How exactly is the average smart TV OS remotely smart or even useful? The only smart TV that does not regularly fuck up is the ROKU TV.

3/27/2016 6:30:06 PM

I mean, built in Netflix, Youtube, etc apps are obviously useful.

3/27/2016 11:01:23 PM

Roku TV is not a TV

[Edited on March 27, 2016 at 11:32 PM. Reason : But yeah the software for most smart TVs sucks]

3/27/2016 11:31:02 PM

https://www.roku.com/roku-tv

3/28/2016 12:16:10 AM

I stand corrected.. their software is probably legit.

3/28/2016 12:22:21 AM

they are for old people in the "savvy enough to know what netflix is, too dumb to figure out how to use a second remote" group

3/28/2016 8:44:23 AM

I wanted a simple smart TV for my vacation rental. I had to throw the TVs the seller left here away because they were the old tube kind. My wife got a 55" Samsung and gave it to me at Christmas to put in here. The picture is great but we have had nothing but problems with the menu. Error messages come up when trying to add/delete apps, Pandora wont load and you have to power the TV off and back on, etc.

I said no more Samsung since our TV at home is a 2013 with the same problems with the menu freezing, apps don't work, lack of apps, etc. Ended up getting two of these Sharp Roku TVs on sale at Best Buy for the bedrooms and they work flawlessly. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sharp-50-class-49-7-diag--led-1080p-smart-hdtv-roku-tv-black/2821014.p?id=1219562539637 Have not had any problems with them and there are way more apps. Tons of free content too and its organized nicely. You can easily label the HDMI inputs in the home screen which makes it easy to operate as well.



Added benefit is there is a ROKU app for Charter Cable that eliminates the need for a cable box!! Not all channels are in HD yet, but with it being a condo running coax to the guest bedroom would be a PITA. I found out later that TWC has an even better ROKU app which allowed me to not need any cable boxes in Raleigh either besides the main DVR.

I am seriouslly considering throwing the Samsung on Craigslists and getting this one just so my renters do not have any problems with the TV. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-55-class-54-6-diag--led-1080p-smart-hdtv-roku-tv-black/4529100.p?id=1219764139514&skuId=4529100 It is OOS everywhere as is the comparable insignia model that looks to be the same housing and design as the Sharp TVs.

I guess my whole complaint is how long it has taken for any front runner to emerge in Smart TV operating systems. One would think by now manufacturers would realize that on any electronic thing, them trying to make their own software results in complete shit. Shit that they are not going to update as time goes by. My fucking Samsung TV in Raleigh has an error message on it every couple of weeks now that some obscure app is being discontinued that I have never heard of and somehow they are still using that same system for new TVs. ???

3/28/2016 10:35:29 AM

just get the stick and keep the tv.

3/31/2016 3:43:27 PM

drug talk ITT

3/31/2016 3:44:45 PM

Quote :

"just get the stick and keep the tv."

It only has Two HDMI.

3/31/2016 4:49:31 PM

Buy something like this off ebay for $5 and add more HDMI ports.

3/31/2016 5:08:09 PM

The smart OS on my LG is kind of a PITA to use, but it rarely crashes or freaks out. Then again, I don't use the functionality every day. For me it falls into the "good enough" category that it's not worth spending another $50-$150 on a Roku/Apple TV/whatnot.

4/1/2016 12:38:52 AM

what are you using the two HDMI ports for?

4/1/2016 10:52:51 AM

My Roku 3 works really well but the stick definitely has issues from time to time and has to be reset because it gets super slow or freezes up. When it works it works great but the freezing seems to happen at the worst times.

4/1/2016 11:43:41 AM

I have the Roku Stick on the TV in my office and it definitely requires a lot of rebooting (due to freeze & lag). It is fine for me, but I would not put it in a rental property and expect some old people to figure it out. It does the job of running the TWC app and getting me out of paying for a cable box and running coax cable.

4/4/2016 11:00:03 AM

anecdotal but i haven't had any problems with our firestick except it seems a little slow switching in and out of apps... no freezes/reboots needed that i remember. it does need more hz/ram though

4/4/2016 10:37:09 PM

My LG smart tv was sending txt files to a random IP in the middle of the night with the names of all the files on any drive plugged into it or any network drive shared with it....

4/5/2016 8:34:15 AM

^ what?

how did you figure that out?

4/5/2016 9:14:34 AM

Wasn't there some other security problem with the webcam enabled Samsung TVs? Like people were hacking them and monitoring your living room or bedroom remotely?!?!?

Just further proof these companies do not need to be developing their own operating systems.

4/5/2016 10:18:42 AM

Either I use my XBox on my living room TV or Chromecasts throughout the rest of the house...I've never been impressed by any 'Smart TV's OS.

4/5/2016 4:01:50 PM

I have a Chromecast, Roku and Vizio Smart TV. I actually use the Vizio app for Plex quite a bit. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't always understand the aspect ratio of certain files, so while the file is 16:9, it will act like it is a movie and letterbox it. In those cases I just switch it to the HDMI connected to my PC and run it directly with Plex.

4/12/2016 9:06:28 PM

^5 I want to know more about this...

4/13/2016 12:13:08 AM

He's Smath74's roommate.

4/13/2016 10:59:24 AM

I got my Fire Stick for $20 and it's been almost flawless aside from only being able to output at 60hz (I think most devices only do 60 anyway).

4/14/2016 11:44:19 AM

^ ditto

4/14/2016 12:02:15 PM

I did notice that if it's been running for a few weeks straight it may start to slow down. If you power it from the TV though then it turns off every time the TV does and eliminates that issue.

4/14/2016 12:07:34 PM

The new Vizio TVs seem to have the right approach with just building in Chromecast as their "Smart TV" solution. They even come with a 6" Android tablet to use as a remote.

4/17/2016 9:59:41 AM

Now it has gotten to where none of the apps work at all, it says it is installing a smart hub update...that never finishes installing.

5/10/2016 11:39:51 PM

My Vizio doesn't have a web browser app, but all the Netflix, Youtube, Plex, Pandora etc stuff works great. No issues.

5/11/2016 11:07:58 AM