[Google Chromecast] jazee:
If you are an Apple device user, stick with Apple, otherwise....

I've been into Home Theater for 30 years and try to keep up with everything, get best bang for the buck, make sure I'm using all my equipment to its fullest potential.

The Chromecast for Google TV has a well-designed interface, especially if you are willing to use their YouTube TV service for all your live channels as it is well integrated. However over the past three weeks with the goal of finally cutting the Comcast/Xfinity cable (which I did and am saving $80/month), this is my experience in a nutshell.

Chromecast with Google TV - YouTube TV & Hulu stream in 2-channel PCM. If you have a mid to high range AVR, it can spoof surround though quite well using DTS Neo 6 or Dolby Pro Logic 2 but still not as "clean" as a true 5.1 source signal.

Roku Streaming Stick + - A close competitor to the latest Chromecast with Google TV. Works well for people that want a simpler menu/interface to just navigate to each of their streaming services without a lot of other stuff/recommendations in your face. Has voice control from the remote. Hulu streams in 5.1. HBOMax streams in 2-channel PCM!!! Returned it.

Tivo Stream 4K - Streams every service in 5.1 (or Atmos Dolby Digital+ if service supports it). Better remote than the Chromecast with Google TV as it has more buttons including a very useful Info button that works in some apps like being able to see the video and audio stream specs in realtime of your Netflix stream to verify you are getting 4K and Atmos. Also if you can link your Tivo account to your Sling account, and Pluto, and Locast which allows the TIVO Guide to combine all the channels into one guide. Unfortunately though it doesn't have the option to add YouTube TV into the Tivo native channel guide. I'd still use this device over Chromecast with Google TV just because it streams Hulu in 5.1 instead of 2-channel PCM (currently.)

What is strange is essentially these are all Android TV Operating System Devices. So initially I thought it was the developers of the particular streaming service's fault that they are streaming their audio in 2-channel PCM. But apparently, it is both a combination of the hardware and app software, as otherwise why does Hulu stream in 2-channel PCM on the Chromecast and 5.1 on the Roku and Tivo or conversely why does HBOMax on the Roku stream in 2-channel and in 5.1 on the Chromecast? They are all Android TV Software Apps!

Story of my life in trying to get the most for my money -- end up spending tens if not hundreds of hours testing, talking in forums, troubleshooting, chatting with first-line tech support that has no clue about advanced technical issues, etc. This is where the Apple people can chime in an assert that Apple is wortth he extra money to avoid wasted time making everything "work" but Apple has it's issues drawbacks too.

I've kept my Chromecast and the Tivo Stream 4K. So if the Chromecast with Google TV gets their act together with the respective streaming devs, I may go back to it. But I'm no longer using YouTube TV as I watch very little live TV so the $70 with tax per month isn't justified. I'm lucky enough to have Locast.org for my areas, combine that with the Streamium DVR app (free or $5/month donation) and I use Sling for CNN and ESPN, and I'm quite happy on the TIVO Stream 4K.

Bottom line: Chromecast with Google TV has a great interface but it's just not up to speed on the audio streaming capabilities on all streaming services. Pretty disappointing.