Roku or Roku TV

I'm not intending to disrespect Amazon's Fire TV devices in any way. However, as I prefer Roku, I'm going to talk about Roku, but this could probably apply to Amazon Fire TV devices as well.

When it comes time to get a streaming device -- and I prefer Roku for my personal use -- some people will purchase a smart TV. That's a good idea. In theory. There are problems with making such a purchase, however.

First, what kind of smart TV is it? There are Roku TV devices -- TVs with Roku functionality built in. There are Fire TV devices -- TVs with Amazon Fire TV functionality built in. There are Android TV devices -- TVs with Android TV built in. WebOS ... well, let's stop after those first three, and add that there are other generally inferior platforms.

Why inferior? Well, I'm going by my experience. Those other platforms -- not Roku, Amazon, or Google/Android -- don't generally have as many apps available. I've found some of those off-brand smart TV platforms to be sluggish, too.

The conclusion I've reached is that if you get a smart TV, try to get one for the platform you want. Which means the answer is Roku TV.

But, that brings up the question: do you need a smart TV?

The answer to that question is "no." You do not need a smart TV, particularly if the TV you have otherwise works like you want. If the picture is good, if the sound is good, if everything but the TV "smarts" is good, you really don't need a smart TV. Just connect a Roku (or Chromecast, or Fire TV, or Apple TV, etc) to the television and start streaming.

So, the answer is Roku, not Roku TV.

Unless, of course, you need a new TV. Why would you need a new TV? Well, if the TV is bad, or the picture is bad, or you want better resolution, then sure, go ahead and get a new TV.

So, the answer is Roku TV.

But don't get a new TV if the only thing you want is the "smarts" of a smart TV. Get a Roku device and connect it to your otherwise perfectly good TV.

So, the answer is Roku, not Roku TV.

Confused yet? Yeah, it can be confusing. If you need a new TV, get one with the streaming platform you want. If you have an otherwise perfectly good TV, just get the device that connects to your TV.

So the final answer is Roku or Roku TV. That wasn't a question, it was the answer all along.

I'm not trying to make your Streaming Life complicated. It's just that sometimes, the answer depends on what you need.