do I really want a "smart" TV?

If you have a laptop, tablet or HTPC with HDMI or Optical output you already have all the capabilities of a "smart tv". Just plug in.

 

As everyone says, the built-in apps aren't very polished or useful. Any external device will be more user friendly. ( I use an apple tv in the living room and a chromecast in the bedroom) That being said, my Vizio smart tv used its internet connection to automatically download updated firmware which fixed issues that many users were experiencing, so it can be useful in other ways.

 

If you decide to go the Roku route I just bought one on Amazon's Daily deal Friday for $40.

 

Good info….thanks:up:

 

My friend has one and said Netflix was so slow it wouldnt work because it didnt have a true processor chip in it, but some generic processor that was slow and bogged down. He ended up with a Roku for his "smart" tv to get Netflix and Hulu.

Anyone else have this issue or he just have a lemon? I am also curious because we need a 30-32 for the office to hang on the wall and take the 19 lcd to the toy hauler and would like to not have to get another Roku unless it's a must.

 

I have had no issues with Netflix, Pandora or Youtube. Those are the 3 I use the most on my TV. It takes a minute to boot up but if I am planning on sitting there for 2 hours to watch a movie I am not in that big of a hurry. I would buy another smart tv. Sounds like your friend got a turd.

 

I'd be happy if there was anything smart ON TV.

The other day my wife said to me "What's on the TV?"
I said "Dust."
That's when it started.

 

Har har!

I'm with the others that say a 'dumb' tv with a 'smart' box... I prefer the WDTV line of devices myself. All the online stuff Roku offers + virtually any local media you own too. MP3, MKV, JPG, whatever, via USB, USB hard drive, LAN or wifi, and its DLNA too so you can push pics, vids or music from your phone (not iphone) to it wirelessly too.

 

I have a "smart" TV in the living room and a "dumb" TV in the bedroom. I bought a Roku for the dumb TV. The Roku comes with much more shit on it that my smart TV.

I say get the dumb one on the cheap and get a streaming box for it.

Just make sure you get a TV with plenty of HDMI outlets, depending on what you're hooking up to it.

 

Micro Center had the lg 55la7400 for 899 like 4 months back so I picked up 3 (one for parents) and I absolutely love it. Amazon, Hulu, and 1 year free Netflix. Don't need a roku or wd since 3 usb outlets have 3 - 2TB HDs attached and the TV renders every file format I have thrown at it. As a bonus the 3d is actually good, the Hobbit in 3d looked awesome.

 

I bought a "smart" tv as my replacement but I already know I wouldn't use that part of it, the roku is already there and I had heard the same about the menus being easier to use and what not.

 

I connected an old laptop to my TV to make it super smart. Those can be had for pretty cheap and just use the VGA or DVI connectors that can be found on most modern TVs. I use Netflix and Amazon Prime through it plus I can stream YouTube, MotoGP, and even run BluRays.

 

I just picked mine up last week at Microcenter for the same deal. Awesome LED.

 

If the LG TV's didn't "phone home" online and report everything you watch that might be a smokin' deal.

I'll stick with a dumb TV for the moment.

-jim

 

With the rate of advances and variety of streaming devices, why would you spend extra money to tie yourself to the smart TV features available now for years to come?
The features added are really not something you need a TV to do, and small add-on units available now already have more features and do them better for less money.

 

Well, you could disable it's wireless network interface so it didn't do that, and use a Roku or other streaming box externally.

 

It's easier to shut the laptop completely off (and pull the battery) and close the lid.

It's actually harder to disable those same features in your phone than it is to turn them off on a laptop.

 

Thanks for the replies. This pretty much summarizes my thoughts on the topic at this point.

 

Unplug the TV. Airplane mode (or root and disable) on the phone. Not rocket science.

-jim

 

But if you do that, haven't you just made your "smart" tv into a dumb tv, thereby negating all of the "benefits" of buying the "smart" tv?

Screw smart tvs. I have a 40-something incher attached to the computer through a receiver with an HDMI cable. It fulfills my tv/music needs.