I have a decent 10 year old 60 inch panasonic tV, but no smart. I was running a small pc tv box thing but its old hardware now and can’t run some things. The hard drive died the other day so I need to move on.
I am leaning towards some kind of streaming stick, just because they are so cheap.
So choice of
a) amazon fire stick
2) roku
iii) Chromecast.

Which is best for everything. Ability to stream from my NAS and web browser would be good too.
Or something else? A newer windows/linux/android tv box?

The best streaming boxes available off the shelf are the nVidia Shield and the AppleTV.  Whether you are willing to buy into the apple ecosystem is a whole other question but the current box will play almost any content and has (arguably) the best coverage in terms of app availability for your streaming services of choice.

The nVidia will likewise play almost anything, is based on Android and has access to a subset of the android app ecosystem.  It will likewise play almost anything (although there is still an issues with some eclectic content that plays at odd screen frequencies (a manga issue mostly i believe).

If you are in the Alexa/Amazon ecosystem, have a Prime account etc. then the FireTV is also fine, I find the front-end to be harder/less intuitive to use and it pushes Amazon content a lot harder than everything else.

Roku is quite AppleTV like, has support for almost everything but seems to be last on the list of devices to support when it comes to new platforms and updates.

Chromecast isn’t a streaming device, it’s a device that allows you to send content from your phone to your TV, whether that’s enough for you is a question only you can answer. It works best with Android phones/devices though.

Oh and if you are streaming from a NAS, there are several apps for all of those that will do that, Plex or Infuse would be my first stop, you would need to check if you can run the Plex server on your NAS but Infuse will play anything from a simple network share and will catalogue and organise everything for you too, but it costs, Plex is free.

If going the chromecast route, I think you would have to play the NAS content on your phone and cast it to your TV.

If you don’t mind dealing with the evil that is Amazon, a Firestick does what you need.

Firestick would be a lot cheaper, but an AppleTV could also do things like Zwift (with low graphics settings even on the new 4K one for now, but think I saw something about it might get a graphics settings upgrade).

Chromecast isn’t a streaming device, it’s a device that allows you to send content from your phone to your TV, whether that’s enough for you is a question only you can answer. It works best with Android phones/devices though.

I don’t think that’s true. My device has a remote and works as a stand alone device. It has access to an App Store and a nice interface. It also seems to let me cast from iPhone just as well as my old android phone

To the OP I’ve been really pleased with my Chromecast. However I can tell you nothing about use with a NAS

I don’t think that’s true. My device has a remote and works as a stand alone device. It has access to an App Store and a nice interface. It also seems to let me cast from iPhone just as well as my old android phone

I wouldn’t argue with that, my experience with Chromecast is v. limited so if it’s capabilities have been expanded then it might be worth further consideration. I would be surprised if it matches the alternatives mentioned so far though but, again, I am happy to be proven wrong.

I may not have been clear about phone compatibility but I didn’t mean to imply it wouldn’t work with iPhone, just that it works more seamlessly with Android phones.

#EDIT : Surprised if it competes on features, but if those features aren’t required then it is certainly one of the cheapest options if it does everything you want.

I wouldn’t argue with that, my experience with Chromecast is v. limited

Clearly!!

The Chromecast with Google TV is arguably best streaming device out there and almost definitely when the price is taken into account.
Fire stick is also pretty good.
Apple TV is, as usual way overpriced for what it is

Install VLC on the Chromecast with GTV to play anything locally/networked.

I would be surprised if it matches the alternatives mentioned so far though but, again, I am happy to be proven wrong.

Then you should be ecstatic!

Then you should be ecstatic!

Bit harsh, but fair enough, I’ll keep my opinions to myself.  -flounce-

😉

Just to prove that I’m not bitter.. here’s an article that backs up everything you said…

https://www.reviews.org/au/entertainment/apple-tv-4k-vs-chromecast-with-google-tv/

#EDIT : Actually, the one thing that isn’t mentioned there or this thread, is the whole ‘buy Google and YOU are the product’ thing.  I would rather minimise my exposure to Google’s tracking shenanigans but if you aren’t bothered by it then Chromecast with GoogleTV seems to have the best price/performance ratio here by a long way.

I bought a Roku Express HD stick for £20 recently for an old FHD TV in the conservatory (though seems to be £30 in Argos now). It’s great and more versatile than a Chromecast (I wanted YouTube and all the catch up TV without needing a Phone to make it work). There is a 4k version, but you’re possibly into Apple TV /Google TV money (?).

“Chrome cast with Google tv” runs android tv, just like the nvidia shield.

The previous chrome casts didn’t, but they were streaming (as in stream from internet) devices, they just didn’t have any UI, they used another device to control stuff (not 100% true as they were able
To mirror screen and have local streams, but for Netflix, iPlayer, YouTube, they streamed from the internet)

OP – if you have a lot of locally stored content, then why not replace
With another pc like thing. Pi with Kodi Or android tv?

Otherwise, get a streaming stick. The suggestions above are good. I would avoid roku and Amazon, they are cheap because they are either trying to sell you other stuff or just selling your data.

With another pc like thing. Pi with Kodi Or android tv?

I like the idea of another PC like thing, but which one?
The last one, luckily needed a chip and memory that was exactly what I had in a recently dead MOBO laptop so it was all serendipitous, I’m not in that position now and wonder if I should just get a cheap laptop and run it headless with a wireless keyboard..

I have had raspberry pi suggested? Is it powerful enough?

An Intel based Chromebox with custom firmware would do well if you fancy a project.  Once the firmware is replaced you can install Linux or even WIndows on it, the Intel CPU has onboard video decoding so it should play almost everything. It’s a wee media streamer sized box (the ASUS one I have is 12x12x4cm), has front USB IO, uses almost as little power as a streaming box (less so if you run Windows on it).

Combine that with a wireless keyboard/trackpad and you are off to the races.

custom firmware

Source?

Had to dig through old bookmarks as it’s been a while but here…

https://mrchromebox.tech/#home

As I said it’s a wee bit of a project and can be a bit intimidating if you aren’t used to getting your hands dirty (updating the firmware incorrectly can permanently brick the box!), but the site has a full step-by-step guide that’s easy to follow.

I’ve done it a couple of times without issue, mine is currently serving as a Home Assistant box for me to play with running Debian 11

We bought an Amazon Fire Cube a while back, it’s pretty good, really. A little annoying at times with the voice control, but that goes for most voice controlled things. It turns the TV on and off as well as the ancient surround sound (via infra-red), which is also uses by default if desired. So rather than having three remotes and having to hunt for them all at the end of the night, I can just say ‘turn the TV off’ and it all shuts down nicely

As an Apple fanboy I’d say get the fire stick works brilliantly for what you want.

As an Apple fanboy I’d say get the fire stick works brilliantly for what you want.

I’d be on the lookout for the Apple branded wetwork squad in blacked out (but super stylish) vans if I were you.!! 😀

We bought a Chromecast with Google TV recently, after having just a Chromecast for a while. It’s a pretty decent interface, very easy to use.

Firestick over here. Does pretty much everything I want, it’ll even run a VPN if that’s your thing. Cheap as chips at the moment too.

Would suggest the Roku. £20, neutral brand with no advertising on the menus, no apple/google/amazon tracking and things like phone screen sharing and Plex work.

Roku has all the main streaming apps – sometimes the apple/amazon/google crowd fall out between each other or change tech, and you can’t get one’s TV on the other’s devices for a while. For example YouTube won’t work on AppleTV other than the very newest one. This seems to be less of a problem on Roku as they aren’t a major content provider so don’t get involved in tit for tat scraps and don’t appear to desire to create walled gardens and appstores.

Not surprised to see people on here recommending Nvidia Shields and Apple for a 10 year old TV, but remember the screen here is likely 1080p and possibly just ‘HD’, so this looks like a job for the cheapest stick/box with the NAS streaming capability the original poster wanted.

One of the kids has been given a school ipad so I have co-opted her cheap Lenovo we bought in France 2 years ago when she was revising and her laptop died. Was 160 euros in Carrefour.
Wired network and runs eveything so far with a wireless keyboard. This might be the answer, if only I could run it without opening the screen.

This might be the answer, if only I could run it without opening the screen.

You can control what opening and closing the lid triggers under the Power Management settings. Granted, on a Lenovo you’ll have to open it to get at the power button first, but then you can just close it again.

Humax ?JSL.

Apple TV here that we got for “free” with virgin fibre. Works really well and can control it with the harmony remote instead of the awful apple one.
Will probably go Google TV next time. Chromecast TV or shield. Whichever we can get a deal on that is more up to date.

I have / or have had every streaming device except Roku. The worst is Apple TV I’ve got the last gen 4K for Zwift on my wattbike I hated it particularly the remote which I believe they’ve updated with the new one but it’s way over priced to get apps on a TV. I really like the current Chromecast with Google TV but I lost the remote and my projectors USB couldn’t power it. So I decided to try a firestick max it’s been great so far especially as it works with my projector. You can get it for £40 in Amazons sales.