What do you use to stream on your TV?

[Deset Gled]

I'm curious. When you sit down an watch something on TV that isn't broadcast, what is the primary device that you use to get the video? Like your movies on Netflix, YouTube, streamed network files, or whatever else you might watch from a digital source.

Do you have a smart TV and use the built-in apps? Do you use a Roku? X-Box or PlayStation? Apps on your cable box? An HTPC? Apple TV? An Amazon Fire Stick? Do you forgo anything but a standard DVD/Blu-ray player?

Going further, was your choice just the thing that was easiest to get running or did you put any TLC into the setup? Is there anything you particularly like or don't like? Does it do 4k, 8k, 16k, or anything else esoteric?

Personally, I primarily use an Nvidia Shield TV (which runs Android TV) and a game controller as a remote. I love it. Its great for streaming, has a well designed and snappy interface, and a ton of apps. The audio and video support is great, and it can handle things like retro game emulation very well. I've really come to prefer using a game controller to a standard remote; it's much faster. But my Shield is also getting a little long in tooth (it's the 2015 version), and Nvidia hasn't done a new hardware version since 2019.

Also, let's get these out of the way:
"I don't even own a TV, man."
"Television? I just watch everything on my phone/tablet/computer."
I'm very happy for you, but that's not the question asked. So kindly avoid thread-crapping, please and thank you.

 

[Distracted DM]

Nvidia shield, though it seems to be buggy with Plex. Not sure if it's Plex or the Shield.
That, and my google chromecasts, streaming from my phone or my computer. I learned that the chromecasts have been discontinued at some point, that's disappointing though not surprising considering it's a google product and they tend to dump more than half of the things they come up with

Oh, and clearly I primarily use Plex... but I also use Videostream.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

My TV, if I am using the older TV my phone. Very occasionally the xbox

I should say for the older TV chromecast and the phone.

 

[greymist]

Apple TV

 

[aco175]

I still have cable although the TV has some Samsung thing built in with some channels. Firestick turns on the others things like Disney and Netflix. Cable provides HBO and Showtime and Disney which is free with the phone plan provides Hulu. My daughter started working at Walmart so we now get Paramount. Amazon Prime gives us that one.

You would think I could find a movie to watch when I sit down. It's amazing how much junk is out there. Yuck and yum I guess.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Horrible Roku stick that I hate but that technically does exactly everything I need so cannot justify replacing because any kind of actual upgrade is like, 3x the price. 4K on a 4K TV, nothing esoteric. I did have to mess around with setup a bit to get it to actually always do 4K I note.

The biggest irritant is that it somehow constantly runs out of batteries in the remote. I have rechargeables so it doesn't cost anything really, but it's bloody annoying given you can just not use it for a week and somehow the remote is out-of-battery despite having been at like 30% last you checked. Other rechargeable battery-powered-devices and other remotes I have owned don't have this issue - I suspect that the remote never truly goes to sleep, even though it absolutely claims it does and acts like it does.

 

[TiQuinn]

We’re an Apple household so AppleTV. I know, boring.

 

[John Lloyd1]

DVD Player

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

While I have a newer TV, I made sure to not enable it to connect to the internet. Instead, I use an AppleTV with a VPN.

 

[Umbran]

I'm using a Roku Ultra.

Finally cut the cable TV subscription just last week - I was expecting my provider to make it difficult, give me a hard time, or try to sell me some deal to keep the cable, but... no. It was smooth and easy.