In the mobile market, we can say that there is a duopoly of operating systems. However, this does not happen with televisions, in which some manufacturers have decided to opt for their own systems. Samsung and LG are two clear examples of leading companies that have not opted for Android TV. The two South Korean companies have preferred to have control over their devices by developing their own systems. Samsung televisions make use of Tizen TV OS , an elegant, very complete, fluid system that has not stopped advancing in recent years. Today we will tell you everything you need to know about this system.
What is Tizen OS?
Throughout the history of computing, having a winning operating system has been key when making important decisions in the market. Microsoft is a clear example with Windows, but there are many other cases that have marked the development of the ecosystems that we use today in our devices.
Tizen is a Linux-based operating system that has a company like Samsung behind it. The objective of the South Korean company was none other than not to give so much prominence to Google and its Android. In this way, Samsung gained a lot of freedom when developing its own electronic equipment. Tizen is openly known as an operating system for televisions, but it has variants for watches and other types of smart devices as well.
The first Samsung televisions that carried the Tizen operating system came onto the market in 2015 . Previously, the system had already been present in cameras and some of the company’s wearables . The TV version of Tizen OS is called Tizen TV OS, and it mainly competes with Android TV and webOS, which is the system LG uses.
The interface of Tizen TV OS
Throughout these years, the visual section of this operating system for televisions has been developing and improving to adapt to the needs of users . Tizen TV OS is a very easy to use system. In general terms, its interface is similar to that of Google TV , only with a more intelligent and organized layout.
The system will allow us to connect our accounts of different Internet services. From there, the TV will make recommendations based on our viewing history and our tastes. In the latest version of the system, Tizen’s interface is divided into a sidebar and content. Through the sidebar you can change users, access settings or even enter the game mode. Within the sidebar, the playback tab is the most important of all. Within it, the normal Tizen TV OS interface will open where we can view content and run applications.
On a visual level, Tizen TV OS presents a very well-ordered structure . After a small banner with movie or series recommendations, we will find an endless line of applications with square icons. From there, we can also enter the store to download new programs .
Under this block, Tizen will show us the content that is currently live, as well as the recent reproductions and the content that we have started to see and that we can resume whenever we want, whether it is from Netflix, HBO Max or other online platforms. .
The most important points of Tizen TV OS
To get the most out of your television with Tizen you must control all these sections:
Set up Samsung Smart TV
Samsung makes it very easy for you to configure your Smart TV . You can do it with your smartphone or with the One Remote Control . With the controller, the process is easy, but with the smartphone app it is even more so. The only thing you have to do is:
- Enter the App Store (if you have an iPhone) or the Play Store (if you have an Android)
- Download SmartThings and open it
- Sign in with your Samsung account or sign up if this is your first time using this service
- The app will automatically detect your new TV and will guide you so you can connect it to your Wi-Fi network
- It will be linked to your Samsung Account
- The wizard will help you find your favorite apps and install them quickly and easily on your TV
Clever. You can now use your TV with Tizen.
If you already have a Samsung mobile at home, it is normal that you already have this app installed on the terminal, since it is usually installed by default. So all you have to do is open the SmartThings app.
Applications
Through Apps you will be able to download any application for your Samsung Smart TV. Your television will come with a series of default applications that you can use or even uninstall to free up space.
From this app store you will be able to install new apps for your TV . Tizen doesn’t have as varied a catalog of apps and games as Android TV, but we can assure you that all streaming services and online platforms have their app for this operating system. Almost all the apps that you will see in the store are completely free. Services may have additional subscription costs, such as Netflix, HBO Max, DAZN or MiTele Plus.
Samsung TVPlus
It is a service integrated into Tizen in which the user will be able to enjoy quality content without having to pay any type of membership. The service has the following channels:
- euronews
- MTV Originals and MTV Cribs
- BBCDrama
- your cinema
- BloombergTV+
- Comedies – Rakuten TV
- duckTV
- Vevo Latin and Pop
- Other channels: WildEarth, FailArmy, Fuel TV…
Samsung Gaming Hub
Announced at CES 2022, this is one of the great novelties of this system with which Samsung plans to stand out from its competition. It is a video game module that allows direct access to a multitude of game platforms in the cloud , as well as it is possible to play titles that have been developed directly for Samsung televisions.
At the moment, Samsung Gaming Hub is compatible with Nvidia GeForce Now, Google Stadia and Utomik services . However, the idea of the Koreans is that Gaming Hub extends to all available cloud gaming services, so it cannot be ruled out that in the future there will also be compatibility with the Xbox cloud and Game Pass.
In addition, Gaming Hub allows you to connect a multitude of compatible controls to be able to enjoy gaming as if it were a real console. This platform is also designed so that the player can watch and broadcast content online directly from the television.
Tizen vs. webOS, Android TV and Google TV
google tv
When buying a television, we always say that the operating system should be a secondary factor that should not directly influence the purchase decision. The convenient thing is that you buy a model that suits your needs well. That is, focus on inches, brightness, viewing angles, or panel type.
Generally speaking, the major TV operating systems can do pretty much the same thing. Tizen is not a closed system, but it will not give you the same freedom when installing applications as with an Android TV. Its limitations are similar to what you would have on an LG device with webOS.
However, Tizen has many positive points. If you have Samsung phones or tablets of recent generations, the integration of services with Tizen can be a plus. The recommendation system works quite well and the interface has been worked on a lot since its inception. The result is a system that, although cluttered with buttons, is easy to use .
On the other hand, Samsung’s commitment to gaming looks very good. Samsung here does not really offer anything that cannot be done with other systems, but its insistence on the project and its good integration suggest that the Gaming Hub is going to be one of the company’s television highlights in the future.