Alternatives to Roku

[Starlionblue 82]

I've had my Roku Streaming Stick + and used it for Emby, YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV+. It has worked great for several years.

However, in the past six months or so, it has sometimes struggled, with weird glitches, pauses, dropped video signal. My setup has the Roku stick plugged into my receiver.

Without starting a turf war, what do you think is the best small streaming device for Emby and all that other stuff? Apple TV? Amazon Fire? A new Roku?

I realise this is a somewhat vague question.

 

Edited February 27, 2025 by Starlionblue

[Luke 42077]

Android TV, Apple TV, Xbox, Samsung or LG

[Sammy 790]

ShieldTV

Onn Google TV

TCL QM8 TV's are great budget TV's that get the job done. I use Ethernet and play high bit rate mkv's through mine.

 

[Starlionblue 82]

Thanks for the answers.

I have a Samsung TV but I've never gotten around to installing the Emby app on it as I couldn't find it in the app store.

Apple TV might be the solution. I just need it to support all the common streaming platforms and Emby.

 

Any region locking gotchas I need to be aware of? Like are the apps available and so on?

 

I also need the thing to work with my Harmony remote, but I'm fairly sure Apple TV is fine with that.

Edited February 27, 2025 by Starlionblue

[SamES 1056]

5 hours ago, Starlionblue said:

I have a Samsung TV but I've never gotten around to installing the Emby app on it as I couldn't find it in the app store.

What TV model and region are you in?  There have been quite a few additions over the past few months, and we can add countries that are missing

[ebr 16169]

10 hours ago, Starlionblue said:

Apple TV might be the solution

If you are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, then yes.  If not, I suggest an Android device.  Either fire or Google CC.

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

I do NOT recommend any app actually built into the TV or Apple TV at all. I have Rokus, Fire sticks, and a Shield TV that I use regularly. I also have an Apple TV box that was forced on me by my internet provider but it is almost completely unused and when I tried to use it I found it clumsy and hard to use. I think I will soon trash the Apple TV box as all it does for me is use a little electricity and gather dust.   

My feeling is that people need more than one streaming box but that should not include Apple TV.

[Starlionblue 82]

15 hours ago, SamES said:

What TV model and region are you in?  There have been quite a few additions over the past few months, and we can add countries that are missing

The commercial name is 75" Q950TS QLED 8K Smart TV (2020). The "About this TV" page says the model number is QA75Q950TSJXZK.

I am in Hong Kong.

Edited February 28, 2025 by Starlionblue

[Starlionblue 82]

Update to my glitch. For some reason HDMI CEC was toggled on in the receiver. As I understand it this allows the TV to control the receiver.

I turned it off and so far no glitch. We shall see.

[Sammy 790]

1 hour ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

I do NOT recommend any app actually built into the TV or Apple TV at all. I have Rokus, Fire sticks, and a Shield TV that I use regularly. I also have an Apple TV box that was forced on me by my internet provider but it is almost completely unused and when I tried to use it I found it clumsy and hard to use. I think I will soon trash the Apple TV box as all it does for me is use a little electricity and gather dust.   

My feeling is that people need more than one streaming box but that should not include Apple TV.

I used to think like this but the Google TV built into my TCL QM8's does a fantastic job. If there comes a day when it cannot decode whatever format comes forward I'll recalibrate but with Atmos and DV, HDR10 and dtsx built in I think I'm good for a while. 

You can send me the apple TV box if you like, though. I need something for karaoke on the back patio! 

[SamES 1056]

7 minutes ago, Starlionblue said:

Is a QA75Q950TSJXZK according to "About". The commercial name is 75" Q950TS QLED 8K Smart TV (2020).

 

I live in Hong Kong.

Thanks. Can you please check if Emby is currently available in the App Store?

[Starlionblue 82]

5 minutes ago, SamES said:

Thanks. Can you please check if Emby is currently available in the App Store?

Sorry should have done that earlier. Anyway it is not. Does not show up in search or browsing the Video category.