# Smart TV's



## Chislenko (18 Feb 2021)

As it appears there is very little choice of dumb TVs now I am sifting my way through lots of Smart TVs on various websites.

Reviews seem to be very mixed with regard to content / apps / built in stuff etc.

Obviously going to view at present is not an option.

On our current TV we have a Source button which allows us to switch between Sky / Firestick / and normal aerial channels. Do Smart TVs have this capability?

Everything I keep reading seems to suggest that a Smart TV keeps taking you to their specific content e.g. Samsung TV Plus.

The other concerning aspect of many people's reviews is constant rebooting etc.

The TV we have at the moment if when we switch it off we were watching Sky when you switch it back on it will be on Sky, everything I read about a Smart TV suggests this is not the case and you have to keep navigating to where you want to be, rather like a PC. Is this correct or user error by the reviewers?


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## vickster (18 Feb 2021)

All TVs allow you to switch between different inputs

My new LG does ask me to select the input but that could simply be that I've not set it up right

It takes 2 seconds to switch so hardly an inconvenience (and I can't be bothered to change)

Maybe Samsungs do different but I'm sure my parents' new TV automatically goes to Virgin for them (just as well as otherwise I'd be there every 5 minutes changing it for them!!)


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (18 Feb 2021)

Mine goes to the last source I used


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## CanucksTraveller (18 Feb 2021)

vickster said:


> All TVs allow you to switch between different inputs



Agree. 



T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Mine goes to the last source I used



Same here. I've got a Samsung smart TV but I use SkyQ for everything TV related (including Apps like Disney+ and YouTube) and whenever I switch the TV on it's still on the SkyQ input, it doesn't default back to the Samsung smart menu. I have to manually switch inputs on the remote if I want that. Same for the Nintendo console input, I have to switch to that. 

I think by the sounds of it, some users might have set it up wrong?


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## Chislenko (18 Feb 2021)

Thanks all. I'll go back to trawling the web!


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## marinyork (18 Feb 2021)

Chislenko said:


> The other concerning aspect of many people's reviews is constant rebooting etc.
> 
> The TV we have at the moment if when we switch it off we were watching Sky when you switch it back on it will be on Sky, everything I read about a Smart TV suggests this is not the case and you have to keep navigating to where you want to be, rather like a PC. Is this correct or user error by the reviewers?



These comments on the internet are absolute cobblers and are going to stress you out.

TVs since prehistoric times generally tend to always default back to what it was previously on. This is still the case today.

With smarter tvs there can be a problem of inputs switching. So for example if someone has 3-6 devices and someone accidentally switches one on/nudges it or triggers it it can switch. This is rare. It can stress someone out, but the person it'll stress out is the person who doesn't understand about inputs and what an input button looks like and how you switch it back. Same since time immemorial. 

On smarter tvs there is a source/input button, they quite literally have the same symbol. You cycle through in the same ways some earlier models did.

The issues with some tvs as they get smarter and smarter has been for a long time clutter if people with frustrations and cognitive decline want simplicity. I removed a loads of apps on my parent's tv and reordered the app order (yes you can do this). Made life easier. A lot of people don't do this.

TVs and set top boxes don't tend to reboot unless there is some issue and that often means towards the end of their lives.

Smart tvs aren't smart. They are smarter, in a lot of cases it means wifi, it means a wider choice of apps etc. A lot of the equivalents go back decades. Same thing essentially.


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## Milkfloat (18 Feb 2021)

Take a look at HDMI-CEC this is what will automatically switch to the right input for you. https://www.howtogeek.com/207186/how-to-enable-hdmi-cec-on-your-tv-and-why-you-should/ For example, if I have my TV on and then I turn on my FireTv stick or PS3 then the TV will switch source to that device.


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## vickster (18 Feb 2021)

Chislenko said:


> Thanks all. I'll go back to trawling the web!


www.avforums.com is the place for all manner of TV geekery / First World AV problems


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## Darius_Jedburgh (18 Feb 2021)

If you can handle a smart phone with all its apps then you can handle a smart TV. 
We have a Samsung and the TV bit is good. There is an option to use the internet through the TV but that is PIA. You don't get a keyboard but have to click through the alphabet to each letter. Better watch TV and use your phone for Internet.


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## jowwy (18 Feb 2021)

got 5 smart TVs ( 4 LGs and 1 Sony ) in this house all ranging from 65" ( lounge) to 42" (office)...they all default back to the last source used


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## Sharky (18 Feb 2021)

Our main TV is a big dumb tv, but we have a BT TV, which turns it into a Smart TV.

Our smaller TV's are smart, but don't all have the same Apps.
The main ones we use are BBC Iplayer, ITV Hub, Netflix, Now TV and Prime. Also look out for Britbox, but I cant justify paying a subscription for old BBC/ITV programmes that you could be bothered to watch when they were originally aired.

Enjoy


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## fossyant (18 Feb 2021)

Just make sure the TV has the apps you currently use. EG Netflix, Disney and Amazon are ours. The old Smart Samsung won't run Disney (it was a new app a year ago) so we use a media PC under the TV for that, plus 'movies' redbull and one of the 'exercise' channels.

The Smart TV upstairs, a Toshiba, has a big Netflix button. It won't do any other apps (Disney/Amazon etc etc.) We'd bought it for MIL as a replacement TV so paid no attention to the SMART bits as she wasn't using them. We've now got the TV in a spare room, but will have to get an Amazon stick.

We did manage to buy a new large TV (dumb one) for the caravan last year as we already had an Amazon stick. The stick is enough as we have to use mobile data.


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## Chislenko (18 Feb 2021)

Sharky said:


> Our main TV is a big dumb tv, but we have a BT TV, which turns it into a Smart TV.
> 
> Our smaller TV's are smart, but don't all have the same Apps.
> The main ones we use are BBC Iplayer, ITV Hub, Netflix, Now TV and Prime. Also look out for Britbox, but I cant justify paying a subscription for old BBC/ITV programmes that you could be bothered to watch when they were originally aired.
> ...



Glad you posted this about the apps. I appreciate you get the apps that come preloaded but can you download extra apps or is it all about who is in bed with who so to speak.

Let's say a TV doesn't come with My 5 for example, could you download that onto your TV or are the they restricted to what is there?


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## Electric_Andy (18 Feb 2021)

My TV is a cheapo "Digihome" from Tesco, it's 43" 4K and was £269. It is fantastic in most respects. I use a Firestick on it, and it's hooked up to hifi speakers. As soon as you plug in or wake up the Firestick, it switches to that source. This can be chnaged in the Firestick settings if you want (so you can have the TV turn on to normal TV and not revert to Firestick unless you switch sources manually).

I have experienced quite a few budget TVs and they all seem to be very much the same. I was setting up my Dad's £600 Sony and although the picture was slightly bettter, the app menus etc were actually slower and more cumbersome than I'm used to. So even now, I'd rather get a cheap set and pair it with a Firestick and good speakers, than buy an expensive TV. I don't notice any issues with deep blacks or indeed any part of the picture (I guess it's what you get used to) from a cheap TV.


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## fossyant (18 Feb 2021)

You can download apps, but check they are supported. As mentioned, our old Samsung won't support the new Disney app, it worked with the old one, and Redbull app was updated, meaning the tv wasn't supported.

A new TV should do it. The freeview/play app brings the five channels together, before launching the main app for the channel.


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## Darius_Jedburgh (18 Feb 2021)

Chislenko said:


> Let's say a TV doesn't come with My 5 for example, could you download that onto your TV or are the they restricted to what is there?


Yes you can do that. We did it, so it must be easy.


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## Electric_Andy (18 Feb 2021)

Chislenko said:


> Let's say a TV doesn't come with My 5 for example, could you download that onto your TV or are the they restricted to what is there?


 AFAIK all the mainstream apps are in all of the stores, so you can get them through Firestick, or a Samsung TV, Sony, Cheap TVs etc. Mine isn't android but all manner of apps are on there. I would check and see what app store the prospective TV uses and then google to see what apps are available on it. My guess is, 99% of what most people want to use are on most TVs.


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## Tenkaykev (18 Feb 2021)

Just purchased a LG “Magic” remote control as the one that came with our (2year old ) TV was the basic one.
While waiting for it to arrive I did a YouTube search for the model and found a UK bloke taking you through what all the buttons did, various shortcuts etc. One thing that grabbed my attention was the abilty to assign one of the TV’s built in apps to any number button on the remote control. Then by holding down the number for a few seconds instead of pressing it, the app is immediately loaded. I’ll have a play around with that, probably assign “5” to “Myfive” etc. 
He also mentioned that that particular shortcut works on the original remote too.


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## vickster (18 Feb 2021)

2020 LG TVs don’t support any catch up other than iplayer I believe


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## Tenkaykev (18 Feb 2021)

There’s a couple of TV recommendations up thread so I’ll chip in with mine. We recently bought a new TV for our daughter. We got a “Hisense” 43” from John Lewis, £299 and absolutely excellent. It came with a 5 year JL warranty as standard.


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## Chislenko (18 Feb 2021)

Electric_Andy said:


> My TV is a cheapo "Digihome" from Tesco, it's 43" 4K and was £269. It is fantastic in most respects. I use a Firestick on it, and it's hooked up to hifi speakers. As soon as you plug in or wake up the Firestick, it switches to that source. This can be chnaged in the Firestick settings if you want (so you can have the TV turn on to normal TV and not revert to Firestick unless you switch sources manually).
> 
> I have experienced quite a few budget TVs and they all seem to be very much the same. I was setting up my Dad's £600 Sony and although the picture was slightly bettter, the app menus etc were actually slower and more cumbersome than I'm used to. So even now, I'd rather get a cheap set and pair it with a Firestick and good speakers, than buy an expensive TV. I don't notice any issues with deep blacks or indeed any part of the picture (I guess it's what you get used to) from a cheap TV.



This was my preferred route Andy but Mrs.C accuses me of not keeping up with the times!

I am not much of a TV watcher to be honest that's why the simpler the solution the better as I really can't be bothered with modern technology.


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## Darius_Jedburgh (18 Feb 2021)

Tenkaykev said:


> While waiting for it to arrive I did a YouTube search for the model and found a UK bloke taking you through what all the buttons did, various shortcuts etc. One thing that grabbed my attention was the abilty to assign one of the TV’s built in apps to any number button on the remote control. Then by holding down the number for a few seconds instead of pressing it, the app is immediately loaded. I


That sounds good. Have you a link?


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## Sharky (18 Feb 2021)

Chislenko said:


> Glad you posted this about the apps. I appreciate you get the apps that come preloaded but can you download extra apps or is it all about who is in bed with who so to speak.
> 
> Let's say a TV doesn't come with My 5 for example, could you download that onto your TV or are the they restricted to what is there?


Just checked our Kitchen (sony) and it only has iPlayer, Prime and Netflix. No itv hub or my5, It has an automatic software refresh, but could not see how to download new apps and the software is up to date.
Also has Youtube which is very useful.


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## Milkfloat (18 Feb 2021)

My personal opinion is not to care too much about the smart apps on the TV. Within a couple of years the manufacturer will stop support and move on to something else and stop support. All our TVs are smart and have most of the apps, but they are all slower, buggier and worse quality than a FireTv stick, so we don't use them at all and have a FireTv on each TV.


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## Mo1959 (18 Feb 2021)

Both my LG oled and my Samsung QLED have all the usual apps. Iplayer, ITV hub, channel 4 and 5 catch up, amazon prime, netflix, youtube, etc. I wanted STV player too and it was a simple search and download for that too. Sometimes when you first want to watch iplayer, itv hub, etc you have to register for a free account online first and you then get a code to type in and that’s it set up for future use.


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## Phaeton (18 Feb 2021)

Milkfloat said:


> My personal opinion is not to care too much about the smart apps on the TV. Within a couple of years the manufacturer will stop support and move on to something else and stop support. All our TVs are smart and have most of the apps, but they are all slower, buggier and worse quality than a FireTv stick, so we don't use them at all and have a FireTv on each TV.


We've just bought a new Sony, currentlythe Apps are as quick if not quicker than a 2 year old Firestick, whether that continues is another matter.

As to the Source question, with the Sony you press the button, all your options come up across the button of the screen you then navigate across to the one you want.


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## Phaeton (18 Feb 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Sometimes when you first want to watch ipayer, itv hub, etc you have to register for a free account online first and you then get a code to type in and that’s it set up for future use.


Just on this, I was dreading having to remember all the usernames & passwords for all the Apps, as they are all random, but on most I just had to visit a page on the website, it gave me a code which I put in to gain access & they immediately knew who I was & what I had been watching, favourites etc.


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## Mo1959 (18 Feb 2021)

Phaeton said:


> Just on this, I was dreading having to remember all the usernames & passwords for all the Apps, as they are all random, but on most I just had to visit a page on the website, it gave me a code which I put in to gain access & they immediately knew who I was & what I had been watching, favourites etc.


It’s really great. Don’t know how we used to manage with 3 channels!  It even remembers where you are in a series and asks if you want to resume from where you left off which is handy.


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## Chislenko (18 Feb 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Both my LG oled and my Samsung QLED have all the usual apps. Iplayer, ITV hub, channel 4 and 5 catch up, amazon prime, netflix, youtube, etc. I wanted STV player too and it was a simple search and download for that too. Sometimes when you first want to watch iplayer, itv hub, etc you have to register for a free account online first and you then get a code to type in and that’s it set up for future use.



I would imagine STV player would be managed / incorporated into the parent company (is it the BBC?) so should not be a problem.

We have an equivalent called S4c clic which sits on the BBC platform.


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## Tenkaykev (18 Feb 2021)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> That sounds good. Have you a link?





Darius_Jedburgh said:


> That sounds good. Have you a link?



Here's the link:

View: https://youtu.be/hCRQ9IvggwE


It gets even better. I was having a play around with my new toy I was researching the functions of the remote control and had assigned the number 5 to "MyFive". I'd assigned number 4 to All4 though we rarely use it and thought "I wonder..." I selected BBC iPlayer from the TV Apps and opened it up, navigated through the BBC channels to BBC4 and selected that, then assigned it to Number 4 on the remote. I have just tested it and the shortcut works! just press and hold the number 4 on the remote and it now brings up BBC4 on the screen without having to navigate through the iPlayer app


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## OldShep (18 Feb 2021)

My LG smart TV doesn’t have the Eurosport app or GCN and possibly many others. I don’t see that it matters though and I wouldn’t get hung up on what apps are available. The tv has a browser and the pointing mouse control is easy and can watch all these things and more using the browser.
e.g https://www.stv.tv/


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## Darius_Jedburgh (18 Feb 2021)

Thanks. I'll have a play with myself sorry, I meant by myself🤬


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## Mo1959 (18 Feb 2021)

OldShep said:


> My LG smart TV doesn’t have the Eurosport app or GCN and possibly many others. I don’t see that it matters though and I wouldn’t get hung up on what apps are available. The tv has a browser and the pointing mouse control is easy and can watch all these things and more using the browser.


I think on the last promotional blurb I read on GCN it said it was coming to smart tvs soon. Hopefully while their cheap subscription offer is still on.


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## OldShep (18 Feb 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> I think on the last promotional blurb I read on GCN it said it was coming to smart tvs soon. Hopefully while their cheap subscription offer is still on.


Just taken the GCN offer as our Eurosport ends in April. Works fine but not with Safari on an IPad. Needs the app on that which of course can airplay to TV So many ways these days.


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## Tenkaykev (18 Feb 2021)

OldShep said:


> My LG smart TV doesn’t have the Eurosport app or GCN and possibly many others. I don’t see that it matters though and I wouldn’t get hung up on what apps are available. The tv has a browser and the pointing mouse control is easy and can watch all these things and more using the browser.
> e.g https://www.stv.tv/


In the video I linked to, the guy navigates to the web browser and assigns it to the "0" button on the keypad, then he just presses and holds "0" and the browser pops up onscreen.


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## Oldhippy (18 Feb 2021)

I am definitely going for an older TV second hand when I move. I hate the idea of smart TV. I will also just rely on a DVD player with no live TV.


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## raleighnut (18 Feb 2021)

Bt box here, tried all the 'newfangled' stuff 20+years ago..................too expensive and boring.


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## Mike_P (18 Feb 2021)

Flipping Sony DVD box has deleted BBC iPlayer today


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## Jenkins (18 Feb 2021)

For some reason YouTube disappeared from my TV & BT box a few weeks ago. Just use the Chromecast instead.


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## itboffin (18 Feb 2021)

Most smart tv built in apps will disappear if they haven’t already the channel content providers have all started to stop making tv brand specific apps and instead are focusing on apps for Amazon fire stick, chromecast Apple TV etc so really all you need is a tv with the best picture quality and one or my hdmi ports for your chosen smart tv device, for me it’s fire stick 4K and roku but I also have all the others old and new


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## Mo1959 (19 Feb 2021)

itboffin said:


> Most smart tv built in apps will disappear if they haven’t already the channel content providers have all started to stop making tv brand specific apps and instead are focusing on apps for Amazon fire stick, chromecast Apple TV etc so really all you need is a tv with the best picture quality and one or my hdmi ports for your chosen smart tv device, for me it’s fire stick 4K and roku but I also have all the others old and new


Not sure I agree. What’s the point of paying a couple of grand for a decent tv and then having to pay for and have the inconvenience of having more gadgets to plug in to it to get full functionality. If anything the operating systems in tvs are actually getting better and more capable of doing even more?


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## PaulSB (19 Feb 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Not sure I agree. *What’s the point of paying a couple of grand for a decent tv and then having to pay for and have the inconvenience of having more gadgets to plug in to it to get full functionality*. If anything the operating systems in tvs are actually getting better and more capable of doing even more?



Hope I'm not quoting out of context Mo.

I'd very much agree with this. We've had a "smart" TV for five years. It's an LG something or other. Nice picture, reasonable sound and with a sound bar connected this becomes very acceptable.

Smart though? I'd argue there is no such as a "smart" TV. My laptop and associated software is clever, it helps me do stuff I couldn't have dreamed of years ago. That's extraordinary.

Smart TV? Well the internet service is utter rubbish, slow and pointless. It still needs a remote control to make it do the most basic things such as volume control. Responsive volume control would be a brilliant innovation. Many of the installed apps no longer work, cannot be updated and new ones can't be added. The HDMI ports are positioned in such away as both Firestick and Chrome stick out of the side and have to be supported by judicious application of black electrical tape. Very smart design on that one folks.

It has eight different devices plugged in to it to make it work. Outstandingly clever!!

There is no such thing as a smart TV. We have a flat screen in the corner which receives and converts signals from a variety of sources and devices in to sound and pictures. Yes that is clever and is what John Logie Baird gave us 95 years ago.

Using my phone I can choose something I fancy watching from the web. Press a little icon on my phone screen and lo and behold it appears on my TV. Now that is both clever and smart.

I don't care provided my TV gives a reliable picture and sound but until the TV provides the services and abilities, in terms of receiving media, our phones, laptops and tablets can already offer it can hardly be considered smart.

I carry all my music on a stick and push it in to a USB port in my five-year old car. Bingo, it's all available. Hands free. That's clever. No one suggests I have a smart car or smart radio in it.

I'm afraid a "smart" TV is nothing more than marketing guff.


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## Mike_P (19 Feb 2021)

Found this on the BBC website re Sony TVs - no mention of DVD players though. Fortunately remembered I had a Roku spare which seems okay for the time being


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## Chislenko (19 Feb 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Found this on the BBC website re Sony TVs - no mention of DVD players though. Fortunately remembered I had a Roku spare which seems okay for the time being



Appears to be another argument for a normal TV and a Firestick.


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## vickster (19 Feb 2021)

Any decent TV will be Smart, you don’t need to use the functionality though


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## Electric_Andy (19 Feb 2021)

Of course it's up to you, and there's no arguing with personal preference. But I prefer to get a basic TV of the appropriate size (most are 4k now anyway), and use a Firestick or other plug in box. Just because cheaper TVs now have perfectly adequate picture and sound. Sound can be rememdies by using Soundbar/peakers if you want. The slow and sometimes dysfunctional "smart" aspects of the TV are therefore remedied with a Firestick. Mine plugs into the back so you can't see it. The remote is small and simple, and has a voice control button if you want to use it. And if anything goes wrong, you can return/but another Firestick at £35 odd. 

I just remembered that my Dad's Sony TV which was £689, he's not had it a year and can only watch iPlayer 50% of the time, the shop he bought it from are stumped also. He doesn't want to return it becasue of the inconvenience (luckily he has a very good Freeview recorder for his smart apps). In some cases I htink you're paying a lot more for SMart bells and whistles when you don't need to.


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## Sharky (19 Feb 2021)

Not convinced with all this smart technology. My OH bought me a smart shirt for work and I pressed all the buttons and they did nothing.


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## Oldhippy (19 Feb 2021)

TV stopped this morning I have checked the Sony website and it says it wants a factory reset possibly? It is a Sony bravia with only a virgin box plugged in anyone got any ideas? Remote does nothing and plugged in a green light flashes at 30 second intervals. Destructions on Sony site ridiculously odd. Was fine until yesterday evening TV is a couple of years old.


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## vickster (19 Feb 2021)

Try the factory reset?
Still under warranty? If so, contact retailer


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## Oldhippy (19 Feb 2021)

Doubt it is under warranty should really pay more attention to these things. Will attempt to follow the complicated destructions on website. It goes on about is it an android set? No idea.


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## vickster (19 Feb 2021)

Oldhippy said:


> Doubt it is under warranty should really pay more attention to these things. Will attempt to follow the complicated destructions on website. It goes on about is it an android set? No idea.


Where did you buy it from? If John Lewis or Richer Sounds you’d have a 5/6 year warranty...Curry’s or Argos naff all.

if you turn the Smart Tv on, presumably,y it would say if it has an Android OS?


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## Oldhippy (19 Feb 2021)

She probably got it from Currys at a guess. I was away working.


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## vickster (19 Feb 2021)

Oldhippy said:


> She probably got it from Currys at a guess. I was away working.


Ah well hopefully a reset works


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## BoldonLad (19 Feb 2021)

We bought a Samsung 43", from Richer Sounds. It has 6 year warranty, and cost about £350. Had it for approximately one year now, no complaints. My only gripe is the input of "typing" it is tedious. The TV has bluetooth, so, I guess I could attach a bluetooth keyboard (which I have lying around, with my Raspberry-Pi), just have not got around to trying it on TV yet.


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## itboffin (19 Feb 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Not sure I agree. What’s the point of paying a couple of grand for a decent tv and then having to pay for and have the inconvenience of having more gadgets to plug in to it to get full functionality. If anything the operating systems in tvs are actually getting better and more capable of doing even more?



a few smart companies that make TVs have realised they can’t compete and now have the ability to install a third party smart software into their hardware that will most likely be the route the big brands all start following, my Samsung is 4-5 years old now and hasn’t had any updates for 3 years, all the built in app stopped working even their own Samsung app. I now use the built in Freeview and an Amazon fire stick. My 17 year old 42” plasma screen I’ve hobbled together a roku stick with a vga to hdmi adapter and the picture quality and depth is every bit as good as a HD tv I also have an Alexa hooked up to that screen which connected to all my smart devices for my turbo trainer setup, super lazy but I can turn on off the whole setup, trainer, screen, fan, lights by voice alone.


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## itboffin (19 Feb 2021)

Mind you trying to tell Alexa to turn the fan on when you’re dying on an intervals session can throw up some interesting interpretations of your commands


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## keithmac (19 Feb 2021)

We have a Toshiba Smart TV, probably crashes once a week, absolute pile of sxxt!. 

HDR, 4k all the bells and whistles but preferred my old Samsung..

Next one will be running pure Android or Android TV, so any app can be installed.

I use a Minix Neo U1 even with this TV.

Source button will bring up all inputs though at any time so that's a bonus.

Picture is amazing, software and operating system have let it down unfortunately.


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## Mike_P (19 Feb 2021)

Watching through iPlayer on the Roku I can sort of see why that batch of Sonys have been ditched, the picture was ultra hd in contrast in comparison to the low HD or even sd of the Sony; but still annoying.


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