The long wait is over. Finally Google has taken the covers off it’s brand new Chromecast device. And it’s about time. While the original Chromecast was indeed one of the best deals in streaming media players, there were still some features that kept some from taking the plunge.

Chromecast 2 VS Chromecast 1 – Review

The Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the Chromecast 2 (or “New Chromecast” as Google is insisting on calling it) is that it looks completely different. It has a more rounded puck shape than the previous one. Not only that, but the device uses an attached ribbon-style cord that is very flexible. This was added because some users simply could not fit the previous generation into the HDMI port on the back of their TV due to it being too deep and using an optional (but rigid) extension cord.  This was a great design choice, as now the Chromecast can easily hang off the HDMI port on the back of pretty much any TV.

Specifications

The under-the-hood improvements are both minimal and very useful. For some, they might not ever get the benefit of what Google has added, but for others it might be the selling point that will push them over the edge.  The two major updates are the addition of wireless 802.11 ac and the use of the wireless 5Ghz band. The AC addition will surely increase the speed of streams on networks that have wireless AC routers. The 5Ghz addition is actually the piece I was most excited for. I live in an apartment building, so there are many many wireless devices interfering with one another all the time (mostly on the crowded 2.4 Ghz band). So being able to keep the Chromecast off that congested piece of wireless real estate is a great thing, especially when I am feeding 1080p streams via Plex over my network.

Google has also announced a pretty insane sounding feature which I was unable to test yet. It’s called “Fast Play” and the gist of it is that it is a way for the Chromecast to intelligently load content before you even choose to watch it.  For example, as soon as you open the Netflix app, it will start loading small piece of the beginning of shows that you are likely to watch, based on a viewership algorithm built into the app. Pretty crazy stuff, and potentially really useful to make the Chromecast launch a video almost instantaneously. The future is now!

Setup and App

The setup process has been left largely unchanged from the original Chromecast (see the video review here) . The one major addition is that the Chromecast App has received a major face lift. It now is much more than simply an app to setup your device and then never open again. It now sports a tab that allows you to browse apps from the Google Play Store that are built with Chromecast functionality. It is this smart curation that was sorely missing in the previous generation.

Speed Test

As seen in the video review, the speed different in loading up The Dark Knight from Netflix was negligible between the Chromecast 1 and Chromecast 2. This is a bit of a disappointment as I thought there would be a huge difference. However, this was far from a scientific experiment so the Chromecast 2 still may have some extra horsepower that will push it faster (I just didn’t see it on my local network).

Final Verdict

Get it! Even if you have the original, this thing is $35. And for the addition of the 5Ghz and wireless ac as well as the new (more flexible) design you really can’t go wrong here. If your router is old and doesn’t support either of these new standards, then you may want to wait to purchase. If you’ve been holding off because the original Chromecast just didn’t fit behind your TV, then chances are you are in luck. Get ready to do some serious casting.

Be sure to watch the video review here.

The post Head to Head review: Chromecast 2 VS Chromecast 1 appeared first on Cord Breaker .

Basketball season is just around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited. There are tonnes of different ways to get your favourite games, but which online service should you subscribe to this year so you can follow your favourite NBA team? NBA League Pass or Ballstreams? Here are the major factors that come into play when considering these services:

Local blackouts

The issue with NBA League Pass and services like it are the local game blackouts.  In other words, if you’re in Chicago and want to watch the Bulls game, you may find yourself looking at a blank screen saying something like “Sorry, access to this game is not available due to local blackout restrictions.” It hurts, and it also severely limits the usefulness of services like NBA League Pass due to the fact that most people want to watch their home team.

NBA League Pass also enforces national blackouts within the US. This means that if a game is on ABC, ESPN, TNT or NBA TV then you’re probably out of luck getting it on NBA League Pass in the US.

Ballstreams.com does not have any blackouts whatsoever. Also, international users of NBA League Pass actually get a much better experience and it is much more worth their while due to lack of blackouts. It looks like a lot of international (not North American) users of NBA League Pass are quite happy with the service.

Use a VPN like Private Internet Access

The most foolproof way of avoiding local blackouts right now is using a VPN service like Private Internet Access. Basically this service allows you to appear to be in any number of locations (including many in the US) to skirt around blackouts. It works and it is also a great tool to protect your privacy online.

Use a DNS masker like UnblockUs

You can completely bypass blackout restrictions on NBA League Pass by using a service called UnblockUs. It is actually a really painless process to set it up on your individual device or even at your router. If you want to learn more, we also wrote a post going into the details about UnblockUs and avoiding blackouts here.

What devices are you using?

The biggest factor in choosing a service is obviously whether you can watch it on your favourite device. Watching the big game is fine on your laptop, but often you will want it on the big screen.

Here is a breakdown of what devices each service works on.

NBA League Pass VS Ballstreams.com by the numbers:

So, this looks like it is sort of a tie on the app front. Depending on your technical skill, you should be able to get Ballstreams up and running on any device on the market. Both Plex and Serviio also have channels for Ballstreams which expand its compatibility to game consoles.

Quality

NBA League Pass claims to be “HD Quality” on their website which I will assume means that it approximates a 720p resolution. Ballstreams also claims to go “up to” 720p resolution but also says that the stream can be transferred at a full 60 frames per second. In either case, this will really depend on your connection. It is worth noting that there are some complaints online about specific game feeds on Ballstreams being of low quality.

Lag

Lag can be a major consideration for any online streaming service. NBA League Pass can have up to a 90 second delay whereas Ballstreams.com has a much shorter 1-3 second lag. I know that I like to look at social media while watching the game, so having a shorter delay can guard against major spoilers.

Access to games

Ballstreams is the hands down winner in this category. It gives you access not just to regular season NBA games, but a wealth of other streams including: NBA summer league, NBA pre-season, NBA playoffs, the NBA draft, NCAA final four games, Live Olympic games, and a tonne of archived games available on demand.

NBA League Pass has tiered plans, the highest of which adds on home/away announcers and the video vault. It also includes an archive for on-demand access (past 3 seasons), NBA summer games, and playoff games. NBA League Pass also has what they call their “NBA Team Pass” which gives full access to live and on demand access to games for one team.  Not bad.

Cost

Ok, so this is what you’ve been waiting for.

Ballstreams.com: $89.99 for a year

NBA League Pass: $189.99 per year (early bird)

Legality

This is key. Ballstreams is indeed an “illegal” service. Their servers are located in Europe and could be shut down at any time due to the NBA taking them to court. It hasn’t happened yet, but this service is definitely grey market. If you’re at all concerned about legal issues, stick with NBA League Pass which is the official app.

NBA League Pass VS Ballstreams wrap up

By the numbers Ballstreams beats out NBA League Pass handily. They are on par in terms of device support but I know for a fact that someone that is less technical may have issues getting Ballstreams up and running on their TV streaming box or game console. If you’re just watching on your laptop or desktop PC then you are good to go on either.

To avoid the local and national blackouts on NBA League Pass, which virtually cripple the service in North America, then I highly recommend using a service like UnblockUs. This will unblock all of the blackouts and make NBA League Pass much more useful.

Happy cord cutting!

Disclaimer: Ballstreams.com is not a legal service. Their servers are located in Europe so there is a chance that the service could be shut down anytime. Cord Breaker does not condone illegal activity in any way. When in doubt, go with the legal option, which is NBA League Pass.

The post NBA League Pass VS Ballstreams head to head appeared first on Cord Breaker .

My favourite time of year is coming around again.  Hockey season! But what is the best service to subscribe to this year to get your NHL fix, NHL Gamecenter Live or Hockeystreams.com?

The answer is not as simple as you may think.  Here are the factors you need to think about:

Local blackouts

The biggest knock against NHL Gamecenter is that it has those pesky local blackouts of games.  This means that if you live in Winnipeg, then more often than not, you actually won’t be able to watch the Jets play on Gamecenter. Now, if you like a team that is not locally in your city, you will likely be able to avoid local blackouts much more often.

Hockeystreams.com does not have any local blackouts to deal with.

Use a VPN like Private Internet Access

The most foolproof way of avoiding local blackouts right now is using a VPN service like Private Internet Access. Basically this service allows you to appear to be in any number of locations (including many in the US) to skirt around blackouts. It works and it is also a great tool to protect your privacy online.

Use a DNS masker like UnblockUs

I have been using Gamecenter Live for many seasons now without local blackouts because I use a service called UnblockUs. It is super simple to setup on individual devices or even at your router.  Check out this post that talks all about how to avoid local blackouts.

What devices are you using?

Here is a breakdown of what devices each service works natively on.  Natively meaning that there is an actual app that exists on the platform and it doesn’t require any funky tweaks to get working.

NHL Gamecenter VS Hockeystreams.com by the numbers:

At the end of the day, this one sort of depends on how technical you are.  If you’re keeping everything above board so to say, then NHL Gamcenter Live is your best bet. It is also worth noting that you can stream Hockeystreams via the Plex and Serviio app on both Xbox and Playstation.

Quality

There is a bit of controversy on this one. I personally love the quality of NHL Gamecenter on my Xbox One. On a good connection it looks just like 720p HDTV. Hockeystreams claims that it can go up to 720p at 60 frames per second while NHL Gamecenter is just 30 frames per second. But a few searches online and you quickly see a lot of posts by people complaining about the quality of some streams on Hockeystreams.com.

Lag

A major issue for live sports is the lag that the service introduces to the feed. I know for a fact that the NHL Gamecenter feed is usually off by a good 30 seconds.  Hockeystreams.com claims to only have a 3 second lag. This is really handy for folks that follow along with the games on social media as they happen and don’t want spoilers.

Access to games

A year subscription to Hockeystreams is actually a full calendar year, whereas the NHL Gamecenter one is just for the NHL season. Additionally, Hockeystreams gives access to other hockey leagues such as OHL, WHL and AHL if that’s your thing.

Cost

Here is the deciding factor for a lot of people.

Hockeystreams.com: $99.99 for a full calendar year

NHL Gamecenter Live: $149.99 for the regular NHL season ($179.99 Canadian)

Are you a Rogers internet customer in Canada?

Then NHL Gamecenter Live might be free! Check your internet package to see if it qualifies.

Legality

Keep in mind that NHL Gamecenter Live is the official video streaming app for the NHL. Hockeystreams.com on the other hand has…  let’s just say dubious legality. If you’re concerned about getting in any legal issues or losing the service due to the NHL cracking down on services like Hockeystreams, go with NHL Gamecenter Live.

NHL Gamecenter VS Hockeystreams wrap up

By pure numbers Hockeystreams.com wins out easily. However, the service is a little bit less “official” if you know what I mean.  It also doesn’t have as many official apps which makes the experience less smooth than if you are using Gamecenter Live on a streaming box. For those that are just utilizing a laptop then either one is great.

I highly recommend going with a service like UnblockUs if you are going the NHL Gamecenter Live route as it will unlock all of your local games.

Happy cord cutting!

Edit: I have updated the article based on some great individuals over on the /r/hockey subreddit.

Disclaimer: Hockeystreams.com is not a legal service. Their servers are located in Europe so there is a chance that the service could be shut down anytime. Cord Breaker does not condone illegal activity in any way. When in doubt, go with the legal option, which is NHL Gamecenter Live. It really is a decent service for a fair price.

The post NHL Gamecenter VS Hockeystreams head to head appeared first on Cord Breaker .

If 2014 was Android TV’s first couple laps, surely 2015 is where the platform is really getting into fine form. Ever since it’s announcement in 2014 Android TV has gotten a lot of people very excited. While streaming boxes have sold pretty well for the past 5-7 years, many of them have been hampered by less-than-stellar software that is not well-supported. Case in point is the WDTV Live box from Western Digital.  Great box, awful software and even worse customer support. Android TV has offered a way out. By basing streaming devices on the Android TV platform we are seeing hardware that truly has a good software experience. Not only that, but the whole Android app ecosystem opens up to your living room which is increasingly a major reason to move to the platform.

But what is the best option to buy right now? If you search online you’ll see a metric tonne of cheap boxes developed by no-name companies out of Hong Kong. And to be honest, some of these are probably decent buys. Just don’t expect too many official updates or customer support. So for this article I want to focus on a device that is a bit more mainstream but still has gotten the Android TV aficionados excited.

The best Android TV box of 2015: NVIDIA Shield TV

When Android TV launched we were teased with the ASUS made ADT-1, which later was released as the Nexus Player. An unassuming little puck, the Nexus Player was a great first stab by Google and its hardware partners at regaining control of your living room. But it wasn’t until this year that a real contender entered the fray.

NVIDIA’s Android TV box is nothing but solid. To put it lightly, it’s a powerhouse. Sporting 3GB of RAM, native 4K resolution, a swathe of ports on the back and, of course, the blazingly fast Tegra X1 processor. This box has a lot going for it.

It always brings some really unique features that no other streaming box bring to the table. Since NVIDIA has it’s feet firmly placed in the gaming world, it’s no surprise that the Shield TV has a strong gaming component. The unassuming little Android TV box seems to almost be vying to move people over from PS4 and Xbox One (if you can believe it). I don’t think gamers will immediately be willing to jump over from those platforms just yet, but bare with me here. The Shield TV can obviously run regular Android TV-optimized games (just like the Nexus Player), but it steps it up a notch (actually, probably more like a couple notches) with the integration of its GRID gaming service. This allows owners of PCs with NVIDIA chipsets to stream a wide-array of triple A PC gaming titles. And it does so with minimal lag and at full 1080p resolution. An amazing feat to say the least. Lastly, the Shield TV will allow users to access some really great Android exclusives such as Portal and Half Life 2 (which aren’t available for none Shield devices).

And it comes with the controller! (the remote is sold separately).

Of course, this is just gaming. For cord cutters, we want to know how the thing performs for video playback.

The absolute best media streamer outside of a PC

Due to the beastly hardware inside this thin box, the Shield TV has no problem running the Android TV interface.  Everything is snappy as expected with such beefy innards. But the device really shines when it comes to pushing some high resolution, high bitrate video. This is first truly 4K Android TV box. In fact it is one of the few devices available that can deliver crystal clear 4K video from Netflix to your brand new TV. This is all thanks to to their snappy X1 processor that NVIDIA claims is up to 34X better performance than the current Apple TV, and 25X than the Roku 3.

As with other Android TV devices, the Shield TV sports built in “Google Cast” support for casting content “a la Chromecast.” This is a big plus considering the Android TV app lineup is still maturing (ie. no HBO Now yet).

I have used the Shield TV to beam my local video storage through Plex and it worked like a charm. 1080p content at high bitrate was played with no stuttering or artifacting (using a Mac Mini as a server over AC wireless). It is also a champ at installing the new Kodi media centre app from the Google Play Store. Kodi itself is a darling of the do-it-yourself streaming video community online and it looks like Android TV has become the most flexible platform (since the PC) to get content to your TV. Of course there are varying levels of legality associated with the Kodi platform.  But in any case, it works, and it works well.

Rounding out the package is an optional remote control that includes an input microphone that can be used to serve up content via voice. And it works really well! You can also use the included the remote to send voice commands to the Shield TV.

Where the Shield TV beats the competition

First of all, as mentioned above, the connectivity on the Shield TV lays no stone unturned.  I can’t count the number of devices that have been released recently without wired internet connections. For those serious about video streaming, wired connections are the most reliable and are almost necessary. The Shield TV comes with a built in gigabit ethernet port to ensure your network keeps up with the device.

Look at all of the ports!

The Shield TV also sports wireless 802.11ac over both 2.4 GHz and 5GHz (I’m looking at you Chromecast…) So for those of you in apartments with congested wireless, you’ll be happy. It also packs in Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, two USB 2.0 connections for connecting external drives, one micro USB port, and HDMI 2.0 output, and a micro SD card slot to extend the internal storage.

Speaking of internal storage, the device comes in two flavours. The first is the base mode that sports 16GB of on-board storage. But this can be upped to 500GB with the Shield TV Pro for $100 more.

All of this connectivity fills the void that the Nexus Player really didn’t. Look at the Nexus Player as a tricycle, where the Shield TV is a Harley.

The wrap up

The Android TV ecosystem will only get better and better as the platform matures. Already, it is presenting one of the most attractive platforms for many cord cutters or those that just want a convenient way to access internet TV content. And as far as mainstream Android TV boxes go, the Shield TV is the absolute pinnacle.  In my opinion, it is now the box to beat.

The post The best Android TV box of 2015 appeared first on Cord Breaker .

So without further ado, here are my picks for some of the very best cord cutting apps that you can use on both Android and iOS. I’m going to focus on products that are solely used to access online content (not your own local content) so we’ll save Plex and Kodi for a later post.

The very best internet TV apps

Pluto TV

Pluto TV has been around for a little while now, but only recently has it begun cracking people’s top lists for video streaming apps. The idea is genius:  mimic the live TV experience but only use free online video services. I love this idea. For me, when I cut the cord I was really worried about being able to plop myself on my couch and then just throw something on in the background while I veg out. Vegging out is one of my main pastimes… Pluto TV really makes this a possibility.

• Bloomberg TV
• Tech News
• Sports Highlights
• Soccer
• Baseball
• Hockey Fights (seriously)
• Viral Videos
• Documentaries
• Movie Trailers
• Joss Whedon Shows
• Conan O’Brien (my favourite)
• and a lot more…

I am truly impressed at how much free content Pluto TV has curated into a functional platform.  Speaking of function:  It has Chromecast support!  Both on the web interface and the Android/iOS app, Pluto TV can be cast to your TV setup with Google’s awesome streaming device.

Mobdro

Mobdro has been out on Android for over a year now. It is sort of the scrappier, less refined cousin of Pluto TV.  And it is only available on Android at the moment. The interface is much clunkier, but in the end it accesses some of the same free content from Pluto TV.

The channels available right now for free tend to be quite UK-oriented:

• Sky Sports,
• Sky Movies,
• BBC,
• BT sports,
• Disney Channel

The interface is useable, but it is a bit hard to navigate when there are so many content sources to pick from. Lastly, the app doesn’t have a web version, meaning that you have to use an Android phone to access it. The Chromecast support is welcome but the fact that you can’t access it and the app is full of ads without shelling out for the premium version is a bit of a concern.

Just Watch

Just Watch is less about actually accessing the video content than it is about giving you a good overview of what is available on the many app stores across the web. Ever wonder where you can rent the latest Hunger Games online? Just Watch is a service that tries to give you a good overview of where you can find movies and TV shows online.

Here is what the web interface looks like on the Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1 screen

The current selection of services supported include:

• Netflix
• HBO NOW
• Amazon Prime Instant Video
• Hulu
• Crackle
• iTunes
• Vudu
• Xbox Video
• Playstation
• Mubi
• Realeyz
• Fandor

Rotten Tomatoes ratings, trailers, a price drop function, and a “watchlist” round out the features for Just Watch, which make it really convenient to use.

While the selection of services in Just Watch is pretty comprehensive, I think there is room to add more. Especially when it comes to free services.

Wrap up

This is absolutely not a comprehensive list of apps that can help you watch and find internet TV content. But it is in my opinion three of the more thought out and unique apps out there right now. Next up will be a similar deep dive into apps that can help you access your local video content so stay tuned to Cord Breaker over the next couple weeks.

Happy cord cutting!

The post The very best internet TV apps: From Android 6.0 Marshmallow to iOS9 appeared first on Cord Breaker .

But what exactly is available for would-be cord cutters with kids? Here are my picks for the top 3 services for kids programming for cord cutters without cable TV:

Cord cutting with kids – Top 3

1.  Netflix

Netflix is the biggest player when it comes to children’s content available on-demand through streaming services.  When you login to Netflix on a media streamer you are greeted with a screen similar to the one below which actually has a kids version of the service.

The Netflix Kids interface is meant to be fully navigable by children themselves. The actual interface is ingenious. It lays out familiar children’s characters along the top of the screen, allowing kids to spot their favourite and immediately be able to select an episode. It’s all simplified and very intuitive. Available programming includes:

• PAW Patrol
• Bubble Guppies
• Dora
• Team Umizoomi
• Peppa Pig
• Curious George (my favourite as a kid)
• Caillou
• Transformers: Recue Robots
• My Little Pony
• Barbie
• Go Diego Go!
• SpongeBob Squarepants
• Super Why!
• Madagascar
• Blue’s Clues
• iCarly
• Sesame Street
• Bob the Builder
• and a lot more that I don’t even have room to mention

Needless to say that Netflix fits the kids niche REALLY well. And I didn’t even mention the collection of kid friendly movies that are available. Netflix accounts use a profile system which can be used to set parental controls so kids don’t go exploring into mature content. A good explanation of how to do that is here.

Amazon Freetime on the Fire TV

2.  Amazon Instant Video + Amazon Fire TV

Amazon has amassed a large database of kids programming as well. However, here you’d be best served as an Amazon Prime member as it would give your kids the chance to watch a little bit of everything without breaking the bank. If you have Prime you will have access to a metric tonne of children’s content. And of course the best way to enjoy Amazon services is on one of their excellent streaming devices like the Amazon Fire TV. With the Fire TV parents also have the option to disable purchases and put a PIN on the device as well as block certain types of content. If safely locking down content is your biggest concern, then the Fire TV is definitely your best bet since Amazon both owns the hardware and the software, making the parental controls baked right into the product.

Amazon also offers a service called Amazon Freetime , which is basically their answer to Netflix’s huge library of on-demand kids programs. For as low as $2.99 a month (if you’re a Prime member), parents can give their kids swathes of age-appropriate content that rivals Netflix’s offerings above.

Another big draw of the Fire TV is the close integration of games into the package. Since it is basically an offshoot of Android, hundreds of kid-friendly games are available to play with the included gamepad. This includes favourites like Angry Birds and Minecraft. It beats shelling out $500 for new Xbox!

Hulu Kids web interface

3.  Hulu (subscription)

Hulu is another option for parents. And since Hulu is almost always offered on the same streaming devices that Netflix is, then it could provide the ultimate kid-friendly cord cutter one-two punch. Hulu Kids is Hulu’s kids-only offering which also does not include any ads (most of Hulu’s other programming does have ads). You do have to have a Hulu subscription to access Hulu Kids. But this could be another great option for people who are already Hulu subscribers.  The favourites are all there from The Wiggles to Sesame Street . But if you already have Netflix or Amazon Freetime, then there is little reason to also pay for Hulu just for the kids content.

Wrap up

Any of these three options will serve any cord cutter with kids well. There are also many other options including buying movies from iTunes for use on the Apple TV, buying content from Google Play for the Chromecast and Android TV, and of course the multitude of other streaming services such as:  CBS All Access, National Geographic Kids, PBS Kids, Sesame Street Go, WatchDisneyChannel etc. And SlingTV offers some great kids programming if you are a subscriber and live in the US. Check out our handy guide for what service is compatible with which media streamer.

But for most it’s as simple as a $7.99 Netflix subscription. If it works, don’t fix it if you ask me. If you’re a bit more concerned with parental controls then the Amazon Fire TV and Freetime combo can’t be beat.

Happy cord cutting!

The post Child’s play: Cord cutting with kids appeared first on Cord Breaker .

My pick for best universal remote control for cord cutters

Now this is relatively subjective, but here is my pick: The Logitech Harmony Smart Control.

There are a couple long-held beefs that I have with remote controls that this remote handles nicely.

1. They are hard to setup and complicated to update

This is an area that Harmony nailed a few years ago. Unlike some other remote brands that really need a professional to program, the Harmony line uses a really easy to use database of pretty much every device that exists. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to pull my hair out when reprogramming my old URC remote. Get a new device with the Harmony? Just log into the app and adjust your setup in the graphical user interface. I added a new device to my setup a couple months ago and it literally took all of 5 minutes to fix up everything in the app on my Mac.

The Harmony Smart Control uses a macro-based system so you have 3 activity buttons (each doubling with a long press to a total of 6 activities) that you can apply a macro to. A macro is where you would say:

“Okay, when I press the movie button: turn on my TV to this input, turn on my A/V receiver to DVD, then switch on my Xbox One.”

Then the system automatically walks through those steps when you push the button. Now onto my other big beef with other remotes.

2. They are massive battery hogs

I’ve owned a bunch of remotes over the years. But even my previous Harmony remotes suffered from horrendous battery life due to one thing: big bright screens. Like your smartphone, the screen is what draws the most juice. I picked the Harmony because… get ready for it… It doesn’t have a screen! It’s a simple looking remote with only physical buttons. And because of that, the internal watch-sized battery lasts close to three years! I’ve had my remote for over a year and haven’t even thought about the battery.

Look, I have enough stuff around the house that needs charging daily. My TV remote does not need to be part of that.

What makes the Logitech Harmony Smart Control so great for cord cutters?

This remote works on your WIFI network which is a bit different than most of the remotes on the market. And since most cord cutters pride themselves on a good local network, why not piggyback on this?

Older remotes relied on one of two ways of communicating with your equipment. First is the old fashioned infrared (IR) signal. Meaning that when you press a button, you generally need line of site to interact with the devices that are in front of you. This causes a couple issues (especially for home theatre folks). (1) Your stuff needs to be visible. You can’t hide your stuff in a cabinet or another room with a strictly IR remote. (2) IR is pretty awful for macros. I remember a decade ago when IR remotes were all the rage and you would click the “Watch TV” button. All of your gear would start clicking on… Until… that one piece missed the signal. Then you’re stuck. I remember many times in frustration when I would have to physically get up and turn off the devices manually to get back to square one. You might as well have not had a remote to begin with!

The other way that remotes generally communicate is via radio frequency. Now don’t get me wrong, I love RF! The problem lies in the fact that RF can (1) interfere with other equipment in the home, and (2) the devices that were really good at RF tend to be ones aimed at custom home theatre installers, not just an average consumer. RF remotes communicate with a central controller that sits with the equipment and convert the RF signals to IR signals. So in actuality, this system uses IR at the end of the chain. IR codes are sent out via IR flashers stuck to your equipment that come from the remote control box.

The Harmony Smart Control does something similar to the RF remotes, but it simply uses WIFI instead of normal RF for the first step in the chain. But why is being on WIFI helpful? Well, like I said, everyone has a WIFI network now, so it just makes sense to use it. Second, the Harmony Smart Control can also use your smartphone or tablet as a secondary remote since it is now a network connected device.

For the more technically inclined the Harmony Smart Control can also connect to IR flashers sent from the control box to devices that are maybe harder to reach. Out of the box the remote relies on a single flasher that “floods” the area near your equipment with IR blasts. This works well, but only if your equipment is all visible from the control box. I personally have two extra IR flashers going to my Xbox One (which is notoriously hard to trigger) and my TV which is a bit finicky as well. Nothing beats not having to point the remote at anything anymore. it even works while under a blanket.

The wrap up

So technicalities aside, the major reason I use the Logitech Harmony Smart Control is because it is easy. I know how to use some of the more complicated systems out there. And for many home theatres things like Crestron are totally necessary. But for 90% of cord cutters out there, they just need a reliable, simple remote. The Harmony Smart Control is that remote for me.

Happy cord cutting!

Please note that some of the links to the devices above are Amazon affiliate links, meaning that if you click and purchase one, I get a small commission at no cost to you. I’d appreciate it if you do click on them if you are considering buying anyway. But truthfully I do own a Harmony Smart Control and it is super awesome.

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The top seven best media streamers

Obviously these aren’t the only choices out there.  There are actually several Android TV devices to choose from. There are several levels of Roku boxes, but I just included their flagship.

Really, it comes down to three questions:

1. Am I already invested in an app ecosystem? (Apple, Amazon, Google)
2. Do I want to watch local TV through an antenna? ( Xbox One is your best bet for this)
3. Do I want a physical remote? (rule out Chromecast if that’s the case)

Answering these three questions should get you most of the way to figuring out which media streamer is your best bet.

I personally own an Xbox One as my main streaming device and have used the Chromecast , Roku 3 , Apple TV , and Nexus Player a lot. You really can’t go wrong with any of those.

Please note that the links to the devices above are Amazon affiliate links, meaning that if you click and purchase one, I get a small commission at no cost to you. I’d appreciate it if you do click on them if you are considering buying anyway.

Happy cord cutting!

The post The top seven best media streamers / internet TV boxes out now appeared first on Cord Breaker .

How do these two consoles stack up in terms of value for cord cutting?

That is, hardware support, flexibility for streaming content and app support. Well, let’s take a look by the numbers. I highlighted areas that I see as a positive in green in the table below.

Xbox One VS PS4 by the numbers:

As you can see, it’s a pretty fair fight. The basics are all there for both consoles. They both output beautiful 1080p video. They both have a healthy smattering of USB ports that can handle external hard drives filled with media. But there are a few areas of note:

1. Power brick

There’s nothing worse than a massive, obnoxious power brick. Unfortunately for Xbox One owners, it has a big one. It may not be an issue for you, but the PS4 has an internal power supply which makes it a cleaner design. Point PS4

2.  Front USB ports

Not a biggie either, but the PS4 has two front USB ports while the Xbox One only has one (which is actually located on the side). For most, it’s not a big deal, but perhaps it might be harder to reach the back of your console for whatever reason. Point PS4

3.  HDMI passthrough

Okay. This is where we get into some important differences. The Xbox One has a pretty revolutionary feature for media savvy folks out there.  It has something called “HDMI passthrough.”  This means that you can plug any device that uses HDMI into the back of the Xbox One and run that video source through the Xbox One interface. Ironically (for this blog at least) this is mostly demoed as a way to feed TV cable box content into the Xbox so you can have a single unified media system (complete with the Xbox One Guide which provides TV listings and DVR support). For us cord cutters this feature is really awesome for say, connecting your Chromecast or other media streamer that has some extra features that the Xbox doesn’t support yet. For example, the Chromecast supports HBO Now, so by plugging it into the Xbox you have essentially added this feature to your system. There are other, less sexy, advantages to this tech as well. I have an older home theatre receiver that only has two HDMI inputs, so having this extra one on the Xbox One is really valuable. Point Xbox One

4.  Infrared mini connector

For those of you that use universal remotes or other control devices the Xbox One comes equipped with a rear IR port. The PS4 relies only on Bluetooth for control so you’re out of luck on this one. Point Xbox One

5.  Digital TV Tuner support

This is a relatively new addition to the Xbox One’s feature list. We all know that Microsoft has been trying to position the Xbox One as an all-in-one media centre. Well, recently they added a feature that really pushes it even further in that direction, and it’s GREAT for cord cutters. For those of you who enjoy pulling HDTV signals over the air, the Xbox One now supports the use of a Digital TV Tuner which allows you plug your antenna directly into the Xbox One. This takes OTA viewing to another level, adding TV listings to the Xbox interface and just generally meshing free HDTV more closely into your media system. Point Xbox One

6.  Bitstream audio passthrough

Ok, this one is a bit technical but it could be a big one for a few buyers. Basically if you are into playing HD surround formats (Dolby True HD, DTS Master HD, Dolby Atmos, DTS X) then you are probably familiar with the idea of sending a bitstream to your home theatre receiver for decoding. This is actually the only way to properly play a Dolby Atmos soundtrack (which should become more and more popular over the next couple years). The PS4 has an option to fully passthrough these HD soundtracks to your receiver. While the Xbox One doesn’t currently support this. It’s because the Xbox One actually “remixes” the soundtracks that come into the unit so it can overlay menu sound effects and then spit out either a DTS or Dolby Digital soundtrack. Long story short, if you are a big audio dork, you may want to keep an eye on whether the Xbox One can add this feature. Point PS4

7.  Full OTA DVR support

It was just announced that Microsoft will be adding full over the air HDTV DVR support to the Xbox One sometime in 2016. This will be a godsend for many OTA-loving cord cutters.  They’ll be able to schedule recordings and timeshift with the help of an external hard drive. Again, PS4 does not have OTA support at all, so this one is a major win for Xbox One (when it comes out). Point Xbox One

Final Score

Xbox One:

PS4:

Wrap up

At the end of the day, everyone’s preferences are different.  If you’re not really into HDTV over the air, then it’s really a wash. If you absolutely need bitstream HD audio, go PS4. If you love playing Japanese RPGs with super complicated stories and flying air ships, well go PS4. Xbox One received backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games recently, which has nothing to do with cord cutting, but is super awesome. Ikaruga and Super Meat Boy anyone?

On the fence? Whether you get a Playstation 4 or an Xbox One , either way you’re going to get a real cord cutting powerhouse.

We didn’t even touch the different apps that are available for each device, which can be a real factor in choosing one platform over another. Stay tuned for a full video/audio streaming app comparison in the coming weeks.

Happy cord cutting.

The post Cord cutting head to head: Xbox One VS PS4 appeared first on Cord Breaker .