Roku upgrade or find something else?

[Multicore]

Roku told us our old box is at end of support and get a new one. We use it to watch video streaming services and video files on a USB stick.

Before ordering a new Roku, what do you think? Upgrade or find a different brand?

Playing video files from a USB stick is less trouble than media servers like Plex, Emby, or UPnP/DLNA. But I have a local SMB file server. If a streamer could play media files from that, it might suffice.

(Unlikely hope: I'd be happy to have a device that also streams audio but only if it works with the projector turned off. If the UI requires a TV display then it's no use because we don't have one.)

 

[danzilla31]

Roku told us our old box is at end of support and get a new one. We use it to watch video streaming services and video files on a USB stick.

Before ordering a new Roku, what do you think? Upgrade or find a different brand?

Playing video files from a USB stick is less trouble than media servers like Plex, Emby, or UPnP/DLNA. But I have a local SMB file server. If a streamer could play media files from that, it might suffice.

(Unlikely hope: I'd be happy to have a device that also streams audio but only if it works with the projector turned off. If the UI requires a TV display then it's no use because we don't have one.)

I have the NVIDIA TV Stream Pro it's not cheap but I LOVE it

 

[jae]

Chromecast with Google TV? Accepts usb drives with a hub. Alternatively nvidia shield products. Most new smart TVs also have all of this stuff built in.

 

[Multicore]

Most new smart TVs also have all of this stuff built in.

I have a projector and no TV. It makes things more complicated.

 

[Sashoir]

I have a projector and no TV. It makes things more complicated.

I am in the same boat. I have an Nvidia shield pro, and that works without the projector being on (the shield is connected to a Sony receiver, which is connected to the projector). I've not tried it with a thumb drive though, as all my music and films are on a SAN.

 

[Multicore]

Chromecast with Google TV?

How to play local video files?

 

[Multicore]

I am in the same boat. I have an Nvidia shield pro, and that works without the projector being on (the shield is connected to a Sony receiver, which is connected to the projector). I've not tried it with a thumb drive though, as all my music and films are on a SAN.

What's network protocol? Does it plat from SMB (i.e. Windows file share)? I'd prefer that to the USB stick if it's not too fussy.

 

[escape2]

Playing video files from a USB stick is less trouble than media servers like Plex, Emby, or UPnP/DLNA. But I have a local SMB file server. If a streamer could play media files from that, it might suffice.

I have two older Roku devices: 3 and Premiere+. Both stream media from my local media server via Plex without any issues. Amazon FireStick does, too, but Amazon UI is too cluttered and littered with ads, so I much prefer Roku.

 

[Multicore]

Both stream media from my local media server via Plex without any issues.

I found maintaining a Plex server to be too much of a headache. It seemed to be a hobby in its own right. That was some time ago.

 

[escape2]

I found maintaining a Plex server to be too much of a headache. It seemed to be a hobby in its own right. That was some time ago.

Mine's running on Ubuntu machine. A while back it required manual updates, but nowadays it appears to be updating itself. I really haven't touched it in over a year.

 

[charleski]

If the Roku platform does everything you want, then I'd stick with it. The Nvidia is an excellent box, but it's much more expensive. The only real alternative in that price range is Amazon's FireStick, which is actually a bit more flexible (you can sideload apps like Kodi), but it's obviously oriented towards the whole Prime franchise.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Get the newer Roku. For music streaming you'll be happier with a dedicated streamer.

 

[tmtomh]

Get the newer Roku. For music streaming you'll be happier with a dedicated streamer.

Agreed on both counts.

 

[Sashoir]

What's network protocol? Does it plat from SMB (i.e. Windows file share)? I'd prefer that to the USB stick if it's not too fussy.

Indeed it does. You can set up Plex, Emby, or the other one on the Shield to access via SMB, or you can treat it as an end-point for UPnP/DLNA (I don't know the difference between those). Personally I use it (the Shield) as a Plex server for video, and as an end-point for MinimServer (Plex is a bit like Roon in that it imposes its own metadata, so I dislike it for music).

 

[Dj7675]

Roku told us our old box is at end of support and get a new one. We use it to watch video streaming services and video files on a USB stick.

Before ordering a new Roku, what do you think? Upgrade or find a different brand?

Playing video files from a USB stick is less trouble than media servers like Plex, Emby, or UPnP/DLNA. But I have a local SMB file server. If a streamer could play media files from that, it might suffice.

(Unlikely hope: I'd be happy to have a device that also streams audio but only if it works with the projector turned off. If the UI requires a TV display then it's no use because we don't have one.)

If you are ok with not playing from a USB stick… get an appletv 4k and purchase infuse6. It will play everything and organize it, cover art, descriptions etc. It is about perfect and we use it for ripped content (dvd/bluray). The only thing it will not do is play atmos encoded files. Plus my experience has been AppleTV 4k “just works” with minimal fiddling.

 

[jbattman1016]

I'm tempted to switch over to one of the Dune players for local media and leaving streaming to wither Roku or Chromecast.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I use a Plex server with Roku. Works fine on my 4k projector. I don't have to fiddle with it. It will do music, but I don't find it optimum for that purpose. I run the server on an old Windows laptop with attached hard drive for media storage.

Friends and family have Apple TV or NVidia or Firesticks. Don't see a difference in those really. I prefer the very simple ui of the Roku.

 

[Dj7675]

I use a Plex server with Roku. Works fine on my 4k projector. I don't have to fiddle with it. It will do music, but I don't find it optimum for that purpose. I run the server on an old Windows laptop with attached hard drive for media storage.

Friends and family have Apple TV or NVidia or Firesticks. Don't see a difference in those really. I prefer the very simple ui of the Roku.

Had nvidea shield… many seem to love it. I hated it. I found it difficult to set up, had lip sync issues, lost shares on me several times as well. Not for me.

 

[SKBubba]

Just get the latest Roku ultra. I have that, latest firestick, and chromecast with google tv. I keep going back to Roku for ease of use, plus, it always has all the apps.

The ultra also has your usb playback. Not sure about using it without a tv ui, but their tablet/phone app might work for that.

 

[Multicore]

We got a Roku Ultra and to my great relief it works with our HDMI switch/audio extractor that sends TOSLINK to the MiniDSP Flex. Yay!

The USB port is on the back, damned inconvenient, but I'll get a short extension cable. Ugly but should work. Maybe one day I'll again try setting up Plex, Emby, or UPnP/DLNA server.

For audio we can continue with the Moode Raspberry Pi and Amazon Music with Bluetooth LDAC.