With all the new TV technology trends out there, it's easy to get caught up in the hype. When you're looking to get the most out of your home entertainment system, having the ability to stream content can be convenient, but there are several options from which to choose.

All of the major players in media are turning out their own devices for streaming online content. With Apple, Amazon, Google, and Roku all producing a device that can stream online media through your TV, the choices don’t get any easier. Consider all of the Blu-Ray players, game consoles, and smart TVs that can also perform similar streaming functions, and you’ve got quite the selection on your hands. Here’s a quick run-down of the high and low points for each:

Amazon Fire TV

The Fire TV box is definitely one of the fastest out there with a quad core processor and 2GB of memory. This doesn’t mean your streaming will be any better when compared to the other devices, but menu navigation and gameplay could be impacted.

With the exception of HBO Go and Spotify, you can find all the major streaming channels on Fire TV. The remote has voice-search capability through Amazon’s Instant Video library as well as VEVO, but none of the other channels.

This device is an up-and-comer. Right now it might be a little light on content but gets better every day.

Apple TV

Apple is the long established leader in TV technology trends. Since it realeased Apple TV, you've got a solid contender in the streaming device battle. It supports many online media formats, with Spotify being one of the only major online sources not supported. One drawback is that if you want to watch media hosted locally or cast from non-supported sites, you will need to have an iOS device from which to cast.

Another big downside is the lack of the Amazon Prime service. That is likely because it competes with Apple's movie service.    

Google Chromecast

Google's Chromecast version of TV technology trends is incredibly streamlined, so much so that there is no remote for the streaming device. It’s completely controlled by your Chrome browser on a computer or mobile phone, so while not having an Apple device for Apple TV limits features slightly, the Chromecast without a mobile or Chrome browser counterpart is nothing more than a piece of plastic with an HDMI connector on one end.

The Chromecast is substantially cheaper than the other options, but allows for just about any media accessed through your Chrome browser to be cast onto your TV. Some sites don’t work quite as well, such as those running Silverlight, but there are continuous updates and more channels arriving constantly.

The downside is limited offerings and often quirky integration with normal integration standards. In other words difficult to control with your custom remote.

Roku 3

The Roku family is on its third iteration, and takes the best parts of the other devices. It has access to any online streaming channel, and both iOS and Android devices can cast media to it using third party apps. The only major disadvantage to it is the lack of parental controls.

If you want the Roku 3 functionality in a less expensive and smaller package, the Roku Streaming Stick is comparable to the Chromecast in footprint and cost. The only omission from the full Roku 3 is the lack of motion control remote use as well as an ethernet port.

Currently Roku and Apple are our favorite as far as integrating with the other gear we sell.  Roku more so because of the advantage of Amazon Prime.  

Smart Devices

If you still enjoy playing physical movies as well as streaming, Smart Blu-ray players can also be great to stream online content when you’re not watching Blu-ray movies. And Smart TVs can be a great all-in-one online streaming solution.

We see the Blu-ray player as a blessing and a curse.  It's hands down the best way to view high quality content on a good display. It also tends to try and do too much that the other smart devices seem to do better and for less money.

Regardless of your choice in TV technology trends, it’s important to have your entire A/V system working in sync. After spending time finding the best streaming device, you'll want to optimize it with your existing home theater system to get the best experience.

As seems always the case in our business, there are too many devices trying to do the same things. TV's, Blu-Rays and the other SMART devices. Ideally a TV would be nothing but a great display, a Blu-Ray player would simply play Blu-Ray devices and the SMART device could be the wildcard that changes as technology allows. It would make setting up your system far less complicated for you. There would be less to go wrong. Best of all, the money spent on the devices would be favored toward quality and not redundancy.