Classical or linear television broadcasting is increasingly receding into the background for the younger generation at the expense of various streaming services. In the end, you can also see it in the equipment of televisions, which nowadays you can’t even buy without so-called smart functions. However, it is true that every manufacturer has it set up a little differently, and especially if you have an older TV model, you may miss some services and functions completely. While it can be easily solved with televisions by buying a new model, even if this path is not always feasible for everyone, the situation is different with projectors or monitors. Despite the fact that even with these devices you sometimes come across smart functions, this only applies to selected models. Of course, in today’s over-technological world, there is an opportunity to extend the functions of even these older or less equipped devices and thus allow them to be used significantly more widely. That solution is the so-called multimedia streaming players. So let’s take a closer look at their offer and options.
On the market you can find many different models, very often working under the Android system. However, if you want to watch the mentioned paid services as a priority, it does not mean that you have won. Streaming services, such as Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, HBO max, Spotify and many others only work reliably on officially supported devices, and if you don’t have one, the service may work with problems for a while or not at all. Therefore, you should be very careful when buying and check whether the player has official Google certification. Only it guarantees that you will receive regular updates and that all official streaming services will work without problems.
Streaming players can have different designs, which often results in the range of functions and their equipment. The simplest ones, called dongles or sticks, can do with the shape of a larger USB key, while their main connector is HDMI and, in addition, you will find a power connector here. This is usually solved via a micro USB or USB-C connector. When buying, make sure that the HDMI connector is on the cable or that the HDMI extension cable is part of the package. Otherwise, it may be a problem to connect the player to some devices for space reasons. They use those players to connect to the home Wi-Fi network, you have to think about that. Since the player is powered via USB, you can power it from the USB output of the display, if it has one, from the included adapter or in the field from any power bank if you have a portable display. With such a player, you can go camping in peace, you can connect it to the Internet using a mobile hotspot with your smartphone and you can watch. In addition to Wi-Fi, bluetooth is also available, which is used to connect a remote control and external audio devices. The biggest benefit of these players is the simplicity of construction and connection while maintaining full functionality. They are easy to transport and install. From the point of view of streaming services, these are full-fledged devices that manage the reception of all streaming services while ensuring a good signal.
Dongles fulfill their function well and are small, but if you want to connect other devices to the player, or ethernet, you will encounter a lack of connectivity. This is solved by box-type devices, i.e. boxes of various sizes, whose main advantage is wider connectivity and other added functions depending on the model. You will usually find an Ethernet connection, several USBs and sometimes an audio output in the form of S/PDIF, or a slot for an SD or microSD card. Thanks to this, you can connect external storage via USB, either HDD or SSD, or use a microSD or SD card as storage. By connecting the storage, in some services you get the possibility to download programs for offline viewing, or the possibility to browse your own multimedia files, videos, photos or music. Most players also enable cooperation with a home NAS server, from which you can play content in the same way as from mobile devices.
Thanks to all these functions, by simply connecting the player to a monitor, projector or older TV, you breathe new life into these often unused devices.
Opening picture source: depositphotos.com/
Strong Leap S3
Thanks to the construction in the form of a box, the new Strong Leap S3 offers a full-format HDMI 2.1 connector, USB-A, Ethernet 10/100MB and optical audio output S/PDIF. With powerful hardware and running the Google TV OS, of course with official Google certification, just connect it to your older TV, monitor or projector and you can enjoy all the benefits of streaming services and a number of other applications, including support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. You can also play multimedia from your network storage or mobile devices. The smart remote control has buttons with direct access to the most used services and also allows voice control.
• Cena: 69 EUR
• More info: www.bendr.sk/
Homatics Box R Lite 4K
It is among the most powerful 4K multimedia devices on the market, which will turn any TV into a powerful smart TV. The operating system is official Android TV 11 with automatic update. Watch movies, series, videos, live streaming through apps like Netflix, YouTube, MAX, Disney+, VOYO, Kodi, Antik, Skylink, Magio TV and more. The equipment includes a powerful processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB Flash, microSD card reader for storage expansion, Google voice assistant, Chromecast, Ethernet connector, USB Type C, 2x USB 2.0, WiFi, Bluetooth for connecting controls, wireless headphones, a speaker, or a game console. controller.
• Cena: 69,90 EUR
• More info: abcom.tv
Strong Leap S3+
The operator O2 offers a new streaming player Strong Leap S3+ for its O2 TV service. It is a Google TV box with an original Google certificate working in Ultra HD 4K resolution with HDR support. Thanks to this and the support of Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision formats, in addition to O2 TV, you can enjoy programs in the highest quality with other streaming services such as Netflix, Max, VOYO, Disney and others. The new bluetooth remote control also has a numeric keypad and enables voice search and control. Thanks to the Play Store, the user has access to an endless amount of games, software and services.
• Cena: 84 EUR
• More info: o2.sk
Strong SRT41
Smart functions, many different applications and all your favorite streaming services hidden in a device the size of a larger USB stick? Why not. Just plug the Strong SRT41 into the HDMI port on, for example, your projector or monitor, and you’ll instantly have a smart device from it. It goes without saying that you can watch your favorite programs in Ultra HD 4K resolution as well as the official Google certificate, which guarantees the full functionality of all streaming services and access to the Google Play store. The Bluetooth remote control with voice search guarantees control even when the device is hidden behind the TV. The advantage is also the extremely low consumption at the level of 5W.
• Cena: 64,90 EUR
• More info: www.bendr.sk/
Source: www.nextech.sk
