To use a streaming device with a VPN, you first need to sign up for a VPN service that is compatible with your streaming device. Once you have chosen and signed up for a VPN service, download and install the VPN app on your streaming device. Open the app and log in using your credentials.
From the VPN app, select a server location where you want your IP address to appear from. This is important to access content that may be restricted in your region. After connecting to the desired server, launch your streaming app and start watching your favorite content.
It's important to note that not all streaming devices support VPN apps. In such cases, you can set up a VPN on your router to protect all devices connected to your network, including your streaming device. Alternatively, you can share a VPN connection from your computer to your streaming device using an ethernet cable or setting up a virtual router.
Remember to choose a VPN with fast speeds and reliable connections to ensure smooth streaming. Additionally, make sure to comply with the terms of service of both the streaming platform and the VPN service to avoid any issues with accessing content.
Best Streaming Devices in 2024
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Rating is 5 out of 5
Roku Ultra | The Ultimate Streaming Device 4K/HDR/Dolby Vision/Atmos, Rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro, Ethernet Port, Hands-Free Controls, Lost Remote Finder, Free & Live TV
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Super-fast startup: Stream your favorite channels like Netflix, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and more in a snap
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Our best Wi-Fi: Enjoy fast, seamless TV streaming in any room in the house with our best Wi-Fi and Ethernet
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Cinematic streaming: Stream in 4K, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, plus Dolby Atmos sound
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Our best remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro is conveniently rechargeable with personal shortcut buttons
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Hands-free voice controls: Say “Hey Roku” to play entertainment, power up your TV, and find your lost remote
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Private listening: Use wired or wireless headphones to crank up the volume without disturbing a quiet house
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No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote
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Watch what you love: Stream a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV including 350+ free live TV channels
2
Rating is 4.9 out of 5
NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Streaming Media Player; 4K HDR movies, live sports, Dolby Vision-Atmos, AI-enhanced upscaling, GeForce NOW cloud gaming, Google Assistant Built-In, Works with Alexa
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The Best of the Best. The world’s most powerful Android TV streaming media player upgraded to Android TV version 11. Enhance HD video in real-time to 4K for clearer, crisper visuals using next-generation AI upscaling. 2x USB 3.0 ports for storage expansion, USB cameras, keyboards, controllers, and more. Plex Media Server built-in, 3 GB RAM, and 16 GB storage.Connectivity Technology : Bluetooth 5.0
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Dolby Vision - Atmos. Bring your home theater to life with Dolby Vision HDR, and surround sound with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus—delivering ultra-vivid picture quality and immersive audio
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4K HDR Content. Get the most 4K content of any streaming media player. Watch Netflix, Amazon Video, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Google Play Movies & TV in crisp 4K HDR, and YouTube, Hulu, and more in 4K. Stream from your phone with built-in Chromecast 4K.
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GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming. GeForce NOW instantly transforms SHIELD TV into a powerful PC gaming rig. Play over 1000+ titles and nearly 100 of the biggest free to play games. The new GeForce NOW RTX 3080 membership unlocks GeForce RTX 3080 gaming servers in 4K HDR, the shortest wait times and longest session lengths, with RTX ON including ray tracing and DLSS graphics for supported games.
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Voice Control. The built-in Google Assistant is at your command. See photos, live camera feeds, weather, sports scores, and more on the big screen. Dim the lights and immerse yourself in your favorite show or music using only your voice. And control your SHIELD hands-free with Google Home or Alexa and Amazon Echo. Format/Container support: Xvid/ DivX/ASF/AVI/MKV/MOV/M2TS/MPEG-TS/MP4/WEB-M
3
Rating is 4.8 out of 5
Amazon Fire TV Cube, Hands-free streaming device with Alexa, Wi-Fi 6E, 4K Ultra HD
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Our fastest-ever streaming media player - Brings lightning-fast app starts with an octa-core processor and is 2X as powerful as Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
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Hands-free Alexa with built-in mic and speakers - Control your compatible TV, soundbar, and receivers with your voice, even from across the room.
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Seamlessly navigate between your entertainment - Connect compatible devices and easily go from streaming to your cable box, game console, or webcam.
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Smoother streaming with the latest in wifi tech - The first-ever streaming media player that features Wi-Fi 6E support.
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Picture quality that puts on a show - Feel every scene with true-to-life, cinematic 4K and support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio.
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Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
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Designed to protect your privacy - Built with privacy protections and controls, including an off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
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Manage your smart home right on screen - Use Alexa to start video calls, check the weather, get a live view of your Ring cameras, and more.
4
Rating is 4.7 out of 5
Roku Ultra LT 4K/HDR/HD Streaming Player with Enhanced Voice Remote, Ethernet, MicroSD with Premium 6FT 4K Ready HDMI Cable, Black
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Power, picture, performance: Roku Ultra LT has a quad-core processor and is great for smooth wired and wireless streaming. It's perfect for heavy streaming in HD, 4K, and HDR and delivers the kind of powerful performance you want on your home's main TV
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Smooth streaming: Get a connection that stands up to whatever you want to stream with dual-band wireless or use the Ethernet port for wired streaming
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Brilliant picture quality: Experience your favorite TV in stunning detail and clarity; whether you are streaming in HD, 4K, or HDR, you will get stunning picture quality that is optimized for your TV with sharp resolution and vivid color
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No more juggling remotes: Power up and adjust the volume on most televisions, control your player, and enjoy private listening with the enhanced voice remote and included headphones; use your voice to search across channels, turn captions on, and more in a touch
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Lots of extras: Roku Ultra LT is packed with features you will love, including microSD for extra channel storage; use the included headphones to pump up the volume on your shows without disturbing the house. Bundle Includes Premium 4K HDR 6FT HDMI Cable.
5
Rating is 4.6 out of 5
Tablo 4th Gen 2-Tuner Over-The-Air (OTA) DVR - Watch, Pause & Record Live TV, News, Sports & Movies Throughout Your Home Over Wi-Fi - Pairs w/Any TV Antenna - 50+ Hrs Recording - No Subscriptions
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WATCH, PAUSE, RECORD, & REPLAY LIVE TV: Enjoy live TV from major networks, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC(2), as well as a curated selection of free live streaming TV (FAST) channels
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WHOLE-HOME ACCESS: 1 DVR pairs with any TV antenna to let you watch TV on multiple compatible devices at once, including smartphones, tablets, as well as smart TVs & streaming players from Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast w/ Google TV(1)
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NO SUBSCRIPTIONS OR HIDDEN FEES: Pay once for the Tablo device and watch and record your favorite live, local TV shows, along with free streaming TV channels without contracts or ongoing fees(4)
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RECORD MULTIPLE SHOWS: 2 tuners within this device allow you to record one live TV channel while watching another for viewing flexibility
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WATCH, PAUSE, RECORD LIVE TV: Watch, pause, and record live TV, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as a curated selection of free live streaming TV (FAST) channels
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RECORD 50+ HOURS: Never miss a moment with 128GB of onboard recording storage; add up to 8TB of external USB storage(3) to record even more
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GET MORE TV CHANNELS: Access more than 60 additional free streaming channels you can’t get with your TV antenna alone, enhancing your endless free-TV experience(4)
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TIME-SHIFT VIEWING: Start watching in-progress recordings—perfect for catching the action from the beginning or skipping to the good parts
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EASY SETUP: Connect the Tablo DVR to ANY TV antenna; connect it to your home network via Wi-Fi or using the included Ethernet cable; download the Tablo app on your smartphone or tablet and follow the setup instructions(4)
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WI-FI CONNECTIVITY: The only OTA DVRs with Wi-Fi, Tablo devices let you position your TV antenna wherever it can get the best signal reception, then wirelessly streams live and recorded free TV content throughout your home to compatible devices.
6
Rating is 4.5 out of 5
Roku Express 4K with Voice Remote Pro - Roku Streaming Device 4K/HDR, Rechargeable Roku Remote, Hands-Free Controls, Lost Remote Finder, Free & Live TV - Amazon Exclusive
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Brilliant 4K picture quality: Stream in 4K HDR with sharp resolution and vivid color optimized for your TV
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Seamless wireless streaming: Enjoy a seamless streaming experience with fast Wi-Fi performance
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The ultimate Roku remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro is conveniently rechargeable and includes TV controls and personal shortcut buttons
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Hands-free voice controls: Say “Hey Roku” to play entertainment, control your streaming, power up your TV, and even find your lost remote
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Headphone Mode: Plug headphones into your remote to crank up the volume without disturbing a quiet house
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Find your lost remote: Say “Hey Roku, where’s my remote?” and your Roku remote will play a sound
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No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote
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Upgrade to Roku streaming: All your favorite channels are front and center, plus your device is always improving with automatic updates
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Simple setup: It’s easy to get started with everything you need included in the box—just plug it in and connect to the internet
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Watch what you love: Stream a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV including Prime Video, plus free live TV channels and local news on The Roku Channel.
7
Rating is 4.4 out of 5
Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 release) | With bigger vibrant sound, helpful routines and Alexa | Charcoal
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OUR BEST SOUNDING ECHO DOT YET – Enjoy an improved audio experience compared to any previous Echo Dot with Alexa for clearer vocals, deeper bass and vibrant sound in any room.
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YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC AND CONTENT – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
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ALEXA IS HAPPY TO HELP – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
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KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
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DESIGNED TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY – Amazon is not in the business of selling your personal information to others. Built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a mic off button.
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DO MORE WITH DEVICE PAIRING – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, create a home theatre system with Fire TV, or extend wifi coverage with a compatible eero network so you can say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering.
How to set up a VPN on a streaming device?
Setting up a VPN on a streaming device is a relatively simple process. Here's a general guide on how to do it:
- Choose a VPN provider: Start by choosing a reputable VPN service provider that offers apps for your specific streaming device. Some popular VPN providers include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhost.
- Download and install the VPN app: Go to the app store on your streaming device and search for the VPN provider's app. Download and install the app onto your device.
- Sign up for a VPN account: If you haven't already, sign up for an account with the VPN provider and follow the instructions to set up your account.
- Connect to a server: Open the VPN app on your streaming device and log in with your account credentials. Select a server location from the list of available options and connect to it.
- Test your connection: Once you're connected to the VPN server, test your internet connection to make sure the VPN is working properly. You can do this by visiting a website like whatismyip.com to verify that your IP address has changed.
- Start streaming: Once you've confirmed that your VPN connection is working, you can start streaming content on your device with the added security and privacy of a VPN. Enjoy streaming content from around the world without any geo-restrictions!
Please note that the exact steps may vary depending on the VPN provider and the streaming device you are using, so make sure to follow the specific instructions provided by your VPN service.
How to improve your streaming experience with a VPN on a device?
- Choose a high-quality VPN service: When selecting a VPN service for streaming, make sure to choose one that offers fast connection speeds, reliable servers, and a wide range of server locations. Look for VPN providers that have specialized servers optimized for streaming purposes.
- Connect to a server location close to the streaming service: To reduce latency and improve streaming speeds, connect to a VPN server that is located close to the server of the streaming service you are using. This can help minimize buffering and lag while watching videos.
- Use a VPN with unlimited bandwidth: Streaming video content consumes a lot of data, so it's important to use a VPN that offers unlimited bandwidth. This will ensure that you can watch your favorite shows and movies without any interruptions due to data limitations.
- Enable split tunneling: Some VPN services offer a feature called split tunneling, which allows you to route only the traffic of specific apps or websites through the VPN, while allowing other traffic to connect directly to the internet. This can help improve streaming speeds by reducing the load on the VPN connection.
- Test different VPN servers: If you are experiencing slow speeds while streaming, try connecting to different VPN servers to find the one that provides the best performance. Some VPN providers also offer speed test tools that can help you identify the fastest servers for streaming.
- Use a VPN with strong encryption: To ensure a secure and private streaming experience, choose a VPN that uses strong encryption protocols, such as AES-256. This will help protect your data and keep your streaming activity safe from prying eyes.
- Clear your cache and cookies: Periodically clearing your browser's cache and cookies can help improve streaming performance by freeing up memory and storage space on your device. This can help reduce buffering and speed up loading times while watching videos.
By following these tips, you can enhance your streaming experience with a VPN and enjoy seamless access to geo-restricted content from anywhere in the world.
How to access restricted content with a VPN on a streaming device?
- Choose a reliable VPN service: First, you will need to subscribe to a VPN service that has servers in the location where the content is not restricted. Make sure to choose a reputable VPN provider with fast and reliable servers to ensure a smooth streaming experience.
- Download and install the VPN app: Most VPN providers offer dedicated apps for popular streaming devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, etc. Download and install the VPN app on your streaming device from the respective app store.
- Connect to a server in an unrestricted location: Open the VPN app on your streaming device and sign in with your credentials. Choose a server location where the content is not restricted and connect to it.
- Access the restricted content: Once you are connected to the VPN server, you can now access the restricted content on your streaming device. Simply open the streaming app or website with the restricted content and start watching.
- Enjoy seamless streaming: With the VPN in place, you should now be able to stream the restricted content without any issues. Keep in mind that using a VPN may affect your internet speed, so if you experience any buffering or quality issues, try switching to a different server or adjusting your VPN settings.
What is the difference between a free and paid VPN for streaming on a device?
The main difference between a free and a paid VPN for streaming on a device is the level of features and quality of service provided.
- Performance: Paid VPN services usually have faster servers and better infrastructure, making them more reliable for streaming purposes. Free VPNs, on the other hand, may have slower speeds, limited bandwidth, and frequent disconnections, which can result in buffering and poor streaming quality.
- Server locations: Paid VPN services often have a larger number of servers in various locations around the world, allowing users to access a wider range of content. Free VPNs generally have fewer server locations, which may limit the streaming options available.
- Security and privacy: Paid VPN services typically offer stronger encryption, no-logs policies, and additional security features to protect users' data and privacy. Free VPNs may have weaker encryption, collect user data for advertising purposes, or not provide adequate safeguards for user information.
- Customer support: Paid VPN services often offer 24/7 customer support to assist users with any technical issues or questions. Free VPNs may not provide the same level of customer support, leaving users to troubleshoot problems on their own.
Overall, while free VPNs can be a good option for basic browsing needs, a paid VPN is generally recommended for streaming due to the better performance, security, and support that they offer.
What is IP address masking and how does it work with a VPN on a streaming device?
IP address masking is the process of hiding the user's true IP address and replacing it with a different one to protect their privacy and anonymity online. This can be done through a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which reroutes the user's internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server, masking their original IP address.
When using a VPN on a streaming device, the user's IP address is hidden behind the VPN server's IP address, making it appear as though the user is accessing the internet from a different location. This allows users to bypass geographic restrictions and access content that may be blocked in their region.
In addition to masking the user's IP address, a VPN also encrypts their internet traffic, protecting their data from potential threats such as hackers, ISPs, and government surveillance. This ensures a secure and private online experience while streaming content on their device.
