If you’re looking to stream content directly to your television, you’ve basically got two options available to you: Apple TV or Roku. There are, of course, other options on the market today, but many are more expensive and provide less functionality than these two streaming boxes. With that determination, only one question remains: which is better?
Roku Gives You More Content For Your Money
Even though a majority of today’s apps originate from Apple, Roku tends to get new apps and services to its customers in a more timely fashion. With over 750 channels to date, you’ll get access to your Amazon Instant account, for instance, on Roku that you won’t get on Apple TV. Some of the new Roku equipment will even let you stream live TV to your various mobile devices through a connection with a Slingbox too! It’s fast, gives you a headphone jack, and ultimately gives you more portability when you want to stream.
Apple TV Gives You Better Paid Options For Streaming
Some traditionalists will utilize Apple TV simply because it’s an Apple product and there’s really nothing wrong with that. It might not give you access to Amazon Instant, but you do gain access to streaming content from your iTunes library. With the digital rights to movies coming up to a month sooner than DVDs or BluRay discs these days, this lets you pull your content that you’d normally watch on your computer onto your TV. Otherwise the apps that you would watch on the Roku are available on Apple TV too.
What About Music Streaming Services?
Apple TV and Roku are essentially tied when it comes to the music that can be streamed through the box. With Roku, you’ll get access to your favorite internet radio services, be able to log-in to access your stored channels, and play the kind of music you want to hear. With Apple TV, if you’ve subscribed to the iTunes Match feature that stores all of your music in the cloud, then you can access your entire library of content for music streaming whenever you want. That includes your custom playlists.
What’s the Verdict?
If you’ve already invested a lot into Apple products, then it makes sense to invest in Apple TV. You’ll have more all-around access to your content, stream it just as effectively as you would with Roku, and you can even mirror your Mac’s screens to show specific content on the TV is if you want. Because many of the good apps are subscription apps for both streaming boxes, if you don’t have a lot invested into content from Apple already, then it probably makes more sense to go with the Roku.
The bottom line is this: if you’re looking for live TV, make sure your provider allows for rights access to your streaming box of choice. Not all providers have access to both boxes, so be sure to verify that your cable or satellite provider will authenticate your box of choice. Apple TV vs Roku – the only clear winner here is you!
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