Smart TVs - opinions please

[ljcox]

Please tell me what you think of them.
I did an internet search & saw some negative comments .
Also, what bandwidth would be necessary?
I have ADSL & if I watch a programme on a catch up site, it is tedious as it stops & starts while downloading.
So I assume I would need a cable or radio internet connection.
Any assistance will be appreciated.

 

[Tony Stewart]

Kodi software with 1Channel addon (aka primewire)

It runs on ANY platform (iOS Linux, Android Win) and best bet may be a dedicated "Kodi box" ( $50~$200) depending on wifi or wired input> direct to TV.
There have been no fees, ads or commercials for last few years. It has way too many addons for any language, location, theme, but for Movies, TV, all I need is 1CH.

There are two sites. One for the main media player (kodi.tv) and one for addons only (hundreds) which is only 3rd party.
They have about 1 million users and dozens of links for each source. Unfortunately, you must learn which sources can stream adequately for your location, using right mouse select source and later prioritize them with a number other than all=100.

5Mb/s is adequate, although I have 30mB/s

Also, VLC.exe can stream links better than many players or browsers, for some reason> Open Network link> options> allows you to choose buffer size and it has all the codecs inbuilt.

Merry Xmas.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Please tell me what you think of them.
I did an internet search & saw some negative comments .
Also, what bandwidth would be necessary?
I have ADSL & if I watch a programme on a catch up site, it is tedious as it stops & starts while downloading.
So I assume I would need a cable or radio internet connection.
Any assistance will be appreciated.

They work perfectly well on ADSL, as long as you have enough speed - and you don't need a lot, but if it's really poor then it won't work acceptably.

If you have problems with freezing and buffering, then your speed must be abysmal.

Incidentally, Netflix works at crazy low speeds, as it drops quality until it works - I've seem it work with only a measured 200kbps on ADSL perfectly acceptably.

The BBC quote a minimum 2mbps for their iPlayer catch-up service.

 

[Tony Stewart]

If the video is throttled by WAN provider or source that's another issue, but most problems are in-house on your buffer settings, which adds delay to start stream. It can also be your router or others using it.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Freezing can be caused by any link or process on your PC even your AV security suite.
Comparing in safe mode is one way (albeit without sound) to compare.

As we're talking about SMART TV's, and NOT computers, your post is completely irrelevant

 

[Tony Stewart]

As we're talking about SMART TV's, and NOT computers, your post is completely irrelevant

thanks for your kind reminder

 

[tcmtech]

I have a 63" Vizio and it works pretty good! Does great on all of its built in online feeds but the plug and play USB media source capability isn't so hot. A lot of common audio and video formats wont play on it so I end up running a lot of my older non MP4 formatted downloaded movies and shows through a video format converter program first to get then into the accepted formats.

Over all for the price I give it a A-. Not super due to the USB media format limitations but far from junk either.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

I have a Android box add on with hardwired HS internet using StreamTeam box.
**broken link removed**
Has many Apps including Kodi, comes with a few of the popular sources loaded.
Max.

 

[canadaelk]

Smart TV....isn't that an oxymoron? E

 

[zahwi]

Smart TV....isn't that an oxymoron? E

It is. We have to add it to the long list of oxymoron.






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I don't use simulators of any kind, I'm happily married.