Hi, Looking for some advice please. I want to use my HDMI connection on a spare TV to connect to video streaming services using my wifi. Must be able to play BBC iPlayer, skygo, and Netflix. I have my eye on the Intel compute stick and was wondering if any has any experience with this or can recommend something similar. Thanks.
Chromcast is the cheapest and the best of the cheap ones. FireTV pushes amazon content before anything even when logged into netflix. Roku 3 ( 4 is very expensive) is probably the best tv streamer on the market or Apple TV both are far above whats offered on any of the alternatives but you pay for that. Apple TV is £59 Roku 3 is around the same cost both offer much better netflix experiences than chromcast
Left field suggestion: Xbox 360 I think Apple TV and Roku are the only devices that will do Sky's NowTV and Netflix on the same device, but NowTV isn't the same as Sky Go and you need a separate subscription. Other than a PC (like the compute stick), I think the 360 is the only cheap-ish non-PC device designed specifically for living room/TV use that can do Sky Go and Netflix (according to here and here).
I'd probably echo the suggestion for a '360 [- probably your most versatile device, as you specifically want sky Go.
Stick to Apple TV or Roku, Xbox 360 whilst a decent option will not please everyone. Depends where it's going to be out and who's watching it. If it's the wife or partner she will not want the Xbox in most cases. If it's for yourself then go ahead but the remote is extra and without it your using a controller that's not designed for to streaming. You can also use a PlayStation 3 / 4 or Xbox one if you have one for the same job. All 4 consoles offer support for all streaming services.
The 360 and PS3 are also decidedly not silent, which is an issue for some (main reason I don't use mine as a media box).
How do you plan on sending content to whichever device you will be using? We use a chromecast and have a laptop on the table in front of the couch. We usually just send youtube to the chromecast but if we want something else you can just cast the tab to the TV, works for most sites like ITV and BBC and you can maximize the video then alt tab to keep using the laptop.
PS3 is pretty quiet (mine is anyway), certainly a lot quieter than the 360 which sounds like an Antonov,
The 360 is also pretty quiet, particularly if you have one of the newer ones. The DVD drive is what makes most of the racket.
