Roku or Amazon Fire.... (1 Viewer)

[Sailorsaint]

My dad has an older model TV, not a smart TV, just a flat screen HDTV. It has a USB port on the back. We have cut the cord and all he can get is OTA because it's not a smart TV. I've been thinking of subscribing to FuboTV so that he can get more channels but I don't have any experience with Roku or Amazon Fire. I know both are compatible with Fubo, but I need something with an easy to use interface because he is older and set in his ways. Seriously, if it is at all confusing he will not want to use it. I mean, he still complains about the apps on his flip phone!! Any advice would be helpful as I research these two devices.

 

[Zztop]

The tv will need a hdmi port. But between the two, roku is probably going to be the most user friendly. it is a lot less cluttered because the "home" page gives a simple grid of apps.

I don't use roku but I was reading about it. You can remove and arrange apps on the home screen. So it seems a lot more customizable and can make it more simple and basic

 

[Swampy Saint]

Last I read ( a few months ago), you can't have YouTube TV on Roku.
We have Youtube TV.
We personally use the firesticks and they work pretty well.

 

[Sailorsaint]

Thanks for the insight. I'm starting to doubt getting FUBO because it keeps freezing up while watching live events like football. It happens like every couple of minutes and is annoying. Not sure if it's my problem or their's, all I know is that Disney+, Paramount+, Prime Video, or any of the other's I've used don't have this problem. I have a few more days of the free trial to decide.

 

[fred8615]

FYI, you can get YouTube TV on a Roku. After the dedicated YouTube TV was dropped by Roku, Google just added it to the regular YouTube app.

 

[Cajun Mike]

The tv will need a hdmi port. But between the two, roku is probably going to be the most user friendly. it is a lot less cluttered because the "home" page gives a simple grid of apps.

I don't use roku but I was reading about it. You can remove and arrange apps on the home screen. So it seems a lot more customizable and can make it more simple and basic

I have a Roku, much prefer firestick or fierté!

 

[tomwaits]

We have multiple Rokus and we like them. My stepmother has a Firestick (but it may be older) and it is much slower.
Google sent me a free Chromecast and it works well also.

What I like about the Roku is that you can download the app on your phone and connect headphones to listen through your phone if you want to mute the TV.
You can also use your phone as a remote for Roku.

 

[Zztop]

I have a Roku, much prefer firestick or fierté!

we have got to consider the parameters though. The person seems very anti-tech, so in my mind it needs to be as simple as possible. As per the post: " but I need something with an easy to use interface because he is older and set in his ways"

my first thought about amazon firetv was all those rows of apps, with all those ad overlays, which might be too much information overload for the person.

Thanks for the insight. I'm starting to doubt getting FUBO because it keeps freezing up while watching live events like football. It happens like every couple of minutes and is annoying.

what device are you using?

 

[Sailorsaint]

we have got to consider the parameters though. The person seems very anti-tech, so in my mind it needs to be as simple as possible. As per the post: " but I need something with an easy to use interface because he is older and set in his ways"

my first thought about amazon firetv was all those rows of apps, with all those ad overlays, which might be too much information overload for the person.



what device are you using?

I'm testing out FUBO on my smart tv before I order it for my dad, his tv is not a smart tv, just HDTV. It has plenty of ports, HDMI, USB, etc. I tried watching MNF on it earlier tonite and it kept freezing up. I initially thought it was just loading or something, so I paused it and let it pre load about 5 minutes of the game, and it was still freezing up on me. Not sure why it does that, but I did read a few reviews where others were having the same issue. I don't really need FUBO on my tv because I already stream Prime, Disney+, Paramount+, etc. with the apps on my tv.

 

[Zztop]

I'm testing out FUBO on my smart tv before I order it for my dad

okay, but in my mind "smart tv" is pretty generic, need specifics.

if your smart tv uses roku, then that could indicate a similar experience. But if your tv uses say tizen or webos or android or anything else besides roku, then some apps could/and-or-will perform better or worse.

Basically not all apps are the same across all platforms, and so you want to eliminate all variables.

If you are really concerned, my best suggestion is get a roku, set it up and test it out at your home. This won't eliminate all variables though, because maybe his wifi or internet sucks compared to yours

 

[bigdaddysaints]

I have 2 ROKU TV's at my house. I find the interface clunky and slow compared to Amazon's and Google's interface. The Roku Tv in my living room, i ended up putting a FireStick on it, then later a NVIDA Shield. I just don't like how ROKU navigates, its too slow for me.

Edit: the only plus my ROKU TV has is when i have my antenna hooked up to it, I can plug a flash drive in the USB and can pause/record Live TV.

 

[Sailorsaint]

okay, but in my mind "smart tv" is pretty generic, need specifics.

if your smart tv uses roku, then that could indicate a similar experience. But if your tv uses say tizen or webos or android or anything else besides roku, then some apps could/and-or-will perform better or worse.

Basically not all apps are the same across all platforms, and so you want to eliminate all variables.

If you are really concerned, my best suggestion is get a roku, set it up and test it out at your home. This won't eliminate all variables though, because maybe his wifi or internet sucks compared to yours

It's not a Roku tv, it's a vizio with preloaded apps, not sure what "engine" it uses. All I know is that Fubo (pre-loaded) doesn't operate well while all the others do. All apps are loaded/updated when the tv updates. For instance, I didn't have Disney+ on it at first, until an update, now I have that app loaded. There is no way for me to manually load an app.

 

[FLEA]

It's not a Roku tv, it's a vizio with preloaded apps, not sure what "engine" it uses. All I know is that Fubo (pre-loaded) doesn't operate well while all the others do. All apps are loaded/updated when the tv updates. For instance, I didn't have Disney+ on it at first, until an update, now I have that app loaded. There is no way for me to manually load an app.

Sounds like an internet speed issue. Run a speed test and see where it is.

 

[Sailorsaint]

Sounds like an internet speed issue. Run a speed test and see where it is.

I routinely run between 60 and 65 mps. I have no streaming issues with any other streaming app, and I use quite a few including the "free movie" apps like Pluto. I run Disney+, Paramount, Prime, and loads of others with no problems at all.

 

[MLU]

Sorry I'm late to the thread. If you're still considering something, I would highly recommend the new Google Chromecast with Google TV for $50. The only real advantage the Roku has is that it can draw power from the TV USB port.

Of you need something with a decent amount of HDD space, get the Nvidia Shield tube.