Shadow Moses

What would be the better option, going with a smart TV or a smart Blu Ray player? Most of the smart features I would be using are Netflix, WWE Network, and YouTube. Would a smart blu ray player be fine for that, or should I go the exter $ and get a smart TV? Thanks!

PhantomStranger

Most TV apps never get updated. While they work when you first get the Smart TV, their utility diminishes over time. Blu-ray players have some of the same problems, though the manufacturers have been better about updating them with new firmware.

A Smart Blu-ray player wouldn't be a bad idea if you also wanted to watch discs on the same unit. Know which streaming services the player handles, they are usually limited in that regard.

E Unit

Are you limited to those 2 only? Why not just get a Roku, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV? If you have and collect blu rays, then that's a good way to go. But I've found that using a USB stick like my Amazon Fire is faster. And portable if you plan to use it on different TV's in different rooms.

Trevor

This.

Shadow Moses

I have a decent amount of blu rays, so would it be better to go with a blu ray player over a streaming device?

eedoon

I have both TV and Blu-ray player with Internet function. Never care to use them. I'd rather plug my TV to a PC and do my task there. TV and player are not very good at doing the internet of things (mainly interface issue).

TheBigDave

+1

Get a standard TV & Blu-ray Player. Then also buy a Roku.

TV/Blu-ray apps suck. They're slow, glitchy and rarely get updates. You'll be much happier with a dedicated streaming device like a Roku 3.

Check out our Streaming Talk section for more info. There's threads for Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon FireTV.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/streaming-talk-75/

kgrogers1979

Are streaming apps on gaming consoles any better than a TV or BD player?

Spiky

PS3 is better, but you have to use a controller instead of a remote, unless you've spent a bunch to use a remote with it. So, I tend to use my Tivo or Roku for simplicity. The Roku has better apps, though. Tried my BDp, no interest in using it at all.

kgrogers1979

Is the PS4 compatible with Sony remote controls? I thought it was compatible through Bravia sync.

The only apps I really want are Netflix and Hulu. So Roku having a bunch of other apps doesn't really matter to me.

Eddie W

My LG smart TV comes with this horrible feature as a default called motion smoothing or something. It makes everything look like a 1980's soap opera. Now, I can turn it off for each input but not for the smart features. Since those are not an input.

I don't know if this is common across all manufacturers, but I do know most new TV's has this 'feature' enabled as a default. So the smart features on this dumb TV are useless. Unless I want everything to look like an episode of All My Children for some reason.....

tommyp007

100% agreement. I have a Roku3 and an Apple TV, and both are miles ahead of the apps on my BD player. The BD player just plays discs, everything else is watched on one of the streaming boxes.

Spiky

Apparently it doesn't necessarily require a Sony TV, but HDMI-CEC sucks.

The only Hulu app I like is on the Roku, probably similar on the other streaming boxes, but not on BDp, TiVo, etc, not sure about PS4. Netflix is the same on most of these devices, no worries there.

Shadow Moses

Does Amazon Fire/Roku/Apple TV run streaming services better than a PS3, or are they pretty comparable?

fumanstan

I feel like the console versions of apps are comparable to the dedicated streaming boxes, at least from my experience using a lot of Netflix/Amazon Instant video on my PS3 as well as a bit on my XBox One.

The ones on blu-ray players or Smart TV's have always felt much slower to me, both in loading up and navigating around. Functional, but clunkier.

aintnosin

Depends. If you only occasionally use streaming, that would probably be the best option.

If you like to watch a lot of streaming, something like the Roku or similar is a way better experience than the apps on your Blu-ray player (based on my trying both a Roku and Sony Blu-ray player).

One option would be a TV with the Roku player built-in (there aren't many and they aren't big brands).

Maybe Roku could license their software for a BD player or release their own player with the Roku software built-in. That would work for me.

PhantomStranger

The PS3 is a very good streaming device for the most part.

Shadow Moses

Thanks for all the info!

tbryson880

Why not just get both. Couldn't hurt.