Smart tv built in wifi

Strider590

Companies out there currently make a lot of money selling media streaming boxes to plug into their TVs, why would they put that feature into the TV itself?

I may be wrong and I know someone is going to come back at me with examples of VCR TVs and DVD TVs, but I don't see why they'd build this into a TV while they're still making money from the set top boxes.

I don't know for sure, because I tend to stay out of the world of the latest TV gadgets, I don't really watch TV and i've seen friends spend thousands on this stuff only to never use the features they're paying extra for (like 3D).
So currently my mate has a 50+inch 3D TV, he's got one 3D movie and he mostly uses it to play video games from a console that puts out a picture of a lower resolution than the TV.

Idiophreak

Strider590 wrote: »

Companies out there currently make a lot of money selling media streaming boxes to plug into their TVs, why would they put that feature into the TV itself?

I may be wrong and I know someone is going to come back at me with examples of VCR TVs and DVD TVs, but I don't see why they'd build this into a TV while they're still making money from the set top boxes.

I don't know for sure, because I tend to stay out of the world of the latest TV gadgets, I don't really watch TV and i've seen friends spend thousands on this stuff only to never use the features they're paying extra for (like 3D).
So currently my mate has a 50+inch 3D TV, he's got one 3D movie and he mostly uses it to play video games from a console that puts out a picture of a lower resolution than the TV.

There are plenty of TVs that have all the apps OP would want built in...but they're often slightly more expensive, especially to get one that has nice interfaces to each app.

It's also actually quite rare that people pay significantly over the odds for 3D these days. I certainly got 3D because the TV I wanted came with it, not because I wanted a 3D TV. I don't use it much, but as a "nice to have", it's fine.

As for size, a lot of people get a bigger set because they want to sit further away, rather than wanting to see more detail...

[Deleted User]

Our kitchen TV is only connected to a Chromecast, nothing else. works nicely. Our lounge TV has smart stuff built in, but it is so slow we use an Apple TV box/Chromecast instead

Glad i've got no download limits!

InsideInsurance

Strider590 wrote: »

Companies out there currently make a lot of money selling media streaming boxes to plug into their TVs, why would they put that feature into the TV itself?

I may be wrong and I know someone is going to come back at me with examples of VCR TVs and DVD TVs, but I don't see why they'd build this into a TV while they're still making money from the set top boxes.

Because some people like the simplicity of a single box/ single remote and of cause having it built in allows additional integration. So lets say it was a download rather than stream you could start the download and watch something on BBC1 and the TV can let you know when its sufficiently downloaded to start watching rather than you having to switch between the TV and the external box or checking some other device's interface etc.

The reality is that they also like to up sell so their base model TV is £500 and the next model up is £650 which adds Smart TV and Dynamic Blacks 2 (or some other gizmo). If you want either you have to buy both as there is no way to get the better picture without getting the smart TV and visa versa. Hence people like me end up with a TV, BluRay, AVR and AppleTV that all support streaming and in reality only ever use the AppleTV but couldnt get the features I want on the other 3 without the streaming capability.

mr_fishbulb

I've just geeked out with my old TV and put it in the bedroom. I bought:

Amazon Fire TV and then sideloaded XBMC and the Belkin @TV app (see below).
Couple of homeplugs.
Belkin @TV Plus.

The Belkin box plugs into the Sky box. It streams whatever is showing on the box, into my home network (through the home plugs). You watch it on the Belkin @TV App which runs on the Amazon Fire TV. It comes with an IR blaster so you can change the channel on the Sky box (although it's easier to use the Sky+ app on my phone).

XBMC on the Fire TV streams anything I have shared on my computer hard drive.

Plus I can now watch Sky on the TV in my bedroom. If I want catchup, then there are either apps for the Fire TV, or XBMC addins, or if your Sky service has it then you can use the catch up on that.

May be a bit more than you want to spend:
Fire TV - £70
@Belkin Plus - £40 (if your wifi is strong enough then you may not need these)
Homeplug Kit (two plugs) - £40

Gloomendoom

Strider590 wrote: »

Companies out there currently make a lot of money selling media streaming boxes to plug into their TVs, why would they put that feature into the TV itself?

I may be wrong and I know someone is going to come back at me with examples of VCR TVs and DVD TVs, but I don't see why they'd build this into a TV while they're still making money from the set top boxes.

I don't know for sure, because I tend to stay out of the world of the latest TV gadgets, I don't really watch TV and i've seen friends spend thousands on this stuff only to never use the features they're paying extra for (like 3D).
So currently my mate has a 50+inch 3D TV, he's got one 3D movie and he mostly uses it to play video games from a console that puts out a picture of a lower resolution than the TV.

I hung on to my CRT TV for as long a possible but when it died, I replaced it with an all singing, all dancing, Samsung smart TV of modest proportions. It's a revelation. Most of the things I reckoned nobody would ever use, I do... even the the 3D.

Strider590

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I hung on to my CRT TV for as long a possible but when it died, I replaced it with an all singing, all dancing, Samsung smart TV of modest proportions. It's a revelation. Most of the things I reckoned nobody would ever use, I do... even the the 3D.

I had a 28inch Sony Trinitron CRT up until 2010(ish), I only got rid because someone I knew was moving to another country and offered me their 42inch Samsung for £200. The only thing that really made a difference was having proper widescreen.
But all in all, it doesn't really see much use.

x90tsb

Thank you everyone

fred246

I can never understand why people buy smart TVs. To me a television is a display only. A good display has no moving parts and will last for years. The smart bit should be a separate box which feeds into your TV or AV amp. The smart box can be changed as required.

wiogs

fred246 wrote: »

I can never understand why people buy smart TVs. To me a television is a display only. A good display has no moving parts and will last for years. The smart bit should be a separate box which feeds into your TV or AV amp. The smart box can be changed as required.

So you would advocate never buying a TV, just a monitor and hooking up whatever box(es) you fancy?