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How is it not more cost effective and better performing AND nore flexible than an Nvidia shield or similar? Im not talking about Chromecasts here.

by tacker2000 4y ago

mindslight 4y ago
IMO there's this weird tendency for technologists to create a model of "normies" with no bespoke interests or self-actualization, and then argue that they're following fully-fleshed-out "normie" incentives rather than the actuality of advertising and product placement. Also I find it a bit disingenuous when people argue for the "less expensive" options that put you at the mercy of streaming companies. My amd64+Kodi+zfs+VPN setup certainly isn't the cheapest, but neither is a corporate puck with several monthly fees for streaming services. If one wanted to be entertained for the least money possible, I suspect that would just consist of using your current laptop/computer running a general purpose OS to play dodgy streaming sites. But most people seemingly want something more than that (which ties back in to my first paragraph).
- oarsinsync 4y ago
  As a technologist who’s run a fully fledged media PC since the days of Xbox Media Centre (before XBMC or Kodi or even Plex I think) with both Windows and Linux flavours, along with a USB IR remote control and wireless keyboard options… I simply got fed up of things randomly not working every year or two when a major upgrade was required, and the amount of effort that typically became required at the exact point that I was exhausted and just wanted to relax. So I gave in, switched to Plex, paid for a Plexpass lifetime account, and bought embedded devices that could stream content off my server. I have way less flexibility now that I’m on an AppleTV 4K. I also continue to get occasional headaches (e.g. recently the remote control randomly stops being able to control the volume), but the size of the headache is limited to pulling out a different remote control / turning all the things off and on again. Mental effort not required. I have a laptop that goes into the 4x2 HDMI splitter, and I occasionally whip that out if there’s a real desperate need. But it’s the absolute last resort. It’s just easier to use the ATV. It’s not that I lack the ability to produce a better PC based solution today, it’s that I lack the interest, and the $200 ATV is good enough that I’d rather throw money at the problem than time.
acdha 4y ago
Here’s the statement I was responding to: > dont see the benefit of these android based TV devices or Apple TV anymore. My point was simply that an Apple TV is significantly cheaper ($100-120 vs. the $200+ PCs people mentioned) and it has roughly a factor of two better performance. Now, it’s inarguably less flexible but most of that flexibility doesn’t help with things many people want to do, which was the original point: people buy these because “spend less, everything you actually use just works” is actually a pretty good sales pitch.

How is it not more cost effective and better performing AND nore flexible than an Nvidia shield or similar? Im not talking about Chromecasts here.

mindslight 4y ago

IMO there's this weird tendency for technologists to create a model of "normies" with no bespoke interests or self-actualization, and then argue that they're following fully-fleshed-out "normie" incentives rather than the actuality of advertising and product placement. Also I find it a bit disingenuous when people argue for the "less expensive" options that put you at the mercy of streaming companies. My amd64+Kodi+zfs+VPN setup certainly isn't the cheapest, but neither is a corporate puck with several monthly fees for streaming services. If one wanted to be entertained for the least money possible, I suspect that would just consist of using your current laptop/computer running a general purpose OS to play dodgy streaming sites. But most people seemingly want something more than that (which ties back in to my first paragraph).

oarsinsync 4y ago
As a technologist who’s run a fully fledged media PC since the days of Xbox Media Centre (before XBMC or Kodi or even Plex I think) with both Windows and Linux flavours, along with a USB IR remote control and wireless keyboard options… I simply got fed up of things randomly not working every year or two when a major upgrade was required, and the amount of effort that typically became required at the exact point that I was exhausted and just wanted to relax. So I gave in, switched to Plex, paid for a Plexpass lifetime account, and bought embedded devices that could stream content off my server. I have way less flexibility now that I’m on an AppleTV 4K. I also continue to get occasional headaches (e.g. recently the remote control randomly stops being able to control the volume), but the size of the headache is limited to pulling out a different remote control / turning all the things off and on again. Mental effort not required. I have a laptop that goes into the 4x2 HDMI splitter, and I occasionally whip that out if there’s a real desperate need. But it’s the absolute last resort. It’s just easier to use the ATV. It’s not that I lack the ability to produce a better PC based solution today, it’s that I lack the interest, and the $200 ATV is good enough that I’d rather throw money at the problem than time.

acdha 4y ago

Here’s the statement I was responding to: > dont see the benefit of these android based TV devices or Apple TV anymore. My point was simply that an Apple TV is significantly cheaper ($100-120 vs. the $200+ PCs people mentioned) and it has roughly a factor of two better performance. Now, it’s inarguably less flexible but most of that flexibility doesn’t help with things many people want to do, which was the original point: people buy these because “spend less, everything you actually use just works” is actually a pretty good sales pitch.