comparison of some streaming sites

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/chromecast-vs-roku-streaming-stick-vs-amazon-fire-tv-stick/
Kennemer, Q. and Cohen, S. (2019). Chromecast vs. Roku Streaming Stick+ vs. Fire TV Stick 4K. [online] Digitaltrends.com. Available at: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/chromecast-vs-roku-streaming-stick-vs-amazon-fire-tv-stick/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2019].

(Kennemer and Cohen, 2019)

the good:

-voice control options
- can cast things to your tv through your phone or anything on the web; can mirror anything from a pc or android
-'rewind by 20 seconds' options
well equiped to handle new and higher quality technolgy specs, such as dolby and 4k
Can stream on mulitple of devices. 

the bad: 
A potentional for copyrighting and pirating to become eaiser
relies on internet connection

QUOTES:

Even though they let you access the same content, the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra function quite differently than the other devices on this list. Since Chromecasts use your mobile device or computer to “cast” content to your TV, they’re devoid of a traditional menu-based user interface, a remote control, and onboard storage. In fact, in a world of smart devices, the Chromecast is perhaps the dumbest of them all.

But when it comes to simplicity and ease of use, that’s a very good thing. Chromecast devices leave all the smarts to your mobile device, simply acting as a conduit through which your TV can access content. Find what you want to watch or listen to on your personal device, “cast” it at the Chromecast with the tap of a button and, voilà, it’s on your TV. That includes any content you can put on a Chrome browser window, i.e., anything on the web. It’s not that the other options here are complex — in fact, they’re all quite manageable, and some of you may get along better with the traditional remote-powered user interfaces you’re likely already used to — but the Chromecast takes the top spot here for overall intuitiveness.

  Conversely and perhaps more importantly, you can now download the YouTube app on Amazon Fire TV. 

 While we generally prefer the service-agnostic Roku interface, Amazon uses Alexa for all sorts of voice-control functions that Roku can’t compete with, though Roku does support rudimentary voice-activated requests through any separate Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant devices you may have.

They can search through text or voice, whether you use the remote or the mobile app, across a vast channel library. 

Both platforms offer free remote apps for iOS and Android, but here again, Roku has the upper hand thanks to slightly better usability, as well as the ability to listen to headphones directly from your phone or tablet for private listening. As mentioned, Chromecast devices don’t use a dedicated remote, so they’re not in the picture. Fire TV gets an honorable mention here, if only because of its cool voice features like, “rewind 20 seconds,” for those times when you miss a piece of critical dialog.

When it comes to playing content that doesn’t come from a streaming service, the Google Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra win the day. While it’s just as easy to stream Netflix, YouTube, or Hulu to a Roku device, sharing personal videos or photos on the Android platform is a tad easier with Chromecast. For iOS users, the process of casting personal photos or videos to a Chromecast requires the use of a third-party app, whereas Roku users with iOS devices have to share from within the Roku remote app.

When it comes to mirroring, it’s pretty close between all four streamers, but Chromecast is easiest — for Android, anyway. Thanks to Miracast, screen mirroring for Android and Fire device users isn’t much of a chore (though iOS users will need to use a third-party app). Chromecast users can easily and quickly mirror their desktop to put anything and everything you can find online (legally, of course!) up on your TV screen from a PC or an Android device. Though mirroring isn’t available via iOS devices, Chromecast streamers still edge out a win here.

The only device on this list that doesn’t support 4K UHD or HDR video is the third-generation Chromecast, so for the most part, it would appear we’re starting on a level playing field. When it comes to the quality of streaming content, the biggest factor is often the quality of the connection, not the device’s claimed specs. Unless your home network is sporting the latest and greatest standards, though, this will likely make little difference.

Like the Chromecast Ultra, the Roku Streaming Stick+ and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K also support dual-band a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, which makes them well-equipped to handle 4K streaming provided your home network is up to the task. This leaves out the Roku Premiere+, which is limited to b/g/n connections. However, the fact that Chromecast supports Dolby Vision (in addition to HDR10), and the Fire Stick 4K supports every HDR format (HDR10, HDRO10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision) gives them a (very) slight edge (for Dolby Vision-supported TV owners, that is).

The Roku Premiere+ ties the Fire TV Stick 4K when it comes to price, and although the Fire TV Stick 4K offers the wiles of Alexa voice search and plenty of other Alexa functions, the Roku Premiere+ was simply a smoother ride in our testing, with fewer hiccups and more intuitive controls. On the other hand, the Roku Streaming Stick+ adds potentially faster, dual-band Wi-Fi which will likely perform better in houses with multiple heavy users, and it costs just $10 more. When all is said and done, both Rokus offer a low price, better app selection, and a more intuitive interface, for the win in this category.

As far as we’re concerned, the Roku Premiere+ and Roku Streaming Stick+ are simply the best streamers you can buy right now. At $50 and $60 apiece, they both offer simple streaming with everything you need, and nothing you don’t. While Alexa makes it easy to use voice for control over multiple devices, the Rokus will do just about everything you need while offering better search and, for our money, a better overall interface. That said, if you have a TV with Dolby Vision support, we suggest going with the Fire TV Stick 4K instead, which is a very good streamer in its own right and loaded with features.

Moreover, you really can’t go wrong with any of the selections on our list. If you regularly use your phone, tablet, or computer for streaming, you might as well grab a Chromecast and streamline your viewing experience (and, again, if you want a 4K-capable version and don’t mind paying extra, there’s also the Chromecast Ultra). When all is said and done, the decision is yours and yours alone. Choose wisely.