Smart TVs are not something new and, in fact, they have been one of the fashionable devices for many years now. Basically, we talk about televisions connected to the Internet with special capabilities such as the possibility of running applications, surfing the net or accessing different platforms. Smart TVs have conquered society and in this article we tell you all about them, what they are for, a buying guide, another to get the most out of them and even how to convert an old TV into Smart TV.
Televisions have evolved a lot in a short time, almost parallel to mobile phones. In fact, they share connected applications and services, increasingly depending on each other in an ecosystem of interconnected devices . The smart TVs of the first decade of the year 2000 and the first years of the second decade have nothing to do with the models that are sold right now.
What is Smart TV?
To define this technology we have to resort to the English word Smart TV that is usually translated as a smart TV . This type of TV is different from the traditional ones, especially characterized by being connected to the Internet to offer a series of digital and connected services.
We can see it as a television capable of joining in a single device the programs of traditional networks with internet access and its large number of applications to enjoy hours and hours of sports, series and movies on demand. Smart TVs combine the best of both worlds, that is, traditional television and the Internet world.
This technology is usually related to televisions, but also applies to sound bars, Android TV Box, set-top boxes, video recorders, Blu-ray players, home cinemas and video game consoles. The first models arrived in 2005 and were known as Internet TV , although as of 2010 they were already known by the definitive name of Smart TV.
What are they for
Smart TVs or smart TVs are increasingly useful for more things. However, there are a number of basic points that all models meet and that allow us to identify which is and which is not one of these devices:
- WiFi or cable Internet connection
- Internet navigator
- Video applications, music, social networks and more
In addition, they have a number of optional features that we see in some models:
- Connection with other smart home devices
- Sending content from the mobile
- Voice or gesture control
- Games
- Video call camera
Leading manufacturers of Smart TV and operating systems
Today we can say that all TV manufacturers have Smart TV. In fact, almost all models (99%) are of this type, with very few conventional television units being manufactured. The best known manufacturers are:
LG, Hisense, Samsung, TCL, Daewoo Electronics, Hyundai Electronics, Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba, JVC, Philips, IRT, AOC, RCA, Sanyo, Haier, Hitachi, Aiwa, Vizio, Telefunken, Grundig, Blaupunkt, Medion, BGH, Philco, Blusens, Gear, Master-G, Kyoto, Recco, Nex, Noblex, Kalley, Challenger, Boto or Loewe.
However, almost more important than the manufacturer, is knowing the operating system they use. This will be vital to know what applications and services we will have available. For example, LG uses WebOS , Samsung does the same with Tizen and brands such as Sony, Sharp or Philips (since 2019 they use SAPHI) have Android TV as an ally.
Here is a summary of operating systems by Smart TV manufacturer:
Android based AOSP
- Amazon Fire TV
- Vu Televisions
- Changhong
- Haier
- Hisense
- Konka
- com / LeTV / LeEco
- Skyworth
- TCL
- Xiaomi
Android TV
- Arçelik, Beko, Grundig and Altus
- Bang & Olufsen (B&O)
- Haier (Since 2017)
- Hisense
- Iris
- LeEco
- Philips (until 2019)
- Sharp
- Skyworth
- Sony
- TCL and Thomson
- Toshiba
- Vestel
Firefox OS (now My Home Screen 2.0)
- Panasonic
Roku TV
- Element Electronics
- Hisense USA
- Hitachi
- Badge
- RCA
- Sharp USA
- TCL USA
- Haier (until 2017)
- Philips USA
SAPHI
- Philips (since 2019)
Tizen OS
- Samsung
webOS
- LG
Convert TV to Smart TV
Although it is quite unlikely that you still have a conventional TV because since 2010 almost everything that is sold is Smart TV, the truth is that it is possible to turn any model into smart with the only requirement that it has an HDMI port. This is also interesting to continue using a SmartTV purchased in 2011 or 2012, since many applications are no longer compatible.
Luckily, there are many ways to convert an old one into Smart TV or take advantage of an outdated one:
HDMI stick or Set-top-box
The HDMI skewers are small devices that usually carry the Android operating system, although we also have them with Windows. These Android TV dongle can be obtained for just over 20 euros and allow us to have applications and even send content from the mobile screen.
In the case of Android set-top-boxes, these are usually relatively inexpensive and only need an HDMI port to work . Its wireless connection does the rest and gives us access to thousands of applications, both from the official Google store and third parties. The Xiaomi Mi Box is one of the most prominent.
Fire TV
Although the Amazon Fire TV Stick could fit perfectly into the previous category, the truth is that it deserves special mention. The Internet giant has set up an interesting ecosystem based on Android that allows us to have applications and access Amazon services in a simple way. Its devices start at 39.99 euros and include a voice control command. We can make the leap to 4K versions and even sound bars.
Chromecast
The quintessential device we should all have, even if we own a modern Smart TV. The possibilities of this Google device are endless, being able to send the content of dozens of compatible applications from your mobile or PC. In addition, we can also use it to play the latest market titles thanks to Stadia. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets and Windows and Mac OS X computers.
Apple TV
And from the Amazon and Google ecosystem, we reach Apple‘s . The signature of the bitten apple has a small desktop device, the Apple TV , which connects through the TV’s HDMI port. This gives us access to a world of connected applications and services, in addition to being the perfect pair of an iPhone or a macOS by the AirPlay function (although it is also reaching Samsung or LG TVs).
Game consoles
All the latest generation consoles, such as PS4 or Xbox One , are complete multimedia centers for viewing content and enjoying familiar applications. If we have a console, we already have a Smart TV and we should not complicate more buying other devices.
Kodi
Kodi, formerly known as XBMC , is a complete media player that works on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Android, iOS devices or even on a Raspberry Pi. Its potential lies in the addons that give it special features, which is why many consider it the best Smart TV in the world.
Smart TV purchase guide: everything you need to know
If we have decided to buy a Smart TV, there are several things that we must be clear before launching into the adventure. One tip, do not go directly to a store without information or be captivated by the seller or how the television looks there.
Panel type
The cheaper Smart TV models usually have LCD panels with different technologies, but the more expensive models are committed to technologies such as OLED or QLED with purer blacks and more realistic colors, in addition to other improvements. Depending on the lighting, they can be Edge LED, Direct LED or Full Array Local Diming (from “worse” to “better”).
Resolution
4K or UHD is almost a standard, it is quite difficult to find televisions that are Full HD or HD. For that reason, 4K should be the objective, leaving 8K high-end models for a few years.
HDR
High Dynamic Range or HDR is the technology that makes the color representation much more realistic, as long as the content we are playing on the screen has that information. Therefore, our new television must have this technology. Be careful because there are several standards such as HDR10 and HDR10 +, Dolby Vision or Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG).
Connectivity
Beyond having an antenna or USB connection to connect a hard disk for Smart TV , it is important that we look at the version of the HDMI ports. Then we must also buy HDMI cables to get the most out of them. The most current standard is HDMI 2.1.
OS
Above we have seen which are the main ones. Deciding between Tizen, WebOS or Android TV will mark the applications and services that we can use.
Size or diagonal
The higher the resolution, the smaller the distance at which we should see the screen before beginning to distinguish individual pixels. The following graphic is perfect to know the size of a Full HD or 4K TV depending on the distance .
DVB-T2 or TDT2
DTT is getting less and less due to the rise of streaming and pay-TV, but we want to be prepared for the future. Therefore, we will verify that the Smart TV is compatible with the DVB-T2 standard.
Price
It is difficult to talk about a price since the range, size and punctual offers will mark everything. Just in case, we leave you this collection of best Smart TV for its value for money .
How to take advantage of your new TV
When we have our new Smart TV at home, it’s time to get the most out of it. First of all, these are the basic settings to be changed on a Smart TV related to the Internet connection, the order of the channels, settings and screen modes or deactivation of functions that we do not need such as energy saving mode or reduction noise.
In the case of the Internet connection, it is important to determine if we use Ethernet or WiFi network cable . To do this, you have to look at the type of network card that Smart TV has installed to see if it supports or not wired connections of more than 100 Mbps. However, the wired connection is recommended in almost all situations because of its stability.
Without a doubt, the sound of a Smart TV can be improved . Beyond buying sound bars , which is recommended, there are different settings to make the most of the limited speakers of this type of devices. In addition to sound bars, there are other essential accessories for Smart TV .
Finally, we recommend you to know the best IPTV applications of Smart TV to watch Internet TV . This is the future of television with permission from streaming platforms such as Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video and other similar OTTs.