Streaming Device

 You’ve made the choice to dive into the world of streaming TV service, and now you need a streaming media device. Let’s take a closer look at what these devices do and some of the top options to consider as you shop. 

What is a streaming device?

Streaming media devices connect your TV or home theater to the internet, allowing you to stream content (video, music, movies and sports) through a streaming TV service provider or app.

Smart TVs are essentially a television with streaming apps built-in. In many cases, you won’t need a separate remote or added device, since it’s all contained within the smart TV.  

Dedicated streaming media devices, like an Apple TV or Roku, offer an impressive range of options for viewing content on your TV. And, as long as your TV has an HDMI port, you won’t need to buy a whole new television. These handy devices typically come pre-loaded with dozens of the most popular streaming "channels" (essential apps), and you can add more when you want to. When you turn them on, they are fully configured, making these devices a convenient option. 

 

Many Blu-ray players and newer video game consoles also act as streaming devices, with a few limitations. If you already own one of these, it’s worth considering as it may save you buying an additional piece of equipment.

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With streaming TV providers like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, all that has changed. You can now bundle your own favorite shows, channels, and interests, curating a personalized collection of video content. The choices are almost limitless — you can have streaming only, streaming plus cable or satellite, or streaming plus antenna. What’s more, producers are now able to create more diverse shows for a huge range of viewer categories, not only appealing to the masses. This means there are simply more specialized options out there for just about any interest, style, or demographic group. The control now sits with you, the viewer.

How do streaming devices work? 

Streaming devices generally work the same way, though the size and shape may vary. Most of them are simple to set up — you connect the device to your television with an HDMI cable (or, in the case of a “stick” device, directly into the HDMI port). Then you connect it to your home WiFi service (or your modem/router). The content you subscribed to will now stream through your television set. 

A “casting” device (like Google Chromecast and others) works a little bit differently. With these, you play your desired media on another device such as a laptop or tablet. The device then transmits the media over your WiFi connection and displays it on your TV, allowing you to enjoy it on a larger screen.

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Most streaming devices also allow you to browse a huge range of additional channels that you can add to access different content. Some channels require their own paid subscription, while others are free. You will also find a mix of both live streaming services and on-demand services available on your device. Even better, streaming devices aren’t just for video – most also allow you to listen to music through streaming services, view your online photos, and more.

Examples of Media Streamers

Popular media streamers include boxes and streaming sticks from Roku, Amazon (Fire TV), and Google (Chromecast). All these devices can stream video, music, and photos from services that may include Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, Vudu, Flickr, and hundreds, or thousands, of additional video, music, and special interest channels.

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However, these devices cannot download content to memory for later playback. On the other hand, some streaming services do provide the option of Cloud Storage in lieu of downloading. Some network media players have built-in storage to store streamed or downloaded content.

The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Generation Apple TV could also be called media streamers, especially when comparing them to the first-generation Apple TV. The original Apple TV had a hard drive that would sync — that is, copy the files — with iTunes on your computer(s). It would then play the files from its own hard drive. It could also stream music, photos, and movies directly from open iTunes libraries on your computers. This would make the original Apple TV both a media streamer and network media player.

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However, subsequent generations of Apple TV no longer have a hard drive and can only stream media from other sources. To view media, you must either rent movies from the iTunes store, play music from Netflix, Pandora, and other internet sources; or play music from open iTunes libraries on your home network computers. So, as it stands, Apple TV is more appropriately described as a media streamer.