Okay, so the other day I was trying to decide between a Google TV streamer and a TiVo Stream 4K. I really needed to upgrade my old streaming setup, and these two kept popping up in my searches. I figured, why not do a little hands-on comparison and see which one comes out on top?
First, I unboxed both of them. Nothing fancy, just the usual stuff – the device, a remote, power cable, and some basic instructions. Both were pretty small and wouldn’t take up much space, which is good.
Getting Started
Next, I plugged in the Google TV streamer first. Setting it up was a breeze. I just connected it to my TV’s HDMI port, plugged in the power, and followed the on-screen instructions. It walked me through connecting to my Wi-Fi, signing into my Google account – the usual drill. Pretty straightforward.
Then, I did the same with the TiVo Stream 4K. The process was almost identical. Hooked it up to the TV, powered it on, and followed the setup prompts. It also asked me to connect to Wi-Fi and sign in, but this time with a TiVo account (which I had to create). No big surprises there.
Interface and Navigation
Once everything was up and running, I started playing around with the interfaces. Google TV’s home screen felt very familiar, kind of like a smartphone layout with rows of apps and recommendations. I could easily navigate using the remote, and it was pretty responsive.
The TiVo Stream 4K’s interface was a bit different. It had this “Stream” app that tried to aggregate content from different services. It was okay, but I found myself switching back to the regular Android TV home screen more often. It just felt more intuitive to me.
Remote Control Showdown
The remotes were both decent. Google TV’s remote was simple and had dedicated buttons for YouTube and Netflix. TiVo’s remote had a more traditional TV remote feel, with a number pad and a dedicated guide button. I personally preferred the simpler layout of the Google TV remote, but that’s just me.
Voice Control
Both had voice control using Google Assistant. I could ask them to open apps, search for shows, and even control my smart home devices. They both worked pretty well in this department. No real winner or loser here.
The Verdict
After spending a few hours with both, I’d say it’s a close call.
- If you are looking for Picture Quality:Both streamers support 4K HDR, so you’re gonna get a great picture with either one.
- If you are after Sound Quality: Both support Dolby Atmos, so again, pretty similar on the audio front.
- If you are after Performance:Both were pretty snappy and responsive. No major lag or stuttering with either one.
If you want a simple, streamlined experience, the Google TV streamer is a great choice. If you prefer a more traditional TV-like interface and like the idea of content aggregation, the TiVo Stream 4K might be a better fit. Honestly, you can’t really go wrong with either one.