Differences

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--- app:other_tv_options [2026/04/24 03:30] – [Option 1 - add an HDMI device] neds
+++ app:other_tv_options [2026/07/27 23:14] (current) – neds
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 <WRAP indent>
-=== Supported options ===
+==== Recommend me a device ====
 <WRAP indent>
-The first thing to check is if you already have an "external" device that can be used with your existing TV set, via the HDMI port. The HDHomeRun supports [[:Apple TV]] (the physical streaming device that is a small black box, not the streaming service), [[:Fire TV]], [[:Roku]], [[:Android TV]], [[:Google TV]], and [[:Xbox]] (One or Series).
+If you don't already have a device that you can run the HDHomeRun app on, and need to purchase a device for your unsupported TV:
+<WRAP important>SiliconDust has no official affiliations or partnerships with the below recommendations, and receives no compensation for these links. Since these are third party products under the control of another company, we cannot guarantee 100% that they will always work, but we do take care to only recommend options that are generally safe purchases, and things that we have actually used ourselves and recommend to our own friends and family.</WRAP>
+  * **USA**
+    * **Budget - ** the Onn 4K Google TV Streaming Stick is in stock at most Walmarts and will ship to just about any location in the US, and only costs about $40 USD. It is particularly well supported by the HDHomeRun app: https://www.walmart.com/ip/ONN-4K-STREAMING/18355665352
+    * **Top-of-the-line - ** the Apple TV 4K, even if you don't have other Apple devices. It still supports all of the major streaming apps, our own app works very well on it, and it's one of the few options that is very easy to use and doesn't put advertisements on their home screen. https://www.apple.com/us/shop/goto/buy_tv/apple_tv_4k
 </WRAP>
-=== Recommend me a device ===
+==== Supported options ====
 <WRAP indent>
-If you don't already have a device that you can run the HDHomeRun app on, and need to purchase a device for your unsupported TV:
+The first thing to check is if you already have an "external" device that can be used with your existing TV set, via the HDMI port. The HDHomeRun supports [[:Apple TV]] (the physical black box, not the streaming service), [[:Fire TV]], [[:Roku]], [[:Android TV]], [[:Google TV]], and [[:Xbox]] (One or Series).
-<WRAP important>SiliconDust has no official affiliations or partnerships with the below recommendations, and receives no compensation for these links. Since these are third party products under the control of another company, we cannot guarantee 100% that they will always work, but we do take care to only recommend options that are generally safe purchases, and things that we have actually used ourselves and recommend to our own friends and family.</WRAP>
+^ ^  Apple TV  ^  Google TV  ^  Fire OS  ^  Xbox  ^  Roku  ^
+^ Live TV |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |
+^ Recording TV (DVR) |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |
+^ TV guide |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |
+^ Live TV pause and seeking |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes[(Lower end Roku models might be slower to seek)]  |
+^ Audio on very old TVs and projectors |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  Yes  |  [[:app:roku#No_audio|See notes]]  |
+^ Handling reception interruptions |  Better  |  Better  |  Better  |  Better  |  Basic[(If reception dips too low then the Roku video player will stop. Most customers can improve antenna reception to counter this. See: **[[:troubleshooting:reception_issues|Reception troubleshooting]]**, **[[:troubleshooting:signal_strength_quality|Understanding Signal strength and quality]]**, and **[[:antenna|Antenna selection guide]]**)]  |
-  * **USA** the Onn Google TV 4K is in stock at most Walmarts and will ship to just about any location in the US, and only costs about $25 USD. It is particularly well supported by the HDHomeRun app: https://www.walmart.com/ip/ONN-4K-STREAMINGBOX/16641817510
+~~REFNOTES~~
 </WRAP>
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 </WRAP>
-===== Option 3 - Third party apps =====
+===== Option 3 - A new TV =====
 <WRAP indent>
+We don't actually recommend this option. Most built-in "smarts" in today's smart TVs will be "outdated" long before the actual TV stops working, and because of that, we tell customers to not worry about what "smart OS" the TV actually runs. Buy the TV with picture quality that you want, at the price that you want, and then if the built-in smarts don't meet your needs, then go with an external HDMI device tucked behind the TV set. Most will integrate with the TV enough that you won't even need multiple TV remotes.
+If you really want to buy a TV with built-in support for the HDHomeRun app, then look for TVs that specifically advertise running "Google TV", "Fire TV", or "Roku". These are sold under many brands, including Sony, TCL, Hisense, Onn, Element, and more.
 </WRAP>