Roku, Fire TV or Apple TV for an Older TV: Which Streaming Device Fits

What to take away

Step 1: read the TV, not the box

Look at the back and side panels of the TV. Note three things.

If there is no HDMI input, you can look for an adapter that converts HDMI to analogue video, but the streaming makers do not document those, so check compatibility with the adapter's maker. Editorial suggestion: price the adapter against a second-hand TV with HDMI before you decide. Other labels on the back of the TV are decoded in tech units and connector labels compared.

HDCP in one paragraph

HDCP is a copy-protection system on HDMI. Digital Content Protection LLC, which publishes it, describes a mechanism for authenticating receivers to the transmitter upstream of them, revoking receivers it finds invalid, and encrypting the content on the link. For you, that means the TV's HDMI input has to pass that check before protected streams will play.

The vendors state the practical rule. Roku says 4K and HDR content needs a TV with an HDMI input that supports HDCP 2.2, and that without it the content plays at a lower resolution. Apple says HDCP is required for protected content on Apple TV 4K. Amazon's specification table for the Fire TV Stick 4K Select lists HDCP versions 1.4, 2.2 and 2.3.

If your TV is 1080p or lower, you gain nothing in picture from a 4K stick. If you may replace the TV soon, a 4K stick is a reasonable forward purchase, but it is not required.

Compare the three platforms

The table gives only what the makers' own pages state. The Roku column is limited to its support pages, because its product pages could not be read when this was checked.

Sources for the table: Roku's HDCP 2.2 support article and accessibility page; Amazon's Fire TV device specifications; Apple's Apple TV 4K specifications.

Cost. These are launch or pre-order prices, read on 25 October 2026, not current shop prices. Amazon's launch announcement priced the Fire TV Stick HD at $34.99 (USD) for pre-order, shipping from April 29. Amazon's specification table lists two different products named Fire TV Stick HD, one from 2024 and one from 2026, so check which one a store is selling. Apple's store page showed one Apple TV 4K at $299.00 for pre-order, and Apple's product page says it is available starting 13 November. No Amazon price is given for the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and no Roku price is given, because neither could be confirmed from the maker's own pages. Check each maker's page for current prices, since promotions change them.

Editorial suggestion: for a 1080p TV that is only used for a few streaming apps, the cheapest stick that has a voice remote and an HDMI connection is the sensible start. Apple TV costs more and its main extras, 4K and fast networking, are wasted on a 1080p screen.

Remote, sound and speed

Remote. Amazon's table lists the Alexa Voice Remote, with dedicated power, volume and mute buttons, for the 2024 HD stick. Apple's page says Apple TV can control your TV via IR or CEC. Check the remote for any Roku model you consider, since that could not be confirmed here. Editorial suggestion: voice search helps anyone who finds an on-screen keyboard slow.

Sound. The HDMI cable carries video and sound together. If your TV sends sound to a soundbar through ARC, plug the stick into the TV and let the TV pass sound on. Amazon's table says the 4K Select passes through Dolby-encoded audio over HDMI, and Apple lists Dolby Atmos support. A TV with only a headphone or optical output is a TV setting question, so check the TV manual.

Speed. The FCC's broadband speed guide lists 3 to 4 Mbps for standard-definition streaming, 5 to 8 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K, one activity at a time. Add those figures for each screen that may play at once, and see how much internet speed you need. If the TV sits far from the router, a weak signal is a likelier cause of buffering than the stick. Options are in Wi-Fi, Ethernet, mesh and extenders compared. Apple TV 4K has Gigabit Ethernet. Amazon's table says the 2026 HD stick and the 4K Select require an Amazon Ethernet adapter. Check Roku's page for the model you pick.

Accessibility settings by platform

Roku's accessibility page lists a screen reader that reads menus aloud and closed captioning, both under Settings, Accessibility. The screen reader can be switched on or off by pressing the Options button four times quickly, and it needs Roku OS 7.5 or later. The same page says text resizing and user interface customisation are not available on Roku players and TVs. Captions appear only when the programme supports them, and some apps keep their own caption controls.

Amazon's developer page says VoiceView, the Fire TV screen reader, is enabled by holding the Back and Menu keys on the remote for two seconds.

Apple's specification page lists VoiceOver, Zoom, Hover Text, Increase Contrast, Reduce Motion, Closed Caption and SDH support, Audio Descriptions, Type to Siri, Switch Control and Larger Type.

If screen reading or large text is the deciding factor, try the actual remote first. The general setup steps for these features are in setting up accessibility features, and a method for trialling tools before buying is in assistive tools compared.

Set it up in this order

If you also want to play games over the internet, the device matters less than the connection. See cloud gaming explained. When an old set-top box or player is retired, use a recycling route.

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