I need TV assistance!
September 10, 2020 8:16 PM Subscribe
We're in the market for a new TV, and I need help knowing what to think about.
I don't need TV brand/model recommendations themselves, as such; I need information about how smart TV's work.
Our current setup is TV/cable box/Roku. The TV we have is a semi-smart TV, about 8 years old, with some rudimentary apps on it. We were told at the time we bought that TV that it was better to keep the Roku and use it for netflix/hulu etc, because the apps streaming on the TV wouldn't be as robust, which some exploration revealed that they were most certainly not. So we hooked up the Roku and it's been perfect.
TV tech has obviously come a long way since then; what we were thinking of doing is moving the current TV/Roku into the bedroom, and setting up the new TV with the cable box in the main room (keeping the cable box is non-negotiable; we're not cord cutting). My questions:
- is my assumption that app technology on smart TV's is a lot better now than in 2012/13 a correct one?
- Are smart TV...channel stores or app stores or whatever they're called as robust as Roku's, or are they more limited/TV-brand dependent? I can get Netflix/Hulu/Youtube through my cable box (Xfinity X1) but we have a few other subscriptions, and often take advantage of free trials of other services, and I don't want to lose the ability to find services because I bought a brand of TV that doesn't have an agreement with the streaming service I want.
- What are the privacy ramifications of using a smart TV v. a Roku-type box - are they about equivalent, or is a smart TV more likely to harvest every little thing and turn it into ads? Is one worse than the other (assume I'm OK with some level of that sort of thing, having had a Roku all these years - I just don't want to surrender more info than I have to)?
- Are there downsides I'm not thinking of when pondering using smart TV functionality vs. sticking with a Roku?
I don't need TV brand/model recommendations themselves, as such; I need information about how smart TV's work.
Our current setup is TV/cable box/Roku. The TV we have is a semi-smart TV, about 8 years old, with some rudimentary apps on it. We were told at the time we bought that TV that it was better to keep the Roku and use it for netflix/hulu etc, because the apps streaming on the TV wouldn't be as robust, which some exploration revealed that they were most certainly not. So we hooked up the Roku and it's been perfect.
TV tech has obviously come a long way since then; what we were thinking of doing is moving the current TV/Roku into the bedroom, and setting up the new TV with the cable box in the main room (keeping the cable box is non-negotiable; we're not cord cutting). My questions:
- is my assumption that app technology on smart TV's is a lot better now than in 2012/13 a correct one?
- Are smart TV...channel stores or app stores or whatever they're called as robust as Roku's, or are they more limited/TV-brand dependent? I can get Netflix/Hulu/Youtube through my cable box (Xfinity X1) but we have a few other subscriptions, and often take advantage of free trials of other services, and I don't want to lose the ability to find services because I bought a brand of TV that doesn't have an agreement with the streaming service I want.
- What are the privacy ramifications of using a smart TV v. a Roku-type box - are they about equivalent, or is a smart TV more likely to harvest every little thing and turn it into ads? Is one worse than the other (assume I'm OK with some level of that sort of thing, having had a Roku all these years - I just don't want to surrender more info than I have to)?
- Are there downsides I'm not thinking of when pondering using smart TV functionality vs. sticking with a Roku?
I don’t trust smart TVs. I turn off the WiFi on them, and use an Apple TV connected with an HDMI cable.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:12 PM on September 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 9:12 PM on September 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
Best answer: My main room TV with built-in Roku functionality is relatively new, and handles very similarly to my older-TV-plus-newer-external-Roku setup in the bedroom.
(As an aside, I tend to be the guy to help people in my friends circle set up their TVs and associated gadgets. First baseline advice for everyone: make sure a new TV has all the connectors you'll want, multiple HDMI, coax, S-video, audio in/out, whatever. The more, the merrier.)
posted by gimonca at 9:13 PM on September 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
(As an aside, I tend to be the guy to help people in my friends circle set up their TVs and associated gadgets. First baseline advice for everyone: make sure a new TV has all the connectors you'll want, multiple HDMI, coax, S-video, audio in/out, whatever. The more, the merrier.)
posted by gimonca at 9:13 PM on September 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It's true that today's TVs will have a better software experience than what you've seen with your old TV. However, it's also true that software moves quickly. It won't be long (a matter of a few years probably) until your TV's apps are out of date, too slow, or simply discontinued. Support is often vendor specific, and when it's not the TVs are usually underpowered and will be too outdated to run newer software. The apps and streaming functions will be useless long before the TV itself is - if you search around a bit you'll find several news announcements about streaming providers discontinuing service for older models after a bit of time.
I'd also say that you're right to be thinking about the privacy implications of any service you use. It's not as though your Roku isn't collecting and selling information about usage (it certainly is), but your TV would as well. Some smart TVs are starting to sell native ads based on that usage even. It's just another avenue for data collection and advertising.
Personal opinion - I'm with oceanjesse. Buy the TV for the TV functionality - disable its access to the network and never use the smart features. For streaming use your Roku (or a Fire stick, or an Apple TV, or whatever you like). This way you don't introduce another advertising/data collection venue, you get streaming hardware that's more likely to stay up to date over a longer time, and you can easily replace the hardware when it is eventually outdated without replacing a perfectly good TV.
posted by owls at 10:26 PM on September 10, 2020 [8 favorites]
I'd also say that you're right to be thinking about the privacy implications of any service you use. It's not as though your Roku isn't collecting and selling information about usage (it certainly is), but your TV would as well. Some smart TVs are starting to sell native ads based on that usage even. It's just another avenue for data collection and advertising.
Personal opinion - I'm with oceanjesse. Buy the TV for the TV functionality - disable its access to the network and never use the smart features. For streaming use your Roku (or a Fire stick, or an Apple TV, or whatever you like). This way you don't introduce another advertising/data collection venue, you get streaming hardware that's more likely to stay up to date over a longer time, and you can easily replace the hardware when it is eventually outdated without replacing a perfectly good TV.
posted by owls at 10:26 PM on September 10, 2020 [8 favorites]
I don’t trust smart TVs. I turn off the WiFi on them, and use an Odroid N2 running CoreELEC connected with an HDMI cable.
posted by flabdablet at 12:09 AM on September 11, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 12:09 AM on September 11, 2020 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Smart TVs should have all of the major streaming channels as Roku and you can always unplug your Roku and move it to your new TV if you want to watch something specific. What you'll miss is Roku's vast garden of semi-sketchy private channels. The big difference is that you WILL have access to HBOMax and Peacock*, which Roku still does not have. In recent months Roku has decided to play hardball with some of the streaming services so Roku customers are now pawns (similar to how cable/satellite customers occasionally suffer when Comcast decides to fight with CBS or whatever). I believe this also affects Roku TVs.
*Peacock is also not on all Samsung TVs
posted by acidic at 12:35 AM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
*Peacock is also not on all Samsung TVs
posted by acidic at 12:35 AM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
I have an LG from last year, and it’s replaced the need for any separate streaming devices. At this point it has every streaming service I need - Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, Hulu, Peacock - except HBO Max. You can easily log in to those via your Xfinity account. It has a “channel store” with loads of other channels, which I have not really explored. All of the apps work very well, no complaints. I don’t particularly care about the privacy question - I’m just watching TV here - and I don’t get served any ads anywhere except within the smart TV dashboard itself. Overall, I much prefer it to having to hook up more boxes, connect more wires, and use more remotes.
posted by schoolgirl report at 5:00 AM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by schoolgirl report at 5:00 AM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
I am adding a note here for people who might read this question later, rather than you, because I see from your profile you are in the US. I bought a Roku smart TV on metafilter's recommendation and only after discovered that almost none of the Canadian TV streaming services have Roku apps and streaming to Roku from android or Windows is surprisingly difficult. I use the roku part for Netflix and Spotify, but I had to hook up my chromecast for most local content.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:28 AM on September 11, 2020
posted by jacquilynne at 5:28 AM on September 11, 2020
A new tv is 95% going to be 4k / ultra hd. Your old roku is only 1080p, so you will want to upgrade the Roku to a 4k model, if the apps dont work for you on a smart tv.
TCL brand tvs, at least in the usa & canada are roku powered, so those should be fine for you app wise.
When a tv is new, the apps are usually fine, but they dont get maintained as long as roku/other streaming devices do.
Rtings i find good for reviews on tv picture quality, but they also touch on ads on the tv os, and sometimes apps.
The just released tcl r635 seems to be a good budget tv from reviews.
posted by TheAdamist at 5:55 AM on September 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
TCL brand tvs, at least in the usa & canada are roku powered, so those should be fine for you app wise.
When a tv is new, the apps are usually fine, but they dont get maintained as long as roku/other streaming devices do.
Rtings i find good for reviews on tv picture quality, but they also touch on ads on the tv os, and sometimes apps.
The just released tcl r635 seems to be a good budget tv from reviews.
posted by TheAdamist at 5:55 AM on September 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: gimonca - that's actually why we're getting a new TV. Our current one only has one HDMI port and, when I was looking for a new HDMI splitter to plug in to our current HDMI splitter, it struck me that spending a bit now for a new TV is probably a more streamlined way to go.
owls - that's kinda what I was suspecting about the longevity of smart TV services.
Thanks all!
posted by pdb at 7:00 AM on September 11, 2020
owls - that's kinda what I was suspecting about the longevity of smart TV services.
Thanks all!
posted by pdb at 7:00 AM on September 11, 2020
My Visio smart tv is almost 5 years old now, its smart tv apps are regularly updated, it supports netflix and has some free stuff that is pretty nice. I'm recommending it.
I have many Roku tvs (so cheap!!) and I have no issues with any of them. If you search around you can get one with a dedicated internet cat5 port, which is rare among more expensive tvs. Their feature sets, number of ports, etc are pretty amazing. I don't care that much about picture quality, the cheapies may be worse there. Netflix and AT&T TV, and Frontier Fios all look pretty good on them.
I have a stand-alone roku 2 device which is outdated and slow. I think it is 6 years old.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:41 AM on September 11, 2020
I have many Roku tvs (so cheap!!) and I have no issues with any of them. If you search around you can get one with a dedicated internet cat5 port, which is rare among more expensive tvs. Their feature sets, number of ports, etc are pretty amazing. I don't care that much about picture quality, the cheapies may be worse there. Netflix and AT&T TV, and Frontier Fios all look pretty good on them.
I have a stand-alone roku 2 device which is outdated and slow. I think it is 6 years old.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:41 AM on September 11, 2020
Also AT&T TV has a Roku app that is ok, but somehow HBO Max is not supported? Man that is weird.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:43 AM on September 11, 2020
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:43 AM on September 11, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Freedomboy at 8:57 PM on September 10, 2020