Hardware PC and Smart TV

[ponygals]

Who own's a SmartTV? I own an old school big back TV that still uses VCR/DVD and it works fine after all these years so I have not updated my TV set. But if and when I do so, I wanted to get a SmartTV but are they worth it or are they the same thing as a PC or are they better or worse etc.

 

[trumpet-205]

I have a SmartTV, although I didn't buy it for its Smart features. I bought it because I want a 3D TV (pretty much all 3D TV is SmartTV).

To me Smart features are clunky to use. Now some SmartTV allow you to plug in a USB keyboard/mouse. If that is possible you should definitely do that, as it is so much easier to use than using remote to control everything.

 

[Mario92]

Don't own one but I have sold couple of those and basically had to know what they are inside and out. They are like non-upgradeable underpowered PCs that require software designed specifically to that manufacturers system. Newer models do have some upgradeability and support things like wireless keyboard and mouse but they still aren't best thing out there.

Now there are also things like Raspberry Pi and Chromecast which does some Smart TV things but much lower price and work with every TV that has HDMI. Then of course you can just plug your regular PC with HDMI as well.

E: Actually I realized I do have Smart TV. Just never use those features as they are sloooooow, doesn't even have that many features (mainly youtube and skype and skype requires 100€ camera) and wifi module costs another 100€ so haven't bothered to run wire to it.

 

[trumpet-205]

Now there are also things like Raspberry Pi and Chromecast which does some Smart TV things but much lower price and work with every TV that has HDMI. Then of course you can just plug your regular PC with HDMI as well.

Chromecast definitely does a better job than most SmartTV.

 

[FAST6191]

Yeah never seen a "smartTV" that my old xbox with XBMC could not do better than. Stick a raspberry pi, or better yet an actual PC, and you are laughing*. Bonus with doing an actual PC is the sites/programs think they are running on a PC and will tend to give you full/cheap access rather than the nerfed versions you get on embedded devices.

So yeah my advice is getting a "smart" TV will cost you more then avoid doing it, if for the same money can buy you a better/bigger/shinier TV otherwise then consider that instead. If it comes with a feature you really want (like 3d, though 3d seems to be a passing fad and lots of places are dropping it) then maybe.

They are marginally better than they were 5 years ago, marginally better does not mean anywhere near good though.

You can buy very nice remote controls that plug in via USB and are basically autodetected from there, or if you have something like XBMC you can just control it with your phone/tablet/laptop/anything with a web browser.

*I say that but I suppose some of the streaming services catch up TV might not work so well with the raspberry pi, will work fine with a PC though.

 

[vayanui8]

I have a Smart TV, but I haven't touched its "smart" features. They never seemed that useful and I have it wired to my PC. Overall none of them seem like anything you couldn't already do with a console or PC.

 

[Sicklyboy]

I've sold a lot of them at my last job, I'd buy a TV based off of the specs and price point before you start looking at whether it has smart functionality or not. Hook any game console up to it and you can do more or less all the same stuff, or hook up something like a Roku or Chromecast and you're going to be WAY better off. Best case scenario, build a small, low powered always-on HTPC and leave that hooked up to it. The smart functionality in TVs is clunky as hell, the only ones I've seen work reasonably well lately are LG and Samsung and I still wouldn't recommend anyone bother with them. It's a selling point more than it is useful.

Also, if you're buying a Bluray player, good luck finding one that doesn't have smart features also. SmartTV is more or less redundant as far as I'm concerned. Everything else does it.

 

[DinohScene]

I just got a 1080p telly from a mate of mine.
If I ever where to buy a "smartTV" I honestly wouldn't use any of the features.

 

[ponygals]

Oh I see. Well maybe I will update someday but for now my old TV is still working fine.