MSFT equivalent to Apple TV?

[Peter Rundqvist]

Hi,
Does anybody know if MS have some kind of Apple TV competitor in the works?

 

[realwarder]

There are so many boxes like that. Some have succeeded like Roku and some have failed like Google TV.

The Miracast type of device that lets you broadcast anything from your phone or PC is the current cheap and flexible offering.

Or you have the Xbox One it is a nice integrated media player and even TV channel manager. And also has Netflix etc. on it.

 

[Kevin Rush]

What features, exactly, are you looking for? How do you want to use it? Xbox 360s have a huge selection of Apps, including YouTube, Vimeo, Crackle, Amazon, HBO GO,, CinemaNow, Hulu, Netflix, IheartRadio, ESPN and too many others to mention. You can cast to it and there is a OneDrive app and BING search. If you want live over the air (OTA) and/or Cable TV, even copy protected (DRM) cable TV (HBO, Showtime ...) just add Windows Media Center with a tuner card (Ceton XfiniTV or Silicondust) and you'll also have multiple tuners and unlimited DVR in a system that can be expanded to a whole house audio/visual media system by just adding Xbox 360s to each TV.

 

[LockOnTech]

I know microsoft has a wireless display adapter, perhaps you may give that a try. I have a chromecast, the only thing I was able to do is use tubecast to mirror youtube to chromecast.

 

[Peter Rundqvist]

Yeah - I know about the Media Center stuff, but, do they plan to release something that is plug-and-playable as the ATV? I would love it!

 

[Blacklac]

It would be dead in the water, unless it had some MAJOR gimmick/feature. Roku and Fire TV are too advanced and have too many content deals. Maybe Cortana could be a draw, I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple TV brought Siri to the next Generation update. I still don't think Cortana would be enough.

This is just my opinion. This is an area where you don't want a ton of competitors. Just enough to keep innovation coming. The more choices content providers have to make special deals with and exclusive content, just hurts the consumer. You don't want to have to buy +3 boxes just to get all the content you want.

Just buy a Roku and/or Fire TV. They are dirt cheap at entry level. No waiting for the platform to grow, or hope one day it will... Casting/mirroring works fine on both, as well.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[LockOnTech]

It would be dead in the water, unless it had some MAJOR gimmick/feature. Roku and Fire TV are too advanced and have too many content deals. Maybe Cortana could be a draw, I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple TV brought Siri to the next Generation update. I still don't think Cortana would be enough.

This is just my opinion. This is an area where you don't want a ton of competitors. Just enough to keep innovation coming. The more choices content providers have to make special deals with and exclusive content, just hurts the consumer. You don't want to have to buy +3 boxes just to get all the content you want.

Just buy a Roku and/or Fire TV. They are dirt cheap at entry level. No waiting for the platform to grow, or hope one day it will... Casting/mirroring works fine on both, as well.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

Just as with any other device, no matter where you go; you may run into specific exclusive services or channels, can't be helped.

 

[RumoredNow]

Moved to appropriate forum...

As per this advice: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ask-question/292973-who-should-post-ask-question-forum.html WC members are free to post in all areas of the board. Please use Ask a Question only for time critical help issues that affect the immediate functionality of your device.

 

[Don Geronimo]

I second the opinion of others here and recommend the Roku Streaming Stick, or the Amazon Fire TV Stick, depending on the services you use to consume. At 35$ for the Roku you'd get Miracast support you can use to cast Windows devices to your TV, plus use your streaming media services, with the exception of Xbox Music (Groove Music), Xbox Video (Movies & TV), or any of Apple's services.

Reason being, there is no Microsoft-made device like the Apple TV that can compete in its price point. The Xbox One can certainly fit the bill, but at 349$ it's not on the same price tier.

 

[Blacklac]

Just as with any other device, no matter where you go; you may run into specific exclusive services or channels, can't be helped.

Sure, but would you rather have them spread across 2-3 platforms or 4-6?

Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV cover all we really need for streaming set top devices, ATM. The point of these devices is to make life convenient and "cut the cord" and possibly save a few $ vs cable. Having to buy 3-4 devices would make alot of people jaded and potentially push people back to cable subscriptions. At ~$80-100 a pop, buying one or two is fine. Buying 3 or 4 is starting to become expensive. Let's not forget, alot of people will upgrade the hardware every couple years.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[muneshyne21]

How about an intel pc stick with plex on it or something? Does that count?

 

[Ed Boland]

How about an intel pc stick with plex on it or something? Does that count?

That's what I use! Well, PLEX anyway.. that's the beauty of PLEX, it works and is available on just about anything.

The Roku box is a good suggestion. Also, I've heard good things about the WD Live boxes. (Western Digital brand media server/TV box)

 

[rambo47]

The short answer is that no, Microsoft does not have anything like the Apple TV. Nor are there any (known) plans for such a device.

 

[RumoredNow]

I started with a Roku 2 XD... Went to a Sony NSZ-GX7 Google TV box... Now I have a Sony smart Blu Ray Player. I feel this last choice is about right. It streams and it will also play my disks at a reasonable price. Free streams are worth what you pay for them... Media server (like Plex) is nicer, but a lot of work to keep refreshed with content and the paid streams are over-priced for what they actually offer since you can't find all of your tastes at one outlet.

At the price point and functionality of this tech, I'm surprised at how many players are trying to get in. IMHO it is a pretty saturated market and Microsoft already has enough ways to stream that they don't need a stick or a set top box. It would be a waste of R&D for them.

 

[Kevin Rush]

... Media server (like Plex) is nicer, but a lot of work to keep refreshed with content ...

May I ask, what is "the work" of keeping Plex refreshed with content? The reason I ask, is that I always hear about Plex and other media center software, but I use Windows Media Center and there isn't any work to refresh the content on WMC. I just set the TV shows/series and movies (plus HBO, ShowTime, ...) to record, on the guide, and they do. Just curious about Plex.

 

[RumoredNow]

The way I used Plex was to enable other devices on my home network to view whatever was in a "Share" folder. Therefore the content in the folder was only what I placed there. I never "subscribed" to any content. I curated the folder myself ripping DVD's from my collection and placing them there in a streamable format.

https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...l=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.plex.tv%2F&token=xc9xmc6s

 

[Qtweeder]

popcorn time playing to xbox ones dlna

 

[michail71]

The Miracast type of device that lets you broadcast anything from your phone or PC is the current cheap and flexible offering.

Or you have the Xbox One it is a nice integrated media player and even TV channel manager. And also has Netflix etc. on it.

Sadly Miracast is nowhere near in the same class. It's archaic and not terribly useful compared to apple TV. You can't even stream audio from a phone to it. As soon as the lockscreen kicks in the Miracast connection is terminated and must be completely repaired.

I've never tried an Xbox One but I have my doubts it would give the same experience. Apple TV allows audio and video on your phone to treat the apple TV as an independent system device, which is a very powerful thing as it's not app dependent.

Apple must hold some patents because everything else I've tried sucks in comparison. Chromecast comes in a distant 2nd place if you have an android phone.

I've got iPhone users and android users in my house. I just can't do the things they can as far as media streaming and sharing.

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

I recently bought an HP Stream Mini, and I have to say that it's a pretty cool little device. My wife and I use it mainly as a Netflix portal. I also installed all of my Nintendo and Super Nintendo ROMs on it and, with my Xbox controller, revisit my youth every once in a while. ha ha

 

[Jack Neill]

I have seriously considered that Mini for that purpose, I would love to play Mario cart 64 again...