I already have an Apple TV and we use it from time to time (Netflix, Youtube, etc), but the thing that is lacking there that we pay for and want to use is Amazon Prime Instant.  We pay for prime, but really haven't used the streaming because I then have to dedicate one of the devices to stream the data (iPad, iPhone etc) which to me is ok, but not an end solution.  I've wanted something to do Amazon Streaming for a while since I noticed that they had some items (I believe it was The Goonies that really lead me start to think about this) that Netflix doesn't have rights to do.  I'm already paying for it (for the shipping) so why not try to use it more.

A bit ago, Woot had refurbished Roku 3s (newest model) on sale, so I ordered one.  I know it has Amazon Prime Instant, plus a whole massive amount of other providers and doesn't have the same sort of restrictions that Apple TV has.  So it should be good to be able to get a couple more thing to display on the TV so we can watch together (rather than me pausing the TV and telling my wife that she should watch this over on the much smaller computer screen).

So lets state what I don't particularly like about the Apple TV.  The main thing is that they sign a content deal with somebody and I get a new icon on the screen from another place I don't care about.  I don't need items I'm never going to use on my screen.  Disney? Sports related things? Korean TV?  They take up several (9 I think) icons that take up real estate and make browsing around more difficult.  But really, that's about it.  The interface is intuitive and consistent across the apps that I use.  I use the same button to fast forward across all items.  Simple, minimal handy.  The only thing I could do better here is to get a keyboard of something to allow for better typing for search.

On the other side here, the Roku interface allows more freedom, and with that freedom it allows for inconsistency.  We were watching Betas on Amazon, swapped to watch the news, then Shannon went to bed and I watched an episode or two of TableTop on YouTube (on the Roku).  On the Amazon interface the right arrow button skips forward an amount of time (30 seconds I think), which is great, but it doesn't play after that, it pauses, which is not so great.  Then I go to try this on YouTube, expecting a similar behavior...but no, it goes to the next item on the playlist.  So then I have to go back, figure out how to fast forward and get back...

So on the one hand, the interface annoys me, but on the other, I can add more things than Apple TV.  I'm expecting updates to Apple TV this year.  I would like to try other things, but once again, I'm out of HDMI ports (even after an expander, for 5 total).