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best entertainment Archives - Best News https://aitesonics.com/category/best-entertainment/ Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:20:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.4 How to choose the best TV for gaming right now https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/ https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/#respond Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:20:45 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/ These days, the best gaming TVs are really no different from the best TVs you can buy in general. That said, there are a few key features to keep in mind when looking for a set to get the most out of your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. No, you don’t need a fancy […]

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]]> These days, the best gaming TVs are really no different from the best TVs you can buy in general. That said, there are a few key features to keep in mind when looking for a set to get the most out of your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. No, you don’t need a fancy TV to simply enjoy a video game, but a good screen can only make the experience more enjoyable. If you’re unsure where to start, we’ve laid out some helpful advice for buying a good gaming TV and noted a few well-reviewed examples you can buy today, at various price points.

Quick OverviewMore options

What to look for in a gaming TV

Whether you use it for gaming or not, all good TVs are built on the same foundations. You want a 4K resolution, sufficient brightness, high contrast ratios with deep and uniform black tones, colors that find the right balance between accuracy and saturation, and wide viewing angles. For video games specifically, you want a TV with minimal input lag and fast motion response, with no blur or other unwanted artifacts behind quick-moving objects. Of course, finding a set that has all of these gaming features and fits into your budget can be tricky.

For now, a top OLED TV will offer the best picture quality for gaming or otherwise. But good OLED TVs usually cost more than their LCD counterparts, and some OLED sets may not get bright enough for those who have their TV set in a particularly well-lit room. If you opt for an LCD TV, an advanced backlight with mini LEDs and effective full-array local dimming will usually improve contrast and lighting detail, while a quantum dot filter can enhance colors.

One thing you don’t need to worry about is 8K support. Although the PS5 and Xbox Series X are technically capable of outputting 8K video, very few games are made for that resolution, and 8K’s practical benefits are extremely minimal unless you plan on sitting unreasonably close to a massive TV. The few 8K TVs on the market are also very expensive.

All that said, there are a few terms you should particularly look out for when buying a TV for your new game console or high-end graphics card.

HDMI 2.1

To get the most out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, your TV should have full HDMI 2.1 support. This is the latest major update to the HDMI spec, enabling a higher maximum bandwidth — 48 gigabits per second, up from HDMI 2.0’s 18 Gbps — and a handful of features that are beneficial for gaming performance specifically. These include variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low latency mode (ALLM), which we detail further below.

Beyond that, perhaps the chief perk of HDMI 2.1 is its ability to transmit sharp 4K video up to a 120Hz refresh rate with modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, or up to 144Hz with a powerful gaming PC. Not every PS5 or Xbox Series X/S game supports frame rates that high — and some only do at lower resolutions — but those that do will look and feel especially fluid in motion. HDMI 2.1 also includes support for Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which allows you to pass higher-quality lossless audio from a source device connected to the TV to a compatible soundbar or receiver.

The more full HDMI 2.1 ports your TV has, the better. “Full” is the key word there. As reported by TFT Central, because HDMI 2.1 is backwards compatible with HDMI 2.0, TV and monitor manufacturers have been allowed to brand HDMI ports as “HDMI 2.1” even if they lack full (or any) support for the spec’s upgraded features. We recommend a few TVs below that have true HDMI 2.1 ports, but if you’re buying a new TV for gaming, make sure your chosen set isn’t trying to hide any capabilities you may consider essential.

HDR — High Dynamic Range

HDR refers to a TV's ability to display a wider range between the darkest and brightest parts of a picture. This broader range can bring out details that would otherwise be missing on a standard dynamic range (SDR) TV, in both the very dark and, especially, the very bright areas of an image. HDR typically comes with an improvement to color reproduction as well, displaying a larger palette of more vibrant colors that brings content closer to its creator’s original vision.

To get an HDR picture, you need both content that is mastered to take advantage of the tech and a TV capable of displaying that content. HDR also comes in a variety of formats, which are generally split between those that utilize static metadata (e.g., HDR10) and those that utilize dynamic metadata (e.g., HDR10+, Dolby Vision). In short, the latter allows a TV to optimize its brightness and colors on a per-scene or even per-frame basis, while the former uses one set of optimized settings for the entirety of the given content. Support for these formats can differ depending on the TV, content and game console you use. The Xbox Series X and S, for example, support Dolby Vision for gaming, while the PS5 does not.

The good news is that most TVs you’d buy in 2023 are HDR-ready in some fashion, even on the budget end of the market. The catch is that some TVs are much better at getting the most out of HDR than others. The same goes for actual content mastered in HDR. With video games in particular, there aren’t quite as many titles designed to take advantage of HDR as there are movies (though the number is growing all the time), and the variance in HDR quality tends to be wider.

HGiG — HDR Gaming Interest Group

HGiG stands for the HDR Gaming Interest Group. Sony and Microsoft are both members, as are many TV makers and game developers. What this means is that, ideally, all the groups communicate information so that you can start up a new game on a console or PC and have it automatically recognize your display. Once that happens, the game can adjust the internal settings to adjust for that display's capabilities and give you the best picture quality possible, without losing details in the brightest or darkest areas of the screen. For example, daylight at the end of a dark tunnel may portray a brightly lit environment instead of looking like an overexposed white blob.

This is a good thing, but the reality is a bit more complicated. Not all TVs highlight HGiG compatibility in their settings menu, while only some PlayStation and Xbox games recognize and follow the guidelines. If an HGiG option is listed in your TV's tone mapping settings, you should turn it on prior to running the console's HDR settings. Then, if you're playing a game that supports HDR and HGiG, you should be in good shape without having to adjust the various luminance levels again. Still, how all of this looks to you might differ depending on your TV and the game you’re playing. Owners of certain LG OLED TVs, for instance, may prefer their TV’s Dynamic Tone Mapping setting. Use whatever settings you think look best.

ALLM — Auto Low Latency Mode

ALLM allows a source (like your PS5 or Xbox) to tell the display to switch into a picture mode that reduces lag between receiving each frame of an image and displaying it on the TV. This cuts out additional processing that could be the milliseconds of difference between landing a precise input or not. A good modern TV can automatically switch to game mode, then back out when you'd rather watch a movie or TV show.

VRR — Variable Refresh Rate

VRR will sound familiar if you're a PC gamer. Most players have experienced slowdown, screen tearing or stuttering as a system struggles to render each frame at the target speed, which is most commonly 30 or 60 fps on a TV. With VRR, everything stays in sync: Your display won't show the next frame until it's ready, which can make things feel smoother and more responsive, even if the system fails to deliver on its target frame rate.

There are a few different implementations of VRR available, including Nvidia’s G-Sync, AMD’s FreeSync and the HDMI Forum’s VRR spec, which is part of the full HDMI 2.1 standard. Both a TV and an input device need to support the same VRR tech for it to work, and different devices may only support VRR within a specific refresh rate window. On a 120Hz display, for instance, the PS5’s VRR only works between 48Hz and 120Hz.

As a reminder, the PS5 supports HDMI Forum VRR, the Xbox Series X/S support HDMI Forum VRR and FreeSync, while gaming PCs may support G-Sync or FreeSync depending on whether they use a Nvidia or AMD graphics card. A great gaming TV supports all the big VRR formats, but missing, say, G-Sync, isn’t a killer if you only game on a PS5 or Xbox.

Good gaming TVs you can get right now

The likes of Samsung, LG, TCL, Vizio and Hisense have unveiled new TVs for 2024 but, as of this writing, we’ve only recently started to see the first few of those become available. Details for more new models should be confirmed in the coming weeks. If history is any indication, though, most of those sets are unlikely to be game-changing upgrades over the 2023 models still on sale today, and they'll cost more out of the gate. We'll have to see if there are exceptions, of course: Samsung’s new S95D OLED TV now uses anti-glare technology, for instance, while Hisense promises improved brightness across its new midrange sets. If you want the latest and greatest and are willing to pay more to get it, hold out for a little longer.

But the TV market is always in motion. Most of the best models from last year have steadily fallen in price since launch, and they should only drop further as manufacturers look to clear out inventory. This means that, in most cases, buying a good 2023 TV should continue to provide the most bang for your buck, at least for the near term. Those are the sets we’ve highlighted with our recommendations below. While we at Engadget do not formally review TVs, we’re confident in our picks after thoroughly researching user feedback and the consensus from other professional review sites we trust, such as Rtings, Wirecutter, Reviewed and PCMag, among others.

Samsung

Samsung S90C OLED TV (55-inch)

The Samsung S90C has a QD-OLED display that combines an OLED panel with a layer of quantum dots. This allows it to display the high contrast and deep blacks of any good OLED TV without sacrificing as much in the way of peak brightness or color saturation. It should deliver consistently smooth motion, and it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that can play up to 4K 144Hz. It also supports HDR10 and HDR10+, ALLM and the major VRR formats. Sizes range from 55 to 83 inches. Like the rest of Samsung’s TV lineup, however, it doesn’t work with Dolby Vision HDR.

We’ll also note the Samsung S95C, a higher-end model. It, too, can play in 4K up to 144Hz, and some reviews say it can get a bit brighter than the S90C in HDR. Since it runs its ports through an external box, its actual hardware is thinner as well. But it’s significantly more expensive, so it’s harder to justify unless money is no object. The aforementioned S95D OLED TV, Samsung’s flagship for 2024, may be a more meaningful upgrade, though it’s only just become available and costs even more.

ProsHigh contrast with deep blacksGood brightness for an OLED TVAvailable in sizes up to 83 inchesConsDoes not support Dolby Vision HDR$1,498 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,900 at Lowe’s LG

LG C3 OLED TV (55-inch)

The LG C3’s WOLED panel can’t get as bright as a QD-OLED TV like the Samsung S90C, but it still performs excellently in terms of contrast, input lag, motion response and viewing angles. It’s occasionally available for a little bit less than the S90C, too. It follows the HGiG’s HDR guidelines, supports ALLM, works with all the major VRR formats and has four full HDMI 2.1 ports capable of outputting 4K 120Hz with a PS5, Xbox or PC. It also supports all the major HDR standards, including Dolby Vision, and it’s available in a wide variety of sizes, from 42 to 83 inches. It’s just less ideal in a brightly-lit room, and it doesn’t support a 144Hz refresh rate for those who may want to get the most out of a gaming PC.

ProsHigh contrast with deep blacksDolby Vision HDRAvailable in sizes up to 83 inchesConsNot as bright as QD-OLED TVsDoes not support 144Hz refresh rates for PCs$1,297 at Amazon Samsung

Samsung QN90C QLED TV (55-inch)

If you need the improved brightness of a LCD TV, or if you think you might play one game (extremely) long enough to worry about burn-in, consider the Samsung QN90C. It can’t match the contrast, response time or viewing angles of a good OLED model, but its mini-LED backlight and quantum-dot color should make for a richer image than most LCD TVs, particularly in HDR. Its motion and input lag shouldn’t cause problems either, and it can get much brighter than the models mentioned above. It still doesn’t support Dolby Vision, but it has four full HDMI 2.1 ports, ALLM and all the big VRR formats. It also comes in several screen sizes, with the 43- and 50-inch models capable of hitting a 144Hz refresh rate. The rest go up to 120Hz, which is the max for a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. The 43- and 50-inch versions of these TVs use VA panels, though, which should result in better contrast but worse viewing angles.

The Sony X93L is another highly-rated premium LED TV that does support Dolby Vision, albeit at 60Hz only, and can auto-calibrate HDR on a PS5. It has two fewer HDMI 2.1 ports than the QN90C, however, which makes it a tighter fit for those with multiple gaming devices, and its size range starts at 65 inches.

ProsMini-LED backlight and quantum-dot colorHigh peak brightnessAvailable in wide range of sizesConsDoes not support Dolby VisionCan’t match the contrast of an OLED TVSmaller models use worse panels$1,198 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,198 at Walmart $1,498 at World Wide Stereo Hisense

Hisense U8K QLED TV (55-inch)

The TVs above are all pretty expensive. If you’re on more of a budget, the Hisense U8K, another QLED TV with mini LEDs, should be a strong value. It may not be a better gaming TV than the QN90C in a vacuum, as it only has two full-fat HDMI 2.1 ports, and its image will wash out more dramatically when viewed from an angle. But reviews suggest that, for a few hundred less, it’ll still look good in any lighting environment, with impressive brightness levels, 4K 144Hz support, all the main HDR formats, VRR, ALLM and low-enough input lag in game mode. You’ll still sacrifice contrast compared to a good OLED TV, however, and motion won’t look quite as fast or smooth.

The TCL QM8 looks to be an impressive QLED option in this price range as well. It can get a little brighter than the U8K and supports up to a 144Hz refresh rate in 4K or a super-fast 240Hz in 1080p. Unlike the Hisense model, it also keeps its eARC port separate from its two HDMI 2.1 ports, which means you could keep a PS5, Xbox Series X and eARC-compatible soundbar hooked up and optimized without ever having to mess around with inputs. Its smallest size is 65 inches, though, and a few reviews say it’s a bit worse than the U8K at upscaling lower-resolution content, which may affect those looking to play retro consoles.

If you want to pay a little less, meanwhile, the Hisense U7K offers a similar set of gaming features as its higher-end sibling but isn’t as bright or vivid.

ProsStrong valueImpressive brightness4K 144Hz supportConsContrast isn’t as good as that of an OLED TV$698 at Amazon Hisense

Hisense U6K QLED TV (55-inch)

On the lower end of the price spectrum, the Hisense U6K is the rare budget-level TV with quantum-dot color, a mini-LED backlight and full-array local dimming. Various reviews say all of this helps it deliver better contrast and color volume than most value-oriented models. ALLM and the major HDR standards are supported as well. Technically, it’s also a VRR display — but, like many cheaper TVs, the U6K is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, so that support only goes so far. There are no HDMI 2.1 ports either, and the TV’s brightness levels and motion handling will still be a clear step down from more expensive options. But at $350 or so for a 55-inch model, those issues should be easier to overlook.

The TCL Q5 is another notable budget option, as it’s one of the few cheap TVs that can play up to 120Hz, albeit only at a 1080p or 1440p resolution. It lacks a local dimming feature and the U6K’s mini- LED backlight, but for competitive-minded gamers who are willing to trade some sharpness and picture quality for a more responsive image, it could be a decent value. The same sentiment should apply to the TCL Q6, which offers slightly higher brightness levels but costs a bit extra.

ProsAffordableMini-LED backlightQuantum-dot colorConsLimited to 60Hz refresh rateNo HDMI 2.1 ports$348 at WalmartExplore More Buying Options$488 at Amazon

Richard Lawler contributed to this report.

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/feed/ 0 The best streaming services in 2024 https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/ https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/#respond Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:18:27 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042-2/ There are too many streaming services to keep track of today — and with prices steadily rising, you might be asking yourself if it’s still worthwhile at all to subscribe to these services instead of cable. We share those frustrations but have ultimately decided this oversaturated space offers much more than the basic-cable world that […]

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]]> There are too many streaming services to keep track of today — and with prices steadily rising, you might be asking yourself if it’s still worthwhile at all to subscribe to these services instead of cable. We share those frustrations but have ultimately decided this oversaturated space offers much more than the basic-cable world that came before it. But now, you have to wade through all of those options and figure out which have the content you want to watch, which fit into your budget, which have the most compelling original series, movies and documentaries, and the best live TV streaming services.We at Engadget wanted to make that process easier so we’ve compiled a list of the best streaming services you can subscribe to right now, with our favorite picks spanning across all content types and budgets. Should you go out and subscribe to all of the services listed here? Probably not, unless you’re a true cord cutter aching for content. But these are the services that offer the best bang for your buck, regardless of whether you’re a live sports buff, a classic movie lover or a general streaming enthusiast.

Quick OverviewMore options

Netflix

$7 per month at Netflix $25 at Amazon (gift card)See more options

Amazon Prime Video

$9 per month at Amazon

Max

$10 per month at Max More options

Hulu

$8 per month at Hulu $25 at Amazon (gift card)See more options

Disney+

$8 per month at Disney+

Apple TV+

$10 per month at Apple

YouTube TV

$73 per month at YouTube

Hulu + Live TV

$76 per month at Hulu

ESPN+

$11 per month at ESPN

Paramount+

$6 per month at Paramount+

NBC Peacock

$6 per month at NBC

Criterion Channel

$11 per month at Criterion Channel

Shudder

$7 per month at Shudder See 8 more Netflix

Netflix

Free trial: No | Monthly price: Starts at $7/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $84/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

Compared to other on-demand streaming services, no one offers more high-quality content at a single price than Netflix. Pick any category you can think of and Netflix probably has something that will fit the bill, including original programming. Plus, new content is released every week and as a worldwide service, Netflix is consistently adding movies and TV shows from around the globe that can change the viewing experience in ways you may not have considered (Are you sure you’re not into K-Dramas, Finnish detective thrillers or British home improvement shows?).

Netflix is available in almost every country on the planet, and its app or website runs on most of the devices that connect to the internet. Those apps are also some of the most easy-to-use of any service. That doesn’t mean it’s always simple to choose something to watch, but when it comes to swapping profiles or simply picking up where you left off, it doesn’t get better than this. If you’re heading off the grid — or onto a plane — then you can easily download most (but not all) of its content to watch on your iOS or Android device.

If you somehow don’t have Netflix already (or someone to share a login with) then getting a taste of it is a little more complicated than it used to be. Netflix dropped its free trial period in the US a while ago so it’s important to have all your information in order before going in to create an account.

The other thing to keep in mind is that maybe if you’ve let your account lapse, the service that exists now is very different from what you would’ve seen two years ago, or five, or ten. Remaining the dominant player in subscription streaming has required adjustments to stay on top with a changing mix of content and plans to choose from.

In the US, there are three levels of Netflix you can subscribe to. All of them include unlimited access to the same content, work on the same devices and you can cancel or pause them at any time. The Standard with Ads tier costs $7 per month and it’s the only option that includes advertisements. The difference between Standard ($15.50 per month) and Premium ($23 per month) comes down to picture quality and the amount of simultaneous streams allowed. — Richard Lawler, Senior News Editor

$7 per month at NetflixExplore More Buying Options$25 at Amazon (gift card)Amazon

Amazon Prime Video

Free trial: Yes (with free Prime trial) | Monthly price: Starts at $9/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $108/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

If you think of Amazon’s Prime Video package as a Netflix-lite, or even if you’ve only used it once or twice, then you may be underestimating the options available to streamers. The ad-free (other than trailers) subscription service is available as part of Amazon Prime, which you can purchase for either $15 per month, or $139 annually. While the subscription started out as a way to get free shipping on more purchases, Amazon has tacked on benefits that extend across books, music, games and even groceries. If you’d prefer to get Prime Video only, it’s available as a standalone for $9 per month.

We’ll focus on the video service, which includes a selection of original and catalog content that is a lot like what Netflix and the others offer. In recent years Amazon Prime has increased its original output with award-winning series like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as well as highly-regarded genre content like The Boys and The Expanse.

When it comes to where you can watch Amazon Prime Video, the list of options rivals Netflix. Streaming boxes and smart TVs, whether they’re part of Amazon’s Fire TV platform or not, are almost a given. Game consoles? Check. The only major gap in compatibility was Google’s Chromecast, and it closed that hole in the summer of 2019.

Amazon also has a significant amount of content that’s available to watch in 4K and HDR and unlike Netflix it won’t charge you extra for the privilege. The same goes for simultaneous streams — Amazon’s rules say you can have up to two running concurrently. When it comes to downloads, Amazon allows offline viewing on its Fire devices, Android and iOS.

The only downside is that Amazon’s apps aren’t quite on par with Netflix in terms of usability. While all the features are there, simple things like reading an episode summary, enabling closed-captions or jumping out of one show and into another are frequently more frustrating on Amazon than on other platforms. The company also frequently insists on bringing its Fire TV-style interface to other platforms instead of using their native controls. That can make it harder to use, although on platforms where it hews to the built-in controls, like Roku, can be easier to use.

One other thing to think about is that Amazon’s video apps link to its on-demand store, and include access to Channels. For cord-cutters who just want a consistent experience across different devices, that means you can easily buy or rent content that isn’t part of the subscription. Amazon Channels lets you manage subscriptions to Britbox, Showtime, Paramount+ and others. — R.L.

$9 per month at Amazon Max

Max

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: Starts at $10/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $100/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

In 2020, HBO decided to take the fight to its streaming competitors with HBO Max. It supplanted the existing HBO channels, as well as streaming via HBO Go or HBO Now by refocusing on original content and rebuilding the service for the modern era. Even before the recent merger and rebranding as simply Max, it had the advantage of linking to one of the deepest (and best) content libraries available, drawing from the premium cable channel’s archives, the Warner Bros. vault, Studio Ghibli, Looney Tunes, Sesame Street and Turner Classic Movies.

If you pay for HBO from one of the major TV providers, then congratulations — you probably already have access to the full Max experience. Just activate your account and start streaming. Otherwise, you can subscribe directly over the internet. Max has a free 7-day trial, and costs $16 per month (or $150 a year) for the cheapest no-ads tier. You can pony up $20 per month, or $200 per year, for a no-ads tier that includes 4K streaming and four simultaneous streams. To get in on the ground floor, the ad-supported tier costs $10 per month.

Since launch, Max has come to more TV platforms and it’s now available on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung and others. You can also stream it via a browser, Sony and Microsoft’s game consoles or with mobile apps on Android and iOS. It also includes support for AirPlay and Google’s Cast feature, which help it work with more smart TVs than just the ones listed here.

Max content includes premium stuff that Warner yanked back from Netflix and others, like full series runs of Friends and The Fresh Prince, or DC Universe-related TV series and movies. The Max library speaks for itself, with Game of Thrones, The Wire, Band of Brothers, and Flight of the Conchords or Entourage, and newer shows like The Last of Us and The White Lotus.

We should mention, however, that Max canceled several shows ahead of its Discovery+ merger as a cost-cutting move. It is deprioritizing kid and family content, leading to the removal of Sesame Street spin-offs and a handful of Cartoon Network titles. Movies like Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt have also been axed. Despite these changes, Max still has one of the best content libraries of any TV streaming service and is worthy of consideration. — R.L. and Nicole Lee, Commerce Writer

$10 per month at Max Hulu

Hulu

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: Starts at $8/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $96/year (with ads) | Live TV: Yes, at an additional cost | Local channels: Yes, at an additional cost

Hulu started out as a bit of a curiosity — a joint venture by NBC, News Corp and a private equity firm to compete with Netflix by offering new episodes of TV shows. Then, after Disney joined up in 2009, bringing along its content from ABC and the Disney Channel, Hulu became a streaming network worth paying attention to. Today, Hulu’s focus is still on recent TV episodes, but it also has a strong library of original series and films (like The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building), as well as an archive of older TV and movies that often puts Netflix to shame.

Now that Disney owns a majority controlling stake in Hulu, following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the service is less of a collaboration between media giants. (Comcast still offers NBCUniversal content, but it can choose to have Disney buy out its shares as early as 2024.) Instead, it’s yet another feather in Disney’s increasingly important digital empire, alongside Disney+ and ESPN+. That may not be a great thing for the competitiveness of streaming services in general, but for subscribers it means they can look forward to even more perks, like access to all of the FX shows that hit Hulu earlier this year.

Hulu subscriptions start at $8 a month (or $80 a year) with ads. You can also bump up to the ad-free plan for $18 a month (worth it for true TV addicts). The company’s Live TV offering is considerably more expensive, starting at $77 a month with ads and $90 a month ad-free, but you do get Disney+ and ESPN+ services bundled in. Hulu allows two of your devices to stream at the same time, and you can also download some content for offline viewing. Hulu Live TV subscribers can also pay $10 a month for unlimited streaming at home (and for up to three remote mobile devices).

Given that it’s one of the longest-running streaming services out there, you can find Hulu apps everywhere, from TVs to set-top boxes. The company has been slow to adopt newer home theater technology, though — we’re still waiting for surround sound on Apple TV and many other devices, and there’s no HDR at all. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Editor

$8 per month at HuluExplore More Buying Options$25 at Amazon (gift card)Disney+

Disney+

Free trial: No | Monthly price: Starts at $8/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $96/year (with ads) | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

Disney+ came out swinging, leveraging all of the company’s popular brands, like Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel. It’s your one-stop-shop for everything Disney, making it catnip for kids, parents, animation fans and anyone looking for some classic films from the likes of 20th Century Pictures. And unlike Hulu, which Disney also owns, there aren’t any R-rated movies or shows that curious kiddos can come across. It’s just The Mandalorian (and things like it) from here on out.

Given the company’s new focus on streaming, Disney+ has quickly become a must-have for families. And at $8 a month (or $80 a year), it’s a lot cheaper than wrangling the kids for a night out at the movies (or even buying one of the Disney’s over-priced Blu-rays). You can also get it bundled with ESPN+ and Hulu for $15 a month. Some Verizon FiOS and mobile customers can also get Disney+, Hulu and ESPN for free.

Disney+ supports four simultaneous streams at once, and also lets you download films and shows for offline viewing. (That’s particularly helpful when you’re stuck in the car with no cell service and a crying toddler. Trust me.) You can access Disney+ on every major streaming device and most TV brands. While the service launched without support for Amazon Fire TV devices, it’s now available there as well. — D.H.

$8 per month at Disney+Apple

Apple TV+

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $10/month | Annual cost: $120/year | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

Apple spared no expense with its streaming platform, launching with high profile series like The Morning Show. While they weren’t all hits initially (See you later, get it?), Apple TV+ has since amassed a slew of must-watch programming like Ted Lasso, Severance, and For All Mankind. Clearly, the iPhone maker is taking a different approach than Netflix or Disney, with a focus on quality and big celebrity names, rather than bombarding us with a ton of content. But that strategy seems to have paid off.

For $10 a month, there’s a ton of great shows and movies to dive into, including a number of National Geographic shows. But if you’re a dedicated Apple user, it may be worth moving up to an Apple One plan, which also bundles Apple Arcade, Apple Music, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $20 a month. Step up to $26 monthly, and you can bring in your whole family with up to 200GB of iCloud storage. And for $38 a month, Apple throws in News+ and Fitness+. – D.H.

$10 per month at Apple YouTube TV

YouTube TV

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $73/month | Live TV: Yes | Local channels: Yes

YouTube TV is a great option for cord cutters who still want to watch live TV without having to sign up for a contract. It carries over 85 different channels, so it’s highly likely that you won’t miss your cable TV or satellite subscription at all if you switch over. YouTube TV even carries your regional PBS channels, which is a rarity on most live TV streaming services.

Where YouTube TV really shines is in the live sports department. Not only does it offer sports-carrying channels like CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, TBS and TNT, it also offers specific sports coverage networks like the MLB Network, NBA TV and the NFL Network. You can even opt for a Sports Plus package for an additional $11 a month if you want specific sports channels like NFL RedZone, FOX College Sports, GOLTV, FOX Soccer Plus, MAVTV Motorsports Network, TVG and Stadium. Unfortunately, however, YouTube TV recently lost the rights to carry Bally Sports regional networks, which means that you won’t get region-specific channels such as Bally Sports Detroit or Bally Sports Southwest.

One particularly strong selling point for sports fans is that instead of always remembering to record a particular game, you can just choose to “follow” a specific team and the DVR will automatically record all of its games. Plus, if you happen to have jumped into the match late, there’s a “catch up with key plays” feature that lets you watch all the highlights up until that point so that you’re up to speed.

YouTube TV is on the expensive side at $73 a month, which might not be much more than your basic cable package. If you want to add 4K viewing (which is currently only available through certain sporting events) plus unlimited streaming, you’d have to cough up an additional $20 a month. But a standard subscription includes channels such as BBC, BET, Comedy Central, the Food Network, MTV, Nickelodeon, USA, and more.

It currently offers one of the best cloud DVRs available. YouTube TV’s DVR has unlimited storage plus you have up to nine months to watch your recorded content before they expire. There are also no DVR up-charges here; you can rewind or fast forward through the recorded content as you please by default. We should note, however, that the on-demand content on YouTube TV does have ads which you can’t fast-forward through.

There’s also a plethora of premium channels that you can add for as low as $3 per month, such as Showtime, Max, Starz, Cinemax and EPIX. You can also subscribe to an Entertainment Plus bundle that includes Max, Showtime and Starz for $30 a month. Other niche add-ons include CuriosityStream, AMC Premiere, Shudder, Sundance Now, Urban Movie Channel, and Acorn TV. — N.L.

$73 per month at YouTube Hulu

Hulu + Live TV

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $77/month | Live TV: Yes | Local channels: Yes

Aside from on-demand and original content, Hulu also offers a Live TV add-on that lets you stream over 80 channels without a cable or satellite subscription. It’ll cost $77 a month, but that includes access to both Disney+ and ESPN+ (or you can pay $76 monthly for live TV only). For an extra fee, you’ll also be able to watch on-demand shows without any ads, which can’t be said with YouTube TV. Hulu’s Live TV option also has unlimited DVR storage for up to nine months. That includes on-demand playback and fast-forwarding capabilities.

Hulu allows two simultaneous streams per account, but you can pay $15 more if you want unlimited screens (and up to three remote mobile devices). If you want, you can also add premium add-ons to your Hulu plan, such as Max, Cinemax, Showtime, or Starz.

Hulu’s Live TV service is a great option for sports fans, as it has access to a channel lineup that includes CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, TBS, TNT and more, all of which should deliver content for fans of most major sports like football, basketball and baseball. However, Hulu plus Live TV does not carry the NBA TV, MLB Network or regional sports networks, so you could miss out on additional sports coverage. — N.L.

$76 per month at Hulu ESPN

ESPN+

Free trial: No | Monthly price: $11/month | Annual cost: $110/year | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

Without a doubt, ESPN’s standalone service is the best deal in sports streaming. No one can compete with the network when it comes to the sheer volume of content. The platform hosts thousands of live college sporting events, plus MLB, MLS, NHL, NBA G League games and more. There’s plenty of pro tennis as well, and ESPN+ is an insane value for soccer fans.

On top of select MLS matches, ESPN+ is the US home of the Bundesliga (Germany) and the EFL cup (Carabao Cup). It’s also the spot for the UEFA Nations League international competition in Europe.

ESPN offers a slate of original shows and the full catalog of its 30 For 30 series on the service. And lastly, ESPN+ is the home of UFC. Fight Nights, Dana White’s Contender Series and other shows stream weekly or monthly, plus the app is how you access PPV events.

That’s a truckload of sports included in the $11 a month standard plan. If you splurge for the Disney bundle with Disney+ and Hulu (ad-supported), you can get all three for $15 per month. — Billy Steele, Senior News Editor

$11 per month at ESPN Paramount+

Paramount+

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: Starts at $6/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $72/month (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: Yes, at an additional cost

Formerly CBS All Access, Paramount+ may get the most attention for originals like Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard and The Twilight Zone, but it’s becoming a sports destination as well. The app began streaming NWSL soccer matches last summer when the league returned to the pitch. CBS also announced that All Access would be the live streaming home of the US women’s league. Unfortunately, you can’t watch every match there, but it’s a start.

Soon after, CBS added UEFA Champions League and Europa League soccer to its sports slate. The Champions League is the biggest competition in club soccer, pitting teams from various countries around the continent against each other to see who’s the best. Europa League does the same, but with less glory. Paramount+ is now the home of Series A soccer (Italy) and will broadcast CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, which the US Men’s National Team will participate in.

At $6 a month with limited commercials, or $12 a month for the ad-free tier (with Showtime bundled in), Paramount+ isn’t a must have sports destination just yet. You can stream NFL games and more that air on your local CBS station inside the app, but the network is still filling out a well-rounded slate. For now, it’s more of a necessity for soccer fans than anything else. — B.S.

$6 per month at Paramount+NBC

NBC Peacock

Free trial: No | Monthly price: Starts at $6/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $72/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

NBC made it clear before Peacock’s debut that Premier League soccer would be available on the standalone service. What we didn’t expect was that the network would put so many games there, basically forcing anyone who’s more than a casual fan to subscribe. This is partially due to PL scheduling. In the US, that means you need the $6/month service and access to NBC Sports network (through cable TV or live TV streaming) to follow comprehensively.

NBCUniversal had a similar structure in the past where one game per time slot was broadcast on NBC Sports and NBC Sports Gold was used as the overflow. Gold was also the home to cycling, Olympic sports and more. Now the Premier League is being used to push the new service Peacock, and with the current scheduling format, even more games are relegated to streaming only. Thankfully, Peacock does offer match replays, so there’s some added value there if you can’t be parked in front of your TV all day on Saturday and Sunday. Games currently run from about 7:30AM ET to around 5PM ET (matches usually at 7:30AM, 10AM, 12:30PM and one around 2:30 or 3:00PM).

Peacock also shows coverage of US Open tennis, NFL Wild Card games and will host “select events” from upcoming Olympics in Tokyo and Beijing. There’s also a smattering of sports talk shows available for free with paid users getting on-demand replays of Triple Crown horse racing and more. — B.S.

$6 per month at NBC Criterion Channel

Criterion Channel

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $11/month | Annual cost: $100/year | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

While it’s easy to find modern blockbuster films on Netflix and other streaming services these days, classic cinema is often tougher to find. FilmStruck tried to solve that problem, but it couldn’t find a large enough audience to survive. Now there’s the Criterion Channel, which delivers a rotating array of its cinephile-approved library for $11 a month or $100 a year. (Where else can you stream something like the incredible ramen noodle Western Tampopo?)

It’s a service that’s built for movie lovers: It’s chock full of commentary tracks, conversations with writers and directors, and some of the company’s renowned special features. The Criterion Channel also does a far better job at curating viewing options than other services. Its double features, for instance, pair together thematically similar films, like the classic noir entries Phantom Lady and Variety. What’s more, its editors make it easy to find all of the available films from a single director, for all of you auteur theory connoisseurs.

Sure, it costs a bit more than Hulu and Disney+, but The Criterion Channel gives you access to a library that’s far more rewarding than the latest streaming TV show. You can watch on up to three devices at once, and there’s also offline viewing available for iOS and Android devices. It also supports major streaming devices from Apple, Amazon and Roku, but as far as TV’s go, it’s only on Samsung’s Tizen-powered sets. Unfortunately, The Criterion Channel is only available in the US and Canada, due to licensing restrictions. — D.H.

$11 per month at Criterion Channel Shudder

Shudder

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $7/month | Annual cost: $72/year | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

Sometimes, a good horror movie is the only way to deal with the constant anxiety of a potential climate apocalypse and the seeming downfall of modern society. If that describes your personality, it’s worth taking a look at Shudder, AMC Network’s streaming service dedicated to everything spooky. You’ll find plenty of horror classics, like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but Shudder has also gotten into the original content game with unique films like Host, which takes place entirely over a Zoom call.

If you’re a bit squeamish, Shudder probably won’t sell you much on horror. But for fans of the genre, it’s a smorgasbord of content to dive into. You can try it out free for seven days, and afterwards it’s $7 per month (or $72 annually). Shudder only supports viewing one stream at a time, and there’s no support for offline viewing yet. You can find Shudder on major streaming device platforms, but since it’s so niche, don’t expect to find it on smart TVs anytime soon. — D.H.

$7 per month at Shudder

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/feed/ 0 The best projectors you can buy, plus how to choose one https://aitesonics.com/best-projectors-123004354/ https://aitesonics.com/best-projectors-123004354/#respond Sat, 13 Apr 2024 09:56:12 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-projectors-123004354/ If you’ve been interested in investing in a home theater projector, you’re not alone. Devices in this space have come a long way over the past few years, making them better than ever and more accessible to boot. No longer the clunky, dim models of the past, the latest machines are brighter, sharper, more compact […]

The post The best projectors you can buy, plus how to choose one appeared first on Best News.

]]> If you’ve been interested in investing in a home theater projector, you’re not alone. Devices in this space have come a long way over the past few years, making them better than ever and more accessible to boot. No longer the clunky, dim models of the past, the latest machines are brighter, sharper, more compact and easier than ever to install. But most importantly, they have much improved image quality now and they can achieve screen sizes that no regular TV could. If you want a true, big-screen viewing experience, a good home theater projector is the best way to get it.But the projector space is vast, with dozens of options running from ultra-short-throw to portable to long-throw. There are also a lot of terms to understand, like lens shift, LCD vs. DLP, laser vs. lamp illumination and more. In this buying guide, we’ll help you understand everything you need to know before purchasing the best projector for your needs within your budget, and detail our topic picks across all of the different types of projectors available today.

Quick Overview

LG CineBeam UHD 4K Projector

Best UST projector under $3,500

$2,197 at Amazon

Samsung The Premiere 4K Smart Laser Projector

Best UST projector under $7,000

$3,100 at Amazon

ViewSonic UHD Home Theater Projector

Best projector under $1,000

$883 at Amazon More options

BenQ 4K Home Theater Projector

Best projector under $2,000

$959 at Amazon $1,699 at Newegg See more options More options

Epson Home Cinema Projector

Best projector under $6,000

$4,000 at Crutchfield $4,000 at B&H Photo See more options

XGIMI MoGo Pro Portable Projector

Best budget portable projector

$599 at Amazon See 1 more

The technology: LCD and DLP projectors

Here are the basics: Traditional projectors generally use two types of technology, LCD and DLP. They’re fundamentally different systems, with their own advantages and drawbacks.

The rise of ultra-short-throw projectors and brighter long-throw models, meanwhile, has been powered by falling prices in laser illumination technology. Lasers are a far better solution than lamps, because they’re brighter and last far longer — up to 30,000 hours instead of 6,000. That’s essentially a lifetime of use (about 10 years).

Most projector manufacturers now use DLPs, or digital light processing units, manufactured nearly exclusively by Texas Instruments (TI). The heart of the tech is an optical semiconductor called a digital micromirror device (DMD) that contains millions of aluminum mirrors. Those tilt either toward the light source (on) or away from it (off) at up to 5,000 times per second.

Budget projectors like BenQ’s HT3550i use TI’s 0.47-inch DMD, while higher end models, like the Samsung Premium LSP9T use the 0.66-inch chip. Both use mirrors that tilt by +12 and -12 degrees for white and black, but TI recently unveiled a new 0.47-inch 4K-capable DMD with +/-17 degrees of tilt, which should enhance both brightness and contrast.

DLP projector makers include LG, Optoma, LG, BenQ and Panasonic. The benefits of the tech are portability, high contrast, less fringing and cheaper projectors, especially 4K and ultra-short-throw models. The biggest drawback is the rainbow effect, or bright red/blue/green artifacts that affect some viewers more than others.

LCD tech, meanwhile, uses a prism to split a light source into red, green and blue beams. Those then pass through LCD displays containing the image and converge via another prism before passing through the projector’s lens.

Epson is the primary user of LCD tech, along with Sony, Sanyo and others. LCD projectors tend to be sharper, more efficient and more color accurate, but have lower contrast ratios and can experience image degradation over time. In general, they’re also more expensive.

What to look for in a projector

Ultra-short-throw

Since the last time we updated our guide, ultra-short-throw projectors have become the hot new category, offering several benefits. You can mount them close to the wall like a TV, with no need to run wires through the walls and ceiling, but still get an immersive image as large as 120 inches — something that’s impossible with a TV unless you’re very rich. They use brighter lasers that never need to be replaced — and because laser light is collimated, focusing is eliminated.

They’re also physically less awkward to install than a ceiling-mounted projector, though that doesn’t mean installation is super easy. To get the perfect screen fit and alignment, you must place them an exact height and distance from your wall or screen. This can be quite a pain, as I’ve discovered.

You also need a perfectly flat wall or projector screen, because ultra-short-throw projectors beam up at an acute angle, so any imperfections will show as shadows. For that reason, you can’t use a roll-down screen because they have slight ripples.

For the best results, particularly with a lot of ambient light, you should use an ambient light-rejecting (ALR) screen. Those have small ridges that reflect light from below back to your eyes, but absorb any light (ie ambient light) that comes from above. For one of those, you’ll need to budget at least $450 and way up. Some projectors, including models from Epson and HiSense, come with ALR screens.

Brightness and contrast

Home theater projectors generally range in brightness between 2,000 to 4,000 lumens, but you’ll need to take those figures with a grain of salt. Some models might actually hit 3,000 lumens or more, but cranking the lamp to that level will hurt the image quality and lifespan of your bulb. Also, some manufacturers tend to exaggerate maximum brightness.

As a point of reference, many 4K flat panel TVs nowadays can hit 1,000 nits of brightness, but the brightest consumer projectors only display between 100 and 150 nits from the screen. That’s not as big a deal as it might seem, because projector images are much larger and meant to be used in dark rooms, where your eyes will automatically adjust to the light and “brighten” the image.

Contrast is also substantially different on home theater projectors. Unlike OLED TVs, projectors don’t allow for zero black levels because of ambient light, reflections and other reasons. You also can’t have local dimming zones found on LED TVs for true blacks. Some projectors do have a dynamic iris to improve the contrast scene-by-scene, but those can often produce a “pumping” effect, with the image dimming or brightening in mid-scene.

Mounting and fan noise

A big advantage of regular long throw projectors is that you can mount the projector and screen on the ceiling, using zero space in your room. If you plan to do that, don’t forget to budget for a mounting bracket and any necessary long cables, including extra power for Google’s finicky Chromecast. Also, keep in mind that it’s easier to mount a lightweight home theater projector, and DLP models are usually lighter than those with LCD tech.

Some projectors are noisier than others, and usually the more you spend, the less noise you get. Many of the new 4K DLP projectors, when operating in 4K mode, are particularly noisy. There’s one other (cool) thing: if you have a portable projector or even one that is relatively easy to take down and put up, you can take it outside for magical night screenings under the stars.

HDR and resolution

As related to projectors, these things could each take up an entire article. In fact, they have — for a deeper dive, take a look at Projector Central’s excellent takes on HDR and resolution.

On the resolution front, only expensive projectors have native 4K resolution; indeed, most movie theaters still use 2K projectors for various reasons. However, there are many relatively inexpensive DLP projectors that use pixel-shifting to attain 4K resolution. That system emits each pixel four times while moving it to the correct position for a 4K image, all in less than 1/60th of a second. As such, it puts as many pixels on the screen in the same amount of time as a 4K native projector — and visually, it performs nearly as well.

On the other hand, Epson’s LCD “4K enhanced” projectors also have 1080p resolution, but the image is just shifted twice, not four times. So, those projectors are not 4K natively or otherwise, but do produce double the pixel count of a 1080p projector. If you really want a 4K native projector, you’ll have to pay: two of the cheapest ones are Sony’s VPL-VW295ES ($5,000) and JVC’s DLA-NX5 ($5,000).

HDR is a very different animal on projectors compared to TVs. As mentioned, projectors can’t produce anywhere close to the amount of light required (1,000 nits) to qualify as true HDR. Rather, they use a technique called tone-mapping to fit the entire HDR gamut into a lower brightness range.

For that reason, among others, almost all projectors only support HDR10. Only one uses Dolby Vision (the Xiaomi Laser Cinema 2, only available officially in China), and just a couple of models work with Samsung’s HDR10+ — and those are Samsung’s own Premiere 4K models. However, most support a wider 10-bit color gamut that allows for superior color reproduction.

Optics

If you’re mounting a short- or long-throw projector between five and 25 feet, you might need to consider the zoom range and whether the projector has a lens shift option. A decent zoom range will make it easier to mount the projector where you want with the screen size that you want.

Lens shift, meanwhile, is used if the projector is mounted higher or lower relative to the screen than recommended by the manufacturer (or any horizontal distance off center). That creates a trapezoidal shaped image, but by dialing in some lens shift, you can optically square it up. Otherwise, you might have to use a “keystone correction,” which digitally stretches or shrinks part of the image, resulting in noticeable distortion or pixel artifacts. Digital correction might not work in gaming modes either, for some projector models.

Gaming

If you’re interested in a gaming projector, you’ll want to look up the refresh rate and input lag figures. Some new projectors from Viewsonic, Optoma and others offer up to 240 Hz 1080p refresh rates and input lag settings down to 4 or 5 milliseconds. However, some projectors designed more for home entertainment have very poor input lag and refresh rates at just 60 Hz.

Portable projectors

Finally, portable projectors have become popular enough to merit discussion this year. They’re relatively cheap, compact and portable and can run on batteries – making them ideal for entertainment outside or while camping. These outdoor projectors are not nearly as bright as others, of course, but are more designed for a fun night of entertainment under the stars.

Engadget picks

As with previous updates, I’m dividing projectors into ultra-short-throw and long-throw categories. As mentioned, ultra-short-throw models have rapidly established themselves in the market due to the extra performance and convenience, and all manufacturers sell at least a couple of models. Within the ultra-short-throw category, We’ll compare two price categories: under $7,000 and $3,500, with three projectors each. In the long-throw category, we’re again looking at projectors under $1,000, $2,000 and $6,000, with three products in each range. Finally, we’ll take a look at the best portable projectors.

Best UST projector under $3,500: LG CineBeam HU715Q

LG CineBeam UHD 4K Projector

Best UST projector under $3,500

Native resolution: 4K | Brightness: Up to 2,500 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB, AirPlay 2 | Display type: DLP

LG’s nice-looking HU715Q is the new king of ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors due to the picture quality, tech on offer and reasonable $3,000 price. With a 20,000-30,000 hour laser light source, it delivers 2,500 ANSI lumens, along with accurate colors across 86 percent of the DCI-P3 gamut – enough for most HDR content. And speaking of that, it supports both HDR10 and HLG, along with frame-by-frame tone-mapping.

Rival models offer similar specs, but the HU715Q trumps them in sound and technology. The 20-watt 2-way stereo speakers have a great sound quality on their own, but you can supplement them with Bluetooth speakers from LG and nearly any other brand to create surround sound. The standout feature, though, is LG’s webOS smart TV capabilities that give you Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and other apps, all with full 4K HDR support and surround sound, including eARC output for Dolby Atmos and lossless audio. It also supports HDMI 2.1 and better still, full 4K (4,096 x 2,160) rather than just UHD.

ProsGreat picture qualityGreat soundLG webOS smart TV capabilitiesConsExpensive$2,197 at Amazon

More ultra-short-throw projectors under $3,500

Optoma CinemaX P2

Optoma’s CinemaX P2 made our list last year, but it’s one of the best projectors now because the price has dropped considerably. It delivers 3,000 lumen brightness, impressive contrast ratio and accurate colors with 80 percent DCI-P3 coverage. It’s not quite as sharp as the pricier projectors, as it uses TI’s 0.47-inch rather than 0.66-inch DLP tech, though you’ll still get a near-4K image.

The CinemaX P2 may also better match your living room decor, as it comes in white rather than dark grey like the P1. The 40-watt NuForce Dolby Digital 2.0 soundbar is one of the best on any ultra-short-throw projector, as well. On the downside, it does offer apps but they’re not as good as you’ll find on, say, Google’s Chromecast.

BenQ V7050i

BenQ’s first UST laser projector is at the top end of the price scale at $3,500, but it offers some impressive capabilities. Light output is a bright 2,500 ANSI lumens and it delivers a full 98 percent DCI-P3 coverage for as good an HDR experience as you can get on a projector. You also get a Filmmaker Mode to see colors as the directors intended. It’s powered by Android TV so you get all the streaming services and apps you want, along with apps, games and more. The downside is the lack of decent speakers, as it only offers dual 5-watt speakers with clear sound but limited bass.

Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS300W

If you’re okay with 1080p projection, Epson’s EpiqVision Ultra LS300W is a very interesting option because of the design, excellent sound, built-in Android TV and extreme 3,600 ANSI lumen brightness. That allows for a wide color gamut with no rainbow effect, excellent connectivity and very good sound without the need to buy a soundbar or surround sound system. Best of all, it’s priced at just $2,000, making it one of the cheaper short-throw projectors out there.

Best UST projector under $7,000: Samsung Premium LSP9T

SAMSUNG

Samsung The Premiere 4K Smart Laser Projector

Best UST projector under $7,000

Native resolution: 4K | Brightness: Up to 2,800 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB, AirPlay 2, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display type: DLP

Ultra-short-throw projectors are a hot enough entertainment category that Samsung decided to re-enter the market with two high-end models as part of its Lifestyle TV series. The LSP9T is the premium model and it certainly brings some premium specs. With separate red, green and blue lasers, it covers 106 percent of the full Rec.2020 color range (147 percent of DCI-P3) — something we’ve rarely, if ever seen on any TV or even pro monitor.

It delivers a very bright 2,800 lumens and a 1,500:1 ANSI contrast ratio. As it uses TI’s higher-resolution 0.66-inch DLP chip (with pixel shifting), you get as close as you can to true 4K without investing in a native 4K projector. Finally, the LSP9T is the first projector on the market rated for HDR10+ — Samsung’s answer to Dolby Vision. On top of all that, the LSP9T delivers 40 watts of audio using Samsung’s Acoustic Beam technology, while offering Samsung’s well-regarded Tizen-powered Smart TV platform.

ProsExcellent color rangeBrightGood audio qualityConsExpensive$3,100 at Amazon

More ultra-short-throw projectors under $7,000

Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS500

If you need the brightest possible image, Epson’s LCD-powered EpiqVision Ultra LS500 ($3,899) delivers. It’s rated at up to 4,000 lumens, making it one of the brightest ultra-short-throw projectors in any price range. It also supports HDR modes in HDR10 and HLG and is sold with both 100-inch and 120-inch ALR screens, making the price effectively lower. The main drawback is that it only offers double the pixels of 1080p, rather than four times like competing DLP tech. It also offers a relatively weak 10-watt built-in speaker system.

HiSense L9G

This is HiSense’s new $4,300 flagship UST that uses a tricolor laser to achieve high brightness (3,000 ANSI lumens) and an incredible 107 percent BT.2020 HDR coverage, topping even Samsung’s formidable LSP9T. It has a powerful 40W Dolby Atmos sound system and built-in Android TV with Google Assistant and Alexa. Best of all, that price includes a 100-inch ALR Daylight screen, or for an extra $500, you can get it with a 120-inch ALR cinema screen.

Best projector under $1,000: Viewsonic PX701-4K

ViewSonic

ViewSonic UHD Home Theater Projector

Best projector under $1,000

Native resolution: 4K | Brightness: Up to 3,200 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB

There are very few 4K projectors available under $1,000, and Viewsonic’s $900 PX701-4K is one of the most recent. For the money, it offers impressive performance. You get 4K HDR with 3,200 lumens of brightness via TI’s .47-inch DLP chip. More importantly for gamers, you can get a 1080p signal at up to 240Hz with a 5-millisecond input lag time. The drawbacks are a limited 1.1x optical zoom, so you’ll need to make sure it fits in your space.

Pros4K HDR picture qualityBrightRelatively affordableConsLimited optical zoom$883 at Amazon

More projectors under $1,000

BenQ HT2050A

For around $700, the BenQ HT2050A is still one of the best budget 1080p projectors. It delivers where it counts with the best contrast (ANSI 1,574:1) and color accuracy in its class, and is reasonably bright as well, with 2,200 lumens in “vivid” mode. On top of that, it comes with a 1.3x zoom and vertical lens shift option for maximum installation flexibility. The drawbacks include slightly excessive fan noise, rainbow effect and red-tinted 3D.

Optoma HD146X

If you’re looking to spend a little less on a budget projector, the Optoma HD146X is your best option. Using DLP tech, it delivers 1080p at up to 3,600 lumens with excellent brightness, color accuracy, contrast and black levels. You also get decent (16.4-millisecond) input lag for gaming. The drawbacks are a single HDMI port, 1.1x optical zoom and poor built-in audio.

Best projector under $2,000: BenQ HT3550i

BenQ

BenQ 4K Home Theater Projector

Best projector under $2,000

Native resolution: 4K | Brightness: Up to 2,000 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB, Chromecast, AirPlay 2 | Display type: DLP

BenQ’s 4K HT3550i is an update to last year’s HT3550, but with a huge addition: Android TV. With that, you get multi-platform wireless projection from Android and iOS devices via Chromecast or Airplay — a huge plus compared to rival projectors. As before, it offers reference-quality 4K color reproduction in both HDR and SDR that’s a match for projectors costing triple the price. Contrast is excellent thanks to the dynamic iris, though brightness is limited to 2,000 lumens. It has a 1.3x zoom and vertical lens shift option, plus a surprisingly good built-in speaker. The fan noise is still present, but less than before.

ProsAndroid TV capabilitiesChromecast and AirPlay supportExcellent contrastConsFan noise can be a bother$959 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,699 at Newegg

More projectors under $2,000

Optoma UHD38

For extra brightness and speed for gaming, the answer is Optoma’s all-new, $1,600 4K-capable UHD38. It cranks the lumens up to 4,000 and like the Viewsonic PX701-4K, offers 240Hz gaming at 1080p with one of the lowest latency figures we’ve seen yet in a projector at 4.2 milliseconds. Otherwise, you can do 4K 60 Hz gaming with 16.7 milliseconds of lag, which is very quick for 4K. It’s optimized more for gaming than entertainment unlike BenQ’s HT3550i, but it can still handle HDR10 and HLG. It supports both zoom (albeit just 1.1x), but also vertical and horizontal lens shift.

Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K Pro

Epson’s $2,000 Home Cinema 4010 4K Pro is the Cadillac of under-$2K home projectors thanks to features like 2,400 lumen brightness, dynamic iris, and motorized zoom (2.1x), focus and lens shift. This Epson projector delivers in picture quality too, covering 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space in cinema mode with both HDR10 and HLG. It also offers near-4K quality using 1,920 x 1,080 LCD image chips with pixel shifting. The drawbacks are lack of support for 60Hz 4K due to the HDMI 1.4 ports.

If you need that, want to pay a bit less and don’t care about the motorized focus, Epson’s $1,700 Home Cinema 3080 4K Pro is the way to go. It offers similar features like HDR10 and HLG, but supports 4K 60p thanks to the HDMI 2.0b ports. There’s no motorization and the zoom drops to 1.6x, but it supports generous tilt, shift and zoom ranges.

Best projector under $6,000: Epson Home Cinema LS11000 laser

Epson

Epson Home Cinema Projector

Best projector under $6,000

Native resolution: 4K | Brightness: Up to 2,500 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB, AirPlay 2, Chromecast | Display type: LCD

Fans of Epson’s LCD projectors will be interested in this model, which received a big update in the form of a laser light source. That bumps the brightness to 2,500 ANSI lumens, and the three 1080p LCDs use a pixel shifter to quadruple the resolution to something close to true 4K. It offers very accurate colors with HDR10 and HLG capability, but is also great for gaming thanks to the 120 Hz refresh rate, 20-millisecond input lag and HDMI 2.1 support. You also get a 3-way motorized lens, scene adaptive correction and more for $4,000.

ProsBrightClose to 4K quality120Hz refresh rateConsExpensive$4,000 at CrutchfieldExplore More Buying Options$4,000 at B&H Photo

More projectors under $6,000

Optoma UHZ65LV

Optoma’s $6,000 UHZ65LV also uses a long-lasting laser light source to deliver a 5,000 lumen image, much brighter than any lamp-powered projector. It also delivers true 4K resolution up to 60p, thanks to the TI 0.66-inch DLP chip. The extra brightness and contrast make it ideal for HDR10 or HLG content. It also comes with desirable features for a long-throw laser projector, like a 1.6x zoom and vertical lens shift.

LG CineBeam HU810PW 4K

Speaking of long-throw laser projectors, LG’s $3,000 CineBeam HU810PW is another excellent pick at a much lower price point. There are some compromises, as the laser light pushes out a lower 2,700 lumens (that’s still a lot), and it has a smaller 0.47-inch DLP chip that delivers slightly lower perceived resolution. However, it has dual blue and green lasers which help it deliver accurate HDR colors with an excellent 97 percent DCI-P3 coverage. It also offers a 1.6x zoom with lens shift and an HDMI 2.1 port that allows for 4K at 60p with up to 12-bit color depth. It comes with LG’s webOS, so it supports Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services without the need for a dongle.

Sony VPL-VW295ES

If you’re looking for a true, native 4K projector, Sony’s $4,500 VPL-VW295ES is the least costly option out there. It’s by far the sharpest 4K projector in this roundup, thanks to Sony’s proprietary 4K SXRD native DCI 4K (4,096 x 2,160) panels. It also delivers extremely accurate colors, with 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage and HDR10/HLG support. You also get niceties like a 2.06 zoom lens with powered zoom, lens shift and focus. The main drawback is a relatively dim 1,500 lumen brightness, but it’s a top pick if picture quality is paramount above all.

Best budget portable projector: Xgimi MoGo Pro

XGIMI

XGIMI MoGo Pro Portable Projector

Best budget portable projector

Native resolution: 1080p | Brightness: Up to 400 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB, Bluetooth

Xgimi is a relatively new brand, but has started to gain traction thanks to its lineup of portable projectors. The best mini projector is the MoGo Pro, which can be powered by a battery (with two hours of playtime) and is small enough to fit in a backpack. But this mini projector still delivers a detailed and reasonably accurate 1080p image, while offering automatic focus and vertical keystone adjustment. It even comes with Android TV, giving you all the streaming options you can need – all for $600.

ProsCompact designCan be battery poweredAndroid TV capabilitiesConsCaps at 1080p picture quality$599 at Amazon

More budget portable projectors

BenQ GS2

This $470 model is designed specifically for outdoor entertainment, so it’s battery-powered and splash and shock resistant – making it your best bet for backyard movie nights or for watching sports events, camping and more. It’s also one of the brightest portable projectors out there and has a battery life of up to three hours. This outdoor projector only delivers 720p resolution, but it does come with a streaming app in the form of Aptoide TV.

Anker Nebula Solar HD

This 1080p projector has a pretty rich feature set considering the $600 price including a battery. This portable projector delivers 400 lumens for reasonably bright outdoor use, has a reasonably powerful 2x3W speaker system with Dolby Digital Plus, comes with Android TV and has a built-in stand for easy adjustment.

FAQs

Are 4K projectors better?

Yes, because higher resolution is more noticeable on larger screens, so 4K is particularly useful with projectors since they beam images up to 200 inches in size. That being said, brightness and contrast are more important.

Is a projector better than a TV?

Projectors can provide a more immersive experience thanks to the large screen, but they’re not necessarily “better.” Since you usually have to dim the lights with a projector, TVs are superior for everyday use.

Is 2000 lumens bright enough for a projector?

Yes, 2000 lumens is easily bright enough, even with some ambient light in the room. However, the image will still be hard to see with the windows open on a bright day.

Should I get a 4K or 1080p projector?

That depends on your budget and needs. If your budget is below $1,000, look for a 1080p projector with the best brightness and contrast. Between $1,000-$2,000, you’ll need to weigh whether brightness or 4K resolution is most important. Above that, choose the brightest 4K projector you can afford.

What are the best projectors in daylight?

The best projectors in daylight are ultra short throw (UST) models, as they have the brightest and sharpest image. However, they generally cost more than $2,000.

The post The best projectors you can buy, plus how to choose one appeared first on Best News.

]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-projectors-123004354/feed/ 0 The best soundbars you can buy right now https://aitesonics.com/best-soundbars-143041791/ https://aitesonics.com/best-soundbars-143041791/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:03:10 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-soundbars-143041791/ It's no secret that the built-in speakers in most TVs are trash. They don't project enough sound out to the front so you can hear well — especially subtle details. Thankfully, you don't have to splurge for a five-speaker (or more) surround-sound system to improve your sound experience. In most living rooms, a single soundbar […]

The post The best soundbars you can buy right now appeared first on Best News.

]]> It's no secret that the built-in speakers in most TVs are trash. They don't project enough sound out to the front so you can hear well — especially subtle details. Thankfully, you don't have to splurge for a five-speaker (or more) surround-sound system to improve your sound experience. In most living rooms, a single soundbar and maybe a subwoofer can coax better sound from your TV. To help you decide the best buy for you, we've compiled a list of everything to look for when searching for the best soundbar for you, along with a list of the top picks for a range of budgets.

Quick OverviewMore options

Sony HT-A7000

Best premium soundbar

$998 at Amazon $1,398 at Crutchfield See more options More options

Sonos Arc

Runner-up premium soundbar

$899 at Sonos $899 at Target See more options More options

Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3

Another premium option

$999 at Amazon $999 at Crutchfield See more options More options

Sonos Beam

Best midrange soundbar

$449 at Sonos $449 at Adorama See more options More options

Samsung HW-Q700B

Runner-up midrange soundbar

$378 at Amazon $600 at Samsung See more options More options

Sonos Ray

Another midrange option

$279 at Sonos $272 at Amazon See more options More options

VIZIO V21t-J8 2.1

Best budget soundbar

$140 at Amazon $160 at B&H Photo See more options See 2 more

What to look for in a soundbar

Features

When it comes to features, the more you pay the more you're going to get. Most affordable options ($150 or less) will improve your television's audio quality, but that's about it. Step into the $300 to $400 range and you'll find a smart soundbar with things like built-in voice control, wireless connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They're all helpful when you want to avoid looking for the remote control, but the best sound quality is usually only in the top tier and the formats those premium soundbar systems support. I’m talking about things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-resolution audio standards. These are what you'll want to look for if truly immersive sound is what you crave for your living room setup. And not all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you'll need to look at the finer details carefully before you break into the savings account.

Ports

This is a big one. A lot of the more affordable soundbars are limited when it comes to connectivity options. They either offer an optical port or one HDMI jack and, if you're lucky, both. Things get slightly better in the mid-range section, but that's not always the case. The Sonos Beam, for example, is $449, but only has a single HDMI port. If you want to connect your set-top box, gaming console and more directly to your soundbar for the best possible audio, you'll likely want to look for an option with at least two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are essential for things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-res and immersive audio formats. And with the HDMI 2.1 spec, soundbars can support HDR, 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to make these speaker systems an even better companion for a game console.

Channels

Another big thing you’ll want to pay attention to when looking for the best soundbar is channels. That’s the 2.1, 7.1.2 or other decimal number that companies include in product descriptions. The first figure corresponds to the number of channels. A two would just be left and right while a more robust Atmos system, especially one with rear satellite speakers, could be five or seven (left, right, center and upward). The second number refers to the subwoofer, so if your new soundbar comes with one or has them built in, you’ll see a one here. The third numeral is up-firing speakers, important for the immersive effect of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled units have them, but if they do, the third number will tell you how many are in play.

Wireless

Most soundbars these days offer either Bluetooth, WiFi or both. When it comes to WiFi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice control (either built-in or with a separate device), Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Depending on your preferences, you might be able to live without some of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are essentials, but the rest I can live without. Those two give me the ability to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps without having to settle for — or struggle with — a Bluetooth connection.

Size

This one might seem obvious but humor me for a minute. Nothing is more soul-crushing than getting a pricey soundbar in your living room only to discover you have to rearrange everything to find a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Yes, that speaker is absurdly large (and heavy), and most soundbars aren't nearly as big. I learned a valuable lesson: Make sure the space where you want to put a soundbar will accommodate the thing you're about to spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on.

Basically, it all comes down to the TV you have (or are planning to get) and what the primary goal is for your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Do you want the best possible sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you just want to be able to actually hear your TV better? Or do you want to turn your living room into an immersive home theater system with surround sound?

By paying attention to each of those areas, you should have a good idea of what to look for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo or a more robust setup. With that said, we've put numerous products through their paces at Engadget and have a few favorites for best soundbar at various price points to get you started.

The Best Soundbars

Best premium soundbar: Sony HT-A7000

Sony

Sony HT-A7000

Best premium soundbar

The A7000 is a robust Dolby Atmos device, capable of immersive 7.1.2 audio thanks to Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Field Optimization and other technology.$998 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,398 at Crutchfield

Sony has a long track record of excellent high-end soundbars and its latest is another great-sounding product. The A7000 is a robust Dolby Atmos soundbar, capable of immersive 7.1.2 audio thanks to Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Field Optimization, vertical surround technology and S-Force Pro front surround. There’s a lot of tech at work here, and I haven’t even mentioned 360 Reality Audio or DSEE Extreme upscaling, both handy when it comes to listening to music. Speaking of audio, you’ll have the option of using Chromecast, Spotify Connect or Apple AirPlay 2 to send your tunes to the A7000.

Two HDMI eARC inputs mean you can hook up multiple streaming boxes or gaming consoles. And thanks to HDMI 2.1 support, you can expect 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to your television, so the A7000 is a great option for gamers. This soundbar is expensive at $1,198 and it doesn’t come with a separate subwoofer (though it does have one built in). However, Sony does give you multiple options for both a sub and rear satellite speakers. The SA-SW3 sub is $298 while the SA-SW5 is $699. For rear speakers, the SA-RS3S is $350 while the truly wireless (and much better looking) SA-RS5 set is $598. If you’re looking to save some money on the soundbar itself, Sony offers the HT-A5000 for $999 (although we’ve seen it on sale for $798 recently). It packs nearly all of the same bells and whistles as the A7000, only in a 5.1.2-channel configuration.

Runner-up premium soundbar: Sonos Arc

Engadget

Sonos Arc

Runner-up premium soundbar

The Arc sports a more modern design, stellar sound and all of Sonos’ smarts – including the ability to automatically calibrate to your living room and when you add more speakers.$899 at SonosExplore More Buying Options$899 at Target

The top end of Sonos’ home theater lineup was well overdue for a refresh by the time the company introduced the Arc in 2020. This unit replaced the Playbar that debuted in 2013, offering directional sound via Dolby Atmos support as the main upgrade. The Arc sports a more modern design, stellar sound quality and all of Sonos’ smarts – including the ability to automatically calibrate to your living room and when you add more Sonos speakers.

The $899 price doesn’t include a sub, but the Playbar didn’t come with one either. And sadly, Sonos doesn’t include a second HDMI input for directly connecting devices other than your TV. As is typically the case with the company’s wares, expansion gets expensive quickly as the wireless sub is $749 and satellite One speakers are $219 each. However, the combination of the Arc and a sub will get you pretty far sound-wise, even if they are separate purchases. Plus, the company's wireless subwoofer, the Sub Mini, works well with this premium soundbar, and it clocks in at $429.

Read our Full Review of Sonos Arc Soundbar

Another premium soundbar: Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3

Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3

Another premium option

The Panorama 3 has a 3.1.2-channel configuration, but it packs 13 total speakers – including two subwoofers – and 400 watts of sonic power.$999 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$999 at Crutchfield

Bowers & Wilkins introduced its first Dolby Atmos soundbar back in March, filling a void in the company’s existing home theater lineup. The Panorama 3 has a 3.1.2-channel configuration, but it packs 13 total speakers – including two subwoofers – and 400 watts of sonic power. For that reason, the company doesn’t think you’ll need a dedicated sub. Indeed, the Panorama 3 does offer ample bass, but it’s not nearly on the level as a standalone unit. This smart soundbar does have a low-profile, refined design alongside voice capabilities, “hidden until lit” touch controls and support for aptX Adaptive, Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. Most importantly, it’s currently available for $200 less than the original MSRP at $799.

Best midrange soundbar: Sonos Beam

Engadget

Sonos Beam

Best midrange soundbar

Sonos managed to make things seem more directional in the new Beam by tweaking audio timing and frequency instead of adding more drivers.$449 at SonosExplore More Buying Options$449 at Adorama

Solid sound quality? Check. Dolby Atmos? Yep. Compact and easy to set up? Uh huh. Compatible with other Sonos products for a more robust system? You betcha. The first-gen Sonos Beam has been one of our favorites since it arrived in 2018, but there was one thing it didn’t have: Dolby Atmos. That was the big addition to the 2021 model, though it’s a bit limited since the Beam doesn’t have any upward-firing speakers. Sonos manages to make things seem more directional by tweaking audio timing and frequency instead of adding more drivers. The new Beam still only has the one HDMI port which means you won’t be connecting a gaming console or set-top box directly to this. It also means that if you have an older TV with an optical jack, you’ll need an adapter.

Read our Full Review of Sonos Beam Soundbar

Runner-up midrange soundbar: Samsung HW-Q700B

SAMSUNG

Samsung HW-Q700B

Runner-up midrange soundbar

This Samsung soundbar supports wireless Dolby Atmos connectivity with 2022 Samsung smart TVs over WiFi and the 3.1.2-channel configuration includes up-firing speakers for proper immersive sound.$378 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$600 at Samsung

Samsung’s mid-range Q700B will cost you $700, but it comes with a bundled subwoofer. This model also supports wireless Dolby Atmos connectivity with the latest Samsung smart TVs over WiFi and the 3.1.2-channel configuration includes up-firing speakers for proper immersive sound. The Q700B supports Q-Symphony which allows you to use both the soundbar and your TV speakers for a more robust surround sound setup on some 2021 and 2022 Samsung TVs. SpaceFit Sound automatically calibrates the soundbar/sub combo to a room, Adaptive Sound optimizes audio for specific content types and Tap Sound allows you to send tunes from a Samsung phone to the Q700B with a simple tap. HDMI eARC connectivity is here as well, and so is voice control, AirPlay, Chromecast and a gaming-specific sound mode.

Another midrange soundbar: Sonos Ray

Engadget

Sonos Ray

Another midrange option

It may on the expensive side, but the Sonos Ray’s compact design doesn’t command a lot of space in front of your TV, making it a great option for smaller living spaces.$279 at SonosExplore More Buying Options$272 at Amazon

Sonos’ latest bid for best soundbar may be its most affordable to date, but at $279, it’s not exactly a budget pick. Especially when you consider there are cheaper options that come with a subwoofer. Still, the compact design doesn’t command a lot of space in front of your TV or on your TV stand, making it a great option for smaller living spaces. The Ray is easy to set up and provides great sound quality for both TV and music. There are some trade-offs when it comes to the immersive nature of the audio, but it’s a good option for upgrading your TV sound with minimal fuss.

Read our Full Review of Sonos Ray Soundbar

Best budget soundbar: Vizio V21t-J8

VIZIO

VIZIO V21t-J8 2.1

Best budget soundbar

Vizio’s budget-friendly option gives you a 2.1-channel setup in a compact soundbar and 4.5-inch wireless sub combo for a reasonable price.$140 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$160 at B&H Photo

If you’re looking for a way to improve your TV sound on a budget, Vizio has some high-quality options. With the V21t-J8, you get a 2.1-channel setup in a compact soundbar and 4.5-inch wireless sub combo for $160. This would be a great choice if you don’t want your add-on TV speaker to take up a lot of space. There’s no WiFi connectivity, but that’s really the only sacrifice when it comes to the basics. HDMI ARC/eARC and optical connections link to your television while a 3.5mm aux jack and Bluetooth allow you to play music from your phone or another device. DTS Virtual:X compatibility offers some of the effect of surround sound without a bigger unit or additional speakers.

The post The best soundbars you can buy right now appeared first on Best News.

]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-soundbars-143041791/feed/ 0 The best streaming devices for 2024 https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395/ https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 06:48:05 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395/ The vast majority of new TVs on the market are smart TVs. But maybe you have an older “dumb” set or don’t care for the operating system your smart model comes with. Or, perhaps you like the idea of taking as much on-demand content as possible with you when you travel. That’s what a streaming […]

The post The best streaming devices for 2024 appeared first on Best News.

]]> The vast majority of new TVs on the market are smart TVs. But maybe you have an older “dumb” set or don’t care for the operating system your smart model comes with. Or, perhaps you like the idea of taking as much on-demand content as possible with you when you travel. That’s what a streaming device is for. Dubbed streaming sticks, dongles and set-top boxes, what they all have in common is the ability to stream video and other content from the internet using apps like Hulu, Netflix, Max and even Spotify. We tested out multiple options to help make sense of the operating systems, voice assistants and extra features each model offers so you can find the best streaming device for your needs.

Quick OverviewMore options

Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

Best all-in-one streaming device

$49 at Amazon $50 at Walmart See more options More options

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Best streaming device for free and live content

$49 at Amazon $49 at Walmart See more options More options

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

Best budget streaming stick

$20 at Kohl’s $30 at Amazon $30 at Lowe’s See more options More options

Roku Express

Runner up budget

$29 at Amazon $30 at Lowe’s $40 at Macy’s See more options More options

Roku Ultra

Best set-top streaming box

$92 at Amazon $100 at B&H Photo See more options More options

Apple TV 4K

Best premium streaming device

$146 at Amazon $150 at Apple See more options More options

NVIDIA Shield Android TV Pro

Best streaming device for gamers

$200 at Amazon $200 at B&H Photo See more options More options

Xbox Series X 1TB SSD Console – Includes Wireless Controller – Up to 120 frames per second – 16GB RAM 1TB SSD – Experience True 4K Gaming Velocity Architecture

Best game console for streaming

$479 at Amazon $500 at Microsoft See more options See 3 more

What to look for in a streaming device

Operating system and interface

Google’s Chromecast, the Apple TV 4K, Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks and Roku devices are the most popular players in the space and each have a unique operating system and interface. This may be the biggest deciding factor for many people, as it determines how the content you want to watch is arranged and presented. We go into detail for each platform below, but all of them come with home screens that, to varying degrees, gather your apps in one place, present the movies and shows you’re currently watching and give you suggestions of what else to watch.

Nearly all streaming devices come with a remote that lets you search and do other operations using your voice, eliminating the need to hunt and peck at on-screen keyboards. They all offer “universal search,” in which searching for a title takes you to whichever app has it available. If you want to watch Barbie but don’t know where it’s playing, just push the voice button on the remote and say "Barbie.” (We found simply saying the title or the genre you want sometimes works better than saying “Show me…” or “Search for…”) From the search results, hit the play button and the correct app will open and start playing — assuming you’ve previously logged into that app and, in most cases, have an active subscription.

Connectivity

Most streaming sticks connect to the internet via Wi-Fi, with the majority of them supporting Wi-Fi 5 or 6 protocols. Set-top boxes can also have Ethernet ports, so you can hardwire your internet connection to the device, which is always faster than wireless. Streaming devices connect to your TV through an HDMI port, and most sticks hide behind the screen, while set-top boxes sit on a surface nearby. Nearly all units also plug into an AC outlet for power. Some sticks used to work by pulling power from a USB port on the TV, but increasingly, these devices are designed to plug into the wall.

Video and audio features

If you have a screen that can display 4K content with Dolby Vision and HDR10, you’ll want a streaming device that supports those high-end formats. Of course, even the most top-shelf streamer can’t make a 1080p TV display content in 4K. The series or movie also has to be transmitted in 4K and, increasingly, companies restrict higher-quality streaming to more expensive subscription plans. In short, every element needs to support the video or audio feature, otherwise the highest quality you’ll get will be the lowest of any component in the chain.

Voice control

In addition to helping you find stuff to watch, streaming devices from Apple, Google and Amazon can answer questions about the weather, sports scores and general facts using built-in voice assistants. They can also act as smart home controllers to turn off connected smart bulbs or plugs and show feeds from smart cameras. Just remember, as with all smart home devices, compatibility is key. Fire TV devices work with Alexa-enabled smart home equipment; Chromecasts let you control Google Home devices; Apple TV 4Ks play nice with HomeKit; and Rokus grant power over Roku’s smart home products.

Below are some recommendations for the best streaming sticks and other budget-friendly options. We also included suggestions for set-top boxes and devices geared toward gamers.

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

Best all-in-one streaming device

If you subscribe to a lot of streaming services and wish you could find one home screen to rule them all, Chromecast with Google TV 4K is the dongle for you. I’m not often surprised by the performance of a UI, but while testing this one I actually said, “Wow, this is pretty good.” Once you’ve added your streaming subs, the homepage organizes your content in a useful, egalitarian way. Up top is featured/sponsored content, followed by a line of app icons. Next is the Continue Watching row filled with the upcoming episode of series you’ve started. After I’d streamed from a few different apps, I started seeing my next-up shows from Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, Peacock and elsewhere, which made it super easy to dive back in.

Further down the page, algorithm-curated lists suggest genres like cartoons, crime shows, Emmy winners and thrillers along with “If you like…” suggestions. Unlike other services (ahem, Fire TV and Apple TV), Google TV doesn’t seem to give preferential treatment to any one service, pulling rather evenly from the ones you use. Of course, there are plenty of suggestions for YouTube content and, since you sign in with your Google account, Google TV knows which videos you’re likely to watch, but those were confined to their own rows and could be easily ignored.

Navigation is quick and the 4K version of the dongle supports 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and lets you cast from Chromecast-enabled apps on your smartphone or tablet. You also get a good amount of free content along with a Live TV guide that has plenty of channels and can also incorporate any paid live TV streaming services from Sling, Philo and, of course, YouTube TV. It’ll even fold in over-the-air stations you get from a digital tuner.

As for flaws, they’re minor, such as a remote with no dedicated play/pause button. It instead relies on the center d-pad button, which actually caused more than a few incorrect inputs on my part. Curiously, if you press the Assistant button and say “search for No One Will Save You” you’ll be fed results for YouTube videos related to those terms. But just saying “No One Will Save You” correctly takes you to the movie on Hulu.

My biggest gripe is the Chromecast’s five-minute pause timeout. For me, making mid-episode air fryer nachos takes at least seven minutes. But after five minutes, a paused show reverts to Ambient Mode. Pressing the back button returns you to the details page for whatever you were watching, so it’s only an extra button press to get started again. Still, I wish there was a way to delay the timeout. — Amy Skorheim, Commerce Writer

ProsUnified home screenSuggests content across all major platformsSupports 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision contentConsFive minute pause timeoutNo dedicated pause button$49 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options$50 at Walmart Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Best streaming device for free and live content

Believe it or not, the streaming world has enough free content to keep even the most voracious watchers entertained — and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is probably the best way to access it. Roku’s interface is uncluttered, with a simple list at the left and an app grid on the right. Two of those list items, Live TV and Featured Free, are stuffed with free content, both on linear channels and video-on-demand (VOD) services. The Roku Channel app adds thousands more series, films, Roku Originals and live channels to watch without subscribing to a dang thing.

Roku makes seven different streaming devices and all will get you that free content. The $50 Streaming Stick 4K hides behind your TV, supports 4K, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision and has a longer range Wi-Fi. If you don’t need the longer range or Dolby Vision, and don’t mind a slightly bulkier device, you can save $10 and get the Roku Express 4K+. Both players support Apple AirPlay 2 and can control your set’s power and volume.

I found the universal search function to be accurate when looking for specific titles; pushing the Voice button and saying “Poker Face” brings up results for the Peacock show, the Russell Crowe movie and a poker documentary from a free channel. Saying “Succession” gets you the show from Max as well as listings for other series and films with “success” in the title. It was pretty good at finding suggestions for more general searches, like “police procedural shows” and “Idris Elba,” though it had issues with recommendations for kids movies (not enough Disney+ results, in my opinion).

Navigation is speedy with minimal load times between apps. The remote has a nice layout with a large back button and the volume rocker on the side. The handy Instant Replay button jumps back 10 to 20 seconds and can even show subtitles for the replayed portion, if the app supports it. The only thing I didn’t love was the What to Watch menu, which was overwhelmingly populated with free content and had a minimal amount of titles sprinkled in from my paid apps. But since free content is where Roku really shines, I can’t be too miffed. — A.S.

ProsBuilt-in access to tons of free contentAccurate universal searchSupports 4K, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision contentConsWhat to Watch menu ignores content from other streamers$49 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$49 at Walmart Amazon

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

Best budget streaming stick

If price is of the utmost importance and you don’t need 4K, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite is a decent alternative. At $30, it’s one of the cheapest streaming sticks on the market and it’s also frequently discounted, too. It supports FHD streaming with HDR and, just like its higher-end siblings, comes with an Alexa voice remote.

One of the reasons this is considered “Lite” is that this particular Fire TV Stick can’t control your TV; you still have to use your television remote to power it on and off or to adjust its volume. That’s not that big a deal, especially if it helps save you a few bucks. In comparison, the standard Fire TV Stick typically retails for $40, while the Fire TV Stick 4K costs $50.

Amazon’s Fire TV supports nearly all of the major streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Max, YouTube, YouTube TV and Hulu, among others. The Live page features Twitch out of the box as well. While you can’t use Alexa to control the TV, the Fire TV Stick Lite does let you use Alexa to search for shows and ask general questions like the weather forecast or the latest scores for your favorite sports team.

Despite its low price, the Fire TV Stick Lite is a decent streaming dongle. It comes with the updated Fire TV interface that adds features such as user profiles, a new main menu navigation bar with show recommendations, plus a scrolling list of your favorite streaming apps. The layout isn’t as unified as Google TV’s and is more complicated than Roku’s, but it’s still easy enough to figure out. That said, the interface prioritizes Amazon Prime Video content, and there are a lot more ads than on other streaming platforms. — Nicole Lee, Senior Editor

If you do want the ability to control your TV with the remote and are also looking for something that supports improved picture quality, you may want to upgrade to one of the more advanced Fire TV Sticks. At $60 (and often on sale for $45) the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max not only handles Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, 4K and HDR10+, but it also supports Wi-Fi 6E. That means if you have a router that also carries the protocol, you could see better and faster connectivity. The 4K Max has the fastest processor of any Fire TV Stick, and we found it plenty zippy. It’s also the only Fire TV Stick that supports the new Ambient Experience: when enabled, or after the pause timeout kicks in, the dongle will display art (and widgets, if you want) on your TV, giving any screen the look of something like Samsung’s The Frame. — A.S.

ProsAffordableSupports all major streaming servicesConsNo 4K content supportCan’t control TV’s power and volumeUI heavily favors Amazon Prime Video content$20 at Kohl’sExplore More Buying Options$30 at Amazon $30 at Lowe’s Roku

Roku Express

Runner up budget

The Roku Express has the same user interface as the Streaming Stick+, but it’s housed in a compact set-top box instead. It doesn’t support 4K or HDR and the remote control lacks a voice command button. But if all you want is a capable HD streaming device, the Express fits the bill. If you insist on having 4K, however, consider the Roku Express 4K+, which retails for $40. It’s very similar to the Express, except it carries support for 4K, HDR and AirPlay, and it comes with a voice remote as well. That could well make it worth the extra money. —N.L.

ProsAffordableLots of free and live contentConsNo 4K streaming supportNo voice remote$29 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$30 at Lowe’s $40 at Macy’s Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Roku Ultra

Best set-top streaming box

The Roku Ultra has the same features of the Streaming Stick and then some. There’s a wide selection of content, a simple user interface and support for 4K HDR streaming, AirPlay2 and voice commands. On top of that, the Ultra adds Dolby Vision support along with HDR 10+, USB connections, a microSD slot for external media, and Ethernet connectivity.

The Ultra comes with Roku’s Voice Remote Pro with headphone jack for private listening and a couple of programmable shortcut keys that you can map to specific commands, like “Launch YouTube” or “Play classical music.” Best of all, the Ultra features a remote finder in case you lose it in between your couch cushions. The Ultra is definitely the most capable Roku device on the market, but you’ll have to pay quite a bit more for it. —N.L.

ProsVoice remote with headphone jackBuilt-in Ethernet portSupports 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision contentConsPricier than other Roku players$92 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$100 at B&H Photo Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Apple TV 4K

Best premium streaming device

When my colleague Devindra Hardawar reviewed the latest Apple TV 4K upon its debut in 2022, he called it “the best streaming box by a long shot.” In terms of picture quality, speed, longevity and Apple-engineered extras, that remains accurate. The set-top box supports 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which makes compatible content look, to borrow Devindra’s term, glorious.

The A15 Bionic chip inside enables near-instantaneous loading of and switching between apps. Zooming from the beginning of an episode to the end or anywhere in between is not only quick, but also quite easy to do once you get the hang of the touch-sensitive directional pad on the Siri remote. Apple improved the box hardware over the previous generation, too, with a smaller, fan-less design.

You don’t have to be an Apple devotee to appreciate the streaming box, but having an iPhone makes setup easier, letting you hold your phone near the device to transfer credentials. If you use the Fitness+ app with an Apple Watch, not only can you watch workouts on a big screen, you’ll see live heart rate stats splashed in the corner as well. The app library is extensive, covering all of the most popular streaming services, plus countless Apple Arcade and other games. The remote’s Siri button lets you easily search for stuff to watch with voice commands, and typically gets you to the right app immediately. I found it nearly as good as other devices in suggesting content for more general queries like “sci-fi space movies.”

If you were waiting for the “but,” here it is: the Apple TV 4K is expensive. The base model is $129, which comes with 32GB of storage. The 128GB model goes for $149 and adds an Ethernet port and acts as a Thread-enabled home hub, a requirement for certain smart home devices. Also, if you’re looking for lots of free channels and live programming with an all-in-one home page to unify your disparate streaming subscriptions, this isn’t quite it.

The Apple TV app incorporates recently watched series into the Up Next section and your most-used apps appear in the Channels and Apps row. But the homepage is mostly a showcase for Apple TV+ series and movies. And don’t expect to see much in the way of Netflix content in the app either. Possibly due to a continuing grudge match between the two companies, Siri even has trouble finding Netflix shows at all — searching for Lupin only came back with results from the anime franchise and when I asked for All the Light We Cannot See, the AI turned off my smart lights. Finally, this premium streaming device doesn’t come with the HDMI cable required to hook it up to your TV. That’s a minor detail in the grand scheme of things, but it did cause me to fling grownup words in Cupertino’s general direction. — A.S.

ProsExtremely fast operationApple Fitness+ and Arcade on a big screenSupport for 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision contentConsExpensiveApple TV app heavily favors Apple TV+ contentSub-par Netflix searches$146 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$150 at Apple NVIDIA

NVIDIA Shield Android TV Pro

Best streaming device for gamers

For those who want an all-in-one device that lets you stream movies, run a PLEX media server and play games, consider NVIDIA’s Shield TV Pro. It currently runs Android TV, which is a little outdated at this point, but there’s a possibility that it could be upgraded to Google TV in the future.

Thanks to its capable Tegra X1+ processor, the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro can stream in native 4K and it can also upscale 720p and 1080p video to 4K with the company’s AI neural network. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, has 3GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and two USB-C ports. Additionally, there’s a gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI socket and a microSD card slot. Since it runs on Android, you can use it to play most games from the Google Play Store.

The main reason you’d choose the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro over other machines is that it gives you access to NVIDIA’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service. As long as you have a relatively speedy internet connection, you can play top-tier PC games that are streamed online to your Shield TV Pro. —N.L.

ProsSupports 4K, HDR10 and Dolby Vision contentProvides access to NVIDIA’s GeForce Now cloud gaming serviceBuilt-in Google Assistant supportConsExpensive$200 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$200 at B&H Photo Microsoft

Xbox Series X 1TB SSD Console – Includes Wireless Controller – Up to 120 frames per second – 16GB RAM 1TB SSD – Experience True 4K Gaming Velocity Architecture

Best game console for streaming

Even though both Sony’s PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X can stream video, it’s the Xbox that we think is the best gaming console for the job. It can play 4K Blu-Rays and supports all of the usual streaming video apps including Apple TV+ and Disney+. However, the PS5 can’t stream Disney+ in 4K or Dolby Atmos, which is disappointing if you ever want to watch The Mandalorian in all its cinematic glory.

Fortunately, that’s not the case with the Xbox Series X. On top of that, the Xbox Series X (and S) also support Dolby Vision for streaming video, which is especially great for people with newer TVs. Of course, the Xbox is also a pretty great gaming machine, and it offers access to Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service that has a large library of titles. —N.L.

ProsProvides access to all major streaming servicesPlays 4K Blu-RaysConsExpensive$479 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$500 at Microsoft

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395/feed/ 0 How to choose the best TV for gaming right now https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/ https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 06:42:15 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-tvs-for-gaming-180033983/ These days, the best gaming TVs are really no different from the best TVs you can buy in general. That said, there are a few key features to keep in mind when looking for a set to get the most out of your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. No, you don’t need a fancy […]

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Quick OverviewMore options

Samsung S90C OLED TV (55-inch)

$1,398 at Amazon $1,900 at Lowe’s See more options

LG C3 OLED TV (55-inch)

$1,297 at Amazon More options

Samsung QN90C QLED TV (55-inch)

$1,298 at Walmart $1,298 at Amazon $1,298 at Macy’s See more options

Hisense U8K QLED TV (55-inch)

$798 at Amazon More options

Hisense U6K QLED TV (55-inch)

$448 at Walmart $590 at Amazon See more options

What to look for in a gaming TV

All that said, there are a few terms you should particularly look out for when buying a TV for your new game console or high-end graphics card.

HDMI 2.1

HDR — High Dynamic Range

HGiG — HDR Gaming Interest Group

ALLM — Auto Low Latency Mode

VRR — Variable Refresh Rate

Good gaming TVs you can get right now

Samsung

Samsung S90C OLED TV (55-inch)

ProsHigh contrast with deep blacksGood brightness for an OLED TVAvailable in sizes up to 83 inchesConsDoes not support Dolby Vision HDR$1,398 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,900 at Lowe’s LG

LG C3 OLED TV (55-inch)

ProsHigh contrast with deep blacksDolby Vision HDRAvailable in sizes up to 83 inchesConsNot as bright as QD-OLED TVsDoes not support 144Hz refresh rates for PCs$1,297 at Amazon Samsung

Samsung QN90C QLED TV (55-inch)

ProsMini-LED backlight and quantum-dot colorHigh peak brightnessAvailable in wide range of sizesConsDoes not support Dolby VisionCan’t match the contrast of an OLED TVSmaller models use worse panels$1,298 at WalmartExplore More Buying Options$1,298 at Amazon $1,298 at Macy’s Hisense

Hisense U8K QLED TV (55-inch)

If you want to pay a little less, meanwhile, the Hisense U7K offers a similar set of gaming features as its higher-end sibling but isn’t as bright or vivid.

ProsStrong valueImpressive brightness4K 144Hz supportConsContrast isn’t as good as that of an OLED TV$798 at Amazon Hisense

Hisense U6K QLED TV (55-inch)

ProsAffordableMini-LED backlightQuantum-dot colorConsLimited to 60Hz refresh rateNo HDMI 2.1 ports$448 at WalmartExplore More Buying Options$590 at Amazon

Richard Lawler contributed to this report.

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986/feed/ 0 The best streaming services in 2024 https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/ https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 06:37:55 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/ You probably pay for more video streaming services than you’d like to admit — and you probably think you’ve got nothing to watch when you plop down on the couch after work. With the number of options available now, and prices steadily rising, you might be asking yourself if it’s still worthwhile at all. We […]

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]]> You probably pay for more video streaming services than you’d like to admit — and you probably think you’ve got nothing to watch when you plop down on the couch after work. With the number of options available now, and prices steadily rising, you might be asking yourself if it’s still worthwhile at all. We share those frustrations but have ultimately decided this oversaturated space offers much more than the basic-cable world that came before it.But now you’re tasked with figuring out which services offer the content you want to watch, which fit into your budget, which have the most compelling original series, movies and documentaries, and the best live TV streaming services. We at Engadget wanted to make that process easier so we’ve compiled a list of the best streaming services you can subscribe to right now, with our favorite picks spanning across all content types and budgets. Should you go out and subscribe to all of the services listed here? Probably not, unless you’re a true cord cutter aching for content. But these are the services that offer the best bang for your buck, regardless of whether you’re a live sports buff, a classic movie lover or a general streaming enthusiast.

Quick OverviewMore options

Netflix

$7 per month at Netflix $25 at Amazon (gift card)See more options

Amazon Prime Video

$9 per month at Amazon

Max

$10 per month at Max More options

Hulu

$8 per month at Hulu $25 at Amazon (gift card)See more options

Disney+

$8 per month at Disney+

Apple TV+

$10 per month at Apple

YouTube TV

$73 per month at YouTube

Hulu + Live TV

$76 per month at Hulu

ESPN+

$11 per month at ESPN

Paramount+

$6 per month at Paramount+

NBC Peacock

$6 per month at NBC

Criterion Channel

$11 per month at Criterion Channel

Shudder

$7 per month at Shudder See 8 more Netflix

Netflix

Free trial: No | Monthly price: Starts at $7/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $84/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

$7 per month at NetflixExplore More Buying Options$25 at Amazon (gift card)Amazon

Amazon Prime Video

Free trial: Yes (with free Prime trial) | Monthly price: Starts at $9/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $108/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

$9 per month at Amazon Max

Max

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: Starts at $10/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $100/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

$10 per month at Max Hulu

Hulu

$8 per month at HuluExplore More Buying Options$25 at Amazon (gift card)Disney+

Disney+

Free trial: No | Monthly price: Starts at $8/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $96/year (with ads) | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

$8 per month at Disney+Apple

Apple TV+

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $10/month | Annual cost: $120/year | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

$10 per month at Apple YouTube TV

YouTube TV

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $73/month | Live TV: Yes | Local channels: Yes

$73 per month at YouTube Hulu

Hulu + Live TV

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $77/month | Live TV: Yes | Local channels: Yes

$76 per month at Hulu ESPN

ESPN+

Free trial: No | Monthly price: $11/month | Annual cost: $110/year | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

On top of select MLS matches, ESPN+ is the US home of the Bundesliga (Germany) and the EFL cup (Carabao Cup). It’s also the spot for the UEFA Nations League international competition in Europe.

$11 per month at ESPN Paramount+

Paramount+

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: Starts at $6/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $72/month (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: Yes, at an additional cost

$6 per month at Paramount+NBC

NBC Peacock

Free trial: No | Monthly price: Starts at $6/month (with ads) | Annual cost: Starts at $72/year (with ads) | Live TV: Limited | Local channels: No

$6 per month at NBC Criterion Channel

Criterion Channel

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $11/month | Annual cost: $100/year | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

$11 per month at Criterion Channel Shudder

Shudder

Free trial: Yes | Monthly price: $7/month | Annual cost: $72/year | Live TV: No | Local channels: No

$7 per month at Shudder

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-streaming-services-154527042/feed/ 0 The best music streaming services in 2024 https://aitesonics.com/best-music-streaming-service-130046189/ https://aitesonics.com/best-music-streaming-service-130046189/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:40:39 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-music-streaming-service-130046189/ Pinpointing the best music streaming service is tough. Most major players today include the same basic set of features, letting you access a giant library whenever you want across multiple devices. Because they all offer some level of personalized recommendations, the service most in tune with your tastes is usually just the one you’ve used […]

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]]> Pinpointing the best music streaming service is tough. Most major players today include the same basic set of features, letting you access a giant library whenever you want across multiple devices. Because they all offer some level of personalized recommendations, the service most in tune with your tastes is usually just the one you’ve used the longest. On the flip side, they can be overwhelming to navigate, and just about all of them have recently hiked their prices. None are great about paying artists, either. But even if the broad strokes are similar across the board, there are some key differences that could make one service more attractive for you than the others. If you’re looking to start fresh with a new subscription, we’ve spent several months testing all of the big music streaming services, feeding them similar data and keeping tabs on how they adapt to our preferences. Here are the ones we like the most today.

Quick Overview

Apple Music

Best overall

$11 at Apple

Spotify

Best for music discovery

$11 at Spotify

YouTube Music

Best for obscure music

$11 at YouTube

Qobuz

Another good option for music enthusiasts

$13 at Qobuz Apple

Apple Music

Best overall

Free tier: No | Individual plan: $11/month or $109/year | Family plan: $17/month (up to 6 members) | Student plan: $6/month | Streaming quality: Up to 24-bit/192 kHz ALAC

Apple Music combines high-quality audio and handy features with an interface that strikes a good balance between algorithmic and editorial recommendations. It offers lossless streaming for no extra charge, with its entire catalog available in CD quality (16-bit/44.1 kHz) at a minimum. This isn’t essential for most listeners, and the upgrade becomes less noticeable the higher the streaming resolution gets. But if you have a good set of wired headphones (and DAC) or a decent speaker system, it can sound richer than the compressed files used by similarly priced services like Spotify and YouTube Music.

Apple Music’s UI doesn’t diverge too far from its rivals. The home tab is littered with suggested albums and playlists based on your listening history; you can start a custom station from any one track; and all of your saved artists, albums, playlists and “favorited” songs are easy to access. There’s a dedicated station that’s personalized to your tastes, as well as a “Discovery Station” that only serves up songs you’ve never streamed. As with most music streaming services, the app’s layout can be a lot to take in, a virtual shotgun blast of icons. Also, Apple’s algorithmic recommendations aren’t quite as adventurous or scary-precise as those from Spotify, but they get the job done.

What gives Apple Music an edge is its emphasis on curation. There are regularly updated, editor-picked playlists all over the app. Many artist pages will spotlight an act’s essential works, influences and “deep cuts.” Popular albums are often accompanied by a thoughtful review or synopsis. Most notably, there’s a trio of live radio stations, with a rotation of DJ-hosted shows that spotlight new records and artist interviews. To be clear, Apple Music is still heavy on algorithmic content, but its human touch is more apparent than many of its peers. Rather than feeling like you’re totally giving into The Machine, you get the sense there are actual people guiding you to music you may (or may not!) like.

Beyond that, this is one of the few options that lets you import your own music files, which is a boon for those holding onto big iTunes libraries. As you’d expect, it’s also tightly wound with other Apple products: You can use Siri to start up a playlist, favorite songs from an iPhone’s Control Center and stream with minimal fuss on an Apple TV or HomePod.

There are still drawbacks. While Apple Music works on every major platform, it’ll inevitably feel smoothest on Apple’s own devices. Apple has made a huge push into spatial audio, but the effect often sounds unnatural with music that isn’t produced for it. There’s no free tier, either, nor are there podcasts. Some, including yours truly, would consider that last point a positive; it keeps the app from feeling even more cluttered. But if you like having all of your audio content in one place, our next recommendation might be a better fit.

ProsImpressive blend of curated content and personalized recommendationsAll music available in CD quality or higherLocal file supportConsWorks best with Apple devicesSpatial audio can sound unnaturalNo free tier$11 at Apple Spotify

Spotify

Best for music discovery

Spotify leans harder on “the algorithm” than Apple Music, but its recommendation engine is particularly adept at suggesting music you’ll probably like. It’s especially impressive at making playlists. “Discover Weekly” fully deserves its reputation for digging up tracks you’ve never heard that still align with your tastes. A malleable set of “Daily Mixes” blend new and familiar tracks by tone as much as genre. A regularly updated “daylist” morphs in line with the kind of music you’ve been listening to at different points in the day. What feels like a billion other mixes based on artists, decades, moods and more nebulous concepts (“escapism,” “cottagecore,” “Ethiopian jazz”) are often on point as well. Simply following the engine down its rabbit holes will usually lead you to something new and enjoyable.

There are still a ton of manually curated playlists to peruse outside of that. Updated mixes like “Rap Caviar,” “New Music Friday” and “Viva Latino” may not be personalized for you, but they are clearly put together by knowledgeable people in tune with current trends. There’s a human touch here, it’s just buried deeper than it is on Apple Music. Which one you’ll prefer depends on how willing you are to let an algorithm lead the way.

Unless you want podcasts and audiobooks, that is. While Apple boots those into separate apps, Spotify goes all-in on non-music content. Several popular podcasts are exclusive to the service, and paid subscribers get 15 hours of audiobook streaming each month for no extra cost. Spotify also has a relatively generous free tier: It has ads and strictly limits your ability to pick songs on-demand but still provides access to much of the library. For many acts, you can view tour dates and buy tickets or merch right from the app. There’s a comprehensive set of social sharing features as well: You can discover and collaborate on other people’s playlists, follow friends and easily share your own lists. A Spotify Connect feature makes it a breeze to move from one device to another without losing your place. Plus, as the most popular music service, it has an app on almost every major platform.

Our main gripes with Spotify come down to its interface. It starts off fine enough but gets messier the more you scroll. The desktop app has a handy sidebar that provides fast access to your library, while the mobile app has a bunch of playlists, podcasts and recent listens to jump into right at the top. After that, there are rows of suggested podcasts and audiobooks mixed with the music, including many you may not have expressed an interest in. The way Spotify nudges you toward aesthetically similar content is a great way to discover three-minute songs, but it’s more obnoxious with hours-long shows. Just because we like the Engadget Podcast, for instance, doesn’t mean we want to spend 80 more minutes listening to other, potentially more aggravating people talk about tech.

Past those, the mobile app becomes a string of big, auto-playing, TikTok-style suggestion cards. These also pop up if you sort the home tab by music, podcasts or audiobooks. They look slick, but scrolling through a feed of giant cards, one suggestion at a time, isn’t an efficient way to find something interesting. At least some of these appear to be sponsored as well. When you sort by “music,” the first card you see is an algorithmic “AI DJ” tool that’s technically impressive but sometimes makes jarring leaps between genres. We usually get the most out of Spotify when ignoring the home tab and diving into playlists through our library or search instead.

There’s also no lossless streaming, despite Spotify announcing a CD-quality “HiFi” tier more than three years ago. Recent speculation suggests a $20-per-month “Supremium” tier could arrive soon, but that’d be a big price jump over Apple and other competitors. Though you can play local files stored on your device through the Spotify app, you can’t import them into your library across devices as neatly as you can with Apple Music. And while no music streamer is truly great about compensating artists (Apple included), Spotify has a particularly horrible reputation for low payouts. Its ad-based tier, while convenient for consumers, exacerbates that.

ProsSuperb recommendation engine with tons of fun and inventive playlistsWidely available and easy to use across platformsPodcasts and audiobooksFree tierConsNo lossless streamingApp often feels clutteredAd-based tier means lower payments to artists$11 at Spotify YouTube

YouTube Music

Best for obscure music

Free tier: Yes | Individual plan: $11/month or $110/year; also available as part of YouTube Premium subscription for $14/month or $140/year | Family plan: $17/month (up to 6 members) | Student plan: $5.49/month | Streaming quality: Up to 256kbps AAC & OPUS

If you’re really into YouTube, you’ll like YouTube Music. It comes included with a YouTube Premium subscription, which removes ads from the video site, allows for offline downloads and enables background playback for $14 a month. Those are significant upgrades on their own, plus there’s a full Spotify competitor on top. For those who already spend a ton of time on YouTube, Google’s music service may be the best value by default.

Even without those perks, YouTube Music benefits from close ties to its sister site. YouTube is home to a mountain of creative works that just aren’t available on standard music services, from obscure soundtracks and rare live performances to monstrous Neil Cicierega mashups and Radiohead remixes made entirely out of Super Mario 64 sounds. With this service, you can search through those, add them to playlists and listen to them alongside more traditional releases. (Though they won’t integrate into your library as neatly.) If you sign up with the same account, music you’ve liked on YouTube will show up right away and help inform YouTube Music’s recommendations. You also get the same enormous selection of music videos, which you can access with a single tap.

As with Apple Music, YouTube Music lets you upload your own music files. It’s also one of the better options when it comes to surfacing new artists. A constantly updated “Discover Mix” playlist works similarly to Spotify’s “Discover Weekly,” and we’ve discovered many lesser-known acts through the app’s algorithmic track radios and community-based playlists.

That said, the integration with YouTube is really the thing here; without it, there isn’t much reason to choose YouTube Music over Apple Music or Spotify. It lacks lossless streaming, and its home tab is as much of a hodgepodge of disparate elements as any other service. Its ability to pull music you’ve liked on YouTube, while convenient, is often sloppy in its execution: One of our saved playlists, for instance, was a video game walkthrough that mostly isn’t viewable through the app anyway. In general, the UI is especially loaded with algorithmic suggestions, with few of the little editorial touches you’d find in Apple Music.

There are podcasts, technically, but right now the selection mainly consists of YouTube videos that are marked as podcast content. Many shows still appear as promised, but other feeds consist only of brief clips rather than full episodes, while some are missing entirely. You can add missing podcasts to your library via RSS, but that’s an extra step Spotify doesn’t force you to take. We’d also be remiss not to mention Google’s long history of killing its own products, including this service’s predecessor. Nevertheless, the company seems committed to YouTube Music today, and it has improved the service over time.

ProsIncludes a wealth of rare and interesting music that isn’t available on other servicesAvailable with YouTube Premium subscriptionStrong music discovery toolsLocal file supportConsNo lossless streamingPodcast integration is messyUI can feel overwhelming at times$11 at YouTube Qobuz

Qobuz

Another good option for music enthusiasts

Free tier: No | Individual plan: $13/month or $130/year (Studio); $180/year (Sublime) | Duo plan: $18/month or $180/year (Studio); $270/year (Sublime) (2 members) | Family plan: $22/month or $216/year (Studio); $350/year (Sublime) (up to 6 members) | Streaming quality: Up to 24-bit/192 kHz FLAC

Qobuz is worth a look for audiophiles who’d like a more curated music service and don’t want to funnel more cash into a tech giant like Apple or Google. Even more than Apple Music, it comes off like the streaming equivalent of a friendly music nerd. The top of the app greets you with a handpicked selection of recent albums. Tons of records, new and old, come with liner-notes-like reviews. A “Magazine” tab offers a stream of fun articles; as we write this, recent features include a Wu-Tang Clan retrospective, a rundown of essential Kate Bush songs and a regular “Album of the Week” write-up. Qobuz emphasizes albums more than playlists overall; it wants you to engage with an artist’s complete work, not just in bits and pieces as encouraged by algorithms. Yet the playlists it does have are diverse and cleverly crafted.

Like Apple Music, Qobuz includes lossless streaming for no extra cost, its FLAC files reaching up to 24-bit/192 kHz. It also lets you purchase albums outright in CD or Hi-Res quality. If you subscribe to its upper “Sublime” tier, you can get those at a discount. It all speaks to a service with a record-store mindset: Its recommendations mostly come from real people, its streams are high quality, and it doesn’t slavishly tailor itself to your listening history. Past reports suggest it’s one of the better-paying services for artists, too, something its digital album shop should only help.

Still, this sort of anti-Spotify approach has its shortcomings. When it does have to algorithmically recommend music — through a track radio, for instance, or its personalized “Weekly Q” playlist — its selections just don’t flow as naturally or coherently as the major players. Its search tool can be spotty, too, and it’s not as receptive to sharing on social platforms. While it has a huge library with more than 100 million tracks, it tends to not spotlight Top 40 hits as strongly as Spotify or Apple Music, particularly when it comes to hip-hop and pop. (Though this may be a positive for some people.) There are no podcasts or audiobooks, either, plus it costs $2 more per month than our other top picks.

ProsThoughtful curation and editorial contentLossless streaming included in base tierCleanly designed app on mobile and desktopOffers digital store for buying musicConsRecommendation algorithm isn’t as strong as peersCosts more than rival servicesNot ideal for keeping up with popular music$13 at Qobuz

Other notable music streaming services

Tidal

Tidal offers lossless streaming, a free tier and a hefty dose of curated recommendations. It also compensates artists better than most of its rivals. It’s a great choice for audiophiles who want a service that’s largely focused on modern pop music. However, its mobile and desktop apps aren’t quite as smooth as those from Apple Music, its algorithmic recommendations generally fall short of Spotify and it doesn’t lean as hard into editorial content as Qobuz. If you think you need Hi-Res quality, you have to pay $20 per month, which is much higher than Apple Music or Qobuz. You can still get CD-quality streams for $11 a month, though.

Amazon Music Unlimited

Amazon Music Unlimited supports podcasts and lossless streaming, plus it costs a dollar less than most music services if you subscribe to Amazon Prime. Naturally, it also works great with Amazon’s fleet of Alexa devices. Its interface is a bit sloppier than those of our main picks, though, with weaker discovery features than Spotify or Apple Music and a relatively aggressive approach to promoting podcasts you may not care about.

Deezer

Deezer has an attractive app, CD-quality streaming, a competitive library, a free tier and the option to upload local MP3 files. It also gives quick access to several live radio stations from around the globe, which is great. There’s really nothing wrong with it, so if you’re smitten with the interface and like those features, it should serve you well. But it costs a dollar more than Apple Music or Spotify each month, and its playlists and discovery tools generally aren’t as rich. It lacks Hi-Res streaming as well.

Pandora Premium

Pandora is superb at surfacing music you’ll probably like, so its free or “Plus” tiers will work great if all you need is a simple, personalized internet radio. If you want music on-demand, though, you need a “Premium” subscription, which costs $10 a month. That’s cheaper than our main picks, but the app is much less feature-rich, and it has the most compressed streaming quality of any service we tested, maxing at 192kbps.

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-music-streaming-service-130046189/feed/ 0 The best portable Bluetooth speakers for 2024 https://aitesonics.com/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551/ https://aitesonics.com/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:17:08 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551/ After testing dozens of Bluetooth speakers, one thing was clear to me: there are plenty of good options for most consumers out there. That’s both a blessing and a curse, though, because it can quickly get overwhelming when you go to buy a new one ahead of your next camping trip or beach outing. I […]

The post The best portable Bluetooth speakers for 2024 appeared first on Best News.

]]> After testing dozens of Bluetooth speakers, one thing was clear to me: there are plenty of good options for most consumers out there. That’s both a blessing and a curse, though, because it can quickly get overwhelming when you go to buy a new one ahead of your next camping trip or beach outing. I tried out a number of speakers at all different price points, from sub-$100 models to high-end, $500 and up gadgets, and most of them sounded pretty good upon first listen. But in comparing them head-to-head, that’s when I began to suss out the nuances among the best-sounding ones. Ultimately there’s no best portable Bluetooth speaker for everyone, but there are plenty of good options at various price points that should fit most use cases. These are our favorites.

Quick Overview

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

$60 at Amazon

Soundcore Motion 300

$80 at Amazon More options

UE Wonderboom 3

$67 at Amazon $74 at Walmart $100 at Verizon See more options

Anker Soundcore Motion+

$100 at Amazon More options

JBL Flip 6

$110 at Adorama $110 at Amazon $110 at Macy’s See more options More options

Bose SoundLink Flex

$149 at Adorama $149 at Amazon See more options More options

Marshall Emberton II

$137 at Amazon $182 at Macy’s $170 at Target See more options More options

JBL Charge 5

$130 at Adorama $130 at Amazon $130 at Kohl’s See more options

Orange Box

$299 at Orange Amps More options

Marshall Middleton

$237 at Amazon $300 at Nordstrom $250 at Bloomingdale’s See more options More options

Bose Portable Smart Speaker

$399 at Adorama $399 at Amazon $399 at QVC See more options More options

JBL Xtreme 3

$198 at Groupon $250 at Adorama $250 at Walmart See more options

Marshall Tufton

$450 at Amazon More options

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom

$388 at Amazon $413 at Walmart $450 at B&H Photo See more options

Soundboks Go

$699 at Amazon See 10 more

Factors to consider before purchasing a portable Bluetooth speaker

Weather-proofing

IP ratings (Ingress Protection) are the alphanumeric indicators you often see in a product’s spec sheet that define the tested resistance of a product to both solid objects (dirt, dust, fingers?) and water. It’s usually a combo of two numbers with the first indicating solid object ingress and the second being water. The former goes from 0 (no protection) to 6 (dustproof). The water-resistance rating goes from 0 (no protection) to 9 (protected against immersion and high pressure jets). When an X is used instead of a number, that means the product wasn’t tested for resistance. If it’s waterproof, it may have some innate resistance to solids, but there’s no guarantee.

IP67 is a common rating these days indicating highly resistant and potentially rugged speakers suitable for outdoor adventures. These are safe for quick dunks in the pool or tub and should be more than OK in the rain or in the shower. They’re also good options for the beach, playground and other rough environs.

Additionally, speakers with ports and a high rating will often include a tight-fitting cover over the charging or auxiliary ports. If you plan on using the ports, that may limit the product’s rated ability to fend off the elements.

Consider the IP rating and also how you plan to use your Bluetooth speaker when making your decision. It may be worth splurging on a better sounding model with a lower IP rating if you’ll mostly be using it indoors, for instance.

Battery life

The focus of this guide is on portable Bluetooth speakers, and while “portable” can be a relative term, these devices are generally for people who are likely to find themselves far from a power outlet. These days, around 12 hours of runtime seems to be the baseline but obviously, the more battery life you can get out of a speaker, the better.

That said, be careful when looking at battery specs, as they frequently list a maximum runtime (“up to” x amount of hours). This usually means they tested at a low to mid volume. If you like your tunes loud, it can often end up cutting the expected usage time in half or more. Luckily, some manufacturers also list the expected hours of battery life when used at full volume and that transparency is appreciated.

Additionally, if your Bluetooth speaker also happens to have WiFi connectivity, they’re usually designed for always-on functionality. Unlike normal Bluetooth speakers that go to sleep after a short period without use, these will usually stay awake (to listen for your commands) and slowly run down the battery. If you’re out and about, you’ll want to remember to turn these speakers off manually when not in use to maximize battery life.

Range

Bluetooth range is tricky business. Some companies list their product’s longest possible range, usually outdoors and in an unobstructed line-of-sight test environment. Other companies stick with a 30-foot range on the spec sheet and leave it at that, even though they may be running Bluetooth 4.x or 5.x. That’s likely underselling the speaker’s potential, but unpredictable environments can affect range and there’s little point in promising the moon only to get complaints.

I’ve seen signal drop issues when crouching down, with my phone in the front pocket of my jeans, and barely 30 feet away from a speaker inside my apartment. I ran into this issue across several devices regardless of their listed Bluetooth connectivity range.

If you’re hosting a patio party and duck inside, it’s wise to have the source device remain close by just in case. It’s hard to gauge what aspects of any environment may interfere with a Bluetooth signal. In general, take range specs around 100 feet or more as a perfect-world scenario.

Latency

This is a minor mention for those out there who use a speaker for their computer output, or as a mini soundbar solution for setups like a monitor and streaming box. It’s annoying to find that your speaker’s latency isn’t low enough to avoid lip sync issues. Luckily, it seems that most speakers these days don’t often have these problems. Only a handful of the few dozen speakers I tried had persistent, noticeable lip-sync issues. Aside from occasional blips, all of our picks worked well in this regard.

If you plan to frequently use a speaker for video playback, look for devices with the most recent Bluetooth versions (4.x or 5.x) and lower latency codecs like aptX. Also make sure the speaker is close to the source device as distance can be a factor. To avoid the issue altogether, though, consider getting one with a wired auxiliary input.

Best Bluetooth speakers: $50 to $200

Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

Features: Built-in power bank to charge other devices | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Assistant support: None

If you’re just looking for a small speaker that can kick out some decent volume, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 fits the bill. The audio quality here is fine; it doesn’t stand out in terms of fidelity, but the volume you get from this affordable little speaker is what makes it a good choice. If you’re bopping about outdoors on your bike or chilling in the park, it’s usually more about portability and volume anyway. The rubbery rear strap works well on relatively thin things like belts, backpacks and bike handlebars.

While it’s small and affordable, the speaker supports USB-C charging for your devices in a pinch and you can wirelessly connect two of them for party mode or stereo sound. It also supports voice assistants for both iOS and Android users.

$60 at Amazon Soundcore

Soundcore Motion 300

Features: IPX7 waterproof, custom EQ settings using companion app | Battery life: Up to 13 hours | Assistant support: None

Soundcore has been releasing some very able speakers lately and one of its newest is a quality personal portable. The Motion 300 is of the pint-sized variety, but offers 30-watts of punchy and bright output. It’s IPX7 rated so it can handle a bit of water, and it works with the Anker Soundcore app that allows a fair amount of customization from EQ settings to button brightness. It also supports hi-res audio using the LDAC codec for Android users with a compatible device.

The Motion 300’s size and frequency range don’t quite allow for a ton of bass, but it’s relatively loud and thumpy, especially when it has surfaces to reflect off of. Soundcore has even extended its high-frequency range to 40kHz, and while its utility is debatable, the Motion 300 does sound crisp in the high-end spectrum. You can also enable adaptive audio, which helps optimize its sound delivery depending on the speaker orientation (on its back, standing up or hanging from its removable button-fastened strap).

The speaker’s design merges a funky style with office-machine chic, from the playfully speckled soft touch exterior to the metallic, logo-emblazoned grille. Its 1.7-pound weight and clutch-purse size makes it better as a handheld or stowed in your bag rather than hanging from a backpack or bike handlebars. Ultimately, you get great sound in a small package with features you can tweak to your liking, all at an approachable $80 price tag.

$80 at Amazon Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

UE Wonderboom 3

Features: IP67-rated design, support for stereo pairing | Battery life: Up to 14 hours | Assistant support: None

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is a tiny yet powerful portable, delivering the biggest sound in its size range that we tested. It’s still a cute, barrel-shaped small speaker with a nubby little strap that probably needs a carabiner to help attach it to most things. But this refreshed model includes a couple of bright new colors, an extra hour of battery life and improved wireless range. With an IP67 rating on top of the company’s five-foot drop test durability, it can go with you almost anywhere and survive to tell the tale.

The audio quality is punchy and bright enough for what you’d expect at this scale and price range. Although there’s no app support or connectivity with the rest of the Ultimate Ears speaker lineup, you can easily pair it with speakers like the Wonderboom 2 or Megaboom 3 for stereo sound. There’s also an outdoor mode button on the bottom that boosts the mid and high range to help the audio carry over a greater distance.

$67 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$74 at Walmart $100 at Verizon Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Anker Soundcore Motion+

Features: IPX7 waterproof, custom EQ settings using companion app | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Assistant support: None

This nondescript wedge of a wireless speaker could easily slip under your radar, but it’s worth a listen. It has a bright and bassy output, which is helped along by Qualcomm aptX support for hi-res audio. This Anker Soundcore device has a solid, slightly heavy build with a metal front speaker grille, a soft-touch rubberized exterior (that loves your greasy fingerprints) and IPX7 water resistance. While it’s not the lightest or most portable, it has good sound, especially for the price. Plus the app offers EQ customization, so you can fine tune to your liking.

There’s also a 3.5mm aux input for wired connections. That’s fortuitous, as we found that this small speaker works well as a mini soundbar alternative and the wired input offers a foolproof connection.

$100 at Amazon Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

JBL Flip 6

Features: IP67-rated design, support for stereo pairing | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Assistant support: None

JBL’s Flip 6 deserves high marks for overall sound quality, durability and volume considering its size, and those features make it the best JBL speaker for most people. As with most JBL speakers, it has a good dynamic range from solid lows to crisp highs with volume tipped towards higher registers. The cylindrical shape works well on its side or even standing on its end to save desk space. It has a capable carrying (or hanging) strap and raised buttons you can discern in the dark.

The JBL Portable app gives you a 3-band EQ to customize the sound profile if desired and if you have two Flip 6 speakers, you can run them as a stereo pair. If you happen to have a mix-and-match assortment of different PartyBoost-enabled JBL devices, you can connect multiple speakers for a bigger sound.

$110 at AdoramaExplore More Buying Options$110 at Amazon $110 at Macy’s Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Bose SoundLink Flex

Features: Built-in mic for assistant support and phone calls, IP67-rated design | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri

While the $99 Bose SoundLink Micro is half the size, we found that it’s definitely worth the extra $50 if you trade up to the SoundLink Flex. While it’s still not a room filler, the speaker offers some bright, dynamic finesse to your tunes, along with a significant amount of bass for its size. It’s similar to the scale of a small clutch bag, with a very small strap for carabiner-type hanging. Much of the exterior is sheathed in soft-touch silicone, except for the powder-coated steel speaker grilles. Like others in this range, the speaker is IP67 rated so it can handle the elements and sound good doing it.

Setup and connecting to the speaker should be done from within the aptly named Bose Connect app. You can also turn off voice prompts (which can become annoying) and pair with similar speakers for either party mode or stereo.

Note: Some users running Android 12 may encounter connectivity issues with the Bose Connect app. The company is working to resolve the problem.

$149 at AdoramaExplore More Buying Options$149 at Amazon Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Marshall Emberton II

Features: IP67-rated design, support for stereo pairing | Battery life: Up to 30 hours | Assistant support: None

The recently released Emberton II Bluetooth portable from Marshall has a bumped up set of specs that make it a better value than the previous gen. This clutchable rectangular slab still has a pair of 10-watt full-range drivers and passive radiators to deliver the brand’s signature sound. It may not be the loudest in its size range, but it focuses more on balanced output than raw power. There’s still 360 sound as well, making it a good companion for small get togethers. Although, with its 60hz low end threshold, you’ll find a better bass response when there are surfaces to reflect off of, and not so much if it’s in the middle of a table.

This new model now offers up to 30 hours of listening on a charge (10 hours better than before) and a more rugged IP67 rating. There’s also a new ability to pair with another Emberton II or Willen II using the new “Stack Mode”. The range between them is limited, however, so stacking them probably is the best way to go. Additionally, Marshall is offering a more environmentally friendly product than before, using 50 percent post-consumer plastics in its construction.

$137 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$182 at Macy’s $170 at Target Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

JBL Charge 5

Features: Built-in power bank to charge other devices, IP67-rated design, support for stereo pairing | Battery life: Up to 20 hours | Assistant support: None

If you’re willing to spend a little more for bigger sound, more hours of battery life and a USB-C port to charge your devices, the midrange JBL Charge 5 is a great upgrade over the Flip 6. It has the same bright output and capable low end, but in a slightly larger package. If you’re looking for a smallish portable speaker, but something capable enough to entertain a few guests, this works.

$130 at AdoramaExplore More Buying Options$130 at Amazon $130 at Kohl’s

Best Bluetooth speakers: $200 to $450

Orange Amps

Orange Box

Features: Retro design with carry strap, 3.5mm aux input | Battery life: Up to 15 hours | Assistant support: None

The Orange Box portable Bluetooth speaker from legendary guitar amp maker Orange is essentially a no-frills product with great analog sound and ‘60s-era bohemian chic. For Orange Amp fans, it’s a faithful mini-version of a classic (although you can’t plug in your guitar). It’s not particularly heavy, but it is a bit chunky and the wooden frame means there’s no waterproofing or ruggedness rating. Battery life is average with up to 15 hours run time and you’ll want to keep track of that DC power cable since it doesn’t support any USB charging.

That said, we like this speaker in part for its natural charm and unique design (at least as far as Bluetooth speakers go). There’s a 3.5mm aux input, a mechanical power toggle switch, a cool domed power light and several dials for volume and EQ. The front-facing grille is audio transparent fabric emblazoned with the classic Orange logo. It’s also a proper piece of kit built for a long life, with authorized repair centers across the globe.

Most importantly, you get both analog and digital amps pushing 50 watts of bright, clear and unadulterated output with plenty of low end, at least for nearby listeners. It also supports aptX, so if you have high-quality files or hi-res streaming, you’ll get the most out of it.

This speaker is ideal for Orange Amps fans or those who like no-fuss operation, natural analog sound quality and generally want a mid-sized device they’ll keep close to home. Most styles of music sound great on the Orange Box, but the speaker really shines with songs that have live instrumentation or anything that can benefit from an analog touch.

$299 at Orange Amps Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Marshall Middleton

Features: IP67-rated design, support for stereo pairing | Battery life: Up to 20 hours | Assistant support: None

Marshall launched the Middleton in January 2023 and positioned it as the new flagship for its portable Bluetooth speaker line. It’s the largest of the company’s IP67 rugged portables (measuring 4.3 x 9 x 3.75 inches) and offers a significantly louder output, with 50-watts of 360-degree sound. There are dual woofers and tweeters for the front and back, with passive radiators along each side. It also offers Stack Mode, which lets you pair with any other Middleton, Emberton II or Willen speakers nearby to expand your listening experience.

The Middleton can be managed through the Marshall Bluetooth app, but it also includes most of those same controls on the top. There’s a Bluetooth button (which doubles as the Stack Mode control) and a multi-use joystick for power on/off, volume control and track selection (forward or back). You also get bass and treble controls, which are a welcome addition and a first for one of Marshall’s speakers without physical knobs.

It has that traditional Marshall look, made with a soft-touch exterior composed of 55-percent post-consumer recycled plastic and is 100-percent PVC free. It also has a carry strap you can easily fit your hand through. Any dust, dirt or prints on the outside can be scrubbed off with a damp cloth, and even the exposed USB-C and 3.5mm input port components are waterproofed. That USB-C port can be used to recharge the speaker, or power up your other devices with its 9,600mAh battery.

Of course audio purists should know that it only supports SBC, but the sound quality is still top notch for most people. And while Marshall devices are usually priced at a slight premium, the good sound quality and decent low-end capability definitely makes this model worth checking out.

$237 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$300 at Nordstrom $250 at Bloomingdale’s Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Bose Portable Smart Speaker

Features: IPX4-rated design, Wi-Fi connectivity | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Assistant support: Alexa, Google Assistant

We did test a couple smart home speakers, including the Bose Portable Smart and I decided to compare it with its closest Bluetooth equivalent: the Revolve+ II. While that’s best suited for portability, has a loud bright sound that will carry outdoors and long battery life, its low end is a little less pronounced than its smart companion. If you’re willing to spend more and appreciate bass, the Bose Portable Smart speaker is a big improvement. It has a well-rounded low end and a bright dynamic sound with plenty of nuance that makes for a great listening experience.

This 360-degree portable comes as a combo WiFi/Bluetooth speaker primarily geared toward smart home use with the occasional outing. It’s rated IPX4, so not the most weatherproof, but good for casual outdoor listening. The battery is rated for up to 12 hours, but since this is an always-on smart device, you’ll need to be more attentive at keeping it topped up. There’s a charging dock accessory for use around the house, but as an away-from-home portable, you should power it down when not in use.

Smart features: WiFi, voice and app control, support for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Chromecast (built-in), Apple AirPlay 2 and SimpleSync connectivity with Bose Bluetooth speakers.

Note: Some users running Android 12 may encounter connectivity issues with the Bose Connect app. The company is working to resolve the problem.

$399 at AdoramaExplore More Buying Options$399 at Amazon $399 at QVC JBL

JBL Xtreme 3

Features: IP67-rated design| Battery life: Up to 15 hours | Assistant support: None

If you’ve enjoyed any of the smaller JBL speakers out there and are willing to spend a bit more, the Xtreme 3 is a good all-around choice. It’s big enough to warrant a shoulder strap, but still only about the size of a football. There’s a pleasant dynamic sound here with hefty lows and a lively high end that seems slightly better balanced at this size than the smaller options from JBL in this range.

This is easily a favorite if you want something under $400 with a little more gusto than your average portable, but still being IP67 weatherproof. It has enough output to breathe life into a small soiree or backyard hang, although while it’s quite loud, it’s best when it’s close by or indoors where the bass can resonate to its fullest.

$198 at GrouponExplore More Buying Options$250 at Adorama $250 at Walmart

Best high-range portable bluetooth speakers: $450 and higher

Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Marshall Tufton

Features: IPX2-rated design, support for multi-host functionality | Battery life: Up to 20 hours | Assistant support: None

If you didn’t know about Marshall’s history in amplifiers and rock music, the design should clue you in. The Tufton is the largest portable Bluetooth speaker from the company, looking much like an amp itself (as do most of them). It has physical knobs at the top and a carry strap to help move it about. While it may appear as rugged as concert gear, it’s less impervious to the elements as some with just an IPX2 rating, so it’s protected from light splashes from above.

Whether or not you’re a fan of the brand, the rich and distinctly thumping output may make you one. We felt pulled into the sound while listening to the Tufton, a bit more than most other speakers we tested at this scale. It’s dynamic, warm and, dare we say, analog in its audio presence. It’s also multi-directional with a supplemental driver on the back along with a bass port.

There’s no app to adjust the EQ, just the physical controls including a Bluetooth connect button, a power/volume knob and two for bass and treble. Once powered on, you can use the volume knob to set a max headroom and adjust volume on the fly from your source. The bass and treble knobs help you choose the tone of your adventure, from a purely flat soundscape to an enhanced one. We just wish you could see the dial indicators in the dark. Other features include aptX support and quick-charge capabilities that provide four hours of listening time in just 20 minutes, plus great standby battery life.

$450 at Amazon Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom

Features: IPX4-rated design, support for multi-host functionality | Battery life: Up to 24 hours | Assistant support: None

The UE Hyperboom is an all-arounder with good looks, portability, plenty of connectivity options and a loud and punchy (albeit compressed) output. The technical fabric exterior (which now includes a white option) lets it live among your furniture without screaming “party box,” while the optical input offers a possible TV speaker alternative. The large capacitive buttons on top let anyone adjust the volume, pause or play the music and select from two concurrent Bluetooth connections or a hardwired input (3.5mm or optical). On the edge with the silicone carrying handle there are the wired ports, plus one for charging USB devices and another for power. You can expect to get up to 24 hours of battery life, and the Hyperboom is good at holding a charge on standby.

This capable and loud (roughly 100dB) speaker will please most people as long as the party is of primary concern over fidelity. The ability to remotely power your device on or off using the UE app is also a welcome feature. Plus you can easily expand the sound to other Ultimate Ears Boom speakers (except Wonderboom) using the PartyUp feature. The IPX4 rating means a few spilled drinks won’t hassle it, but it’s not the best Bluetooth speaker choice for all-weather adventures.

$388 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$413 at Walmart $450 at B&H Photo SB

Soundboks Go

Features: App connectivity with custom sound profiles, swappable battery | Battery life: Up to 40 hours | Assistant support: None

The Soundboks Go is a great speaker if you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth option that provides a big sound for larger spaces, although it comes at a price. This unpretentious black rectangle is half the size of its more professional sibling the Soundboks Gen 3. It packs one 10-inch woofer and a 1-inch domed tweeter, both powered by two 72W RMS amps for massive sound and chunky bass, even at a distance.

At 20 pounds, this party speaker is fairly easy to lug around and looks about the size of carry-on luggage. You can even get the optional shoulder strap, which helps for longer missions. It has a flexible TPE handle on top, silicone bumpers around the edges and ABS+Polycarbonate exterior and grill. The IP65 rating also marks it as a resilient device in most environments.

The sound makes a big statement here. Output levels are rated at up to 121dB, with clear mids and highs projecting clearly across large areas. The low end also has a significant presence at a distance, matching up with 40Hz frequency response. It’s definitely capable enough to support large gatherings.

The speaker is easy to connect to via Bluetooth and the partner app offers EQ customization, audio profiles and OTA firmware updates. There’s a solitary 3.5mm stereo input on the Go, but its wireless expansion shines, letting you connect up to five Soundboks Gen 3 or Go speakers at the touch of a button with its built-in SKAA wireless support.

Lastly, the battery pack is removable, swappable and also long-lasting for a speaker this size; at low to mid volume, it’s rated at up to 40 hours runtime. For transparency, Soundboks also lets you know to expect around 10 hours of play at full volume. You can also run this while charging, but there are strict warnings about keeping the volume low while doing so (it’s not recommended unless you’re desperate).

$699 at Amazon

Other portable Bluetooth speakers we tested

Sonos Roam

While there’s a lot to like about the Sonos Roam, there are plenty of other Bluetooth speakers with more features and better battery life. In our review, we gave the Roam a score of 87, praising it for its good sound quality, durable waterproof design and ability to work well within an existing Sonos speaker ecosystem. But the price is just fine at $180, and we found Bluetooth speakers that offer more at lower price points. Plus, the Roam taps out at 10 hours of battery life, and all of our top picks can run for longer than that on a single charge.

Monoprice Soundstage3

The Monoprice Soundstage3 offers relatively big sound at a midrange $250 price, with a variety of inputs rarely found on a portable Bluetooth speaker. The boxy, minimalist design is no nonsense, even if it’s more of a less-rugged, bookshelf-styled homebody. While the speaker puts out crisp highs alongside booming lows, we found the bass can overpower the rest of the output, so it’s not for everyone. And after using the speaker for many months, we also found the low-slung, poorly labeled button panel along the top can be a bit annoying to use. If you want a speaker for road trips, favor mids and highs, and plan on using physical buttons for volume control and input selections, there are better options out there.

JBL Boombox 3

Fans of JBL’s bluetooth speaker sound profile who want to crank up the volume, but also want a rugged and portable option, may enjoy the JBL Boombox 3. It’s a decent grab-and-go speaker with a very loud output, although it’s not as good as some of the loud-speaker styled options for long-throw sound and big outdoor areas. However, the price for this speaker line remains prohibitively expensive compared to other options with big sound that cover a bit more ground. If the JBL brand is your thing and you like the rugged, portable form factor, we recommend looking for discounts, or shopping around and exploring the available options including the (less portable) JBL PartyBox series.

Soundcore Motion X500

Soundcore speakers have generally been good and often reasonably priced. The Motion X500 loosely falls into that category. It has a tall, metallic lunchbox vibe with a fixed handle and pumps out a respectable 40 watts of crisp, clear sound for its size. It can get pretty loud and serves up a good dose of bass, although its primarily a front-facing speaker.

There’s LDAC hi-res audio support for Android users, but the main selling point on this is spatial audio. This is done through an EQ change and the activation of a small, up-firing driver. There’s a slight benefit from this if you’re up close and directly in front of it, but it’s not a total game changer for your listening experience. The original pre-order price of $130 made it a decent option in terms of bang for your buck. But it went up to $170 at launch, making it less appealing even if it’s still a good middle-of-the-road option if you want small-ish, clear and loud. If you can find one on sale for the lower price, it’s definitely worth considering. There’s also the larger and louder X600 ($200) if the overall concept is working for you.

FAQs

How does a Bluetooth speaker work?

Bluetooth technology lets devices connect and exchange data over short distances using ultra high frequency (UHF) radio waves. It’s the frequency range that’s carved out for industrial, scientific and medical purposes, called the 2.4GHz ISM spectrum band. This range is available worldwide, making it easy for companies to use with devices for global markets.

Bluetooth speakers include this tech, which lets them communicate with source devices like smartphones, tablets or computers in order to exchange data. The two devices pair by sharing a unique code and will work within the proscribed range for the device and Bluetooth version.

Ever since Bluetooth 4.0 was released over a decade ago, new iterations usually improve on range, use less power and offer expanded connectivity with features like multipoint (allowing more than one device to be connected at the same time, for instance).

Who should buy a Portable Bluetooth speaker?

If you want to play music while you’re out-and-about on something other than headphones, a portable Bluetooth speaker is probably what you want. There’s a broad range of devices for all types of circumstances. Many adventurous people will want a relatively lightweight portable that’s rugged enough to handle the elements while also packing enough charge to play for hours on end. Others may simply need a speaker they can move around the house or use in the backyard. In this case, you can choose larger less rugged models that may offer better sound.

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]]> https://aitesonics.com/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551/feed/ 0 The best live TV streaming services to cut cable in 2024 https://aitesonics.com/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410/ https://aitesonics.com/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:12:21 +0000 https://aitesonics.com/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410/ The major players in live TV streaming are YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, Sling and DirecTV Stream, with Philo rounding things out as a good budget option. Each one purports to replicate cable with vast channel offerings, local news, sports and linear programming — and most services promise to be cheaper than cable, […]

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]]> The major players in live TV streaming are YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, Sling and DirecTV Stream, with Philo rounding things out as a good budget option. Each one purports to replicate cable with vast channel offerings, local news, sports and linear programming — and most services promise to be cheaper than cable, too. That’s true in some cases, but depending on which and how many add-ons and packages you get in addition to the base service, it can also end up being far more expensive than basic cable. To help you get the most bang for your buck, we break down just what live TV services offer and suggest the best ones for different viewers.

Quick Overview

YouTube TV

Best TV streaming service for most people

$73 at YouTube TV

Hulu + Live TV

Best live TV streaming service for Disney+ or Hulu subscribers

$77 at Hulu

DirecTV Stream

Best cable without a contract

$95 at DirecTV

Fubo

Best live TV streaming service for sports

$80 at Fubo

Sling TV

Best customizable live TV streaming service

$40 at Sling TV

Philo

Best cheap TV streaming service

$25 at Philo

Pluto TV

A free live TV streaming service

Free at Pluto TV

Tubi

A free live TV streaming service

Free at Tubi

Amazon Freevee

A free live TV streaming service

Free at Amazon

Sling Freestream

A free live TV streaming service

Free at Sling See 5 more

What to look for in a live TV streaming service

How to stream live TV

Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web browser. After that, you can activate the app on your device.

Price

When I started my cord-cutting research, I was struck by the price difference between live TV and a standard streaming app like Netflix or Peacock. Where the latter cost between $5 and $20 per month, many live TV services hit the $75 mark and can go higher than $200 with additional perks, channel packages and premium extras. The higher starting price is mostly due to the cost of providing multiple networks – particularly sports and local stations. And, in the past year or so, every service except Philo and Sling has raised base plan prices.

Local channels

Only two of the services we tried don’t include full local channel coverage for subscribers and one of those makes no effort at carrying sports. That would be Philo and, as you might guess, it’s the cheapest. The next most affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations, and only in larger markets, but it still manages to include some of the top sports channels.

When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, you’ll enter your zip code, ensuring you get your area’s broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna, you’ll receive locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. And since the signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears era.

Sports

One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the match-up you want to see can be tricky. Google makes it a little easier for sports fans by listing out upcoming games (just swap in NFL, MLB, NHL and so on in the search bar). When you click an event, the “TV & streaming” button will tell you which network is covering it.

That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries that regional sports network. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and extra packages, some providers simply don’t have certain channel lineups. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming rights negotiations, and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates.

It’s also worth noting that traditional streaming services have started adding live sports to their lineups. Peacock carries live Premier League matches and Sunday Night Football. Max now airs select, regular season games from the NHL, MLB, NCAA and NBA with a $10-per-month add-on. You can watch MLS games with an add-on through the Apple TV app, and Apple TV+ includes some MLB games. And finally, if you subscribe to Paramount Plus, you can see many of the matches you’d see on CBS Sports. While these options won’t cover as much ground as live TV streamers, they could scratch a sports itch without too much added cost.

Traditional cable networks

Dozens of linear programming networks were once only available with cable TV, like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only subscribe to, say, Netflix or Apple TV+, you won’t have access to those. But as with sports, standard streamers are starting to incorporate this content into their offerings. After the Warner Bros. merger, Max incorporated some content from HGTV, Discovery and TLC. Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark shows, and Paramount+ has material from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.

Other channels like AMC+ have stand-alone apps. The Discovery+ app gives you 15 channels add-free for $9 per month. And a service called Frndly TV costs a mere $7 per month and streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Vice and about 35 others. Of course, most live TV streaming options will deliver more sizable lists of cable networks, but just note that you may already be paying for some of them — and if all you need is a certain channel, you could get it cheaper by subscribing directly.

How to stream live TV for free

We also tested a few apps that offer free ad-supported TV (FAST) including Freevee, Tubi, PlutoTV and Sling Freestream. They let you drop in and watch a more limited selection of live networks at zero cost. Most don’t even require an email address, let alone a credit card. And if you have a Roku device, an Amazon Fire TV Stick or a Samsung TV, you already have access to hundreds of live channels via the Roku Channel, the live tab in Fire TV or through the Samsung TV Plus app.

Digital video recordings (DVR)

Every option we’ve included offers cloud DVR storage, so you don’t need a separate physical device like you often do with traditional cable. You’ll either get unlimited storage for recordings that expires after nine months or a year, or you’ll get a set number of hours (between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you need to do is designate what you want to record and the DVR component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to watch later.

Aside from being able to watch whenever it’s most convenient, you can also fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you can’t skip them on live TV or video-on-demand (VOD).

Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of VOD content including movies and shows that are currently airing on your subscribed networks. This typically doesn’t cover live events, local shows and news programming. But it does let you watch specific episodes of ongoing shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives or BET’s Sistas. Just search the on-demand library for the program, pick an episode and hit play.

Tiers, packages and add-ons

Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I… made three. The base plans range from $25 to $80 per month. From there, you can add packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes like news, sports, entertainment or international content. Premium VOD extras like Max, AMC+ and Starz are also available. Add-ons cost an extra $5 to $20 each per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of your live TV. This is where streaming can quickly get expensive, pushing an $80 subscription to $200 monthly, depending on what you choose.

How we tested

When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For the paid plans, just six services dominate so I tried them all. There are considerably more free live TV contenders so I tested the four most popular. After getting accounts set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of last year’s top cable networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and available add-ons.

I then looked at how the programming was organized in each app’s UI and judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few TV shows on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town.

I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows, making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating quirks.

Here’s the full list of everything we tried:

Free ad-supported live TV:

YouTube TV

Best TV streaming service for most people

Google’s option makes a strong case for delivering the best streaming service for live TV. Compared to our top pick for sports, YouTube TV covers major and minor teams, regional games and national matchups almost as well. It gives you clear navigation, a great search function, unlimited DVR and broad network coverage. It’s not quite as affordable as it once was, as YouTube recently raised the price to $73 per month – and it’s even more financially precarious if you’re not great at resisting temptation.

Upon signup, you’re presented with nearly 50 different add-ons, including 4K resolution, premium channels and themed packages. Even if you fight the urge to roll Max, Shudder and AcornTV into the mix at signup, the enticement remains as it’s dangerously easy to add more to your subscription. If you search for a program on a network you don’t have, you’re prompted to add it. And of course, you can also rent or buy movies that aren’t currently showing on any channels, just like you can via YouTube. While it’s convenient to be able to order up anything you might want on a whim, I imagine this pushes many users’ bills far above Google’s listed $73 per month.

Still, it’s nice to have all your entertainment in one place. And if you only want the add-ons, you can actually subscribe to most of the standalone networks without paying for the base plan. Either way, you get a familiar user experience, with navigation you’ll recognize if you’ve spent any time on regular ol’ YouTube. Unsurprisingly, Google’s search function was the best of the bunch, finding the shows and games I searched for quickly and giving me clear choices for how to watch and record.

At signup, you’ll also pick the shows, networks and teams you like, which are added to your library. YouTube TV then automatically records them. You get unlimited cloud DVR space (though recordings expire after nine months) and it’s dead simple to add programming to your library. Like a real cable experience, YouTube TV autoplays your last-watched program upon startup by default, but it was the only service that allowed me to turn that feature off by heading to the settings.

Searching for and recording an upcoming game was easy. Once the game was recorded, I had to hunt a little to find it in my library (turns out single games are listed under the Events heading, not Sports). But after that, playback was simple and included a fascinating extra feature: You can either play a recorded game from the beginning or hit Watch Key Plays. The latter gives you between 12 and 20 highlight snippets, each about 10 seconds long. It focuses on the most impressive shots in an NBA bout and includes every goal in an MLS matchup. The feature was available for NCAA basketball and in-season major American leagues (hockey, soccer and basketball at the time of testing). Foreign and more minor games didn’t have the feature.

Sports fans will also appreciate the new multiview feature that YouTube TV added last year that lets you pick up to four sports, news and weather channels from a select list and view them all at the same time on your screen. If you find yourself constantly flipping back and forth between games, this could save you some hassle.

YouTube TV also gives you the most in-app settings. You can add parental controls to a profile or pull up a stats menu that shows your buffer health and connection speeds. You can lower playback resolution for slow connections and even send feedback to YouTube. It was also the best at integrating VOD and live programming. For example, if you search for a show that happens to be playing live, a red badge in the corner of the show’s image lets you know it’s on right now. Other services didn’t display this info as clearly.

ProsIntuitive and smooth interfaceAccurate search functionsCool multiview featureGood coverage of sports, news and linear programming networksConsVery easy to overspend on extrasThe price keeps going up$73 at YouTube TV Hulu

Hulu + Live TV

Best live TV streaming service for Disney+ or Hulu subscribers

After YouTube TV went up to $73 per month, Hulu + Live TV shot to $77. But if you already or plan to subscribe to the regular Hulu app and/or Disney+, Hulu’s live component still makes better financial sense. It gives you live TV streaming, plus all the content from Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+, much of which you can’t get elsewhere. Note that $77 gets you the content with ads — for ad-free Disney+ and Hulu components, it’s $90 monthly.

Hulu + Live TV carries your local affiliates and most of the top cable channels. For sports, you get all available ESPN iterations plus FS1, FS2, TBS, USA, TNT, NBC Golf and the NFL Network. You can also add on premium VOD channels like Max and Showtime, and it’s the only provider that includes Disney+ at no extra cost.

Navigation on Hulu + Live TV isn’t as smooth as most of the other options – it felt like the live component had been shoehorned into the standard Hulu app. But if you’re already comfortable with (and paying for) Hulu, upgrading to the live TV bundle might be worthwhile.

ProsIncludes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ progrmmingConsFrustrating interface$77 at Hulu DirecTV

DirecTV Stream

Best cable without a contract

DirecTV Stream gives you the most cable-like experience without a contract — and that’s both a good and a bad thing. Probably the worst part of cable is the binding contract that’s unreasonably hard to cancel, but like all streaming services, there’s no contract here. The service also gives you the serendipity of flipping from one channel to the “next” (yes, DirecTV Stream numbers its channels) with your remote just like the good old days. But like cable, DirecTV has started to make it more difficult to buy only what you want, instead bundling packages together at a higher price. As of this writing, the lowest-priced tier, the Entertainment Pack, is only available bundled with the Sports Pack, making the cheapest non-promotional pricing $95 per month.

You’ll get nearly all of the most popular cable networks and can add multiple packages and premiums like Showtime, Starz, AMC+ and Discovery+. You can also add Max, just like on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, but DirecTV is the only one we tried that also lets you add Peacock. Of course, you can just add those apps separately to your smart TV, but for anyone who wants to approximate the all-in-one convenience of cable, it’s a nice perk.

When you fire up DirecTV Stream, whichever network you last watched automatically starts playing. It continues when you switch over to the guide or other menu pages. If you’re used to the quieter experience of traditional streaming apps (after you turn off autoplay), you might find that a little distracting.

The navigation didn’t feel intuitive, partly because the menu options overlay the currently playing show and because there are so many ways to browse, access and control live, recorded and on-demand content. The search function found the shows and movies I searched for and accurately presented the upcoming games I wanted just from typing in one of the teams.

You can’t add new channels or packages through the app, which might be a relief to anyone worried about succumbing to subscription overload. Everyone else may just find it annoying.

ProsCable-like experience without a contractBroad channel coverageConsSomewhat complicated interface$95 at DirecTV Fubo

Fubo

Best live TV streaming service for sports

If you want to stream live sports, you should probably opt for Fubo. When you first sign up, it asks which teams you follow across all kinds of associations. Pick teams from in-season leagues and you’ll quickly have DVR content to watch. That’s because Fubo records every game your chosen teams play as long as it’s aired on a supported channel – and its sports coverage is vast.

I tested out a premium subscription and the guide said there were 118 sports networks to choose from. In addition to the usual suspects from ESPN, Fox, NBC and CBS, you can watch motorsports, international leagues, adventure sports and even poker. Add-ons give you NBA TV, NHL Network, NFL Red Zone and MLB Network. And if you need access to all one thousand games the NBA plays in a season, you can add the NBA League Pass to your lineup for $15 per month. Fubo even has its own sports channels.

Yes, the coverage is comprehensive, but Fubo also made finding and recording specific games very easy. Searching for an upcoming game was simple, as was sifting through the ample amount of recorded games I ended up with. I particularly liked FanView for live games, which inserts the video into a smaller window and surrounds that window with continually updating stats plus a clickable list of other games currently airing.

Fubo has made an obvious effort to win at sports, but recently it’s tried to deliver on the live TV experience as well. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s certainly made strides. The guide was impressive in the number of ways it let you organize live TV, yet everything felt clean and uncluttered. The Home, Sports, Shows and Movies pages were filled with recommendations and many iterations of categories, with almost all suggestions being live TV.

Where Fubo falls short is in VOD access and DVR playback. It wasn’t the best at finding the shows I searched for, and navigating available VOD content wasn’t as breezy as browsing through live programming. The lack of a pop-up preview window as you fast forward or rewind through recordings makes it tough to gauge where you are in a show. As for price, Fubo ties with DirecTV Stream for the most expensive base package at $80. But if you need all the sports – and want some nicely organized live TV during the few moments when there’s not a game on – this is the way to go.

ProsBest coverage of sports networksAutomatically records your favorite teamsInformative FanView featureUncluttered live TV interfaceConsDVR and VOD experience is inferior to the live component$80 at Fubo Sling TV

Sling TV

Best customizable live TV streaming service

To me, the idea of spending time fine-tuning channel choices sounds exhausting. But if you’re the type who wants to get exactly what you want without paying for too much of what you don’t, Sling TV may be your best bet. It breaks its base plan into two packages, Blue and Orange, with different channels on each. Blue, which costs $45 a month, carries a larger number of networks, while Orange seems to have spent its lineup dollars on ESPN and ESPN 2. But at $40 monthly, Sling Orange is the cheapest way to get those two sports outlets.

After picking a plan, you can choose from a stable of add-on packages, with monthly prices ranging from $6 to $11. These include blocks of sports or lifestyle channels, kid-friendly fare, the Discovery+ bundle and a news package. There are 41 individual premium offerings, including Showtime, Starz, MGM+, Shudder and Acorn, which go for between $2 and $10 per month. Sling has pay-per-view movies, too.

As far as local coverage, Sling Blue grants access to ABC, Fox and NBC local affiliates in about 20 of the larger US markets including Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, NYC, Miami and DC. ABC coverage began in March 2023, but unfortunately, that raised the price of Sling Blue in supported markets from $40 to $45. For people not in those areas (or who opt for Orange) Sling is currently running a promotion for a free HD antenna to catch local stations.

Navigation is speedy and the interface is nicely organized, putting an emphasis on what you like to watch, with recommendations that are pretty accurate. The UI also makes the add-ons you’ve chosen easy to find. In my tests, though, the app froze a number of times as I navigated. While most services froze once or twice, it happened enough times with Sling to frustrate me. I had to force quit or back out of the app and start over five or six times during the three weeks of testing. Compared to others, Sling’s DVR allowance is on the stingy side, only giving you 50 hours of recordings, though they won’t expire. You can pay for more DVR storage, but that will increase your overall costs.

I tried not to wander too far off-path during testing, but I feel it’s my duty to inform you that Sling has an Elvis channel, a Bob Ross channel and ALF TV (yes, an entire station devoted to the ‘80s sitcom starring a puppet). There’s also a Dog TV network intended to be played for your dogs when you leave the house, which you can add to Sling or get as a standalone app.

ProsMore affordable than most live servicesOrange plan is the cheapest way to get ESPNHighly customizable packagesConsOnly 50 hours of DVR allowanceLocal channels only in major metro areas$40 at Sling TV Philo

Philo

Best cheap TV streaming service

At just $25 per month, Philo is one of the cheapest ways to get a cordless live TV experience. The biggest caveat is that you won’t find any local stations or sports programming on it. If that’s not an issue, Philo is great, with a clean, streamlined interface and generous DVR limits.

I’m a fan of minimalist design, so I appreciated the way Philo presented its menus and guide. There are just four top navigation headings: Home, Guide, Saved and Search. And instead of the usual guide layout that stretches out or shortens a show’s listing to represent its air time, Philo’s guide features monospaced squares in chronological order with the duration of the program inside the square. Another nice touch is when you navigate to a square, it fills with a live video of the show or movie.

Philo doesn’t limit the amount of programming you can DVR and lets you keep recordings for a full year, which is more than the nine months other providers allow. Like all live TV streamers, Philo won’t let you fast forward VOD programming. If skipping commercials is important to you, I recommend taking advantage of that unlimited DVR policy and hitting “Save” on any show or movie you think you may want to watch, then fast forwarding it on playback (you can do this with all the services we tried).

As far as channels, Philo covers many of the top cable networks, with notable exceptions including Fox News, CNN, ESPN and MSNBC. Anyone looking for great news coverage should look elsewhere anyway, but the lack of a few must-have entertainment outlets like Bravo and Freeform was a little disappointing.

ProsAffordableMinimalist and easy interfaceUnlimited DVR allowance that lasts for a yearConsNo sports or local accessLimited news coverage$25 at Philo

Best free live TV streaming services

Many standard streaming apps have added live components to their lineups. You’re paying for the service, so it’s not technically “free,” but you can get a dose of live TV without spending more than necessary. Peacock includes some regional NBC stations and Paramount+ subscribers can watch on-air CBS programming. The standard Hulu app has a live ABC news channel and Max now includes a live CNN outlet with its service.

Amazon Prime Video contains a live TV tab, as does the Fire TV interface. And, if you use Roku or Samsung as your smart OS of choice, their built-in, proprietary services include hundreds of live channels at no extra cost. Plus there are free apps from Plex and PBS — even NASA has a free streaming service.

But if you want a full suite of live TV networks, and don’t want to sign up for any paid service, there are a number of free ad-supported TV services that have live TV. Here’s the best of what we tried:

Pluto TV

A free live TV streaming service

Pluto TV has the most attractive interface of the free apps. It’s granularly organized, even including a kids and a gaming/anime section among the live categories. Pluto has a number of its own stations such as Pluto Sports, Pluto News, Pluto Movies, and Pluto Pixel which appears to be mostly Let’s Play Minecraft videos. The service’s (also free) on-demand content is shuffled into the live TV menu, so the service feels even bigger than its 250 live channels would otherwise.

A series of mergers and acquisitions put Pluto under the ownership of Paramount, which also owns CBS and MTV brands, so your selection of what to watch includes channels built around Star Trek, MTV and Comedy Central. Regional news options are limited to about a dozen CBS stations, and live news-stream channels include NBC News Live, Bloomberg Television, Cheddar News and others. As for sports, you get CBS Sports HQ, a version of Fox Sports and league-specific programming from the NFL, MLB, and Golf Channels.

Free at Pluto TV Tubi

Tubi

A free live TV streaming service

You also don’t need to give Tubi any of your information to start watching live content. In many areas, it’ll grant access to your local ABC and Fox station and also includes the news-stream channels that other similar services carry, like NBC News Now, Fox Live Now and ABC News Live. Fox is Tubi’s parent company so you get picks like Fox Sports, Fox Soul and over a dozen regional Fox networks.

The live TV component lives within the Home menu and, from there, the stations are organized by category, making it easy to browse the more than 200 live channels. Navigation is speedy and, along with a good library of on-demand movies, shows and kids’ stuff, Tubi has the most regional news stations of any free service we tried.

Free at Tubi Amazon

Amazon Freevee

A free live TV streaming service

It was first called IMDbTV, but Amazon changed the name of its free streaming option to Freevee to better hint at its price. What’s available is pretty similar to the Live TV menu option you’ll find within the Prime Video app — in fact, the interface on that app is actually better organized, with listings by category. Freevee’s live TV menu is just a long, single list of channels. Prime’s version is speedier, too.

However, Freevee is, true to its name, completely free. You don’t even have to sign in, though you’ll be prompted to do so when you first open the app (just select “Watch as a guest” in the lower corner to bypass that). There are currently around 350 channels with news networks like ABC News Live, Fox Live Now and NBC News Now. Sports showcases include the MLB Channel, NBC Sports and Fubo Sports. Tons of reality, true crime and current and classic TV avenues round out the offerings, including entire stations playing 24/7 rotations of single shows, like Top Gear and Unsolved Mysteries. Do you need a channel that plays the 1960s Addams Family non-stop? If so, you can find it on Freevee.

Free at Amazon Sling

Sling Freestream

A free live TV streaming service

At first, I thought Freestream was a browser-only service. It was easy enough to find it through the web, but not as easy on my TV. Freestream uses the same app as the paid Sling service, and when you first get the app on your TV you’re prompted to sign in on your phone. I created an account, but then couldn’t find the Freestream option, only the paid ones. Thinking I was doing something wrong, I exited the browser on my phone then backed out of the Sling app on my TV. Only then was I offered the Freestream version, as sort of a “Wait, don’t go” tactic.

Once you’re in, you can access more than 250 channels, though finding them is a little tough as the only categories to pick from are news, sports, movies and kids. There’s an “All” menu choice, which seems to arrange things by popularity, but a little more organization would be nice. Despite that, Freestream does have a fascinating array of channels, including magazine channels from Vogue, GQ and Wired, lots of live movie channels and more than 100 foreign and foreign language news, music, sports and lifestyle networks. And despite the hard-to-navigate interface, I did appreciate the picture-in-picture that pops up when you’re surfing the guide.

Free at Sling

Frequently asked questions

What streaming service is best for live TV?

FuboTV does the best job of letting you organize live channels to help you find just what you want to watch. The interface is uncluttered and when you search for something, the UI clearly tells you whether something is live now or on-demand. YouTube TV also does a good job making that info clear. Both have just over 100 live channels on offer.

What is the most cost effective TV streaming service?

Free TV streaming services like PlutoTV, Plex, Tubi and FreeVee show plenty of ad-supported TV shows and movies without charging you anything. Of course, they won’t have the same channels or content that more premium subscriptions have. Ultimately it depends on what you want to watch and finding the service that can supply that to you in the most streamlined form so you’re not paying for stuff you don’t need.

Is it cheaper to have cable or streaming?

A basic cable package used to be more expensive than the base-level live TV streaming service. But now that nearly all major providers have raised their prices to over $75 per month, that’s no longer the case. And with add-ons and other premiums, you can easily pay over $200 a month for either cable or a live TV streaming service.

What streaming service has all the TV channels?

No service that we tested had every available channel. Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream carry the highest number of the top rated channels, according to Neilsen. Hulu’s service will also get you Disney+ fare, which you can’t get elsewhere. FuboTV has the most sports channels and YouTube TV gives you the widest selection of add-ons.

What is the most popular live TV streaming platform?

YouTube TV has the most paying customers. According to this year’s letter from the company’s CEO, the service has over eight million subscribers. Disney’s 2023 fourth quarter earnings put the Hulu + Live TV viewer count at 4.6 million. Sling reported two million patrons and FuboTV claimed 1.1 million, both in respective year-end reports.

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