Smart TV Software and Other non-typical TV specs

[Kavvy]

Good afternoon all,

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations or tips on Smart TV’s. Since I don’t want to muddle the discussion, I am not interested in resolution, size, type or anything like that (although, these parameters are obviously more important).

I am more of just wondering if anyone knows which “Smart” TV gives the best software, which Smart TV’s are loaded with useless software, possibly to upgrade software, ease of connecting to your wifi, does Netflix work on it, and ability to work with other devices.

Has a Smart TV actually made anyone’s viewing experience more enjoyable, and if so, how?

Any tips and knowledge or comments is appreciated!

Thank you,

Kavy

[boosterjuice]

HI Kavy,

I recently purchased a Samsung LED with smart TV.

It's great because you can watch internet video such as youtube and other online video. Another benefit is you can add social media to your tv watching. I haven't tried this out yet, but if you are watching a live broadcast, you can have an interactive ticker display tweets associated with the program that you are watching. You can also connect it to local media storage. I have a windows home server where I store all of my downloaded content. I need to install some software on my server in order to view my local content. I'll report back once I've done that.

An alternative to a "smart-tv" is to purchase a media streamer box such as WDTV, Roku, Boxee-Box, or a whole host of other media streamers. I hav WDTV Live and a POP BOX V8. Both of these play my local media flawlessly and allow me to play online video content as well.

[Vulcan]

Also blu-ray players often have an internet connection with the same options. I know my Sony blu-ray has the same options as my Sony TV. I also have a Panasonic smart TV. I'd say it has better picture quality from say Youtube but maybe that's just because it's newer.

[Kavvy]

Thank you all,

All good to know. I would like to buy a TV tmw and tonight is the research night!

[sclitheroe]

My gut and experience says that a standalone add-on to a good panel is the better way to go. I have a hard time believing that TV manufacturers will be interested in continuing to upgrade the firmware on their older TV's for more than the year or two a given model is still shipping to support new codecs, new sites/services, API changes to existing services, etc.

At the rate Twitter is going with their API for third party services/apps, for example, it's highly likely no smart TV today is going to be allowed to use the Twitter API in 6-12 months without significant code changes. You wanna gamble on a multi-thousand dollar device as to whether the manufacturer will bother?

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

My gut and experience says that a standalone add-on to a good panel is the better way to go. I have a hard time believing that TV manufacturers will be interested in continuing to upgrade the firmware on their older TV's for more than the year or two a given model is still shipping to support new codecs, new sites/services, API changes to existing services, etc.

At the rate Twitter is going with their API for third party services/apps, for example, it's highly likely no smart TV today is going to be allowed to use the Twitter API in 6-12 months without significant code changes. You wanna gamble on a multi-thousand dollar device as to whether the manufacturer will bother?

This is the way to go. Get a similarly sized tv for probably 500$ less, and save the money for a setup box like roku or Apple tv.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2

[boosterjuice]

In the case of Samsung. The Smart TV version was only $150 more than the non-smart TV.

We decided to get the Smart version to save from having another box in our living room.

[jeep991]

I just got the Samsung 32" EH5300 LED tv last night from Bestbuy for $346 all in. I've only had about an hour to check out the Smart Hub features but it looks good so far. I've got my PS3, Xbox 360 and a media player all hooked up and the tv has an ethernet port so I didn't have to set up the wireless for it. It's got the Samsung Allshare program that can stream from my computer, built in web browser, and the Samsung apps store. I didn't really need a Smart tv but the price was right and it looks great in the house.

[oilyfan]

The interface on these TV's (I have 2 Samsung LED's and 1 Sharp) does not and will not compare to a standalone media player. I use jailbroken ATV's, but since the new ATV is not jailbroken, and there seems to be a lot Apple hostility I suggest the Roku streaming player as a better alternative.

[northcrunk]

I have a Samsung smart 3d plasma and it's great. Even better if you have a samsung (or any android) phone or tablet as you can stream videos, music and pictures through Wifi right to your t.v. Also being able to use a phone or tablet as a remote is cool too. I say it's well worth it, the samsung allshare is great and imediashare lets you even stream internet videos through a tablet or phone to the T.V.

[nfotiu]

I bought a panasonic plasma a year or two ago for a bedroom tv. It had built in Amazon, Pandora, and Netflix. Those 3 pretty much covered all my needs and the apps are good enough. I know I am not getting the updates the newer models get though. I can understand an add on box for a main tv of the house, but once you start talking secondary and bedroom tvs, who wants another box. Nice that I can use my Netflix and Amazon accounts to keep in sync my video watching on my ps3 in my main tv, my smartish tv in my bedroom, my ht room with a htpc, and my various tablets and phones if I desire.

I wonder if Google tv will take off enough. I know it has started to be built in to tvs. If it could become the common platform built in to all tvs with apps available and updatable from the playstore, I think you'd have something useful.

It is nice on my tv to power on and be one button away from Netflix though.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I know I am not getting the updates the newer models get though.

Translation: It's only a matter of time until I lose access to the services I currently enjoy with the existing firmware.

[Kavvy]

Thank you all for your info, tips and suggestions!

I ended up with this TV, same as the 8000 series, but without the cool software (still Smart TV), but much cheaper. Also, apperntly has much better glare issues then the 5500.

http://www.visions.ca/catalogue/cate...&sku=PN51E6500