topic Smart TV vs. HDTV in Electronics

Smart TV vs. HDTV

NickNack — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 15:20:16 GMT

I need a new TV. I keep going back and forth between a Smart TV or a regular HDTV. I think the regular TV would work for my needs, but wonder if it will be obsolete soon. My hesitation is that I've read it's just like a computer, and will need to replace it in 5 years or so. The internet portion could go out and could mess up the whole TV.

I don't know that I would ever use the internet on the TV. What else does a Smart TV do? I've Googled it, but all they seem to talk about is the internet part of it. I want to be able to download movies, but I think my Tivo would take care of that. I've always tried to buy the latest version of anything, but am confused about this.

I'd like to hear opinions about the difference between Smart TV's and HDTV's before I go shopping for one. I'm sure the sales person would try to talk me into a Smart TV, so I'd like to go prepared.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

hckynut — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:10:04 GMT

@NickNack

If you want the future in TV only? Make sure your next TV is a 4k TV set. If you can see the picture difference in HD from the old Standard Definition(SD)? The 4k picture is 4 times better than any 1080p HD picture.

I bought my Samsung 4k and set it up last December. I bought a Top line model, mainly because it is more future proof than the Lower priced models. Yes, it is a Smart TV, as are all Top Models in most brand name sets.

I could list all the features but that is not what you seem to want to know. I can tell you this. Depending on the screen size you choose, you can get a 4k TV set for a lot less money than I paid years ago for my first HD TV set. I am talking name brand 4k TV sets of 50 to 55 inch screens for under $1000.

If you want what will be the future in picture detail resolution, 4k should be your consideration. More questions? Ask and I will answer the ones I can.

hckynut(john)

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

Nightowlz — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:21:48 GMT

We bought a 65" Samsung Smart TV with 4K. Have never done anything on the TV except watch TV. DH has checked out other things on the TV. We have had DISH for 18 yrs. We just switched to their Hopper 3 so I'm learning all that. I can record 16 shows at a time. LOL!!! Now with the Hopper 3 & our new TV we are ready for 4K.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

ChynnaBlue — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:34:57 GMT

I'd get an HDTV and a Roku or Chromecast add on. With Roku or a Chromecas (or an Amazon Fire Stick, or Apple TV). You can easily watch Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, listen to Pandora, or whatever else you want and some of those devices are under $40. They all have remote controls or apps that you can use on a smartphone to control the device. (I prefer the app because it has a popup keyboard I can use to enter a title and I don't have to use the arrows on the remote to enter words the way we entered our initials into arcade games in the 80s. How has THAT technology not improved?)

You won't be able to go online or check email with those, but as you said, who wants to do that, anyway? If anything breaks, you replace one item, not both. And if you get something small and easy to set up, you can even take it on vacation with you or to a friend's house. (I've brought my Roku to someone's house when we all wanted to watch a TV show only available through Hulu and they didn't have a Hulu account.)

You could also buy an HDMI cable and connect an existing laptop to your TV and the TV essentially becomes a giant computer monitor and you'll have the smartest TV around. I've done that and it works very well, but it's a pain to keep my computer connected to the TV, so I prefer the Roku. It is, however, SUPER easy to do, as long as the laptop has an HDMI port.

I wouldn't bother with a Smart TV because there are too many more affordable ways to make any HDTV smart.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

StillFuntoShop — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:34:19 GMT

My husband cheaper out and got an HDTV but not the smart TV. The smart one was not that much more money.

You need a smart TV to access Netflix, so I was disappointed in that. I wanted Netflix. 📺

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

ValuSkr — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:36:20 GMT

You've noticed I'm sure a big price difference between smart and non-smart TV's. I think it's better to buy a non-smart TV. Then, if you ever want programming via the internet, you can add an inexpensive device - like Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and Chromecast - that connects to the web and makes your TV "smart." Further, it's thought that device manufacturers / developers will do a better job keeping their web products current than will television manufacturers.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

NickNack — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:41:30 GMT

Thank you @hckynut @Nightowlz @ChynnaBlue @ValuSkr and @StillFuntoShop You've given me a good guide of what to look for. I wrote your suggestions down and will take them with me when I'm shopping.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

ChynnaBlue — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 17:27:19 GMT

@StillFuntoShop wrote:
My husband cheaper out and got an HDTV but not the smart TV. The smart one was not that much more money.

You need a smart TV to access Netflix, so I was disappointed in that. I wanted Netflix. 📺

No, you do not need a smart TV to access Netflix. You can get a Chromecast or an Amazon Fire Stick for around $45. They're easy to install and you can watch Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and much, much more. And if it becomes obsolete, which this kind of tech does before it breaks, you can replace it for FAR less than the cost of replacing an entire TV. Smart TVs are unnecessary at this point in time.

Your husband did not cheap out, he made a very smart decision.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

ValuSkr — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:12:16 GMT

@ChynnaBlue wrote:

Your husband did not cheap out, he made a very smart decision.

I completely agree!

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

chickenbutt — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:52:58 GMT

I agree with CB (hi from the other CB!) - Even if I need to replace one of our TVs I will stick with a regular not-smart HDTV.

I do have some Roku3 units and a blu-ray player, so I'm set for streaming. You can purchase any of these, if you already don't have one or another of them, for very inexpensive.

Just me speaking - I tend to worry more with any electronic unit that does too many completely different things...more things to go wrong.

Plus, I tend to see better processors on the 'add-on' streaming units, giving faster access and more flawless streaming. I also have Tivos and wouldn't give them up for anything. These days you can also stream to many of the services, all of the most popular ones, through the Tivo. but my Roku3s have faster processors so I mostly use those. I can search something through the Tivo and save it to my list on Amazon or Netflix and then just go there through the Roku3 if I want. Either way you are set up.

Also, as mentioned, if you have a blu-ray player from any time in the past several years it should also have all the same streaming capabilities. Mine is quite a few years old and I can stream through any service I use through it.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

Kachina624 — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:31:07 GMT

Use your TV as a computer? Sounds like several steps back to Web TV, remember that?

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

glb613 — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 22:34:35 GMT

@ChynnaBlue wrote:
@StillFuntoShop wrote:
My husband cheaper out and got an HDTV but not the smart TV. The smart one was not that much more money.

You need a smart TV to access Netflix, so I was disappointed in that. I wanted Netflix. 📺
No, you do not need a smart TV to access Netflix. You can get a Chromecast or an Amazon Fire Stick for around $45. They're easy to install and you can watch Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and much, much more. And if it becomes obsolete, which this kind of tech does before it breaks, you can replace it for FAR less than the cost of replacing an entire TV. Smart TVs are unnecessary at this point in time.

Your husband did not cheap out, he made a very smart decision.

I think he made a terrible mistake. Every time this subject comes up, people show just how little they know about a smart TV. You don't have to use the internet portion if you don't want to. Why buy another device when you can have the streaming built in? It makes no sense no matter how you look at it.

ChynnaBlue, I don't know where you get your info but, most of it is wrong. The "smart" part of my TV or the internet access has the capability of updating making it becoming oblolete much less likely. The apps you have for a smart TV go beyond just Netflix and YouTube. I can also get my Amazon prime, Hulu and many more. If the internet portion does fail, it doesn't mean the TV won't work. I hope you do more research before telling people a smart TV is a waste of money and to go buy other streaming devices at an extra cost.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

chickenbutt — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:36:46 GMT

Kachina624 wrote:
Use your TV as a computer? Sounds like several steps back to Web TV, remember that?

Ahhh, my first internet machine! I had the little keyboard and hooked the WebTV up to my old dinosaur CRT 32" bedroom tv and off I went, learning about being online.

I cannot imagine wanting to use a tv for the internet either. Seems like people are getting more into having one electronic item to do everything short of mowing the lawn.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

hckynut — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:25:32 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
@ChynnaBlue wrote:

I think he made a terrible mistake. Every time this subject comes up, people show just how little they know about a smart TV. You don't have to use the internet portion if you don't want to. Why buy another device when you can have the streaming built in? It makes no sense no matter how you look at it.

ChynnaBlue, I don't know where you get your info but, most of it is wrong. The "smart" part of my TV or the internet access has the capability of updating making it becoming oblolete much less likely. The apps you have for a smart TV go beyond just Netflix and YouTube. I can also get my Amazon prime, Hulu and many more. If the internet portion does fail, it doesn't mean the TV won't work. I hope you do more research before telling people a smart TV is a waste of money and to go buy other streaming devices at an extra cost.

@glb613

I not only agree with you, I bought my present Samsung specific model for that very reason. It came with a One Connect Box, which handles All of Samsung 4k updates. Should something "completely" new be developed in this realm? I do not have to buy a new TV set, the One Connect Box will be updated by Samsung.

I specifically chose this model because of the One Connect Box/the 10 bit panel/Octacore processor/Samsung's Tizen Operating System and being ready for HDR when it becomes prominent in programming and other 4k content.

I prefer this particular brand and model for the reasons above. Failure of 1 function does not equate to the failure of the complete unit? And as far as true 4k content? It is hard for many to believe it is 4 times better than 1080p, but my seeing is my believing? Remember not long back when HD and Bluray were mentioned? Many said it is a fad and who needs it?

Now look what most people own and could never go back to the 220 resolution of Standard Definition. The more I use this TV the more I love it.

Just my .02 on the topic.

hckynut(john)

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:54:29 GMT

I've never heard the term "fire stick" before .... is it like an antenna?

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

Nuttmeg — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 18:07:05 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
I've never heard the term "fire stick" before .... is it like an antenna?

Amazon has joined Google and Roku as a purveyor of tiny, stick-shaped media hubs with the Fire TV Stick. Like the Google Chromecast and the Roku Streaming Stick, the Fire TV Stick is a tiny bar that youstick into your HDTV's HDMI port and use just like any other streaming device.

Re: Smart TV vs. HDTV

Lilysmom — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:30:19 GMT

Interesting discussion! Last time I bought a new TV, I made a list of all the features I was looking for before I started my search. I wanted something compatible with the Bose Sound Sysytem, I was looking for USB and HDMI ports and a number of other things. I have Apple tv so I wasn't necessarily looking for a smart tv.

At at the end of the day, I ended up with a smart tv, not because I was looking for one, but because they were the only ones that had the features I was looking for. I never use the smart tv features.

Good luck OP. Come back and tell us what your choice was. LM