Wouldn’t it be great to have a smart TV? Well, not really. If you do have a smart TV, you’d be better off combining it with a cheap set-top box rather than actually using its smart features.
Smart TVs are actually a decent idea. The problem isn’t that the idea of a smart TV is stupid, the problem is that the smart TVs themselves are stupid — or, at least, not very smart.
Smart TVs in Theory
A smart TV may also be referred to as a “connected TV.” Essentially, it’s a TV that’s connected to the Internet. It has built-in apps to take advantage of this — for example, a smart TV would likely have apps for playing videos from Netflix and YouTube. Smart TVs generally also have other built-in apps — a web browser, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Angry Birds, and so on.
In theory, having a smart TV would be great. The TV would have a network connection and be able to connect to the Internet to play videos from sources like Netflix and YouTube without needing a separate box. You get a web browser and everything else you’d want to use. It’s all integrated into the TV, saving you money and eliminating the clutter of additional boxes and cables.
The Problem With Smart TVs
In practice, smart TVs just aren’t that great. Smart TVs have software made by TV manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, LG. Their software is generally not very good. Smart TVs usually have confusing, often baffling interfaces. Controlling the smart TV’s features will generally involve using a remote, probably using on-screen buttons on the the TV. The menu interfaces usually feel old.
But don’t take our word for it. A report from NPD last year indicated that only 10% of smart TV owners has used the web browser on their smart TV and about 15% had listened to music from online services. The majority of them had used video apps, however — for example, to watch Netflix on their TV without plugging in additional boxes.
Smart TVs will become dumber over time as they don’t receive updates. New video services won’t work on old TVs, and their operating systems may never receive updates from the manufacturer. Some smart TVs may already lack services you’d want to use. For example, Amazon notes that “Amazon Instant Video is available on select 2012 and 2013 LG Smart TVs.” Not all of them, in other words — just some of them. You’d have to do your research before buying a smart TV to get the services you want.
Even if you choose a smart TV with all the services you want, you’ll likely have a bad interface for them and may never get updates for existing services or new services.
Every TV is a Smart TV, But…
You may want to keep a TV for 5-10 years, but there’s a good chance the smart TV’s software won’t be working too well by then. You may need to upgrade the smart bits in 2-3 years. This is good for manufacturers, but bad for TV buyers.
Manufacturers want every TV to be a smart TV. In an ideal world, smart TVs wouldn’t really exist — or, at least, they’d have much better interfaces and be more easily upgradable.
Rather than getting a smart TV, you should buy a dumb TV or buy a smart TV and ignore the smart parts. Once you have, you should connect a separate set-top-box to it. This set-top box will supply better “smarts.”
Dedicated boxes have a variety of advantages: They’re made by companies who actually care about the software user experience, they’ll receive updates, and they’re cheap at $99 or less. If you’re not happy with your smart TV software in two years, you can buy inexpensive box and swap it out instead of replacing your entire smart TV.
Set-Top Box Options
There are a variety of set-top box options. They’ll have more polished interfaces and good mobile apps so you can control them from your smartphone or tablet. They’ll also generally have more streaming services available and will receive updates for much longer.
Roku: Roku’s boxes are probably the most complete solution for typical TV users, starting at $50 and offering over 450 “channels” of video and music services you can stream directly to your TV. Roku includes a remote and offers a remote app for iPhone and Android so you can control your TV from your phone. You’ll be much happier with a Roku than you will be fighting with your smart TV’s clunky, old interface.
Apple TV: Apple offers its Apple TV box for $99. It allows you to play content from iTunes as well as from other popular services like Netflix, HBO Go, and Hulu Plus on your TV. It’s most compelling feature is AirPlay — if you already have a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, you can use AirPlay to stream content from your device’s screen to your TV wirelessly. This is the ideal device for people who already own Apple devices or want access to iTunes content on their TV.
Chromecast: Google’s Chromecast is new, but it’s very cheap and has a lot of potential. For just $35, you get a little stick you can plug into your TV’s HDMI port. You can then stream content from Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Google Play Movies and Music, Pandora, and any Chrome browser tab directly to your TV. More services are being added over time. You control the Chromecast with an app on your existing Android smartphone or tablet, iPhone, or iPad. Available services are currently a bit limited here, but the experience will be nicer than using smart TV software.
Game consoles can also offer you access to video-streaming services and built-in web browsers. If you already have a game console you use, you’re better off using your game console rather than the software integrated into your smart TV.
In summary, forget all your fantasies about smart TVs. They’re just not very good — even if you have a smart TV, you’re better off picking up a cheap streaming box and using it instead of your smart TV’s software. You’ll also be way better off in a few years when that box is still getting updates while your old TV is forgotten by its manufacturer. Even if the box becomes outdated as fast as the TV, it’s much cheaper to replace the box than the entire TV set.
Image Credit: Sinchen Lin on Flickr, ETC@USC on Flickr, Joe C on Flickr, Keith Williamson on Flickr, Michael Sheehan on Flickr