I use Roku. It works well for me.

We use the Chromecrast. It is so easy to cast Youtube videos or otherwise cast webpages.

You could also buy an HDMI cable and run it from your laptop to the TV. But the Chromecast is a lot easier. You still need an HDMI port for the Chromecast.

We have a Sony Blu Ray Dvd Player with the Netflix, Amazon, etc apps built in, and we stream using the remote. I bought it several yrs ago at Walmart for around $100. We had a Roku box before we got the Sony BluRay Player, and the Blu Ray Player is much easier to use than the Roku Box was. We all like it much better. I think that the Sony Blu Ray Players are cheaper now.

Our Blu-ray also has the apps which is good for Amazon and Netflix, but we do watch other things online not on those services.

I'm have no experience with those listed above, but we have a few Apple TV devices, and one Amazon Fire. I like both.

We have a smart TV with built in streaming and apps, but bought Fire Sticks for our secondary TVs because I wanted to be able to stream Amazon Prime content - and the price was right.

I have Apple TV and that works fine for me. Using the AirPlay app, I can show anything on my television that is streaming on my iPad. I've never used any of the other devices so I have no way to compare them.

Blu ray player, and the price has dropped so much on them it's worth it, then you can watchwatch Blu ray and DVD too. Mine is a Sony. I have a smart TV in another room wwith everything built in. I can also use my android tablet to stream from.

We have apple TV.

We too have Roku. I love the format of it's interface and it worked so well for us upstairs that we bought one for our downstairs too. I much prefer to it over our smart TV, a Panasonic Viera. The bonus is that it has a jack and set of ear plugs so it can be enjoyed by one if not everyone in the room is up to the tv noise.

We have Roku and Apple TV. I prefer the Roku user interface. We've had various Roku models over the years and have been happy with that brand

I have both AppleTV and Roku.

Funky, you can cast the tab of non Youtube videos. I could cast this GW page to the TV screen. We've streamed content from Yahoo daily concerts, but they don't work as well as things that are set up for Chromecast. I also need to use the laptop for Yahoo since the iPad doesn't work since they are competitiors.

If the content is developed for Chromecast, I can stream it from the iPad, like NFL ticket streaming, or sports on ESPN.

We have blu Ray players for streaming.

let me add; be sure your TV has the correct port for connecting the device you choose.

I understand you can cast content other than youtube videos-- but other than youtube, you can't stream the most commonly used streaming sites (netflix, amazon, acorn).

Good point, Funky. Especially since Amazon has their own Firestick, they do not want to be compatible with Chromecast!

We dropped our Netflix since much of the same movie content is available on Amazon or Amazon Prime, but that means we don't get the good Netflix series.

Eventually the Netflix series are on DVD, which you can get at the library :) that's where we first started watching House of Cards (and found the 1984 British version too. Such drama transcends time and continent.)

I like my Sony streaming blu ray player too. I have a Samsung smart tv, but it's not so smart after all -- glitchy, in fact. The blu ray player is more reliable, and i can show photos through it for viewing on the big hdtv (spectacular!) or play dvds or music cds.

Thank you all!

Your responses made my decision easy. I just purchased the Roku from BB. The sales person failed to mention the HDMI cable was not included, so I cannot yet report on the ease of set-up.

I had no idea BluRay doubled as a media streaming device. I'll keep that in mind if we use this enough to get another television, or upgrade the current TV.

We only have one small television in the house, so I appreciate everyone's expert advice!

I went back to BB and got the HDMI cable. The roku is up and running, and I think I'm going to love it. It's very easy to use, especially the app on my iphone. Lukki, I got the one with the headphone jack, thank you for pointing that out to me.

The problem now is that I only have one HDMI port on my TV, and had to unplug my cable box to plug in the Roku. Am I doing something wrong? Do I have to unplug/replug to switch back to TV?

gardener123,

Do you have Time Warner? If so, your TW can be accessed via Roku.

Go to channel store and add TWC. TWC is also available on Smart TV. No cable box is required.

Channel Store

1 Smart TV and 2 Rokus. However, since the end of the year I cannot stream Amazon videos on the Rokus. I saw an article that said Amazon was pulling the plug on maintaining capability with some TVs and streaming devices. I can't switch to the Fire Stick because my cable company (Spectrum Charter) has not negotiated access with Amazon.

Another one with both AppleTV and Roku. I have the ATV downstairs and it's great for streaming movies and music, as well as being able to share photos, videos, etc from everyone's iPhones when the family is all gathered. No more passing around a phone and squinting to view Grandson's t-ball practice, etc :)

The Roku we keep upstairs in the bedrooms, where we don't need the sharing via Airplay capabilities.

No more Amazon on Roku?? If that's really the case, it looks like I'll have to switch out the upstairs boxes for ATV.

I haven't streamed from amazon recently but Amazon Video is still on the list of channels available to watch/add. I will try to stream something in the next few days but based on a quick check, it hasn't been dropped.

Anyone else lose Amazon on Roku? I agree with Errant.. without amazon, the attractiveness of Roku is diminished. I can take or leave Netflix but Amazon and Acorn are my two most watched channels.

I don't have roku, but here's how to stream Amazon content on it. i don't know if it works for all generations of roku.

From Amazon

Streaming AP on roku

Amazon works fine on my Roku3..