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The best streaming boxes these days? A not-too-outdated laptop that's been retired from everyday use. Sure, it's bulkier than your 'streaming box' but it can do

The best streaming boxes these days? A not-too-outdated laptop that's been retired from everyday use. Sure, it's bulkier than your 'streaming box' but it can double-duty as a backup laptop for browsing or play some basic indie games on the TV. Install an ad-blocker, install your browser of choice. It probably already has Windows 10 or 11, so you're good to go - you can even install a VPN and unblock various regions for streaming services. With a decent amount of on-board storage, and all of that - you can set it up to be an HTPC. Most laptops within the last 3-4 years will support 4k over HDMI. Those with a discrete GPU definitely will. If it has an integrated GPU, with intel 610 or newer - it most likely will. You can buy a remote and an IR sensing dongle. Or go with a small handheld keyboard and touchpad.

skrrtww 4y ago
Not the best option honestly, a lot of services offer a crippled experience through the browser or on desktop OSs in general. Not to mention HDMI copy protection and the ever-evolving requirements to circumvent it. For the moment I'm happy with my Apple TV and Plex/Jellyfin, but the situation feels a bit precarious.
dewey 4y ago
What I want from a streaming box: I click a button, it wakes up, I can play whatever I want including stuff I downloaded (Plex). This is exactly what the Apple TV gives me. What I don't want from a streaming box: Install updates, have a bulky laptop stand next to my tv, install an ad blocker, have a browser, add dongles to then use some control with many buttons.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  >What I don't want from a streaming box: Install updates, have a bulky laptop stand next to my tv, install an ad blocker You don't need an ad-blocker: you can just watch lots of annoying ads. If you don't like that, you need an ad-blocker. Almost no one wants to give you a service that isn't full of ads. Remember, they promised this with cable TV back in the early 80s: "pay a monthly fee for our TV service and you'll never have to watch ads again!" It was a lie. Anyone promising the same today is also lying.
  - dewey 4y ago
    I'm using YouTube Premium, Netflix and Apple TV+, there's no ads on these services.
    - shrimp_emoji 4y ago
      I'm using torrents and mpv, there's no ads on these services :sunglasses:
    - midoridensha 4y ago
      Yep, that's exactly what the cable TV subscribers said too. Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
      - dewey 4y ago
        So what is your suggestion then? Not use streaming services at all because they potentially get ads in the future?
  - jitl 4y ago
    I don’t see any ads on my Apple TV
    - zamnos 4y ago
      In the Apple TV interface, there are tiles for other shows and movies to watch, some of which I'd have to pay extra to watch. Which is totally an ad. If you have AppleTV+ you might not be seeing those as ads because you don't pay a la carte for each show.
Arainach 4y ago
Hard disagree. I ran various HTPCs over the years, including Windows, and they're untenable with streaming. No remote control is any good at any web interface. Many services block surround sound and the highest resolutions on any full PC experience (Windows, Mac, Linux, whatever). I'm forced to agree with the article's premise - everyone's gotten worse. I loved my NVIDIA Shield, but Google's UI refresh made it into another adfest like all the cheapest devices so there's no point in paying for the premium experience. I tried to use an XBox Series X which works fairly well but its apps are all neglected - Paramount Plus had subtitles broken for a long time, the back button works only half the time, and Plex will randomly flash static on the screen when streaming plain old h264 from the local network. I've recently ordered an Apple TV, which is my last hope. If that's garbage, perhaps it's time to stick to my new year's resolution and stop watching things on the TV.
- deafpolygon 4y ago
  > Many services block surround sound and the highest resolutions on any full PC experience I have 4k streaming from Netflix, Disney, Prime. I don't know about sound, but as far as resolution is concerned, I'm fine here. > I'm forced to agree with the article's premise - everyone's gotten worse. I also agree. Windows has native apps for most of the streaming services - have you tried that? You get full 4k, audio and all the usual bits (as far as I'm aware, but I haven't tested). > Plex will randomly flash static on the screen when streaming plain old h264 from the local network I have not experienced this.
  - shalmanese 4y ago
    > I have 4k streaming from Netflix, Disney, Prime. No you don't. Disney and Prime both only stream in HD in the browser/Windows App and Netflix requires Edge or Safari to stream in 4K and is limited to 720p in Chrome.
    - deafpolygon 4y ago
      I have a really hard time telling the difference. Edit: in the "App Setting" on the Edge browser, it says up to 4k UHD. On the Windows Store App, in the same place, it says "Up to HD". I use the browser most of the time, and if I'm only getting HD then it's just really good.
notatoad 4y ago
The premise is that they all suck because of things like universal search that isn't universal. That's a pretty minor complaint. A laptop connected to your tv works pretty well, but its a far more fiddly experience than any of the streaming boxes. If it works for you that's great, but if you were to try and sell it as a competitor to apple tv or Roku you'd be laughed out of town for the terrible UX.
- deafpolygon 4y ago
  > if you were to try and sell it as a competitor I never claimed it has the superior UX. It will never be, probably. As a product, it's not a HTPC - it's a laptop.
adrianmsmith 4y ago
I use exactly this setup with a Logitech K830 https://www.logitech.com/en-ca/products/keyboards/k830-illuminated-tv-wireless.920-007182.html https://www.logitech.com/en-ca/products/keyboards/k830-illum... and I couldn't be happier. The keyboard is extremely robust (had it for about 10 years, spilt coffee on it once). You can sit on the sofa, surf normal websites on your TV using the setup, etc. Connect various external HDs for any downloadable content, run programs to do said downloading, use VLC, etc. I have a 1080p TV and run Windows at 200% on it, sure there's not that much room for content but for casual surfing and file browsing etc. it's fine.

skrrtww 4y ago

Not the best option honestly, a lot of services offer a crippled experience through the browser or on desktop OSs in general. Not to mention HDMI copy protection and the ever-evolving requirements to circumvent it. For the moment I'm happy with my Apple TV and Plex/Jellyfin, but the situation feels a bit precarious.

dewey 4y ago

What I want from a streaming box: I click a button, it wakes up, I can play whatever I want including stuff I downloaded (Plex). This is exactly what the Apple TV gives me. What I don't want from a streaming box: Install updates, have a bulky laptop stand next to my tv, install an ad blocker, have a browser, add dongles to then use some control with many buttons.

midoridensha 4y ago
>What I don't want from a streaming box: Install updates, have a bulky laptop stand next to my tv, install an ad blocker You don't need an ad-blocker: you can just watch lots of annoying ads. If you don't like that, you need an ad-blocker. Almost no one wants to give you a service that isn't full of ads. Remember, they promised this with cable TV back in the early 80s: "pay a monthly fee for our TV service and you'll never have to watch ads again!" It was a lie. Anyone promising the same today is also lying.
- dewey 4y ago
  I'm using YouTube Premium, Netflix and Apple TV+, there's no ads on these services.
  - shrimp_emoji 4y ago
    I'm using torrents and mpv, there's no ads on these services :sunglasses:
  - midoridensha 4y ago
    Yep, that's exactly what the cable TV subscribers said too. Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
    - dewey 4y ago
      So what is your suggestion then? Not use streaming services at all because they potentially get ads in the future?
- jitl 4y ago
  I don’t see any ads on my Apple TV
  - zamnos 4y ago
    In the Apple TV interface, there are tiles for other shows and movies to watch, some of which I'd have to pay extra to watch. Which is totally an ad. If you have AppleTV+ you might not be seeing those as ads because you don't pay a la carte for each show.

Arainach 4y ago

Hard disagree. I ran various HTPCs over the years, including Windows, and they're untenable with streaming. No remote control is any good at any web interface. Many services block surround sound and the highest resolutions on any full PC experience (Windows, Mac, Linux, whatever). I'm forced to agree with the article's premise - everyone's gotten worse. I loved my NVIDIA Shield, but Google's UI refresh made it into another adfest like all the cheapest devices so there's no point in paying for the premium experience. I tried to use an XBox Series X which works fairly well but its apps are all neglected - Paramount Plus had subtitles broken for a long time, the back button works only half the time, and Plex will randomly flash static on the screen when streaming plain old h264 from the local network. I've recently ordered an Apple TV, which is my last hope. If that's garbage, perhaps it's time to stick to my new year's resolution and stop watching things on the TV.

deafpolygon 4y ago
> Many services block surround sound and the highest resolutions on any full PC experience I have 4k streaming from Netflix, Disney, Prime. I don't know about sound, but as far as resolution is concerned, I'm fine here. > I'm forced to agree with the article's premise - everyone's gotten worse. I also agree. Windows has native apps for most of the streaming services - have you tried that? You get full 4k, audio and all the usual bits (as far as I'm aware, but I haven't tested). > Plex will randomly flash static on the screen when streaming plain old h264 from the local network I have not experienced this.
- shalmanese 4y ago
  > I have 4k streaming from Netflix, Disney, Prime. No you don't. Disney and Prime both only stream in HD in the browser/Windows App and Netflix requires Edge or Safari to stream in 4K and is limited to 720p in Chrome.
  - deafpolygon 4y ago
    I have a really hard time telling the difference. Edit: in the "App Setting" on the Edge browser, it says up to 4k UHD. On the Windows Store App, in the same place, it says "Up to HD". I use the browser most of the time, and if I'm only getting HD then it's just really good.

notatoad 4y ago

The premise is that they all suck because of things like universal search that isn't universal. That's a pretty minor complaint. A laptop connected to your tv works pretty well, but its a far more fiddly experience than any of the streaming boxes. If it works for you that's great, but if you were to try and sell it as a competitor to apple tv or Roku you'd be laughed out of town for the terrible UX.

deafpolygon 4y ago
> if you were to try and sell it as a competitor I never claimed it has the superior UX. It will never be, probably. As a product, it's not a HTPC - it's a laptop.

adrianmsmith 4y ago

I use exactly this setup with a Logitech K830 https://www.logitech.com/en-ca/products/keyboards/k830-illuminated-tv-wireless.920-007182.html https://www.logitech.com/en-ca/products/keyboards/k830-illum... and I couldn't be happier. The keyboard is extremely robust (had it for about 10 years, spilt coffee on it once). You can sit on the sofa, surf normal websites on your TV using the setup, etc. Connect various external HDs for any downloadable content, run programs to do said downloading, use VLC, etc. I have a 1080p TV and run Windows at 200% on it, sure there's not that much room for content but for casual surfing and file browsing etc. it's fine.