Can someone explain Smart TV?

[swakyaby]

You seem to be the only person who's ever had a TV that blindly reset to a "home port." No one else here has so far.

I agree with Midpack. I own a 2017 LG smart TV with a firestick streaming device connected to an HDMI 2 input. It automatically streams from the last input used as soon as I turn on the TV. No special settings were required.

 

[Montecfo]

One of my TVs is "smart". The others are dumb. But the smart TV has not changed the number of remotes needed.

One for cable, one for TV, one for AVR. Actually my dumb TV has a 4th, the Fire remote.

Yeah I can program any of them to turn boxes on and off, but that hardly means no need for remote.

I am not a huge fan of the smart TV concept. As others have said, the life of the display is longer than the app tech. It strikes me as a bit like proprietary nav systems in cars.

Finding a dumb TV to buy seems like a challenge.

 

[Cobra9777]

...Finding a dumb TV to buy seems like a challenge.

My perfect TV would have no "smart" functionality, no internet connection, no tuner, no amplifier/speakers, no remote, no buttons, no software tracking what I watch. Just a single HDMI input for video... like a PC monitor... only, ya know... 85" with a beautiful 4K display.

But they would sell so few of those that it would end up being more expensive than the fully-loaded alternative that we are forced to buy today.

 

[swakyaby]

To get back to the OP’s original question, a smart TV is a connected TV via ethernet port and/or wifi. This allows one to connect to your internet service provider via your router. The smart tv will typically have apps like Amazon, You Tube, Netflix, Spotify, etc, that you can subscribe to.

 

[REWahoo]

Just a single HDMI input for video...

I was with you until this point. I want multiple HDMI inputs as I've had more than one TV get an input fried from a power surge during a storm. Always need two or three back-up inputs.

 

[MichaelB]

I was with you until this point. I want multiple HDMI inputs as I've had more than one TV get an input fried from a power surge during a storm. Always need two or three back-up inputs.

+1

In addition to a port gone bad, you also might want to connect an additional device, such as a dvd player.

 

[REWahoo]

+1

In addition to a port gone bad, you also might want to connect an additional device, such as a dvd player.

DVD player? Do they still make those?

 

[MichaelB]

DVD player? Do they still make those?

Yeah, it’s a relic. I dunno if they are still being made, but some of us still have one.

 

[JoeWras]

I have a Tablo. On Friday, they send out a newsletter. Today's newsletter is talking about this exact topic! They discuss all the things we did, including SmartTV hardware that may fall behind, and plugging in a newer streaming device. Due to copyright, I can't just dump the whole email here, but here's a snippet:

[FONT=helvetica neue, helvetica, arial, verdana, sans-serif]If your television also supports CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) you can even have your television automatically switch to your new streaming device's HDMI input when any key on the streaming remote is pressed. [/FONT]

My dumb 2012 plasma model does this. It holds the previous input between power downs, then if I want to switch between my Roku and Firestick, I just have to start pressing buttons on the remote for the respective device.

 

[Cobra9777]

I was with you until this point. I want multiple HDMI inputs as I've had more than one TV get an input fried from a power surge during a storm. Always need two or three back-up inputs.

+1

In addition to a port gone bad, you also might want to connect an additional device, such as a dvd player.

OK, maybe my mythical TV could have one back-up HDMI input. Although I've never had one go bad. But I wouldn't need one for additional devices because I always use an AVR. All devices plug into the AVR and one HDMI video out goes to the TV.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

One of my TVs is "smart". The others are dumb. But the smart TV has not changed the number of remotes needed.

You need a decent Universal RF Remote. Ours supports up to 48 devices, Yeah right like we will have 48 different AV devices.

But it does support our 7 devices and works great from all over the house. There is a gotcha though. It only supports Roku devices that have IR sensors. So not the new Sticks .

 

[swakyaby]

The article referenced by REWahoo gives the info and advice the OP seeks:

“If you are shopping for a smart tv and don’t have any other devices that provide access to internet streaming content, then getting a smart tv is a good choice.”

OR

“If you already own a tv without smart features, but are satisfied with its picture quality and other features, you don’t need to buy a smart tv. Just add a media streamer, streaming stick (Roku or Amazon firestick), or internet-enabled Blu-ray disc player to your current setup.”

 

[rayvt]

So you’re better off with a good TV and a separate Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV etc. IMO.

Is there such a thing as a good TV that doesn't have streaming like Roku, Fire, etc. built in? Seems like every TV I see in the stores are smart.

Regardless, you can always bypass the built-in smartness by plugging your Roku, etc. into the HDMI port.

 

[2retireearly]

Simple

In plain, simple non-tekkie English can someone explain what smart tv is, how I can get it, and what I need? Thanks very much from a bored, non tekkie.

In very simple terms. A smart TV is a computer that you use as a TV that has internet capability built in.
My older tv is not a smart tv. To get Xfinity, I need a box. With Xfinity I have access to Netflix, HBO max type apps,.
I used to need something like a Roku to have access to these apps.
A smart tv doesn't need any box.. it was already an internet connected computer.

 

[lionfire]

In plain, simple non-tekkie English can someone explain what smart tv is, how I can get it, and what I need? Thanks very much from a bored, non tekkie.

If ur TV remote has a button called Netflix then it is a smart tv.

 

[FIREarly]

Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV devices offer way more apps, but Smart TVs offer quite a few more apps nowadays. For example, Samsung Smart TVs offer 77 apps. https://www.digitbin.com/samsung-smart-tv-apps/

Buying a TV with Roku or Amazon Fire built in may not be a good idea. You can always buy a new Roku or Amazon Fire (they’re not that expensive) to keep current. While you can update the software on a Roku TV for example, you can’t update the streaming hardware. So you’re better off with a good TV and a separate Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV etc. IMO.

Roku are relatively inexpensive and, if you're not in a rush because you've not used a smart tv before, they'll be cheaper on black friday (possibly most upcoming federal holiday):
https://www.roku.com/products/players

As of this writing, $30 gets a 4k streaming stick with voice capable remote (not on sale).

 

[rayvt]

Roku are relatively inexpensive and, if you're not in a rush because you've not used a smart tv before, they'll be cheaper ...

Watch for sales. Back in May Roku was selling a Roku Express for $9.99. We bought one even though we didn't need it just now. Because....$9.99.

 

[FIREarly]

Watch for sales. Back in May Roku was selling a Roku Express for $9.99. We bought one even though we didn't need it just now. Because....$9.99.

 

[CRLLS]

I had an LG Smart TV a while back. LG used their own Web access application. They were often changing who they would let you stream with and dropped a few along the way, not including a dismal LED backlight failure rate. I now have a couple of Roku TV's. I think of them as basically a regular TV with a Roku stick built in. I can always use a different stick if they drop an app I use.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I had an LG Smart TV a while back. LG used their own Web access application. They were often changing who they would let you stream with and dropped a few along the way, not including a dismal LED backlight failure rate. I now have a couple of Roku TV's. I think of them as basically a regular TV with a Roku stick built in. I can always use a different stick if they drop an app I use.

I had an LG Smart TV from 2011 and also experienced this practice of them no longer supporting certain streaming apps. When my TV no longer supported Amazon Prime video I was looking at buying a Roku stick since my TV still had a nice picture. Then my wife won a Roku TV at her workplace's Christmas party, so that's what I have now.

Doubtful that a Roku stick would have access to an app that a Roku TV would not have. They use basically the same software.

 

[Midpack]

I now have a couple of Roku TV's. I think of them as basically a regular TV with a Roku stick built in. I can always use a different stick if they drop an app I use.

Surely they have this worked out now, but evidently users have run into problems with the two remotes that happen to use the same IR codes, making sure the remote you are using is controlling the new stick vs the old built in hardware.

[I'm a Roku fan, just don't see an advantage in buying a Roku TV]

 

[mystang52]

If you have questions once you get one, ask your 10 year old neighbor kid for help!

True story: babysitting my 8 year old grandson, he asked me to turn on YouTube on my Smart TV. I told him "let me see if I can figure out how to do it." He took the remote from me, and literally in less than a minute he was watching YouTube.

 

[Midpack]

True story: babysitting my 8 year old grandson, he asked me to turn on YouTube on my Smart TV. I told him "let me see if I can figure out how to do it." He took the remote from me, and literally in less than a minute he was watching YouTube.

No surprise at all...

 

[CRLLS]

Surely they have this worked out now, but evidently users have run into problems with the two remotes that happen to use the same IR codes, making sure the remote you are using is controlling the new stick vs the old built in hardware.

[I'm a Roku fan, just don't see an advantage in buying a Roku TV]

When our LG Smart TV died the 3rd time, rather than fix it yet 1 more time, I decided to get a new TV. The cheapest TV that I could find that had a good picture just happened to be a Roku Smart TV made by Insignia, on sale at Walmart. We didn't have a Roku stick at the time. I used to be a TV "snob" back when I was in the business. Now, anything that puts the program on the screen and directs the sound to the soundbar is good enough for us.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Surely they have this worked out now, but evidently users have run into problems with the two remotes that happen to use the same IR codes, making sure the remote you are using is controlling the new stick vs the old built in hardware.

Surely with a Roku stick hooked up to a Roku TV you would determine which remote controlled the TV and pull the batteries out of it.

[I'm a Roku fan, just don't see an advantage in buying a Roku TV]

The advantages aren't huge but:

* No stick occupying an HDMI port.

* TCL and HiSense Roku TV's with mini-LED QLED panels are much less expensive than competitors with similar panels and picture quality is excellent.

* One less device to learn and integrate into your TV viewing. A friend of mine had a 5 year old Samsung with a beautiful picture but he was having trouble accessing streaming apps. The problem was he was accessing apps both through the Samsung TV interface and also by subscribing to apps through Comcast cable. This added to his confusion. I suggested getting a Roku stick but he said no, he didn't want to deal with the hassle of another component, another remote. He ended getting a TCL 65" Roku and is extremely happy.