Fire Stick Versus Google Chromecast

[d000hg]

We're going to be holidaying for a month somewhere that has a TV but no convenient way of connecting it to the web or our saved digital media. From past experience trying to connect phones/iPads/laptops using cables is a pain in the arse - laptop works well once the screen sharing stops being confused but Amazon only lets you download videos to Android/iOS devices and we want to avoid streaming where possible due to expensive data charges. Whereas trying to get a cable from iPad to the TV to work is flaky at best, and we might have content saved onto phones, tablets, etc.

So we're looking at Amazon/Google dongles. My understanding is these offload stuff like iPlayer/Netflix onto the dongle itself, but allow you to actually play downloaded content directly from your phone/etc?

Is that the case for both or do they differ significantly? I was looking at the Fire stick and nowhere does it mention controlling it from your phone, which suggests maybe it ONLY supports streaming services not a local source...

Any advice which is better for our use-case: we want to stream Netflix AND play downloaded Amazon Prime content from our iPad and Smartphones (iOS and Android)... we plan to load up devices with Prime video content before travelling.

[Hobosapien]

Get both, they're cheap enough.

Or try the fire stick first if you're already paying for Amazon Prime. The fire stick is primarily aimed at streaming content via Prime Video (or Netflix etc if got a sub for those apps) but requires faffing around with third party apps to stream from phone/tables/network devices, unless mirroring is the chromecast equivalent. I've only used kodi so far so can't comment on suitability as a chromecast type device.

Chromecast is the opposite out of the box, primarily aimed at streaming from devices. Not got one as I don't have any current need to stream via my phone/tablet so the fire stick does what I need it to do.

[WTFH]

Would it be rude to suggest that going on holiday, maybe take a break from watching TV too? Get out, see the world, rather than watching missed episodes of Eastenders.

[Boo]

Would it be rude to suggest that going on holiday, maybe take a break from watching TV too? Get out, see the world, rather than watching missed episodes of Eastenders.

If the OP's job is getting out and seeing the world then maybe a holiday indoors watching TV is exactly what's required ?

Boo

[VectraMan]

Get both, they're cheap enough.

Or try the fire stick first if you're already paying for Amazon Prime. The fire stick is primarily aimed at streaming content via Prime Video (or Netflix etc if got a sub for those apps) but requires faffing around with third party apps to stream from phone/tables/network devices, unless mirroring is the chromecast equivalent. I've only used kodi so far so can't comment on suitability as a chromecast type device.

Chromecast is the opposite out of the box, primarily aimed at streaming from devices. Not got one as I don't have any current need to stream via my phone/tablet so the fire stick does what I need it to do.

Chromecast is primarily aimed at streaming from the internet; Netflix, YouTube etc. The big one that's missing is of course Amazon because they want people to buy their device. I use it with the Plex app to play content from the server on my PC but that can also play from a device; the only way I know to do it and you need to buy the app.

Being able to use a tablet to control what's on TV is great especially for wasting hours on YouTube.

[DallasDad]

Does said TV have an HDMI connection?

[d000hg]

Would it be rude to suggest that going on holiday, maybe take a break from watching TV too? Get out, see the world, rather than watching missed episodes of Eastenders.

And then when you get back in the evening it's nice to read a book or watch a film... plus we're here for a month to relax away from work and people, not explore!


Oh and yes the TV does have HDMI

[IPSE]

Oh and yes the TV does have HDMI

I've had no issues at all with a fully-loaded iPad with Lightning to HDMI converter.

[vetran]

Prime, its an Android dongle and you can load apps to it. sideload KODI or just load Plex & iplayer.


You can stream to it just load relevant apk. Most of the time ther is plenty on Prime

[b0redom]

I use the FireTV box. I've tried a number of different streaming devices, admittedly not the Chrome one though. I settled on the FireTV box as it supports:

Amazon (obviously)
Netflix
iPlayer
etc
etc

You can also install Plex and have it stream from your laptop (assuming you're taking your laptop).

The reason I settled for the box over the stick (which I also have) is that the stick struggles with uncompressed BluRay rips. I'm not sure if this is to do with bandwidth (as it's the stick is wireless only) or the CPU. It only struggled very occasionally, but it was enough to be off putting.