My flat screen TV seems to pick up about a second of latency every three months, it now takes about 12 seconds to load up the programme guide. I'd really like if it had proper OS that could be updated, reinstalled, and extended, rather than something cobbled together and frozen in time. Smart TVs are basically computers so they might as well have decent operating systems.
I bought my TV just before smart TVs became popular and am dreading having to replace it, with - from what I can tell - all of the good, high end TVs now being "smart".
I really wish the trend was TVs becoming less smart, more like a monitor than a computer, especially now that TV "pucks" like Apple TV, Roku, etc are gaining popularity.
> I really wish the trend was TVs becoming less smart
How so? Ever since I switched to a Smart TV I pretty much removed all other boxes that were standing around. My Samsung solves all the problems I had separate boxes for before. The only thing that is still connected is a PS4.
Witha smart tv I have to fight that tech, and all the other tech, to get it to do the reasonably simple task of "display the image".
Let me chose the smart box I want, and be the best dumb display for that box you can be, rather than giving me a bunch of poorly engineered over-expensive cruft that I neither want nor need.
Yes, exactly. But that's not the way the market works these days. I want a TV-quality display (which means large, but otherwise having lower specs than the monitor on my desk), with no tuner, no speakers, just a remote control receiver and a few HDMI ports.
For some reason they keep adding stuff that I don't want to the device. And "smartness" is the worst of it. I plan to keep the display far longer than the Roku box (or whatever).
Consider: is your TV going to be able to play H.265 content when it become available? Chances are your manufacturer won't even upgrade your software - they've got a dismal record for this. But even if they do, you probably don't have the CPU power to handle it. To avoid replacing the display, you'll wind up buying a Roku or Chromecast, and (as was said up-thread) fighting the TV's UI to get to your new box.
What usually ends up happening (at least since the last time I bought a TV) is that I can't find anything simpler for the same price since a big part of the (relatively) lower cost of modern high-def televisions comes from volume in manufacturing and sales. Since most come with some token "smart" capabilities, I end up buying something regardless of (or despite) the addons.
I just use a basic home-theater-in-a-box receiver for 5.1 sound and because it has a built-in Bluray player (which I have yet to use) and like 3 or 4 HDMI inputs. So I run the cable box into one input, Chromecast into another, game console or HTPC into another, etc. and then output video from that into the TV.
So in the end, I only use my TV as a display even though it has other features built in. Having all sources go into the receiver means I can just switch inputs and audio follows video. If I want to watch Youtube or Netflix or listen to streaming music or watch something on my NAS via Plex, I use the Chromecast. If want cable TV for some weird reason, I switch to the cable box, etc.
But yeah, a large format display should last me longer than the life cycle of the "smart" capabilities or streaming services. When I bought this TV, there were several streaming sites that didn't exist yet or I didn't use. I want to be able to add or remove hardware as I need it and I want to use services that are currently valuable to me (and not have to skim past all of the integrated ones I never use or don't exist anymore).
Right now the two options I see are to use a low-powered HTPC that is still more functional than anything in a smart TV and can be upgraded, or something small and cheap like a Chromecast or extender that lets me tap into sources on my network or on the WAN.
Huh, thanks! A bit more expensive than a bottom-end TV still, but worth checking on when I replace mine! Since all I use it for is a Roku and occasionally as a screen for my PC, I'd be happy to do away with all the extraneous stuff like a giant remote and all the TV channel related buttons.
I have one, connected it to the internet once, disconnected it and did a firmware reset. Never again.
That particular thing - a Samsung, mind you - installs adware/crapware/shit when you first connect it. We can argue about the featureset in general and if the 'smart' part is usable in general (I .. don't think so), but it is especially annoying if you look at the device, connect it and see it installing the worst of the worst stuff, pinning it to the most prominent places in your menu.
Tech support (yes, I was desperate to call them) said "Yeah, that's a feature", "No, you cannot prevent that from happening", "No, you cannot hide/remove/move those applications and icons". Disconnect, firmware reset, no Samsung TV in the future, ever again.
Is this a new thing? I helped setup a Samsung Smart TV for my grandparents a couple years back and there wasn't any such adware/crapware installed. To my knowledge, this remains the case even after I did a firmware update a couple weeks ago (though the "Smart Hub" has been a bit buggier lately).
Nah, happened about 2 years ago. That's how old the device is.
I understand/guess that this is a regional thing (Germany here). No clue WHY Samsung things it can sell out their customers like that, but all of the "content" was German crap.
Maybe the newer Samsung ones are better, but the one I have is clunky as hell...
I only ever go into the smart functionality by mistake now - I find the Apple TV to be a way better experience (and I have a few iDevices so AirPlay a fair bit of stuff also).
Bought a smart TV (not exactly on purpose, just wanted a new TV) - ended up being quite happy with built in support for Netflix as it means one less "box" in my living room.
My 2012 Smart TV (Panasonic 50ST50) is just like it was when I bought it. Most apps like youtube etc. have been updated, and some apps are a bit slower in the newer versions due to more flashy animations, but overall it's been rock stable and I see no reason to upgrade.
Not to mention that Panasonic stopped making plasmas and you'd probably find the black level performance of all but the most expensive LCD sets disappointing.
