Smart tvs
Levenson, J. and Waniata, R. (2019). What is a smart TV? Everything you need to know. [online] Digitaltrends.com. Available at: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/what-is-a-smart-tv/ [Accessed 20 Sep. 2019].
(Levenson and Waniata, 2019)
(Levenson and Waniata, 2019)
Nowadays, it’s hard to find a mainstream TV that isn’t smart. Sure, there are a handful of ultra-budget options out there that offer a no-frills-attached viewing experience, but as a general rule of thumb, if it’s on the shelves right now and has either a Full HD or 4K Ultra HD screen, it’s probably smart.
So, what exactly is a smart TV? In a nutshell, it’s any television that can connect to the internet.
The major feature separating smart TVs and not-so-smart TVs is an internet connection. Nearly all smart TVs come equipped with both an Ethernet port and built-in Wi-Fi — some older models may require an adapter to enable the Wi-Fi functionality — so they should be able to connect from anywhere in your house. Generally speaking, Wi-Fi should be fast enough for most purposes, but if you plan on streaming games or 4K content, you might want to hardwire to your network instead.
The major feature separating smart TVs and not-so-smart TVs is an internet connection. Nearly all smart TVs come equipped with both an Ethernet port and built-in Wi-Fi — some older models may require an adapter to enable the Wi-Fi functionality — so they should be able to connect from anywhere in your house. Generally speaking, Wi-Fi should be fast enough for most purposes, but if you plan on streaming games or 4K content, you might want to hardwire to your network instead.
An internet connection is primarily used to stream television shows and movies from a variety of apps and services, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and YouTube (among others). Occasionally, there will be free stuff available (like on Crackle, Tubi TV, Pluto TV or the Roku Channel for Roku TVs), but for the most part, you’ll need to subscribe to these services to access their content. Many smart TVs also have web browsers baked in — though these are typically unwieldy and frustrating to navigate — and some even have cameras for use with video-conferencing apps.
A smart TV isn’t very smart if it can’t be used to access a variety of different services, which is why almost all of them come with their own app store. At the moment, Roku OS and Android TV lead the pack with the largest selection of apps. Roku, which refers to its apps as “channels” has thousands to pick from. Most of these are content-focused, with plenty of subcategories like sports, religion, philosophy, automotive, and more. There’s something for everyone. Android TV has these, too, but in fewer quantities; it tends to have more games and utilities. Samsung’s Tizen and LG’s WebOSplatforms also have plenty of apps to choose from. Even though all smart TVs are built with the same goal in mind — helping you access your favorite content without a middleman (in this case, a set-top box or streaming stick) — they don’t all work the same way. In general, each manufacturer uses a different operating system with its own individual features and quirks, though some systems, like Roku TV, are built into TVs from multiple manufacturers. Below is a quick breakdown of the most prevalent systems available.
For the most part, smart TV interfaces are designed to be simple and easy enough for anyone to use without training or tutorials (after all, lots of people check out display TVs before buying). Still, sometimes you just don’t want to hunt and peck — and that’s where voice search comes in.
A smart TV isn’t very smart if it can’t be used to access a variety of different services, which is why almost all of them come with their own app store. At the moment, Roku OS and Android TV lead the pack with the largest selection of apps. Roku, which refers to its apps as “channels” has thousands to pick from. Most of these are content-focused, with plenty of subcategories like sports, religion, philosophy, automotive, and more. There’s something for everyone. Android TV has these, too, but in fewer quantities; it tends to have more games and utilities. Samsung’s Tizen and LG’s WebOSplatforms also have plenty of apps to choose from. Even though all smart TVs are built with the same goal in mind — helping you access your favorite content without a middleman (in this case, a set-top box or streaming stick) — they don’t all work the same way. In general, each manufacturer uses a different operating system with its own individual features and quirks, though some systems, like Roku TV, are built into TVs from multiple manufacturers. Below is a quick breakdown of the most prevalent systems available.
For the most part, smart TV interfaces are designed to be simple and easy enough for anyone to use without training or tutorials (after all, lots of people check out display TVs before buying). Still, sometimes you just don’t want to hunt and peck — and that’s where voice search comes in.
As a fairly common feature in newer smart TV remotes, voice search turns navigation into an easy, one-click task, no matter what you’re looking for. But be aware that certain platforms — like Roku — offer more robust search tools than others, and remote microphones aren’t always great at understanding your voice, so patience is important.
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