When the TV has nothing to offer, Streaming saves the evening. Suppliers like Amazon, Apple and Netflix deliver a huge selection of films and series on the Internet. From a 6-megabit Internet line, good HD quality is possible. Latest smart TVs bring the main streaming providers themselves to the screen. If this equipment is missing or is not user-friendly, jumping streaming boxes and sticks jump into the breach. They can simply be connected via HDMI to any flat screen TV, via WLAN they call the films and series of streaming providers. The fun is amazingly cheap: The popular Amazon Fire TV Stick and Google Chromeecast cost just 40 euros. The prices are up to the Apple TV for 170 euros and the Nvidia Shield TV for 230 euros.
Test-Fazit: Amazon Fire TV
In the test the stick from Amazon hit well (Testnote 1.47), the technique is consistently in order and the handling including voice control and fast menus comfortable. Who is not in the Amazon Universe, however, has to cut back on the functionality: Without Prime membership, there are films and series only with Netflix subscription, without Amazon-Cloud the streaming of photos and videos on the TV is cumbersome. The game selection is nice, it can even gaming controllers by Bluetooth pair. The larger box can also play 4K videos - from Amazon and Netflix. 4K playback is especially useful for early ultra-HD TVs that do not have their own apps for Amazon and Netflix. However, the TV at a 4K-compatible HDMI port must use the copy protection used by Amazon HDCP 2.
Apple TV: How Apple Is Your Living Room?
The fact that Apple devices work best within the in-house ecosystem is known - and wanted by Apple. The new Apple TV 4 is no exception: With the streaming box you can easily re-create all content from the iCloud and network the device with notebook and iPhone. Through iTunes you have access to a wide selection of music and movies, which are fun with 5.1 sound and full HD images. The latest version Apple TV 4 also has access to the App Store, the predecessors had only a small selection of applications. With Netflix there is next to the Apple's own offer a further streaming alternative. Other services can be transferred via AirPlay to the Apple TV - and thus to the TV. However, a prerequisite for this is an iPhone or iPad. The voice assistant Siri, who is well-known by the mobile devices, is to help in the search for apps and films. This works better in theory than in practice. On Apple TV, Siri is often on the tube and does not provide any useful answers. Gamers benefit most from the innovations of the Apple TV 4: Now synonymous video games run on the small Apple Box. For the gaming apps the memory is sized accordingly. The Apple TV 4 is available with 32 gigabytes and with 64 GB. Even the small version is priced at just under 170 Euros, the large for 230 euros is at most interesting for notorious app collectors. The operation goes smoothly from the hand and is typical of Apple. A functional advantage over all Amazon Fire TV variants: The remote control from Apple has volume buttons. The Apple TV is a remote control, while the competition with the TV remote control.
Test Conclusion: Apple TV
For owners of MacBook , iPhone & Co., the small box is a great way to easily bring movies, music and pictures via AirPlay function over the home network or the iCloud to the TV. ITunes has also been undefeated for a long time. This leads to a good test score of 2.26, even if one had expected from Apple more innovations.
Nvidia Shield TV - the better Android console
The flat shield box from the graphics chip manufacturer Nvidia works with the Android TV operating system. This gives the Shield a great app selection. The control works with a small remote control and a gaming controller. Class: In both Nvidia has a headphone jack built in. So you save yourself an ever-long cable to the TV. However, the main strength of the Nvidia Shield is its sheer power: you get jerked backwards, back through the menus, commands the remote control to turn it into wind ropes. YouTube videos, for example, start the shield in less than half the time compared to smart TVs or other streamers, a wait is almost no longer measurable. On appropriate Ultra-HD TVs, the Shield also provides 4K videos from YouTube or from the preinstalled Netflix app. Who own music, Photos or movies from the home network or from USB memories, can do that with the free Kodi app. The versatile Mediaplayer played in the test decently all tested image and sound formats. So uncomplicated the media playback with no other streaming player. Thanks to Google Cast compatibility, the Shield also receives streams from the PC from the Chrome browser, as well as from a number of smartphone apps with Cast functionality. »Order Nvidia Shield at Amazon Thanks to Google Cast compatibility, the Shield also receives streams from the PC from the Chrome browser, as well as from a number of smartphone apps with Cast functionality. »Order Nvidia Shield at Amazon Thanks to Google Cast compatibility, the Shield also receives streams from the PC from the Chrome browser, as well as from a number of smartphone apps with Cast functionality.
Test result: Nvidia Shield TV
The flat box by the graphic specialist has done so much fun as no other streaming player. The app selection is good, the price with 230 euro however violently. Nevertheless : In the test of COMPUTER BILD so far no streaming box better than the Shield with 1.18 (very good). Above all, she does the multimedia functions as a side job, as the Shield is a game console with access to the gaming platform "Nvidia Now".
Chromecast – eine echte Alternative?
Whose 100 euros and more for streaming boxes are too much, his gossip with Google's Chromeecast for small money: the stick costs only 39 euros , connects the TV to the Internet and streams online content or from the PC via Chrome browser WLAN on the TV screen. You can select the desired content with the apps from compatible streaming services such as Netflix , Maxdome or Juke . After a tap on the cast logo, the app will pass the web address of the desired stream to the Chromecast. The player fetches the video directly from the Internet, the smartphone is then ready for other tasks and not concerned with the streaming. The round version Chromecast 2 has become somewhat brighter compared to the older stick and delivers crisp full HD quality. Only photos lose their sharpness over the Chromecast.
Test result: Google Chromecast
The price is attractive: For 39 euros you can motivate your TV to a smart smart TV. For control, however, a smartphone or tablet is required, without running at the Chromecast. The selection of compatible apps is now neat. With apps like Kodi, photos and videos from the home network can be played. If you already have half-current smart TV, Google Chromecast does not need ( test score : 1.97 ). There is also the Chromecast Ultra . It invites videos to make a blink of an eye faster and also plays 4K videos from appropriate services such as YouTube and Netflix. Most UHD TVs can do this even without external streaming players.
Smart TV - streaming without streaming box
A majority of all currently sold TVs are smart. Smart TVs connect themselves via network connection and usually also with built-in WLAN with the Internet. Depending on the manufacturer, a different selection of apps can be installed. For most manufacturers this choice is better than for the streaming boxes: for example, Samsung, LG and Panasonic, for example, the Amazon Instant Video and Netflix streaming offer Maxdome and Videoload. In addition to YouTube, there are other video portals like Dailymotion or Vimeo and music videos. The smart TV platforms are also available on the market. The current smart TVs from Philips and Sony work with the Android TV operating system. Their smart features are similar to those of the Nvidia Shield, depending on the TV model but with a much slower working temperature. On all current Smart TVs, photos and videos can be easily streamed from iOS and Android devices. In addition, you can bring home media files from computers and network hard disks to the TV screen. And if it's simple, smart TVs play the most common file formats for music, photos and movies from USB storage devices. The fewest users of current Smart TVs therefore probably miss an external streaming box. Whilst, however, the sometimes decent performance of the Smart TV apps disrupts, should consider the purchase of a box. And with older devices you are not around the external feeders around, in order to use such services as Netflix and Amazon. In addition, you can bring home media files from computers and network hard disks to the TV screen. And if it's simple, smart TVs play the most common file formats for music, photos and movies from USB storage devices. The fewest users of current Smart TVs therefore probably miss an external streaming box. Whilst, however, the sometimes decent performance of the Smart TV apps disrupts, should consider the purchase of a box. And with older devices you are not around the external feeders around, in order to use such services as Netflix and Amazon. In addition, you can bring home media files from computers and network hard disks to the TV screen. And if it's simple, smart TVs play the most common file formats for music, photos and movies from USB storage devices. The fewest users of current Smart TVs therefore probably miss an external streaming box. Whilst, however, the sometimes decent performance of the Smart TV apps disrupts, should consider the purchase of a box. And with older devices you are not around the external feeders around, in order to use such services as Netflix and Amazon. Whilst, however, the sometimes decent performance of the Smart TV apps disrupts, should consider the purchase of a box. And with older devices you are not around the external feeders around, in order to use such services as Netflix and Amazon. Whilst, however, the sometimes decent performance of the Smart TV apps disrupts, should consider the purchase of a box. And with older devices you are not around the external feeders around, in order to use such services as Netflix and Amazon.