Is Smart tv and 3D all its cracked up to be - need to buy a new tv!

moomoominx

Well the time has come to buy a new tv - at the mo we have a lovely 47" lg tv - but the screen has started to burn / shadow so seems a good time to renew - we want to stay at 47" - but you know how it is as we have had lg for the last 6 yrs it would be easy to stay the same brand - but am open to suggestions? also is it worth buying a 3D tv (wont be paying for 3d channels via sky!) with smart tv - or just one with smart tv? is it all its cracked up to be - i like the idea of the interaction etc via smart tv - but not sure if its even worth the extra money for 3d? - Ive read somewhere that some of the tvs upscale 'normal' 2d tv to 3D? - just so much choice - offers out there just thought id ask the trusty members on here for oppinions - also if you know any decent deals i have missed let me know lol - many thanks :):):beer:

Elliott_Fox

Samsung have some of the best panels out at the minute & LED LCD is a must have.

Many of my friends rushed out to buy 3d televisions and 2 months down the line they never use it. There is a great deal more 3d tech coming soon including glasses-free 3d.

I think it is well worth getting a smart tv just for the extra content you get like youtube.

Im not sure about your budget but this is a nice tv:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7471089.htm

If you can afford it there is the series 6 out now also.

[Deleted User]

I've found my Smart TV's functions a bit pointless.

I get my 'on Demand' (Iplayer ect) TV via my Sky box (connected to my internet). I get YouTube via my Apple TV.

Smart TVs are limited by their shoddy apps. You're a lot better buying something like a Roku box (£50).

But.. I do love how my Samsung Smart TV can 'talk' to my Samsung mobile phone - i can 'beam' video/music/photos to it over my home network. Even my 3 year old son knows how to do it to watch his favourite videos.

artbaron

Look at the 3D TVs when I bought a couple of months ago and decided they were just a gimmick. Doesn't interest me at all. Went with a '2D' LG 47" and it's great, just what I wanted. I sort of wish I'd gone to 50" or maybe a bit bigger but in terms of quality and picture the LG is fine.

almillar

Smart TV sounds great, but you need to check individual TVs, to check just how smart they are. You may be disappointed by the picture quality, stuff taking ages to load, stuff being missing (you may not get a web browser, or 4OD or something mightn't be available) or the manufacturer may not keep it up to date after a couple of years when the web moves on.
3D - if you're not going to pay for the very small amount of content, don't bother with it. 'Upscaling 2D to 3D' is making things up really, don't expect it to be any good.
Find a TV with a good picture, first and foremost (it may or may not have smart or 3D). You can add better sound, and you can add 'smartness' but you're stuck with the picture.

moomoominx

Thanks for all the replies - certainly food for thought! - Think 3D is a no no - a gimmick i can do without - even my neighbours dont use theirs anymore - after boasting about it for all of about 2 weeks! lol - think i will go with the smart tv - hubby will like the idea of beaming stuff direct to it from his phone - and we use netflix so i think i will be able to use that app on it? save firing up the xbox everytime i want to watch a film - and thanks for the link elliot_fox - looks like a good tv for the money - now for the moral dillemma - my tv is fine at the moment - so do i sell it via the world of swaphop/ebay - or send it to the world of slowly ageing tvs - the shed lol

Lum

The best use I've seen for 3D TV is for two player games on games consoles. It abuses the system with a pair of special glasses, one with two left eyes and one with two right eyes so that each player can see a different 2D image and can't peek at their screen. I actually quite like the idea of 3D TV, but don't think it's worth the price premium right now, I'll happily wait until they get it working without glasses and the price comes down.

SmartTV? Honestly I find things like search youtube from a TV remote to be really really annoying - You have to enter your search in the way you used to send text messages on an older phone but with TV remote buttons that are really slow to respont.

You can get Apple or Android set top boxes that will do a better job or just do what I do an plug a computer in to the TV if you want to watch youtube on your TV.

I guess if you want to use services like Netflix and not faff about with a computer then SmartTV will be more worthwhile, however.

vacheron

My 2 cents:

3D:
It is really not worth the trouble. Our TV has 3D but only because it came as standard on the TV we wanted.

Use the glasses in the shop to see what the fuss is about, then never use it again. Saves you the convenience of doing it when you get home!

SMART:
I didn't originally see too much benefit for us having a smart TV either as we already have a Home Theater PC under the TV as well as the Virgin TIVO box, all of which gave us access to YouTube, I-Player, internet etc already. (though I could see the benefit for those who currently don't have alternative access to any of these things).

The size and technology we wanted (55" LED) it wasn't possible to buy one without smart technology anyway so we got one with.

Initially it seemed a waste of time, (cheesy weather apps and games etc.), until I installed a Plex server in our house to stream movies and TV shows etc to our PC's, smartphones and tablets and the Plex application is also available for Samsung Smart TV's and is superb Link Here.

We now probably watch things on Smart TV via Plex as much as regular TV broadcasts and the convenience is amazing. If companies continue to develop applications like this then it could become a very useful feature in the future.

keith1950

If you want a good 'smart' TV then it will probably have 3D as standard, however personally it is a waste of time.

Smart TV's are good for internet usage, streaming films, Netflix, Lovefilm etc. and anyone who uses Facebook and other social apps, however I find general browsing to be a bit of a pain.

InsideInsurance

Lum wrote: »

The best use I've seen for 3D TV is for two player games on games consoles. It abuses the system with a pair of special glasses, one with two left eyes and one with two right eyes so that each player can see a different 2D image and can't peek at their screen.

An interesting idea but where/ how did you "see" it?

With active 3D glasses this would require a fair amount of work as the glasses alternatively black out one eye, it would therefore require reprogramming or rewiring the glasses so that it blacks out both eyes or lets both eyes see rather than just making two rights or two lefts



3D is ok but not great. There is little in broadcast for 3D and Sky 3D is not at full resolution due to the side by side picture method they've used.

Blu Ray 3D is much better but it can be a pain to get it working sometimes. Even with top end kit and connectors you can occasionally get some films that refuse to play in 3D - all films work on my system other than The Hobbit which insists my system is not 3D compatible.

I wouldnt pay extra to have 3D but I wouldnt run away from a TV just because it does have it.

Smart TV all depends on what other things you have, if you already have things like Sky, Apple TV, many blu ray players are also "smart" etc then it is just duplicated functionality. Personally I dont use my screens smart features at all because they are duplicates

Lum

InsideInsurance wrote: »

An interesting idea but where/ how did you "see" it?

I read about it in some article about some upcoming console, could have been any of the big three.

I was annoyed because I'd had the idea about a year earlier. I should've taken out a patent