# Please help me choose a Smart TV **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537 "2014-12-30T14:56:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/1 "2014-12-30T14:56:21Z")
I am not much of a TV watcher, but I finally broke down and gave away my old tube sets (surprisingly, I put them on craigslist for free and people actually wanted them!). I am having trouble choosing a new set now and there is shockingly little information out there to help me. Even the salespeople have no idea what any of the features actually are or how various models differ. I thought I had it narrowed down to a Samsung and pulled the trigger, but I despise this set (it is very slow, the remote is erratic/unresponsive, and it frequently will not do things it should, freezing or delivering cryptic messages like “try again later”) and it’s going back as soon as I pick a different one. Here are my parameters: 55 inch screen Picture quality not especially important. I really dislike the surreal look of the UHD models, although this is apparently supposed to be a plus. I use only internet, no cable or antenna, so it must have apps for Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. I know I can use a Roku, Chromecast, Fire, or computer with any TV, but I want watching TV to be as little hassle as possible. No extra remotes, cords, button presses, delays, objects that need dusting, etc., so I want the smartest smart TV. My budget is around $1000. If anyone has a brand/model to recommend, I’d love to know! ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/2 "2014-12-30T15:27:26Z")
I have nothing to compare it to but we got a Samsung 55 inch and I’ve used it some via the internet. We eventually got a smaller Samsung to use without cable in the basement. Since we use the smart feature infrequently there always seems to be some setup, software upgrades and/or confirmation of accounts required every time I turn it on. Depending on the feature (Youtube and HBO GO are our main uses), things like browsing and fast forward can be annoyingly not like what I’m used to with cable. Otherwise I’m happy with both sets. We like the picture, never noticed the remote being ‘slow’ other than the usual wireless internet kind of slow and jerky. There’s a jillion apps available (Netflix and Hulu of course), few of which I’ve used. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/3 "2014-12-30T15:54:13Z")
The remote often fails to register a button push, but there is such a lag when it does respond that every button push requires a wait to see whether it will or the risk of a double and the wait of backing up. It is too frustrating and tedious for an entertainment device. It could just be this model though, as most of the Samsungs seem to have a quad-core processor and this one does not. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/4 "2014-12-30T16:35:03Z")
I’ve got a small screen Samsung for the bedroom and both the picture and the smart interface are really good (and with quad-core they are getting better and faster). I’m looking at a bigger 55 inch 4k set soon and Samsung are going to be first on my list. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/5 "2014-12-30T19:09:25Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > The remote often fails to register a button push, but there is such a lag when it does respond that every button push requires a wait to see whether it will or the risk of a double and the wait of backing up. It is too frustrating and tedious for an entertainment device. It could just be this model though, as most of the Samsungs seem to have a quad-core processor and this one does not. If I had the opportunity to repurchase my last tv all over again, I’d search for the same model with all of the ‘smart’ apps ripped out of it. They’re a pain in the ass to use. I figure it this way; If you have to write an app and keep it updated; where are you going to focus your attention? On the ROKU or a tv app that is probably written differently for every major brand. My ROKU apps are tons better, easier to use, faster, etc. etc. than the junky crap they include in my Sony tv. The ROKU remote is very basic, but works very well. Each device does what it does well. Let a tv be for displaying video; and I’ll use other means to provide the content to the TV besides the TV itself. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/6 "2014-12-30T19:32:24Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > If I had the opportunity to repurchase my last tv all over again, I’d search for the same model with all of the ‘smart’ apps ripped out of it. They’re a pain in the ass to use. I figure it this way; If you have to write an app and keep it updated; where are you going to focus your attention? On the ROKU or a tv app that is probably written differently for every major brand. My ROKU apps are tons better, easier to use, faster, etc. etc. than the junky crap they include in my Sony tv. The ROKU remote is very basic, but works very well. > > Each device does what it does well. Let a tv be for displaying video; and I’ll use other means to provide the content to the TV besides the TV itself. Well I agree for the most part, but it isn’t as if one person has to single-handedly keep all the apps current for every platform and Sony and Samsung keep ending up at the bottom of their to-do list. Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are very big, as are Sony, Samsung, etc., plus I’m told ROKU uses its own programming language, so I don’t see why it would be kept up to date and functional any better. The built-in apps are a pain in the ass because no one has bothered to make them not be, but is that true of all the television brands? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/7 "2014-12-30T19:46:54Z")
If you’re looking for recommendations of a particular TV with smart apps, it’s going to be difficult. TV manufacturers come out dozens of new models each year, all with different features. And they will have no vested interest in updating the smart TV apps on your TV when it’s a year or two old, they have moved onto other models by then. Roku is in the business of doing Roku, they only have a few models and in my ~5 years of experience they keep the apps working and the interfaces for the various video services are all good if not great. Fast, with no interface lag. A Roku box is about as big as 4 decks of cards and the remote is small, has few buttons, and is easy to use. You can even get a Roku Stick, it is a tiny stick that plugs into the HDMI port of your TV, although it may require power from a USB port on your TV. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/8 "2014-12-30T20:13:03Z")
So no manufacturers are making smart TVs that function as advertised, at any price? I guess that’s possible, but I hope it is not the case. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/9 "2014-12-30T20:41:06Z")
I would start learning by reading some articles like this one: [TechRadar | The source for tech buying advice](http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/6-best-smart-tv-platforms-in-the-world-today-1120795) And read customer reviews, you can learn a lot about the best and worst features of TVs from reviews: [Amazon.com: TV Educational Buying Guide: Electronics](http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=7767578011) LG seems to be a favorite. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/10 "2014-12-30T21:36:18Z")
Is your new set hardwired or wireless? Some of your issues sound like it could be a weak wireless signal. Obviously that doesn’t help with the remote, though. I’d check out Consumer Reports and CNET and see if they have reviews. That said, I’ve also heard that the smart tvs aren’t that great and you’re better off with a separate device. I have a Roku and a couple blu-ray players with the apps you want and they really aren’t that much of a hassle. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/11 "2014-12-30T21:59:55Z")
It is a somewhat sketchy internet connection with no possibility of improvement any time soon, but the problems I am blaming on the TV are apps crashing, the TV freezing and accepting no input from the remote, having to attempt to do basic stuff like deleting apps multiple times before it takes and the app goes away, etc. so I don’t think it’s the connection. Stuff like taking a long time to load my selections I blame on the spotty internet service, but communication between the TV and its own remote should be consistent. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/12 "2014-12-31T03:04:27Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > If I had the opportunity to repurchase my last tv all over again, I’d search for the same model with all of the ‘smart’ apps ripped out of it. They’re a pain in the ass to use. I figure it this way; If you have to write an app and keep it updated; where are you going to focus your attention? On the ROKU or a tv app that is probably written differently for every major brand. My ROKU apps are tons better, easier to use, faster, etc. etc. than the junky crap they include in my Sony tv. The ROKU remote is very basic, but works very well. > > Each device does what it does well. Let a tv be for displaying video; and I’ll use other means to provide the content to the TV besides the TV itself. We had a “smart” samsung 2 years ago and took it back. It was dumb as a box of rocks. You couldn’t pair it to a wireless keyboard, everything had to be entered with one of those stupid on screen keyboards. Bleh! Maybe they are better now? ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/13 "2014-12-31T12:46:09Z")
Mine isn’t, but maybe other models are. Unfortunately there seems to be no way to know. The store employees tell blatant lies about them and there seems to be no up to date source of reviews that compare them. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-choose-a-smart-tv/708537/14 "2014-12-31T13:17:22Z")
I have a 55" Samsung UHDTV (the curved one) and its web apps are pretty good. I’ve used ROKU and Xbox One recently as well and although I think the ROKU remote is best I still let it go over to my girlfriends and use the smart features on the tv myself. Samsung is providing software updates, but if the stop I’d just go back to a ROKU. BTW, only paid $1279 for the TV thru Costco and the 4K is great when you use NetFlix content.