ATV4 Is it worth the upgrade? or are there better options for streaming

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Wills1

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#195846 8-May-2016 08:09

I currently have an ATV3 which I used for US Netflix. I've given up on the geo blocking as it all got too difficult. Lightbox app is not available on ATV3 either. What do those who have the ATV4 think of it? Is it worth the $300 price tag?

I'd like to get as many streaming options as I can, I am more interested in Movies than TV shows. Lightbox doesn't appear to have any movies.

The other option is the Fire TV box I have in the cupboard. Is Amazon actively blocking like Netflix and Hulu are? Is the Amazon content any good?

Any input appreciated.

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#1548185 8-May-2016 09:00

I am using a Fire TV. I have no issues with using DNS4ME and Amazon all just works compared with the dramas around Netflix. Amazon Prime has improved significantly in the last 12 months. We find we are watching more and more Prime content. Prime is probably not a NF replacement but it has certainly improved the content lately.

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davidcole

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#1548188 8-May-2016 09:19

For lightbox you can't beAt a chromecast at $70.

I'd like the atv4 also (have a 3 and an old 2 with a busted psu) - but that price tag is pretty steep. Lightbox is on there and to 3. I'm hoping, like annipad you can run apps from multiple stores on a single device. So my us and uk apps would work. But I need a few more on there.

What you could look at to tide you over until there are more apps on the atv4 is plexconnect on Apple tv3. Allows acces to local content via a plex server on your Apple TV (or you could just get the plex app and AirPlay). If you followed my suggestion and got a chromecast, plex is also on there.

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marlinz

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#1548194 8-May-2016 09:47

Wills1:

I currently have an ATV3 which I used for US Netflix. I've given up on the geo blocking as it all got too difficult. Lightbox app is not available on ATV3 either. What do those who have the ATV4 think of it? Is it worth the $300 price tag?

I'd like to get as many streaming options as I can, I am more interested in Movies than TV shows. Lightbox doesn't appear to have any movies.

The other option is the Fire TV box I have in the cupboard. Is Amazon actively blocking like Netflix and Hulu are? Is the Amazon content any good?

Any input appreciated.

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Tinshed

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#1548195 8-May-2016 09:48

I upgraded from ATV3 to ATV4 recently. To be honest, I am hard pressed to see much benefit, unless you are heavily into getting around geoblocking. I experimented with having different Apple IDs from different countries, and thereby getting apps from different App stores. These, plus Unotelly, worked reasonably well. After a while switching Apple IDs became a bit annoying and since I am trying to simplify the whole viewing experience, I stopped doing this. 90% of what I watch on my ATV4 is streamed from my iMac and that worked just as well with my ATV3. The remote has more functionality but I find the 'track pad' part of it overly sensitive. If there are more NZ Apps, such as FanPass, then it would definitely be worth upgrading.

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hairy1

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#1548196 8-May-2016 09:50

Yep. I was using HBO Now on Fire TV also but cancelled it for a few months as I wasn't watching it. I will get it back at some stage. Plex works flawlessly on Fire TV also. I really think the Fire TV will do everything you need it to do.

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old3eyes

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#1548258 8-May-2016 12:42

I have a ATV3 and Fire Stick. While I've had some issues with Netfix on the ATV I find that Amazon Prime has about 80% of the stuff I watch on US Netflix. If NF becomes too hard I'll cancel it and rely on Amazon fo content or go back to the old way. ;-)

Regards,

Old3eyes

Wills1

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#1548265 8-May-2016 13:13

old3eyes:

I have a ATV3 and Fire Stick. While I've had some issues with Netfix on the ATV I find that Amazon Prime has about 80% of the stuff I watch on US Netflix. If NF becomes too hard I'll cancel it and rely on Amazon fo content or go back to the old way. ;-)

Thanks for the comment. What the selection of movies like on Amazon Prime?

khull

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#1548301 8-May-2016 13:28

Prime app is coming to Apple TV - also don't forget HomeKit capabilities

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#1548313 8-May-2016 13:50

There is no need to switch profiles on the ATV4 to watch apps from various countries. Its only when you install them from app store that you need to switch to UK to get the BBC iPlayer etc. And the switching of accounts is really easy and don't require you to type in your password every time you switch account.

Being able to control the receiver, TV and AppleTV 4 box with the remote that comes with the Apple TV has really simplified the whole process of watching TV for us. (We only watch streaming content). The ATV4 also have apps like Plex and Kodi, so you can watch your own content on it as well.

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Kiwifruta

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#1548314 8-May-2016 13:53

khull: Prime app is coming to Apple TV - also don't forget HomeKit capabilities

Where did you hear about Prime coming to the Apple TV?

Smithy47

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#1548331 8-May-2016 15:32

Tinshed:

I upgraded from ATV3 to ATV4 recently. To be honest, I am hard pressed to see much benefit, unless you are heavily into getting around geoblocking. I experimented with having different Apple IDs from different countries, and thereby getting apps from different App stores. These, plus Unotelly, worked reasonably well. After a while switching Apple IDs became a bit annoying and since I am trying to simplify the whole viewing experience, I stopped doing this. 90% of what I watch on my ATV4 is streamed from my iMac and that worked just as well with my ATV3. The remote has more functionality but I find the 'track pad' part of it overly sensitive. If there are more NZ Apps, such as FanPass, then it would definitely be worth upgrading.

Once you have the App from the country you want you do not have to switch to use the App. The Apps even update without being on the country you got them from. Works great with dns4me with the DNS in the Apple TV 4. I think it is well worth the update. Once the store is in the ATV it is one click to get a new App.

Smithy

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#1548333 8-May-2016 15:53

I use both the Chromecast 2 and the FireTV - Both are very good devices.

With both devices you need to either put in some static routes (your provider should have a how-to) or use DNS redirection to get them to work. To be honest the ATV is pretty expensive for what it does.

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Tinshed

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#1548334 8-May-2016 15:56

@Smithy47 and @jarledb

Ah, maybe I need to take another look at that. Thanks for there tip!

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

CYaBro

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#1548361 8-May-2016 18:13

Not sure if you can compare the ATV4 with the cheaper devices.

It isn't just a streaming device, there are so many other apps that you can download, and they are only growing.

Kids love it for playing games as well as watching videos.

We are just waiting for DVBLogic to release their ATV4 app, that will talk to their server software, then we will be able to use the ATV4 to watch and record live TV.

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tdgeek

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#1548376 8-May-2016 19:35

CYaBro:

Not sure if you can compare the ATV4 with the cheaper devices.

It isn't just a streaming device, there are so many other apps that you can download, and they are only growing.

Kids love it for playing games as well as watching videos.

We are just waiting for DVBLogic to release their ATV4 app, that will talk to their server software, then we will be able to use the ATV4 to watch and record live TV.

Thats huge. Take Fanpass, it seems very good, but so much sport is in the wee hours. Can this be used to record via Fan Pass (which is live Tv sort of)

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