a nice old fashioned box!
  • tangoflash
    tangoflash Posts: 10,784
    edited March 2014
    You could always look on ebay for someone selling a knackered ps3 that no longer plays discs (cost about £80 to replace the blu-ray laser). Since the ps4 came out I'd imagine they'll be plenty of these knocking around pretty cheap. As long as it powers up to the menu, you're good to go...............

    Edit: Or an xbox 360?
  • tangoflash
    tangoflash Posts: 10,784
    edited March 2014
    Something like this one............... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-PlayStation-3-40-GB-Clear-Black-Console-PAL-/131149327634?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameConsoles_VideoGameConsoles&hash=item1e891bed12

    If you decide to go down this route, make sure you ask the seller what's wrong with it if not clearly listed and explain what you want it for. Avoid if it states YLOD (yellow light of death)
  • Huskaris
    Huskaris Posts: 9,849
    tangoflash said:

    You could always look on ebay for someone selling a knackered ps3 that no longer plays discs (cost about £80 to replace the blu-ray laser). Since the ps4 came out I'd imagine they'll be plenty of these knocking around pretty cheap. As long as it powers up to the menu, you're good to go...............

    Edit: Or an xbox 360?

    I am 99% sure you need a gold subscription to access services such as netflix (even though they are at a further premium) so that rules out the 360.
  • buckshee
    buckshee Posts: 7,867
    Salad said:

    but I don't have smartphones etc. just want a nice old fashioned box!

    You don't need a smart phone for the roku stick. That's the biggest difference between that and the chromecast.

  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,037
    Some great advice here, Roku looks good but for 1/3 the price I think I might buy Chromecast
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  • shine166
    shine166 Posts: 13,918
    Huskaris said:

    tangoflash said:

    You could always look on ebay for someone selling a knackered ps3 that no longer plays discs (cost about £80 to replace the blu-ray laser). Since the ps4 came out I'd imagine they'll be plenty of these knocking around pretty cheap. As long as it powers up to the menu, you're good to go...............

    Edit: Or an xbox 360?

    I am 99% sure you need a gold subscription to access services such as netflix (even though they are at a further premium) so that rules out the 360.
    PS3 then, just plug in and go. Plus if you use a PS3 you can log into Netflix of other countrys and get a better selection
  • buckshee
    buckshee Posts: 7,867
    se9addick said:

    Some great advice here, Roku looks good but for 1/3 the price I think I might buy Chromecast

    1/3 price?

    The roku stick is £50 and the chromecast is £30 isn't it?

  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,037
    buckshee said:

    se9addick said:

    Some great advice here, Roku looks good but for 1/3 the price I think I might buy Chromecast

    1/3 price?

    The roku stick is £50 and the chromecast is £30 isn't it?

    Sorry - I just had a quick google and only saw pricing of £90 for Roku, do you know where I can get one for £50 ?
  • buckshee
    buckshee Posts: 7,867
    Currys doing pre order now.

    http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/audio/digital-media-players/digital-media-players/roku-3500eu-streaming-stick-22067491-pdt.html
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 28,630
    Jumping in on this thread, can anyone recommend any good, low-cost devices for watching cartoon HD app from ipad on my TV?
    Apple TV or something else?
  • shine166
    shine166 Posts: 13,918
    guinnessaddick said:

    Jumping in on this thread, can anyone recommend any good, low-cost devices for watching cartoon HD app from ipad on my TV?
    Apple TV or something else?

    http://store.apple.com/uk/question/answers/product/MC552ZM/B/how-do-you-connect-the-ipad-to-a-tv-to-watch-movies/Q9YAH2CTY9XHPXHKP
  • Salad
    Salad Posts: 10,189
    edited August 2014
    I waited to see if Amazon were going to offer something, they haven't, so time to act.
    Is it a toss-up between Roku, Apple and Chromecast?
    Also it looks like neither can charge from HDMI port so what do you do about keeping the charged?

    Like that Roku has a remote since I don't personally have smart phone etc. although rest of the family do.
    Apart from lack of remote, Chromecast seems best value.
    Don't like that The Apple box doesn't seem to do iPlayer or C4.
  • Glovepup
    Glovepup Posts: 1,743
    The Roku little boxes offer more streaming services than the stick. I have a Chromecast which is great for using with Plex (media server on my mac) and Netflix. Needs more apps.

    Roku is more expensive but personally I would go for one of them. Have an Apple TV that was leaving present from my previous job, hardly use it.
  • Airman Brown
    Airman Brown Posts: 15,734
    Salad said:

    I waited to see if Amazon were going to offer something, they haven't, so time to act.
    Is it a toss-up between Roku, Apple and Chromecast?
    Also it looks like neither can charge from HDMI port so what do you do about keeping the charged?

    Like that Roku has a remote since I don't personally have smart phone etc. although rest of the family do.
    Apart from lack of remote, Chromecast seems best value.
    Don't like that The Apple box doesn't seem to do iPlayer or C4.

    You can mirror it from an iPad though and the quality's very good.
  • LuckyReds
    LuckyReds Posts: 5,866
    Roku all the way. Got a Roku 3 last weekend, it took about 5 minutes to set up (no exaggeration) and then I simply selected the OD "channels" I wanted (4OD, iPlayer, 5OD and itv player.) and logged in to Netflix. I ended up signing up for Now TV too, mainly for the comedies.

    There's loads of other channels that may take your fancy too, like TED talks.

    The remote control is surprisingly good, and I did the obligatory angry birds session. The neat thing about the remote control is being able to plug headphones in to it. Especially useful with the Spotify app on there.

    The only downside; as an Amazon Prime subscriber it would've been a bonus for Amazon Instant Video to be compatible. But that's a small inconvenience as I never use it anyway. (Rumours are that Sky, a big backer of Roku, put pressure to stop Amazon being unable to take advantage of it.)

    I'm not a TV lover, and the truth be told I don't watch any TV really; only ever with the girlfriend. In fact I don't have a TV, I have the Roku plugged in to my big HD LCD that I run my computer on to. In the last week I've ended up changed surprisingly.

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