Google tv vs roku tv, free channels?

by Spekot

What are the main differences? I heard Roku has free live channels, does google tv have that as well?

pawdog

What Roku calles channels everybody else calls apps. Android TV has all the same free apps as roku except for the Roku Channel, which Roku only privides for certain platforms outside of thier own. So the amount of ad supported mostly 2nd tier content is abundant on every platform. There must 30 such apps/services these days.

Harbinger_of_tomb

They don't belong to Google, but yes, and I assume Roku is the same way. There are apps of ad supported channels. PlutoTV is the only one I can think of at the moment but there are bunches.

I'm very pleased with my Chromecast mainly due to the Google TV. I intend to for all my future TV's to have it.

ford7885

Most of the "free channels" on Roku can also be found elsewhere in apps available on Android tv/Google Tv

Biggest difference is... do you ever want to watch YouTube on your TV? If you do, don't buy a Roku because you will have no way to deal with the ads.

Kraft-tWerking

Most of these channels are also Rakuten channels… you can find them almost everywhere (KODI). Download PLEX and use it as a personal Netflix (ideally with a seedbox). If you click on Live TV you’ll have a long list of free tv channels with films, series and entertainment listed by genres…