You can buy and rent content from the Google Play store, too Other smaller apps support the product, but at the moment the range isn't as good as for the Roku - see our best Chromecast apps feature to see what else is available. UK-wise, there's support for Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BT Sport. It seems strange to us that Amazon hasn't improved support as it tries to compete with Netflix.Ĭhromecast is a lot more limited at the moment. If you use this, you'll need an iPhone or iPad and an Apple TV. Neither product supports Amazon Prime Instant Video at the moment. Regardless of what you're interested in, then, there's something available for everyone. For example, the Flixster service lets you rent or buy films. Some of the Channels require a subscription service or one-off payment to rent content, so there's a good mix available. It's good to see that music hasn't been forgotten either, with Spotify support. Then there are tons of Channels available, ranging from cookery shows to Kung-Fu movies. It has apps available for Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, Demand Five and Sky Now TV. App SupportĬontent is kind when it comes to a product like this and it's fair to say that the Streaming Stick is the hands-down winner. For example, Netflix works with Chromecast via the internet, Android and iOS. Generally speaking, if an app has Chromecast support for one platform, it will have support in all platforms. Currently, the system supports web apps via the Google Cast Chrome extension (Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS on Chromebooks), Android and iOS. The Chromecast is different, as it needs you to send content to it. Platform supportĪside from the optional remote control apps, the operating system you run has no impact on the Streaming Stick, as you control it all from the remote. It's a shame that it's not a DLNA media renderer, as this would give you similar functionality to the Chromecast on top of what the device is already capable of. With the Streaming Stick there's no way to send content from any device to it. It's also relatively easy for app developers to add Chromecast support into their existing apps (both for Android and iOS), so support should grow. This makes the Chromecast quite flexible. You can also control it using the Remote for Roku apps (Android and iPhone), which has the advantage that you can use the phone's soft keyboard to enter text for searching.Īpps that support Chromecast are quite varied, but it's not just about video, as you can also send music and photos from your Android device. With the Streaming Stick, it's completely different, as you get a full OS, which you navigate using the simple bundled remote control. Instead, everything you view on it must be beamed to it from a computer, smartphone or tablet - a process that Google calls Casting (see more later). The Chromecast doesn't have any kind of local interface and runs no apps natively. The downside is less range, although that shouldn't be a problem in most homes. We prefer 5GHz networking, particularly for streaming, as this band is less cluttered and doesn't suffer from the same interference as the 2.4GHz band. Networkingīoth products have 802.11n Wi-Fi built in, although the Streaming Stick is the only one to support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks. You can use a USB port on your TV for this job, but if you don't have any or they don't deliver enough juice, you can use the bundled power adaptors. Neither product has any other outputs, so if you want surround sound you'll need to hook them straight into an HDMI-enabled AV amp. We've not seen either product get in the way of other HDMI ports, but the Chromecast ships with an HDMI extension lead to avoid this problem the Streaming Stick does not.īoth products need to be powered via USB. Roku's Streaming Stick is a little bit narrower at 28mm than the 35mm Chromecast, which has a bulbous end. They look like USB memory sticks, only there's an HDMI adaptor at one end so that they can plug directly into a spare HDMI port on the back of your TV. Designīoth products have a very similar design. In fact, you pay a little extra for the Roku Streaming Stick because of the way it works and the extras it ships with. Roku's Streaming Stick is a little more expensive at £50, but that doesn't mean it's worse value. That pretty much makes it an impulse buy for a lot of people and helps explain why so many of them have been sold. PriceĬhromecast is the cheapest media streamer you can buy at just £30. We take a look at both of these devices here to help you decide which one is best for you. When looking at cheap media streamers, the obvious choice seems to be between Chromecast and Apple TV, but the real competition could come from the Roku Streaming Stick.
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