Electronics

[NickNack]

I started out thinking I just wanted a basic LED TV for my bedroom to replace an old set.  I went to Best Buy yesterday, and all they had were smart tv's.  When reading the reviews, some people complain about the "smart hub" and the "lack of channels."  Is a Smart TV going to work properly with Tivo?  I hadn't considered that until reading the reviews.

At HHGregg they have a regular LED TV.  I'm leaning more towards that.  I can't imagine ever wanting to go to the internet on my TV screen.  Is there some reason other than going to the internet where a smart tv would be better?  There's only $20 difference in the 32" that I'm looking at.  I've already bought a new Tivo Bolt for the new TV.  I'm excited about getting the TV and getting everything set up.

I was really shocked at the delivery charges.  Best Buy charges $150 to deliver anything under a 51" TV.  HHGregg charges $80.  I have to have it delivered.  My old TV is one of those really old deep ones, and I couldn't possibly lift it and take it to the curb for trash pick-up.

[ChynnaBlue]

Smart TV will work with Tivo and a lot of the options will overlap. (My Tivo allows me to access Netflix and Amazon content directly through my Tivo and my Roku does the same.)

I haven't bought into the idea of a Smart TV. You can make any LCD or LED TV smart by plugging a Chromcast, Roku, Amazon TV Fire Stick, or Apple TV into it. Those devices range in price from $35 up to $199 and you can attach them to any TV in the house if you want to watch content from a different TV or even take it on vacation with you. You can also plug a laptop computer into any HD TV with an HDMI cable and do the same thing. 

It's easier to upgrade a smaller peripheral device than an entire TV, too. 

[NickNack]

Thanks @ChynnaBlue.  You've convinced me to stick with my original plan and not go with a Smart TV.

[chickenbutt]

I agree.   The Smart TV just has more stuff that you already have.   

BTW, the processor on the Bolt is MUCH faster than the Premiere, so your experiences with Netflix, Amazon, etc, will be a lot more pleasant.

Before I replaced one of my Premieres with the Bolt, I ONLY used my Roku3 to go to Netflix or Amazon, because the processor in the Roku3 was so much faster and more efficient than the one in the Premiere.   Now I can just go there directly from the Bolt and it's mega-fast.

[NickNack]

@chickenbutt  I am really looking forward to getting the Bolt set up and using it!

[chickenbutt]

Oh I bet!     I couldn't wait and planned mine out where I got it on the slowest day of recordings, so that I could get it all done and not miss anything.  

You're going to love 'Skip' and maybe even 'Quick Mode'.   I enjoy Quick Mode, especially on slow-moving shows like 'If Loving You is Wrong'.   When everybody talks slow and everything moves so slowly you want to scream, you can get through the show in less than 30 minutes, instead of 42, and you can't even tell the difference.   It's like some kind of magic, I swear.

the 'Skip' feature isn't on every show/channel, but I find that it's probably on 2/3 to 3/4 of the shows I record and it's amazing!  You just hit the button and it goes through the commercial segments in a nano-second with perfect precision.

Plus, it doesn't hurt having a larger HD and four tuners!

Oh yeah, and no wireless adapter!   A big yay for that.  It has wireless built in.   

[hckynut]

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@Nicknack wrote:

 You've convinced me to stick with my original plan and not go with a Smart TV.

a dumb tv can also be backlit with LED. those 3 cap letters refer only to the type of light source that illuminates the tv screen. $150 to deliver a 32" tv? the tv cost can't be much more than that for a 32" tv.  i can buy a 39" delivered for a bit over $300. 

hnj

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[NickNack]

@hckynut  I have to have it delivered because I can't lift my old TV.  I'm going to get it from HHGregg and pay the $80 delivery fee.  I just don't have a choice.  The TV itself is something like $230 on sale.  Also, I'm getting a 32" because that's what will fit in my armoire.  Actually, I could get a little bit larger than that but not much.  They seem to go from 32" to 40" where I've looked, and 40" is too large.  I've only looked at places that deliver.

[Trix]

LED refers to the lighting used behind the screen (back lighting). It has nothing else to do with what your TV is technically capable of doing.  Most new TVs made in the past three years will have LED backlighting.  Many new model TVs have the wi-fi chip built in which makes that model a "Smart TV."   You can actually save a lot of money by purchasing any TV with an HDMI port (a standard feature on all TVs made after 2000), and purchase separately a Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, or one of the other convert to wi-fi units on the market.  The wi-fi converter units average around $100, and one of the Amazon Fire Sticks is unde $50.   I trust the HHGregg salesman to help you with the Roku type unit selection if you want to buy one as an add-on.    

[chickenbutt]

Actually, and while I do love my Rokus, her Tivo will do all those things also, so she's all set.