Yeah I’d love a modern stream machine kinda Deck plugged into a TV.

For now PlayStation is nicer for TV where I can get better performance from the couch with quick resume and all. If I could get a static Deck without portable power consumption limits and decent output on a 4K display that would be ideal. But right now the Deck works docked but when blown up to TV size so many games are a low rez mess. If we could get a proper SteamOS that I could install into a media center PC I’d make it myself. All I’d hope for then is a second gen Steam Controller.

It is basically like a basic iOS device so the apps are separated and by each developer. You can rearrange the Home Screen and do folders in the same way. The App Store is similar and just has the tv specific apps.

The Apple TV app is exactly the same as the app on other Apple devices, but you don’t have to use it. (You may have to change a setting so the home button goes home and not the tv app but I forget)

The third party apps are pretty much like using Netflix/youtube/whatever on an iPad. So if you hate them they’re you’ll not like this.

If you can try one I’d give it a shot.

Also: some people don’t like the remotes (especially the older one), but I really like it. It’s nice that it charges with usb and I only charge it like one a year.

I know it’s not a popular option around here and expensive but I absolutely love my Apple TV.

Besides the set up plug for Apple TV+ I never get any ads from the OS outside of the specific apps. Yeah, you go into Amazon or something you get their ads all over but not sure you can do anything about that. Even without a pinhole it’s a much better experience compared to my TV (when I allowed it online) or a friend’s Roku with piholes.

Overall though it’s an unobtrusive OS, has apps that are updated well, supports high quality output (4K/atmos etc.). You just have to pay up front for it, but of all the Apple stuff it’s the best bang for the buck. I love to tinker with my tech but for TV, me (and especially) the family need something that just works nicely without needing to fiddle with it.