Here’s the Deal
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When comparing Roku OS vs tvOS, the Slant community recommends Roku OS for most people. In the question“What is the best set-top box OS?” Roku OS is ranked 8th while tvOS is ranked 14th. The most important reason people chose Roku OS is:
You can sideload apps if you enable the developer mode.
Specs
Available OnRoku devices
Based OnNA
Default Desktop EnvironmentRoku
DeveloperRoku, Inc.
Init-System?
LicenseProprietary on top of Linux
Main Usageset top box
OS FamilyGNU+Linux
Official Supported ArchitecturesARM
OriginUSA
Package Manager?
Available OnApple TV devices
Based OnFreeBSD>macOS/iOS
Default Desktop EnvironmenttvOS UI
DeveloperApple, Inc.
Init-System?
LicenseProprietary
Main Usageset top box
OS FamilyUNIX
Official Supported ArchitecturesARM, ix86/x86_32(Apple 1st gen)
OriginUSA
Package ManagerApple AppStore
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Common Questions
Pros
Pro Sideload apps
You can sideload apps if you enable the developer mode.
Pro For Apple fanboys
If you're already on the Apple ecosystem so you don't have much choice.
Cons
Con Proprietary
The UI is proprietary software.
Con Not available in many countries
Con Vendor lock-in
You have to use their services their app store and so on. There is no way to sideload apps.
Con Expensive
It's a very expensive device compared to other devices with the same features.