Comparison of digital media players

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A digital media player is a home entertainment consumer electronics device that can connect to a home network to stream digital media (such as music, pictures, or video).

Contents

Standalone streaming players

This list does not include discontinued or legacy media players.

MakerModel (Debut year)Current version (year)ConnectivityAudio outputMaximum video resolutionVideo formats supportedNetworkUSBInternal media storageCard reader slotRemote control
Amazon Fire TV (2014), Fire TV Stick (2014)Fire TV Stick (third generation, 2020), Fire TV Cube (second generation, 2019), Fire TV Stick 4K (2018)HDMI (w/ CEC)HDMI4K@60fps (Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick 4K); 1080p (Fire TV Stick) H.265/HEVC, VP9, H.264, H.263, MPEG4-SP, VC1802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 10/100 Ethernet (via external dongle)1× micro-USB for Ethernet dongle and OTG storage (Fire TV Cube), 1× micro-USB for power and Ethernet dongle (Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K)16GB (Fire TV Cube), 8GB (Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K)NoneBluetooth/IR remote with Alexa, Android app, iOS app
Apple Apple TV (2007)7th generation (2022)HDMI (w/ CEC)HDMI, Bluetooth,4K@60fps (HDR) H.265, H.264, MPEG-4, Motion JPEG 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Gigabit Ethernet, ThreadNoneUp to 128GB NAND Flash None Siri Remote, iPhone app
Google Chromecast (2013)Chromecast with Google TV (CGTV; 2020 (4K) & 2022 (HD))HDMI (w/ CEC)HDMI1080p (1st, 2nd, 3rd & CGTV HD); 4K@60fps (Ultra & CGTV 4K)H.264, VP8 (Chromecast)

H.263, H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP8, VP9 (Chromecast Ultra, CGTV)

802.11b/g/n/ac (Chromecast), 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (Nexus Player, CGTV)1× micro-USB for power (Chromecast),

1 x USB-C for power, Ethernet and peripherals (CGTV)

2 GB for buffering (Chromecast), 8 GB for buffering (Nexus Player, CGTV)NoneNone (Chromecast controllable by mobile device, Google Assistant or Chrome browser);

Bluetooth/IR remote with Google Assistant (CGTV)

Nvidia SHIELD Console
(2013)		 Nvidia Shield TV
(third generation, 2019), Nvidia Shield TV Pro
(third generation, 2019)		HDMI (w/ CEC)3.5mm, HDMI4K@60fpsMPEG2/4, XviD, DivX, MKV (H.264), MP4 (H.264), MOV (H.264), HEVC (H.265), WMV9, VC-1, VP8, VP9 802.11ac
10/100/1000 Ethernet		2x USB 3.0
1x micro-USB		16GB,
500GB (SHIELD Pro)		Micro SDIR remote (all models)
Roku Roku Streaming Player (2008)8th & 9th generation

Express, Express+, Streaming Stick+, Premiere, Ultra LT, Ultra (2018)

HDMIHDMI (all models), Optical Toslink (Ultra)4K@60fps; 1080p on Express and Express+H.264/AVC (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV), H.265/HEVC (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV); VP9 (.MKV)802.11a/b/g/n (Express, Express+, Premiere)
802.11ac (Streaming Stick+, Ultra LT, Ultra)
10/100 Ethernet (Ultra)		1× USB 2.0 (Ultra models)
1× micro-USB for power (Streaming Stick+ Roku model)		256MB - 512MBMicro SD (Premiere+ & Ultra)IR remote (all models)
Wi-Fi Direct (Streaming Stick+, Ultra)
Headphone jack (Streaming Stick+, Ultra)

Gaming systems

ManufacturerSystem (year)ConnectivityMaximum video resolutionVideo formats supportedNetworkUSBInternal media storageCard reader slotWeb browserRemote controlNetwork file serverNetwork file client
Microsoft Xbox Series X/S (2020)HDMI4K@120fps (Xbox Series X);

1440p@120fps (Xbox Series S)

Many802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 10/100/1000 Ethernet3x USB 3.1512GB or 1TB SSDNoneYesIR remote sold separatelyUnspecifiedDLNA
Microsoft Xbox One (2013)HDMI, HDMI-in, optical audio1080p@60fps;

4K@60fps (Xbox One S, Xbox One X)

Many802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 10/100/1000 Ethernet3x USB 3.0500GB up to 2TB hard drive, not user-upgradeableNoneYesIR remote sold separatelyUnspecifiedDLNA
Microsoft Xbox 360 (2005)HDMI, component audio/video, composite audio/video, optical audio1080pMany802.11a/b/g/n, 10/100/1000 Ethernet3x USB 2.04GB up to 500GB hard drive, user-upgradeableNoneYesIR remote sold separatelyUnspecifiedDLNA
Sony PlayStation 5 (2020)HDMI4K@120fpsMany802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 10/100/1000 Ethernet2x USB 3.1, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB-C with USB 3.1825GB SSD, user-upgradeableNoneNoIR remote sold separatelyN/ADLNA
Sony PlayStation 4 (2013)HDMI, optical audio1080p@60fps;

4K@60fps (PS4 Pro)

Many802.11 b/g/n, 10/100/1000 Ethernet2x USB 3.0500GB or 1TB hard drive, user-upgradeableNoneYesIR remote sold separatelyNoneDLNA
Sony PlayStation 3 (2006)HDMI, composite audio/video, component audio/video, optical audio1080pMany802.11a/b/g/n, 10/100/1000 Ethernet2x USB 2.0 (4x USB 2.0)12GB [1] up to 500GB hard drive, user-upgradeableSome early models include card readers, [2] other models do not.YesBluetooth remote built into controller, IR remote sold separatelyNoneDLNA
Nintendo Wii U (2012)HDMI, component audio/video, composite audio/video1080pH.264 via browser [3] 802.11a/b/g/n, 10/100 Ethernet4x USB 2.08 or 32 GB NAND flash, not user-upgradeableSD cardYesIR remote built into GamePadNoneNone

Content agreements

Internet video services

Model Amazon Video Crackle Flixster Google Play (Google TV) Hulu iTunes (Apple TV) Movies Anywhere Netflix Sling TV [4] Vevo Vimeo Vudu WWE Network YouTube UltraFlix
Amazon Fire TV YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Apple TV Yes (3rd generation and later)YesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes4th generation and laterYeswith software version 7.2 and laterYes (HD)
Asus CubeYesNoNoYesYesNo ?YesNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
Google Chromecast/Nexus PlayerYes [5] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Hisense Pulse NoYesYesYesNoNo ?YesNoNoNoYesNoYesYes
Little Smart BoxNoYesYesYesYesNo ?YesNoYesYesYesNoYesNo
Microsoft Xbox YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes [6] YesNoYesYesYesYes
NanoTech NuvolaNoNoNoYesYesNo ?YesNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
Nintendo YesNoNoNoYesNo ?NoNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
Roku YesYesYesYes [7] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
SHIELD Android TV YesYesYes [8] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes [9] YesYes
Sony PlayStation YesYesNoNoYesYes ?YesNoNoNoYesYesYesNo
Vizio Co-StarYesYesNoNoLT onlyNo ?YesYesNoNoYesNoYesYes
Western Digital WD TV NoNoYesNoYesNo ?Live and Play versionsNoNoYesYesNoYesNo

American television services

Model Charter Spectrum Verizon FiOS Comcast Xfinity Watch ABC PBS Fox Now A&E Bloomberg Disney Channel FX Now History Channel Lifetime MTV SyFy Watch ESPN Encore Play EPIX HBO GO HBO Max Showtime Anytime Starz Play
Amazon Fire TV NoYesYes [10] Yes [11] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes [12] Yes [13] Yes (was unavailable until Nov. 17, 2020) [14] YesYes
Apple TV YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Google Chromecast YesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Microsoft Xbox YesNoNoXbox 360 onlyYesYesYesNoXbox 360 onlyXbox One only, Xbox 360 upcoming [15] YesYesYesYesXbox One onlyYesYesYesYesYesYes
Roku YesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes (was unavailable until Dec. 2020)YesYes
Sony PlayStation NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesNoNo

NOTE: These tables are not comprehensive or all inclusive; some pay-TV services may not have contracts with certain networks or refuse to serve networks on certain platforms.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Leadbetter, Richard (February 3, 2013). "PlayStation 3 12GB Super Slim review". Eurogamer .
  2. ↑ Caron, Frank (June 4, 2008). "Gone baby gone: the death and afterlife of a 60GB PS3". Ars Technica.
  3. ↑ "Wii U Internet Browser Specs". Nintendo.
  4. ↑ "Watch Online with TV Streaming Devices". Sling TV.
  5. ↑ Moon, Mariella (9 July 2019). "Amazon Prime Video finally works with Chromecast and Android TV". Engadget. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Xbox Support". support.xbox.com.
  7. ↑ Moynihan, Tim. "Bad News for Amazon: Google Play Movies and TV Are Now on Roku". Wired .
  8. ↑ "Movies by Flixster, with Rotten Tomatoes - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com.
  9. ↑ "WWE Network Help - Watching on Android TV". help.wwe.com.
  10. ↑ "Watch Xfinity Stream App on Amazon Fire TV". Xfinity. 2 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "WATCH ABC app arrives on the Amazon Fire TV". AFTVnews. 5 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "EPIX app arrives on the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick". AFTVnews. 16 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "HBO available on Amazon Fire TV". Amazon.
  14. ↑ Spangler, Todd (November 16, 2020). "HBO Max Is Finally Coming to Amazon Fire TV".
  15. ↑ Warren, Christina (January 16, 2014). "FXNow Streaming iOS App Launches Ahead of 'Simpsons' Release". Mashable.
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