So we are looking for something to stream content to the TV. Does anyone have experience with the Amazon Fire device vs the Roku device? Trying to determine (since we are not gamers and would mostly use it to view Netflix and/or Prime material) if the quad processors are really necessary and if we'd see an increase in speed without also increasing our ISP connection.
I saw that cnet put them head to head and Roku beat out Amazon mainly on layout and content. We do not yet have a Blue Ray player.
I have not used Amazon Fire, but I have used Roku. We set it up at my parents' cabin off their wifi (not sure of their speed). We stream netflix and Amazon Prime without any issues.
I've not tried either, to be honest. We use the kids' xBox for streaming content.
I just wanted to share this resource with you. It has all the reviewed streaming devices available. You can choose which services you want on it and it will narrow down the field so you can see which has the best reviews and which will meet your needs. Hope it helps! http://www.cnet.com/topics/media-streamers/
Not familiar with either of them first hand. But, just another thought to throw into the mix... do you already have a bluray player? You can plug a bluray wi fi player up to your TV that has apps for Hulu plus, Netflix, and pretty much everything. I'm not sure what the Amazon device costs (or what else it might offer besides streaming capability), or the current iteration of Roku, but you can pick up a wifi bluray player for under $100.
That's what the kids use in our living/game room to watch Netflix all the time. And Huluplus. They have a PS3 in there, too, but I think it uses more power, so they only use it to actually game.
-ETA
Here is a link to an article posted today on the sticks. Some of the info might be of use to you (also the comments--people there have some of these things, too).
The biggest thing to take care about is read what the requirements for whatever device you buy, and be sure what you intend to connect it to is compatible. Some require USB ports, some HDMI ports. Some of the newer TVs (the less expensive ones normally) have them, but maybe only have one or two--and you may already be using them for other things. So be sure you will be able to hook them up the way you intend. All the info should be on the box (or in the tech info for online products).
We have a Roku which we love and we also have a PS3. So with our Hulu Plus and Netflix subscriptions we are comfortably set. For less than $20.00 a month.
I have a Roku hooked up to a older in my bedroom. I love it and use it all the time. Sometimes I move it to the even older tv in the basement when I'm doing something down there.
I have not yet tried Fire TV but Amazon was doing a $19 pre-order promo on the stick version so I decided to grab one to try on the newer TV in our living room. It hasn't been released yet though. We currently use a PS3 to stream on the newer TV, but I think the stick will be better for it than going through the console.
(Older CRT TVs don't have HDMI slots, so they won't work with a Fire TV box or stick.)
