What’s So Smart About A Smart TV?

Despite a rocky start, smart devices are here to stay. Smart phones have taken over the world and forced every other gadget to get smart with them. These so-called smart devices claim to enhance our lives and boost our productivity, but how exactly can a TV be smart? What does a smart TV bring to the table, and can it enhance your life?

Unlike LCD TV’s of yesteryear, a smart TV has network connectivity. This gives them access to YouTube, Netflix and even Facebook. This alone is a convenience, saving you space in your loungeroom from bulky physical media like DVDs. Samsung smart TV’s are the cream of the crop and have been steadily pushing the envelope for smart TVs.

It’s all connected.

Like a Samsung smart tv, all smart TV’s will allow you to connect to your home network. Internet connectivity means regular updates for your TV and the ability to access media streaming sites. Some smart TVs even have an ethernet cable for higher speed access.

A Samsung smart TV like this one from Harvey Norman has not only all the connectivity you need for high speed streaming, but a handy way to physically connect your TV to power, games consoles etc. This “One Connect” box offered on select Samsung smart TV’s can really save you the hassle of messy wires.

Go apps?

The range of apps available on your smart TV depends on the model you purchase. Some cheaper smart TV’s will have a limited selection off apps with no way to add more. These apps are usually the common streaming sites such as Netflix, YouTube and Stan.

More advanced smart TV will carry a larger host of apps and some can even download additional apps from the impressive Android app store. Keep in mind that apps are usually specifically designed for your TV set so the whole range of apps may not be available.

Freebies

Smart TV’s aren’t just for the apps, they also enhance free to air TV. Due to the ‘smart’ capabilities of smart TV, free to air TV can be viewed in higher resolutions, with some stations streaming in full high definition. The humble TV guide has gotten smart too, with it now available at the press of a button. The program guide on a smart TV is up to date, accurate and highly detailed.

Most free to air channels offer an app or website specifically for smart TV’s. ABC’s iView or SBS’s on demand are fantastic for those who want to catch up on their favourite free to air TV shows. Free to air TV now has several digital radio stations that can be picked up by your smart TV.

Being able to watch your favourite program whenever you want is a huge benefit to any smart TV, and means you don’t have to organise your plans around your favourite TV shows!

Setup

Setting up a new smart TV is surprisingly easy. It Is basically no different to setting up any other new TV, except that you need to connect to the internet. Connect to your Wi-Fi (or use an ethernet cable), and then simply follow all of the manufacturers instructions that appear on the screen. The television will automatically find all available free to air channels and showcase all of the popular streaming sources without you needing to do anything. YouTube on demand on your television without any effort on your behalf.

If you want to use Netflix, Stan, or Amazon streaming then you will need to log in to those services on your television. This isn’t hard. Just make sure you have your login details – your username and password, and just use the remote control to enter those details, and off you go.

Television technology has come a long way, with resolutions and refresh rates increasing steadily. A Quick look at the extensive range of TV’s with smart technology at Harvey Norman’s website gives you an idea of how ubiquitous smart TVs have become. If you are looking for a recommendation for your next TV, Samsung’s smart TV’s are constantly at the forefront of innovation and usually sport the sharpest, richest screens. Or perhaps you just want something to watch Netflix on, a small Hisense Tv should perform admirably.

Smart technology can enhance your life if you let it, even if you are resistant to change. Smart phones have changed the way we communicate and essentially reshaped the modern world. A smart TV can give you access to millions of TV shows and movies without having to leave your living room, all while being thin, light and energy efficient. That seems pretty smart to me.