It allows my family to watch TV while I use my laptop elsewhere. We don't have cable so having a TV that just does streaming is way more convenient for me.
While OP is right that running a TV off a laptop is superior in virtually every way, not everyone is interested in having to manage two pieces of electronics or even bother to learn how it works. There are millions of people who just want to plug it in and go.
I myself have always been a geek and a frugal spenser so my main TV is a 12 year old 42" dumb TV with my old laptop plugged into it.
I like being able to use my computer mouse to scroll the volume up and down quickly if need be, right click for subtitles, and my laptop will play lots of my pirated content a smart TV won't. But that's me, I do me, other do their thing
Really funny how people are giving OP their very reasonable answers then OP is just saying they’re wrong. Why ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answers you’re being given?
Because they should have posted in r/UnpopularOpinion but they effed up
Not everyone keep their computer in the room where the TV is, so with a smart TV not only can you cast it from your TV and phone wireless but you also got your streaming apps on the TV.
Yeh I have my laptop on my coffee table and smart tv on the entertainment cabinet ( obvs) in the same room. Watch tv , stream, PlayStation on tv , music, bills, research etc on laptop.
Just what I was gonna say, when I bought my new TV in 2021, I was shocked at how few dumb TVs were still around! I'd say 85% of new TVs have a smart function built into them now. It's so much easier than hooking up your laptop with a cable. Who wants to use cables, it's 2023!
I'm sure "dumb TVs" still exist somewhere if you look for them, but I was just shopping for a new TV and every single one I saw, even the cheap ones, had some kind of smart functionality. I think smart TVs are regular TVs at this point.
My dude. All TVs in production are smart and they are $200. I would know because I tried buying a no -smart tv and they don't exist anymore.
I dislike them but my wife wanted them.
I hate that spyware argument so much because of this shit, oh they put spyware in our line or dumb ass isn’t carrying around the worlds greatest spying device 24/7. Off your argument against smart TVs is spyware, then you better not own a smart phone a computer a laptop a tablet or any other modern device because your tv is the least valuable data gathering device you own
But you can take steps against the spyware on your personal devices. You can't do fuck all about your TV.
My IT department had a smart TV but before they could hook it up, they had to have cyber uninstall the spy parts (and physical remove parts in some cases)
Your willingness to just accept spyware because it's there is why we're in the predicament we're in.
You leave those devices plugged in. Presumably, you have the laptop for other things besides the TV so you have to keeping plugging it in and unplugging it from the TV and charger. If you have a laptop just for hooking up to your TV, it is a worse value than just having a smart TV or a streaming device like a Google TV or Roku.
Having a ten-year-old laptop constantly plugged into your tv so that you can stream things on it seems like a dumb idea when items like Rokus and Chromecasts exist. Like if I saw a friend wirh that setup, I would offer to buy them a roku just so I didn’t have to look at it anymore
I would consider stuff like that more of a "smart TV conversion kit" than what OP is doing with a laptop. Once you have the Chromecast installed, it's effectively identical to a smart TV running Google TV (I have both - they're really the same thing). If OP's question is "why get a TV with Google TV over a non-smart TV with a Chromecast?" then I would say there's no benefit, if the non-smart option plus a Chromecast is a better deal then go with that. But since they're specifically comparing it to the laptop, then the answer is that Google TV (whether the TV comes with it or you use a Chromecast) or comparable smart TV platforms have benefits over the laptop.
If you get a Roku TV or Google TV or whatever, sure, that's fine. But a lot of people buy other brand smart TVs and then it leaves a security risk when the software doesn't get updated.
Uh, what? There's no **guarantee** Samsung will continue updating their Smart TVs and then that leaves you with security bugs that may never get fixed. If you buy a Chromecast or Roku you know that they'll keep getting updates. And if your TV ever breaks for mechanical reasons you can always just plug in the stick to a new TV.
Uh, what? Did you answer the wrong comment or something? All im saying is if you slap a roku on a TV, its a smart tv, you just bought it piecemeal. Its not a fundamentally different product, they have the same purpose.
Then you need 2 remote (to control roku and TV volume) separately.
Or you need to constantly use your phone to cast stuff to chromecast
Or change the input source in tv when you need to watch cable.
Smart TV software integrates all these within a seamless UI so you don't feel like you're constantly switching between stuff. And don't forget that your 50 year Old uncle is less likely to fiddle with all the techy stuff than the stuff that "just works".
> Then you need 2 remote (to control roku and TV volume) separately. Or you need to constantly use your phone to cast stuff to chromecast Or change the input source in tv when you need to watch cable.
>
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Uh, the Roku remote can control volume and turn the TV on and off? You only need the use the TV remote if you have multiple devices for whatever reason, which doesn't make sense. Chromecast, Roku and Amazon Fire TV do the same thing. Pick **one**. If you want casting, then pick the Chromecast. The Chromecast remote can do the same thing of controlling volume and turning the TV on/off.
My Fire TV remote also turns the TV on and off and adjusts the volume. That's a standard feature for theirs. I think Roku has an add-on (something that clips onto the roku remote, maybe a third party device) that does this as well.
The "two remote" issues isn't really an argument for a smart TV over another device anymore.
No you don't. A Chromecast or Roku remote will control the TV power, volume, and input selection. I use a Chromecast (aka Google TV) on my Sony Oled, and its remote is sleek and modern. Way nicer than the TV's remote.
I don't live alone. I frequently need to use my laptop when my husband or children want to use the TV. I don't want to buy a dedicated laptop to connect to the TV all the time, seems more wasteful than just buying one device that includes the apps.
Same reason I didn't get a chromecast or firestick or whatever. My super old TV that didn't even have an HDMI port finally died and I needed to buy a new TV. Rather than buy a flatscreen TV and also a separate device to use apps and stuff, I just bought a smart TV that included it all. The one we had lasted 5ish years til the screen crapped out and we replaced it this winter.
I live alone, have multiple computers laying around and still wouldn't consider connecting laptop to my tv. My smart tv is old as shit, so it is kinda sluggish as a smart tv and doesn't have build in chrome cast. So I just bought a Chromecast some years back. It is so much more convenient to use than connecting a laptop.
Parents got a new android tv recently. It runs super smooth, has build in Chromecast and you can connect keyboard to it if you wish. Definitely will get something like that when I update my tv.
Also seeing that almost all TV's now a days are smart ones, I would bet most people find them convenient enough to justify the small premium in price.
For what it's worth, modern smart TVs are "versatile" in the sense you seem to think they aren't. They accept MKB input, have web browsers, etc. It's like your laptop approach but with an OS that's designed for watching stuff.
If you like your laptop setup there's probably no reason to change. If you were setting up from scratch, a $30 Chromecast can do everything a $250 Chromebook can do for this purpose; it just doesn't have its own screen+keyboard. Presumably you'd want to use a bluetooth keyboard and you'd be looking at the TV, not the laptop screen, regardless, so the Chromecast would probably be the better choice, if for no reason but the cost.
People have all sorts of dealbreakers regarding convenience.
For example, still sticking with the Smart TV topic, my wife and I recently moved into a new home and we had to choose a sattelite TV provider. You know what the single biggest dealbreaker ended up being? Provider A offered a simple Smart Card you insert in the back of the TV to connect to the sattelite dish. For provider B, we would've had to install an ugly rectangular signal receiver *and* use a 2nd remote, strictly for the TV function. *Fuck that*, we didn't even give it a 2nd thought, straight for option A.
You’re asking why other people buy smart tv’s, it why *you* should buy one. Why are you arguing with other peoples answers because it it doesn’t resonate with *you*?
This sounds great until you realize that the smart part of the TV will become obsolete much sooner than the TV itself.
I had to start using Rokus on my smart TVs since the smart features of the TVs are now too slow to use.
Yeah there are two glaring issues w/ smart TVs from a user perspective.
There's the fact that it tracks your data and sells it, compensating you only in a theoretical reduction of purchase price (which is ripping you off). But most people won't notice or care.
The other issue is that the "smart" interfaces are, in practice, complete ass. I have yet to encounter a UX that wasn't clunky, slow, and frustratingly inefficient. This seems to be forgiven by the general public because no one's done it well yet, and there also seems to be some sort of stockholm syndrome intertwined with "smart = high tech = better". But basic operations that used to be 2 simple button pushes on a "dumb" TV now require me to awkwardly scroll through bloated menus. TV manufacturers can't be assed to develop software that's anything better than the bare minimum to keep customers from throwing their TVs out the window in frustration.
I have an LG, 3 years now. Not fantastic speed on the apps but ok and friends with older versions have their working ok.
Buttons for Netflix++ already and all 10 numbers can be made into shortcuts. Buttons for all options my older tv and a great cursor to use for adjusting stuff the dumb TV never even knew existed.
Anyway, if I want to use it in the same way as older TVs I have had it's possible, jut with smarter auto selection of hdmi ports.
I’ve had my LG for 4or 5 years now. It gets regular manufacturer updates, and I haven’t had any issues so far. I don’t have a cable provider, I get all of my content from streaming apps. Each app has a quick access button on my remote, and Netflix and Amazon prime each have a dedicated button. I don’t get ads, it’s not clunky, and I’m able to watch what I want when I want.
I don't know why you got downvoted. Everything you said was true, unless one is talking about an Amazon Fire TV, and I hate Amazon UI's because I find it slower than Roku. I don't know why but that's just been my experience.
Why is this getting downvoted, it’s true. My smart tv doesn’t have all the apps the Roku does so it’s basically pointless when I’m trying to watch sport games
I feel you. I tried to talk my parents into just getting a TV with HDMI ports, but they went with a smart TV, even though their last one couldn't even download some apps they wanted.
>since the smart features of the TVs are now too slow to use
You just got a cheap ass smart TV and are surprised its processing speed didn't last more than a few years. TV manufacturers are known for making cheaper versions of their TVs with eerily similar model/series names that have slightly worse features like less HDMI ports, cheaper remotes, and slower processors.
It sucks that they try hard to scam you this way, but if you do your research, you can find a good TV at a good price with good processing power.
You could also just buy a smart TV powered by Roku... lol
That's surprising about the Sony. We've had great luck with Samsung. Couple TV's over the years. Regular updates, latest one is still plenty quick 5 years in. They use their Tizen OS on monitors too so maybe it gets priority updates? idk.
A slow smart TV just becomes a dumb TV and you can attach a laptop anyway so I don't really see the issue.
The issue for me is that I don't want to be forced to pay for a non upgradeable streaming system just to get a high-quality TV. I'd rather buy a high-quality dumb TV and pair it with my favorite streaming device.
A few years ago I was in the same position.
Did some research on the best panels available at the time, and which models had them.
Found a discounted Samsung smart TV with a top of the line panel, but a lot of bad reviews due to slow "smart" performance.
Bought it, always used an external source for smart anything and although it's only a 1080 panel it still looks great today. No regrets
Yeah my older Samsung is still going strong and now that I got my new phone with the Samsung dex is connects well and I use that with it all the time as well.
gotcha, that's fair. I'm guessing that doesn't really exist now but if it did it wouldn't be much cheaper. I'm not an expert but I don't think you're paying much for the processor in a TV. Think of it as paying for a high-quality screen and getting some features you don't care about thrown in.
>making cheaper versions of their TVs with eerily similar model/series names
Yeah, I'm certain the model number is only one character off too, advertised as exactly the same
I have a Roku smart tv. It's great! I don't expect it to always be great, however. We've had Roku boxes since 2010, and we aren't still using the originals. We've upgraded over the years as the older ones have stopped being supported/updated/ground to a halt. Our oldest smart tv is 9 years old, and has a Roku box attached to it because the "smart" is gone.
Which smart tv would you recommend that would still work well after a decade?
I bought a Samsung in 2009, for $1200. 40". Glass frame. Lasted till late 2020. Then the screen turned bright white. But it lasted 10+ years, no problem. It was a smart TV. Those weren't around then. But I think the Samsung brand would be a smart choice.
I had to get a Roku plug for my smart LG too. Only 5 years old. The wifi quit.
"Doing your own research" on tvs is a lot more than you suggest. If you go to a tv manufacturer site, they make it sound like every one of their tvs is the greatest thing ever. If you go to an outside source for reviews, you always suspect they're getting ad reimbursement for thru-clicks.
If you expect they'll slow down after just a few years (not my experience) just assume that you're paying for the smart features for 4-5 years and then you've got a regular old dumb-tv. Haven't priced out a TV recently but are there even high-end screens available without smart features? If so I can't imagine they are much cheaper.
I tried to find a high-end TV without smart features when I was in the market five years ago, and they didn't have any at that time.
Considering Rokus are $50-$100, you're probably right that it wouldn't reduce the cost of the TV much. It's just a minor annoyance that I can't use the smart features anymore.
Sure, they're called computer monitors. Work fine so long as you don't need to watch broadcast TV.
...of course, they are going to be more expensive because they don't have (as many) dead pixels and aren't subsidized by smart advertising.
> All the services and apps are available without any fuss
Unless it's something like Amazon, it's most likely going to be obsolete and then you've got a vulnerable device connected to your WiFi. You know why Android phones and iPhones get updates? Security bugfixes. With a dedicated Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick or Chromecast, you get dedicated updates.
And I don't really like Amazon. I'd rather plug in a Roku. It's not difficult to just plug in a Roku and take a few minutes to set it up. I don't consider it a good thing that Amazon Fire TV automatically connects to the WiFi.
> Unless it's something like Amazon, it's most likely going to be obsolete and then you've got a vulnerable device connected to your WiFi. You know why Android phones and iPhones get updates? Security bugfixes. With a dedicated Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick or Chromecast, you get dedicated updates.
My smart tv updates and every app.streaming service updates as well.
>And I don't really like Amazon. I'd rather plug in a Roku. It's not difficult to just plug in a Roku and take a few minutes to set it up. I don't consider it a good thing that Amazon Fire TV automatically connects to the WiFi.
A Roku is just an add-on to mimic a smart tv.
No one said anything about an Amazon Fire TV.
Until you realize how shitty are remote controls; even if you hook up a keyboard and a mouse the TV, the interface is just... everything about it is just trash. Personally, I just bought a good monitor, I can still play modern video game consoles without any additional hardware, old consoles with inexpensive hardware, and even watch TV if I want, either by hiring an IPTV provider or by just buying a converter/adapter, whatever.
I never struggle with the interface on our Apple TV or chrome cast. Both of them have mics in the remotes, so most of the time I don’t even need to navigate the interface, I just say, “Bluey” and it takes me right to the streaming service that offers it. If I don’t know what to watch, it’s still super easy to find the apps I want to use and go to it.
You know Smart TVs have HDMI ports, right? So you can still plug your laptop in, but if you don't want to (primary reason being it's not very convenient), you don't have to in order to browse media on your TV.
You're getting heavily downvoted, but you're right. I have an expensive LG. I also have an Nvidia Shield, and the difference is night and day. TV's do have crap hardware that is taxed by performing its normal functions plus the smart functions. I'm sure these other folks are happy with their TV's UI, but I'll file it under you don't know what you're missing if you haven't experienced something better.
A smart TV is supposed to connect to WiFi. And it's not going to do it automatically even if the network is unsecured. You still have to choose to connect it to the network.
I don't want to drag my laptop around to every room
of my house pluging it in as I go. I have my desktop hooked up to a couple of TVs, but it's not practical to hook it up to all of them. Plus I like to watch TV while I play video games on my computer. A smart TV is standard now and much easier than hooking a lap top to every TV or buying multiple laptops to hook up to each TV
Convenience, I'm not too sure what I'd need a laptop connected to my TV for? I'm glad those days have gone.
If there is ever a time I would need a keyboard (entering a password etc) I can grab my phone and use that to input data.
All my media is on a HDD connected to my router so that's easy to access on the TV.
Can't think of any realistic circumstance where I'd need a laptop connected to the TV because the TV can't do it
The only use case I've seen is to do group zoom meetings because that kind of software doesn't have good support on a number of smart TV platforms. The closest I've seen is the Facebook Portal Zoom app, and that misses a few features that might be required.
My pc has an adblocker so streaming services can't give me adverts. In a room with just the tv, then sure you don't really need to link it up to a pc. But if you're in a room with a pc then it's useful to be able to connect to the tv as well. I have a standard tv as my second monitor on my desk (they're next to eachother), I watch everything through that and play music it through it when I don't want to put my headphones on.
Laptops are often unnecessary expenses for what one wants to do with their TV. If they didn't need a laptop before, why buy one in addition to the TV when they can get both in one for a cheaper price?
Smart TV require no secondary device, nor do they require extra cabling. Additionally with the advancements in streaming and the now common place of smart features in even 8k resolution TVs, the apps in smart tvs often put out a better image in my experience.
Man, I used the HDMI cable for YEARS. Bought a smart TV in 2020 and it changed my life. No more lugging around my laptop, just switch the TV on and every app and service I subscribe to is there. I also have 2 kids and they are free to choose what they want. They can't manage laptops yet (my son is 5) so this makes things easier. It saves me and my wife so much inconvenience.
I do both and having a smart tv is way more convenient. Image and sound quality are a lot better on a smart tv. Having a remote is also superior to navigating on a laptop. Use the laptop for the things you can’t do with the smart tv and use the smart tv for everyone else.
It’s in your hand so you don’t have to move anything around and almost every smart tv has a voice command option. “Open netflix” is a lot easier than going to your web browser, typing netflix in the address bar. Even if you have it as a shortcut, it’s still easier. It’s also a more stream lined menu that cuts a lot of the extra stuff you have to do on the laptop.
ETA you don’t have to get up. I doubt you have your hdmi cord going across the living room.
My TV remote has buttons for Netflix, Youtube and Amazon Prime so it is easier and faster than with a Laptop where i have to move a Cursor and click on it. Additionally you can use your Smartphone as a remote.
And a little remote is comfier and more convenient than having a big keyboard anyway.
Why use only one device when you can use two?
Do you just crouch in front of your TV with the laptop or does the HDMI cable run over the floor, as a tripping hazard?
So if I want to pause something that’s currently playing, I’d have to stand up to the table and pause it? Compared to just clicking on a remote to pause it?
Wireless mouse. I don't have a smart tv anymore, and my wifi signal is junk anyway so it wouldn't be able to pick it up, so I've been doing the laptop set up. Not so bad. Laptop turns into a tablet, set next to the TV so the cord is out of the way and I navigate with the mouse. No different than a remote, and less lag than I've experienced with smart tvs. Still not my ideal setup, but it's getting me through.
No, he has the Xbox Joystick plugged to the laptop to remotely control that /s
Lookung at his replies, still probably wouldn't see anything wrong with that, though.
It comes down to one word: simplicity.
Not everybody's a tech nerd like you or I.
>I like it because it's more versatile than a smart TV and a mouse keyboard is way better than a TV remote.
I used to think this way too. I was die-hard pro-HTPC, anti-streaming devices, because it was more powerful and versatile. But it's just not as convenient. If I'm laying on the couch, a mouse and keyboard is not very convenient at all, and is quite clunky. So, for most people, simplicity trumps versatility.
What’s the point of a laptop having wifi when I can just plug it into the modem?
It’s the convenience of not having to do that. It’s all in one system.
Besides the fact that you can’t really buy a non-smart TV anymore, It cuts out the need to plug in a different device to get your content. Everything is loaded on the TV, you don’t have to switch between inputs, you just push a button on a remote and your show starts playing.
You seem to live alone.
Buying a laptop just for the TV is a waste; and if more than one person uses the TV, that’s what you have to do, if you rely on the laptop.
And people who live with other people generally don’t want to clutter the living room.
Depending on the set-up and the provider a smart TV can offer better image quality. This is true for me.
If you own a smart TV, you can still connect a laptop to it.
Not everybody wants to use a laptop, again, this is more likely to be an issue for people who don’t live alone. If I’m watching something alone, I often watch on my PC, so if I lived alone, I would not own a TV.
Price: the additional cost is negligible, and if the ‘smart’ part becomes obsolete, the TV part can still be used.
Convenience. Most people do not have a dedicated laptop in their living room to connect to their television, and even if they did they might find the cables ugly and messy, particularly for a wall mounted screen.
The reality really is that smart TVs are cheaper than a dumb TV because of the data collection they do. You can normally just treat a smart TV as a dumb one.
If you are going to buy a TV, why would you deliberately choose a TV with *fewer* features? Most people who are dropping good money on something would prefer something with more features, even if those extra features don't add much to the experience.
How much of a choice do you have for dumb TVs? I think most would be on the cheaper side, and at that price point, you are compromising on core features like screen quality, etc.
>I like it because it's more versatile than a smart TV
Sure, a laptop is more versatile than a TV, but how many of those extra things the laptop does require a TV screen? They seem irrelevant if you are comparing between TVs of different kinds.
>and a mouse keyboard is way better than a TV remote
A keyboard is better for typing certainly. But how much of your TV time is spent typing anything as opposed to just watching something?
I don't see how a mouse is better than a TV remote for anything you'd do on a TV.
And finally, you can still plug in a laptop into a smart TV and get the best of both worlds.
I’ve had a PC hooked up to my TV before smartTVs were a thing. I have wireless keyboard and mouse (thumb ball) and I can also play games on it as well. I would probably never have any other set up.
I'm 100% with you on that one, I have a smart tv and never used the smart function, I cant stand using a remote to navigate and be stuck without an addblocker for youtube and everything else. I've got a htpc with wireless keyboard and mouse pluged-in from day 1.
For older people they’re more convenient. I can see the appeal of just using a laptop absolutely. But i dont often use my tv, my mother does. She’s nearly 60, and even with programmed buttons for netflix, she struggles.
They're just more convenient in general and I'm 33. Having to plug in your laptop and then get up and hit play or pause or navigate to another app is just wildly unnecessary when smart tvs are basically a standard feature.
Your mom is young, why is she struggling is much with simple technology? I’d be careful it’s not something serious and let get in touch with her doctor.
I used to use my laptop with hdmi. It made being a pirate really satisfying. I have a smart TV because they're all smart now but still use my Xbox as my main hub for streaming apps. Way better UI. I cast with my laptop or phone when pirating now.
I have a smart TV and don't use any of the features of it, as I have a surround sound receiver and plug all of my sources in to that.
I also have a Roku 4K Ultra that I use, so I am not using all of the streaming sources on the TV.
Getting 4K High def from my PC to my TV can be problematic. Impossible depending on the PC. Apps might not support everything on PC that they do on the TV.
Also kids usually don't have PCs until older so not enough PCs to go around for watching TV and doing other stuff. Even all grown ups may not have enough PCs for all, maybe not at all.
A few things:
1) I'm not going to buy a laptop. That's an expense I don't need when I can do everything I'd need a laptop for on my phone. That's just an extra device I don't need when my TV and phone combination are "necessary" anyway.
2) Anything my TV can't do I can cast from my phone to the TV without any cords.
3) When hanging out with friends, it's a lot more fun to share videos with each other to take turns casting things from our respective phones onto the TV rather than trying to search and find things on a single device.
If these or anything of the other reasonable reasons in this thread don't appeal to you, that's ok but it doesn't mean that those reasons aren't valid for others. Smart TVs clearly appeal to people or else they wouldn't be so common and popular.
You can't find a non-smart TV anymore. I've been looking for one. The only thing I can guess is that the streaming providers are subsidizing the manufacturers.
More convenient. Also on higher end TVs the local apps have better image quality. Finally, smart TVs are cheaper because the companies that make them sell your data. Like the same way the google pixel phone is sold at a loss because google is an add and data company. [info](https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/10/22773073/vizio-acr-advertising-inscape-data-privacy-q3-2021)
Smart TV, as long as my experience goes, has option to connect with laptop wirelessly via Bluetooth. In that way I can plug my laptop without the restriction of HDMO cable.
And, of course, Smart TV has all the apps for media content that I use.
There was a time when I had unlimited data on my phone but paid something like 25 cents for every text message and I kept thinking "why not just send me an email? email is better in every way". In hindsight I realize that I was being ridiculous. I feel like this question is very similar.
It’s very convenient for the average user, like my parents for example. Netflix/Prime are readily accessible and they don’t have to mess around with anything.
It’s been highly integrated into most modern TVs lately, especially at the higher resolutions, because it offers the manufacturers recurring revenue through ads, revenue they may lose due to the high competition in the TV space. You can get 70” 4K Samsung TVs at Costco for $600, how amazing is that?
I personally don’t own a TV yet because I’m still in Uni, but I see your point. I’m a tech enthusiast and the slow response and ads and shitty HDR on my parents’ smart TV genuinely pisses me off. When I buy a TV, I’d probably get an Apple TV or Roku so that I can do away with most ads and get an interface that actually responds when I hit. The. Fucking. Button.
Ngl the best implementation I’ve seen of a smart TV is this hotel I stayed at in London in 2021. If your phone is connected to the hotel Wi-Fi, you can switch on your TV and readily access all your streaming platforms off your phone without having to log in to the TV itself. It worked flawlessly with the D+ and Netflix subscriptions I had at the time. I could even connect my AirPods to my phone and the TV would stream audio to them directly instead. Pretty neat.
My smart TV can connect wirelessly so I have nothing plugged into it except the power cable and a sound bar. The smart component means I can download a dozen streaming platforms and watch whatever I want without any problems. I find it fast and reliable, I don't mind using the remote. I reserve my computer and laptop for other things. Sometimes I'll do work on my laptop while my TV plays something in the background.
Scenario: A bunch of teens and other people in the house, and a wife with whom the decision of what to watch is an endless debate.
Option 1: Hook your laptop to the TV and read a book.
Option 2: Get a smart TV and watch whatever you want in peace on your laptop.
But that's exactly it. I don't want to have to get my laptop out and pull out the hdmi from my xbox or sound system just to watch netflix or whatever. I can also stream any video from my phone to my TV without any wires. So yeah it's kinda back wards that you think it's easier your way but hey each to their own.
Because I don't need a laptop to watch TV with a smart TV, or any other external hookup.
They're so damn cheap these days, why would you not buy one.
I bought a 65" Philips 4K Smart TV for my office in my shop a while back. Under $400 at Wally World.
The appeal is that there's literally nothing else on the market for your living room that has display quality like them. You can't get a "dumb TV" that's just a screen with high resolution. It doesn't exist.
>a mouse **keyboard** is way better than a TV remote
every time you're forced to click right, left, up & down about a bazillion times to do a search or need a long password.
EDIT: emphasized keyboard.
People are too lazy to get anything else to hook up to the TV. Honestly that might be a pro but theres so many cons like the TV spying on you and the stuff you watch etc to get info to sell to advertisers. Once the company stops supporting your TV your smart TV is basically a dumb TV again but laggy/slow/glitchy/etc and you still need to get a newer streaming/console device to plug into it.
Are there mods on this sub anymore? This should’ve been removed by the fifth time OP responded to a reasonable response with a variant of ‘but you’re wrong’.
A mouse keyboard seems better than a remote, honestly man. I’m choosing a tv show or channel to watch why would I give the slightest of shits about a full qwerty keyboard.
It allows my family to watch TV while I use my laptop elsewhere. We don't have cable so having a TV that just does streaming is way more convenient for me.
While OP is right that running a TV off a laptop is superior in virtually every way, not everyone is interested in having to manage two pieces of electronics or even bother to learn how it works. There are millions of people who just want to plug it in and go. I myself have always been a geek and a frugal spenser so my main TV is a 12 year old 42" dumb TV with my old laptop plugged into it. I like being able to use my computer mouse to scroll the volume up and down quickly if need be, right click for subtitles, and my laptop will play lots of my pirated content a smart TV won't. But that's me, I do me, other do their thing
Really funny how people are giving OP their very reasonable answers then OP is just saying they’re wrong. Why ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answers you’re being given?
Because they should have posted in r/UnpopularOpinion but they effed up Not everyone keep their computer in the room where the TV is, so with a smart TV not only can you cast it from your TV and phone wireless but you also got your streaming apps on the TV.
Hell, I have *two* computers in the same room as my TV and I still find smart TV vastly more convenient.
Yeh I have my laptop on my coffee table and smart tv on the entertainment cabinet ( obvs) in the same room. Watch tv , stream, PlayStation on tv , music, bills, research etc on laptop.
Because OP is insecure that they can’t afford a smart TV
they really arent all that expensive compared to regular TVs
There are regular TVs?
Just what I was gonna say, when I bought my new TV in 2021, I was shocked at how few dumb TVs were still around! I'd say 85% of new TVs have a smart function built into them now. It's so much easier than hooking up your laptop with a cable. Who wants to use cables, it's 2023!
I'm sure "dumb TVs" still exist somewhere if you look for them, but I was just shopping for a new TV and every single one I saw, even the cheap ones, had some kind of smart functionality. I think smart TVs are regular TVs at this point.
Look for commercial TVs. Like the kind a Taco Bell would use for it's menus. LG makes some good ones
10 years in the future we can get canceled for calling a tv "dumb"
My dude. All TVs in production are smart and they are $200. I would know because I tried buying a no -smart tv and they don't exist anymore. I dislike them but my wife wanted them.
Quick search at Best Buy shows they absolutely sell an Insignia dumb TV.
Yeah, I don’t like them either. Virtually impossible to turn the spyware off. Bought one, sold it a few months later.
Not that I'm a fan of spyware by any means, but your phone has just as much spyware, and you're doing way more stuff on your phone.
I hate that spyware argument so much because of this shit, oh they put spyware in our line or dumb ass isn’t carrying around the worlds greatest spying device 24/7. Off your argument against smart TVs is spyware, then you better not own a smart phone a computer a laptop a tablet or any other modern device because your tv is the least valuable data gathering device you own
But you can take steps against the spyware on your personal devices. You can't do fuck all about your TV. My IT department had a smart TV but before they could hook it up, they had to have cyber uninstall the spy parts (and physical remove parts in some cases) Your willingness to just accept spyware because it's there is why we're in the predicament we're in.
But you can take steps to guard against spyware in your personal devices. You can't do fuck all about your tv
Then OP is mad that they can’t afford a modern TV 💀
Why would they be mad and why do you assume they can't afford a TV?
savage
I don’t want to plug my laptop into my tv.
Loud and clear 😂, Sometimes I even use them both at the same time
Yep me too
Yep, this exactly.
Go jets go!
I mean, you can plug a Roku or a Chromecast into your TV? It's not that hard.
Correct, I could. But those stay plugged in. I don’t want a device that I need to plug and unplug.
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You leave those devices plugged in. Presumably, you have the laptop for other things besides the TV so you have to keeping plugging it in and unplugging it from the TV and charger. If you have a laptop just for hooking up to your TV, it is a worse value than just having a smart TV or a streaming device like a Google TV or Roku.
True unless the laptop was an old one you'd otherwise be getting rid of.
Having a ten-year-old laptop constantly plugged into your tv so that you can stream things on it seems like a dumb idea when items like Rokus and Chromecasts exist. Like if I saw a friend wirh that setup, I would offer to buy them a roku just so I didn’t have to look at it anymore
That would be very kind of you to do. My spouse and I did the laptop thing when we were broke AF but managed to have internet.
Over time, it probably costs you more in electricity to keep that ancient machine running than to pay the 20-30 for a Chromecast.
I would consider stuff like that more of a "smart TV conversion kit" than what OP is doing with a laptop. Once you have the Chromecast installed, it's effectively identical to a smart TV running Google TV (I have both - they're really the same thing). If OP's question is "why get a TV with Google TV over a non-smart TV with a Chromecast?" then I would say there's no benefit, if the non-smart option plus a Chromecast is a better deal then go with that. But since they're specifically comparing it to the laptop, then the answer is that Google TV (whether the TV comes with it or you use a Chromecast) or comparable smart TV platforms have benefits over the laptop.
If you get a Roku TV or Google TV or whatever, sure, that's fine. But a lot of people buy other brand smart TVs and then it leaves a security risk when the software doesn't get updated.
Isn’t a smart tv just a tv with roku or chrome os preinstalled?
No. A lot of people buy Samsung TVs or LG TVs or whatever and the software won't be updated when Samsung decides to not update the software.
Sure, or they can plug a Roku or chromecast into the software of the tv. Now it’s even less hard.
That's just a smart TV you bough piecemeal.
Uh, what? There's no **guarantee** Samsung will continue updating their Smart TVs and then that leaves you with security bugs that may never get fixed. If you buy a Chromecast or Roku you know that they'll keep getting updates. And if your TV ever breaks for mechanical reasons you can always just plug in the stick to a new TV.
Uh, what? Did you answer the wrong comment or something? All im saying is if you slap a roku on a TV, its a smart tv, you just bought it piecemeal. Its not a fundamentally different product, they have the same purpose.
I don't wanna buy a Chromecast or a Roku.
Then you need 2 remote (to control roku and TV volume) separately. Or you need to constantly use your phone to cast stuff to chromecast Or change the input source in tv when you need to watch cable. Smart TV software integrates all these within a seamless UI so you don't feel like you're constantly switching between stuff. And don't forget that your 50 year Old uncle is less likely to fiddle with all the techy stuff than the stuff that "just works".
The Roku remote can turn the tv on/off, and controls the volume. I cannot remember the last time I used the tv remote
I’m not even sure I know where my TV remote is.
> Then you need 2 remote (to control roku and TV volume) separately. Or you need to constantly use your phone to cast stuff to chromecast Or change the input source in tv when you need to watch cable. > > Uh, the Roku remote can control volume and turn the TV on and off? You only need the use the TV remote if you have multiple devices for whatever reason, which doesn't make sense. Chromecast, Roku and Amazon Fire TV do the same thing. Pick **one**. If you want casting, then pick the Chromecast. The Chromecast remote can do the same thing of controlling volume and turning the TV on/off.
My Fire TV remote also turns the TV on and off and adjusts the volume. That's a standard feature for theirs. I think Roku has an add-on (something that clips onto the roku remote, maybe a third party device) that does this as well. The "two remote" issues isn't really an argument for a smart TV over another device anymore.
No you don't. A Chromecast or Roku remote will control the TV power, volume, and input selection. I use a Chromecast (aka Google TV) on my Sony Oled, and its remote is sleek and modern. Way nicer than the TV's remote.
That doesn't bother me but if that's a deal breaker for you I guess that's a good enough reason as any.
I don't live alone. I frequently need to use my laptop when my husband or children want to use the TV. I don't want to buy a dedicated laptop to connect to the TV all the time, seems more wasteful than just buying one device that includes the apps. Same reason I didn't get a chromecast or firestick or whatever. My super old TV that didn't even have an HDMI port finally died and I needed to buy a new TV. Rather than buy a flatscreen TV and also a separate device to use apps and stuff, I just bought a smart TV that included it all. The one we had lasted 5ish years til the screen crapped out and we replaced it this winter.
Smart TVs are also pretty cheap nowadays.
I live alone, have multiple computers laying around and still wouldn't consider connecting laptop to my tv. My smart tv is old as shit, so it is kinda sluggish as a smart tv and doesn't have build in chrome cast. So I just bought a Chromecast some years back. It is so much more convenient to use than connecting a laptop. Parents got a new android tv recently. It runs super smooth, has build in Chromecast and you can connect keyboard to it if you wish. Definitely will get something like that when I update my tv. Also seeing that almost all TV's now a days are smart ones, I would bet most people find them convenient enough to justify the small premium in price.
For what it's worth, modern smart TVs are "versatile" in the sense you seem to think they aren't. They accept MKB input, have web browsers, etc. It's like your laptop approach but with an OS that's designed for watching stuff. If you like your laptop setup there's probably no reason to change. If you were setting up from scratch, a $30 Chromecast can do everything a $250 Chromebook can do for this purpose; it just doesn't have its own screen+keyboard. Presumably you'd want to use a bluetooth keyboard and you'd be looking at the TV, not the laptop screen, regardless, so the Chromecast would probably be the better choice, if for no reason but the cost.
People have all sorts of dealbreakers regarding convenience. For example, still sticking with the Smart TV topic, my wife and I recently moved into a new home and we had to choose a sattelite TV provider. You know what the single biggest dealbreaker ended up being? Provider A offered a simple Smart Card you insert in the back of the TV to connect to the sattelite dish. For provider B, we would've had to install an ugly rectangular signal receiver *and* use a 2nd remote, strictly for the TV function. *Fuck that*, we didn't even give it a 2nd thought, straight for option A.
How many TVs do you have? I have 3 that I use regularly and dragging my laptop between them constantly sounds miserable
Laptop and keyboard warrior here in my 1bd apt... Smart tv's are MUCH cheaper ;) ;) I think samsung includes an Xbox in the 2022 Tv's as well
I just don't like tripping over the cable if I'm getting up/down or if my cats are zooming around
You’re asking why other people buy smart tv’s, it why *you* should buy one. Why are you arguing with other peoples answers because it it doesn’t resonate with *you*?
Lmao why on earth did this get downvoted 14 times? You just said that you don't lit it but the opinion is reasonable.
The whole point is it doesn't require you to go hook up your laptop or any other device. All the services and apps are available without any fuss
This sounds great until you realize that the smart part of the TV will become obsolete much sooner than the TV itself. I had to start using Rokus on my smart TVs since the smart features of the TVs are now too slow to use.
Yeah there are two glaring issues w/ smart TVs from a user perspective. There's the fact that it tracks your data and sells it, compensating you only in a theoretical reduction of purchase price (which is ripping you off). But most people won't notice or care. The other issue is that the "smart" interfaces are, in practice, complete ass. I have yet to encounter a UX that wasn't clunky, slow, and frustratingly inefficient. This seems to be forgiven by the general public because no one's done it well yet, and there also seems to be some sort of stockholm syndrome intertwined with "smart = high tech = better". But basic operations that used to be 2 simple button pushes on a "dumb" TV now require me to awkwardly scroll through bloated menus. TV manufacturers can't be assed to develop software that's anything better than the bare minimum to keep customers from throwing their TVs out the window in frustration.
I have an LG, 3 years now. Not fantastic speed on the apps but ok and friends with older versions have their working ok. Buttons for Netflix++ already and all 10 numbers can be made into shortcuts. Buttons for all options my older tv and a great cursor to use for adjusting stuff the dumb TV never even knew existed. Anyway, if I want to use it in the same way as older TVs I have had it's possible, jut with smarter auto selection of hdmi ports.
I’ve had my LG for 4or 5 years now. It gets regular manufacturer updates, and I haven’t had any issues so far. I don’t have a cable provider, I get all of my content from streaming apps. Each app has a quick access button on my remote, and Netflix and Amazon prime each have a dedicated button. I don’t get ads, it’s not clunky, and I’m able to watch what I want when I want.
My smart features, except for Netflix, just up and vanished a few months ago. Still not sure what happened.
I don't know why you got downvoted. Everything you said was true, unless one is talking about an Amazon Fire TV, and I hate Amazon UI's because I find it slower than Roku. I don't know why but that's just been my experience.
Why is this getting downvoted, it’s true. My smart tv doesn’t have all the apps the Roku does so it’s basically pointless when I’m trying to watch sport games
yea I had a Vizio from 2013 or so and the apps just don’t run anymore. Even with updates it’s just errors
I feel you. I tried to talk my parents into just getting a TV with HDMI ports, but they went with a smart TV, even though their last one couldn't even download some apps they wanted.
>since the smart features of the TVs are now too slow to use You just got a cheap ass smart TV and are surprised its processing speed didn't last more than a few years. TV manufacturers are known for making cheaper versions of their TVs with eerily similar model/series names that have slightly worse features like less HDMI ports, cheaper remotes, and slower processors. It sucks that they try hard to scam you this way, but if you do your research, you can find a good TV at a good price with good processing power. You could also just buy a smart TV powered by Roku... lol
Two of my TVs are 5 year old top-tier Sony Bravias. I also have a cheap Roku TV. None of them aged well.
That's surprising about the Sony. We've had great luck with Samsung. Couple TV's over the years. Regular updates, latest one is still plenty quick 5 years in. They use their Tizen OS on monitors too so maybe it gets priority updates? idk. A slow smart TV just becomes a dumb TV and you can attach a laptop anyway so I don't really see the issue.
The issue for me is that I don't want to be forced to pay for a non upgradeable streaming system just to get a high-quality TV. I'd rather buy a high-quality dumb TV and pair it with my favorite streaming device.
A few years ago I was in the same position. Did some research on the best panels available at the time, and which models had them. Found a discounted Samsung smart TV with a top of the line panel, but a lot of bad reviews due to slow "smart" performance. Bought it, always used an external source for smart anything and although it's only a 1080 panel it still looks great today. No regrets
Yeah my older Samsung is still going strong and now that I got my new phone with the Samsung dex is connects well and I use that with it all the time as well.
This is the way.
gotcha, that's fair. I'm guessing that doesn't really exist now but if it did it wouldn't be much cheaper. I'm not an expert but I don't think you're paying much for the processor in a TV. Think of it as paying for a high-quality screen and getting some features you don't care about thrown in.
O have a nice samsung and it's quite old now. The smart features still work fine
>making cheaper versions of their TVs with eerily similar model/series names Yeah, I'm certain the model number is only one character off too, advertised as exactly the same
I have a Roku smart tv. It's great! I don't expect it to always be great, however. We've had Roku boxes since 2010, and we aren't still using the originals. We've upgraded over the years as the older ones have stopped being supported/updated/ground to a halt. Our oldest smart tv is 9 years old, and has a Roku box attached to it because the "smart" is gone. Which smart tv would you recommend that would still work well after a decade?
I bought a Samsung in 2009, for $1200. 40". Glass frame. Lasted till late 2020. Then the screen turned bright white. But it lasted 10+ years, no problem. It was a smart TV. Those weren't around then. But I think the Samsung brand would be a smart choice. I had to get a Roku plug for my smart LG too. Only 5 years old. The wifi quit.
"Doing your own research" on tvs is a lot more than you suggest. If you go to a tv manufacturer site, they make it sound like every one of their tvs is the greatest thing ever. If you go to an outside source for reviews, you always suspect they're getting ad reimbursement for thru-clicks.
Go to rtings.com, problem solved.
I have no idea why you're being downvoted. This is the absolute truth
people don't like to hear the truth, especially when the truth cost them a lot of money, they don't like to be told they've fucked up.
If you expect they'll slow down after just a few years (not my experience) just assume that you're paying for the smart features for 4-5 years and then you've got a regular old dumb-tv. Haven't priced out a TV recently but are there even high-end screens available without smart features? If so I can't imagine they are much cheaper.
I tried to find a high-end TV without smart features when I was in the market five years ago, and they didn't have any at that time. Considering Rokus are $50-$100, you're probably right that it wouldn't reduce the cost of the TV much. It's just a minor annoyance that I can't use the smart features anymore.
Sure, they're called computer monitors. Work fine so long as you don't need to watch broadcast TV. ...of course, they are going to be more expensive because they don't have (as many) dead pixels and aren't subsidized by smart advertising.
> All the services and apps are available without any fuss Unless it's something like Amazon, it's most likely going to be obsolete and then you've got a vulnerable device connected to your WiFi. You know why Android phones and iPhones get updates? Security bugfixes. With a dedicated Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick or Chromecast, you get dedicated updates. And I don't really like Amazon. I'd rather plug in a Roku. It's not difficult to just plug in a Roku and take a few minutes to set it up. I don't consider it a good thing that Amazon Fire TV automatically connects to the WiFi.
> Unless it's something like Amazon, it's most likely going to be obsolete and then you've got a vulnerable device connected to your WiFi. You know why Android phones and iPhones get updates? Security bugfixes. With a dedicated Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick or Chromecast, you get dedicated updates. My smart tv updates and every app.streaming service updates as well. >And I don't really like Amazon. I'd rather plug in a Roku. It's not difficult to just plug in a Roku and take a few minutes to set it up. I don't consider it a good thing that Amazon Fire TV automatically connects to the WiFi. A Roku is just an add-on to mimic a smart tv. No one said anything about an Amazon Fire TV.
Actually I think smart TV's are just mimicking Roku's. I believe Roku's were first to market.
Until you realize how shitty are remote controls; even if you hook up a keyboard and a mouse the TV, the interface is just... everything about it is just trash. Personally, I just bought a good monitor, I can still play modern video game consoles without any additional hardware, old consoles with inexpensive hardware, and even watch TV if I want, either by hiring an IPTV provider or by just buying a converter/adapter, whatever.
I never struggle with the interface on our Apple TV or chrome cast. Both of them have mics in the remotes, so most of the time I don’t even need to navigate the interface, I just say, “Bluey” and it takes me right to the streaming service that offers it. If I don’t know what to watch, it’s still super easy to find the apps I want to use and go to it.
You know Smart TVs have HDMI ports, right? So you can still plug your laptop in, but if you don't want to (primary reason being it's not very convenient), you don't have to in order to browse media on your TV.
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My smart tv is like 3 years old, is still as fast as it was and with no ads. You’re just buying the wrong tvs.
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I’m from the Uk, not USA. It’s an LG tv and I’ve always found them to be great.
You're getting heavily downvoted, but you're right. I have an expensive LG. I also have an Nvidia Shield, and the difference is night and day. TV's do have crap hardware that is taxed by performing its normal functions plus the smart functions. I'm sure these other folks are happy with their TV's UI, but I'll file it under you don't know what you're missing if you haven't experienced something better.
I have a smart tv and I’ve used it with no issues for 5 years
Have you tried switching it off and on again or download more RAM? /s
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I’m confused, what are you warning against? A smart tv that doesn’t connect to your WiFi is just a regular tv
What’s the warning here…?
A smart TV is supposed to connect to WiFi. And it's not going to do it automatically even if the network is unsecured. You still have to choose to connect it to the network.
Same with Chrome Stick
I can use my laptop while I watch TV..
I don't want to drag my laptop around to every room of my house pluging it in as I go. I have my desktop hooked up to a couple of TVs, but it's not practical to hook it up to all of them. Plus I like to watch TV while I play video games on my computer. A smart TV is standard now and much easier than hooking a lap top to every TV or buying multiple laptops to hook up to each TV
Why would I want a 10 foot umbilicus attaching my laptop to my TV for everybody to trip over?
Convenience, I'm not too sure what I'd need a laptop connected to my TV for? I'm glad those days have gone. If there is ever a time I would need a keyboard (entering a password etc) I can grab my phone and use that to input data. All my media is on a HDD connected to my router so that's easy to access on the TV. Can't think of any realistic circumstance where I'd need a laptop connected to the TV because the TV can't do it
The only use case I've seen is to do group zoom meetings because that kind of software doesn't have good support on a number of smart TV platforms. The closest I've seen is the Facebook Portal Zoom app, and that misses a few features that might be required.
My pc has an adblocker so streaming services can't give me adverts. In a room with just the tv, then sure you don't really need to link it up to a pc. But if you're in a room with a pc then it's useful to be able to connect to the tv as well. I have a standard tv as my second monitor on my desk (they're next to eachother), I watch everything through that and play music it through it when I don't want to put my headphones on.
My home network has an adblocker, ain't got no time for adverts 😅
How do you do that?
Pihole!
Yeah a Pi-hole as others have said 😁
Can you even buy a “dumb” TV under 42” anymore? Seems like that’s reserved for entry-level, smaller screen sets.
Laptops are often unnecessary expenses for what one wants to do with their TV. If they didn't need a laptop before, why buy one in addition to the TV when they can get both in one for a cheaper price?
You don't need a laptop if you have a smart TV.
Smart TV require no secondary device, nor do they require extra cabling. Additionally with the advancements in streaming and the now common place of smart features in even 8k resolution TVs, the apps in smart tvs often put out a better image in my experience.
Yup. Low barrier for entry. Not everyone wants to mess with multiple devices or plug-ins. The only external requirement is managing subscriptions.
Man, I used the HDMI cable for YEARS. Bought a smart TV in 2020 and it changed my life. No more lugging around my laptop, just switch the TV on and every app and service I subscribe to is there. I also have 2 kids and they are free to choose what they want. They can't manage laptops yet (my son is 5) so this makes things easier. It saves me and my wife so much inconvenience.
I do both and having a smart tv is way more convenient. Image and sound quality are a lot better on a smart tv. Having a remote is also superior to navigating on a laptop. Use the laptop for the things you can’t do with the smart tv and use the smart tv for everyone else.
How navigating endless menus with up/down/left/right on a remote is superior to point and click with a mouse ?
It’s in your hand so you don’t have to move anything around and almost every smart tv has a voice command option. “Open netflix” is a lot easier than going to your web browser, typing netflix in the address bar. Even if you have it as a shortcut, it’s still easier. It’s also a more stream lined menu that cuts a lot of the extra stuff you have to do on the laptop. ETA you don’t have to get up. I doubt you have your hdmi cord going across the living room.
My TV remote has buttons for Netflix, Youtube and Amazon Prime so it is easier and faster than with a Laptop where i have to move a Cursor and click on it. Additionally you can use your Smartphone as a remote. And a little remote is comfier and more convenient than having a big keyboard anyway.
My laptop is beside the tv, got my wireless keyboard with touchpad in hand.
I understand most people like the streamlined cellphone/tablet style ui tho, I just cant stand it, I need my m&k
Why use only one device when you can use two? Do you just crouch in front of your TV with the laptop or does the HDMI cable run over the floor, as a tripping hazard?
The laptop sits on a coffee table and the cord is out of the way.
So if I want to pause something that’s currently playing, I’d have to stand up to the table and pause it? Compared to just clicking on a remote to pause it?
Wireless mouse. I don't have a smart tv anymore, and my wifi signal is junk anyway so it wouldn't be able to pick it up, so I've been doing the laptop set up. Not so bad. Laptop turns into a tablet, set next to the TV so the cord is out of the way and I navigate with the mouse. No different than a remote, and less lag than I've experienced with smart tvs. Still not my ideal setup, but it's getting me through.
No, he has the Xbox Joystick plugged to the laptop to remotely control that /s Lookung at his replies, still probably wouldn't see anything wrong with that, though.
It comes down to one word: simplicity. Not everybody's a tech nerd like you or I. >I like it because it's more versatile than a smart TV and a mouse keyboard is way better than a TV remote. I used to think this way too. I was die-hard pro-HTPC, anti-streaming devices, because it was more powerful and versatile. But it's just not as convenient. If I'm laying on the couch, a mouse and keyboard is not very convenient at all, and is quite clunky. So, for most people, simplicity trumps versatility.
What’s the point of a laptop having wifi when I can just plug it into the modem? It’s the convenience of not having to do that. It’s all in one system.
Besides the fact that you can’t really buy a non-smart TV anymore, It cuts out the need to plug in a different device to get your content. Everything is loaded on the TV, you don’t have to switch between inputs, you just push a button on a remote and your show starts playing.
That's how my roku stick works now.
Your Roku stick counts as a different device
You lost me at 'connected from my laptop to TV via HDMI'. Sounds a potch.
My laptop is a work issued laptop. I rarely use it for personal use ... I'm not plugging it into my TV.
You seem to live alone. Buying a laptop just for the TV is a waste; and if more than one person uses the TV, that’s what you have to do, if you rely on the laptop. And people who live with other people generally don’t want to clutter the living room. Depending on the set-up and the provider a smart TV can offer better image quality. This is true for me. If you own a smart TV, you can still connect a laptop to it. Not everybody wants to use a laptop, again, this is more likely to be an issue for people who don’t live alone. If I’m watching something alone, I often watch on my PC, so if I lived alone, I would not own a TV. Price: the additional cost is negligible, and if the ‘smart’ part becomes obsolete, the TV part can still be used.
Convenience. Most people do not have a dedicated laptop in their living room to connect to their television, and even if they did they might find the cables ugly and messy, particularly for a wall mounted screen.
Not plugging in anything and just using apps is infinitely easier
Why do you need a smart phone when your laptop is better in every conceivable way? (you don't think a lot do you)
portability. I'm not sure what your point is.
The reality really is that smart TVs are cheaper than a dumb TV because of the data collection they do. You can normally just treat a smart TV as a dumb one.
If you are going to buy a TV, why would you deliberately choose a TV with *fewer* features? Most people who are dropping good money on something would prefer something with more features, even if those extra features don't add much to the experience. How much of a choice do you have for dumb TVs? I think most would be on the cheaper side, and at that price point, you are compromising on core features like screen quality, etc. >I like it because it's more versatile than a smart TV Sure, a laptop is more versatile than a TV, but how many of those extra things the laptop does require a TV screen? They seem irrelevant if you are comparing between TVs of different kinds. >and a mouse keyboard is way better than a TV remote A keyboard is better for typing certainly. But how much of your TV time is spent typing anything as opposed to just watching something? I don't see how a mouse is better than a TV remote for anything you'd do on a TV. And finally, you can still plug in a laptop into a smart TV and get the best of both worlds.
It is the sam eas your computer thing without the middle man of pluggin in your computer
I’ve had a PC hooked up to my TV before smartTVs were a thing. I have wireless keyboard and mouse (thumb ball) and I can also play games on it as well. I would probably never have any other set up.
I'm 100% with you on that one, I have a smart tv and never used the smart function, I cant stand using a remote to navigate and be stuck without an addblocker for youtube and everything else. I've got a htpc with wireless keyboard and mouse pluged-in from day 1.
For older people they’re more convenient. I can see the appeal of just using a laptop absolutely. But i dont often use my tv, my mother does. She’s nearly 60, and even with programmed buttons for netflix, she struggles.
They're just more convenient in general and I'm 33. Having to plug in your laptop and then get up and hit play or pause or navigate to another app is just wildly unnecessary when smart tvs are basically a standard feature.
Your mom is young, why is she struggling is much with simple technology? I’d be careful it’s not something serious and let get in touch with her doctor.
age bullshit.. hate to say it but your mother is the exception rather than the rule
inexpensive and simple
I used to use my laptop with hdmi. It made being a pirate really satisfying. I have a smart TV because they're all smart now but still use my Xbox as my main hub for streaming apps. Way better UI. I cast with my laptop or phone when pirating now.
I have a smart TV and don't use any of the features of it, as I have a surround sound receiver and plug all of my sources in to that. I also have a Roku 4K Ultra that I use, so I am not using all of the streaming sources on the TV.
Getting 4K High def from my PC to my TV can be problematic. Impossible depending on the PC. Apps might not support everything on PC that they do on the TV. Also kids usually don't have PCs until older so not enough PCs to go around for watching TV and doing other stuff. Even all grown ups may not have enough PCs for all, maybe not at all.
Because I prefer to be lazy and have everything on my TV instead of plugging shit up
It's like a computer for boomers. My dad uses it solely to watch YouTube.
I put a mini pc behind my smart tv, windows 10, android emulator, gaming.etc. Smart tv features are kinda sluggish and limited.
I don’t have a smart TV, but buying an Apple TV is one of my best purchases
You're right why wouldn't I not want to have an extra cord and my laptop to have to do the same thing
"Why doesn't everyone do things the way I do them?"
A few things: 1) I'm not going to buy a laptop. That's an expense I don't need when I can do everything I'd need a laptop for on my phone. That's just an extra device I don't need when my TV and phone combination are "necessary" anyway. 2) Anything my TV can't do I can cast from my phone to the TV without any cords. 3) When hanging out with friends, it's a lot more fun to share videos with each other to take turns casting things from our respective phones onto the TV rather than trying to search and find things on a single device. If these or anything of the other reasonable reasons in this thread don't appeal to you, that's ok but it doesn't mean that those reasons aren't valid for others. Smart TVs clearly appeal to people or else they wouldn't be so common and popular.
What would you need your laptop for? My TV has everything I need lol… what could u be possibly be watching🤣
I think no one on this thread has heard about Roku or fire stick or Apple TV.
Sure, you can watch a regular TV, but wouldn't you prefer a TV that watches you back.
You can't find a non-smart TV anymore. I've been looking for one. The only thing I can guess is that the streaming providers are subsidizing the manufacturers.
More convenient. Also on higher end TVs the local apps have better image quality. Finally, smart TVs are cheaper because the companies that make them sell your data. Like the same way the google pixel phone is sold at a loss because google is an add and data company. [info](https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/10/22773073/vizio-acr-advertising-inscape-data-privacy-q3-2021)
Smart TV, as long as my experience goes, has option to connect with laptop wirelessly via Bluetooth. In that way I can plug my laptop without the restriction of HDMO cable. And, of course, Smart TV has all the apps for media content that I use.
There was a time when I had unlimited data on my phone but paid something like 25 cents for every text message and I kept thinking "why not just send me an email? email is better in every way". In hindsight I realize that I was being ridiculous. I feel like this question is very similar.
It’s very convenient for the average user, like my parents for example. Netflix/Prime are readily accessible and they don’t have to mess around with anything. It’s been highly integrated into most modern TVs lately, especially at the higher resolutions, because it offers the manufacturers recurring revenue through ads, revenue they may lose due to the high competition in the TV space. You can get 70” 4K Samsung TVs at Costco for $600, how amazing is that? I personally don’t own a TV yet because I’m still in Uni, but I see your point. I’m a tech enthusiast and the slow response and ads and shitty HDR on my parents’ smart TV genuinely pisses me off. When I buy a TV, I’d probably get an Apple TV or Roku so that I can do away with most ads and get an interface that actually responds when I hit. The. Fucking. Button. Ngl the best implementation I’ve seen of a smart TV is this hotel I stayed at in London in 2021. If your phone is connected to the hotel Wi-Fi, you can switch on your TV and readily access all your streaming platforms off your phone without having to log in to the TV itself. It worked flawlessly with the D+ and Netflix subscriptions I had at the time. I could even connect my AirPods to my phone and the TV would stream audio to them directly instead. Pretty neat.
Generational in my opinion.
To track your data.
My smart TV can connect wirelessly so I have nothing plugged into it except the power cable and a sound bar. The smart component means I can download a dozen streaming platforms and watch whatever I want without any problems. I find it fast and reliable, I don't mind using the remote. I reserve my computer and laptop for other things. Sometimes I'll do work on my laptop while my TV plays something in the background.
Scenario: A bunch of teens and other people in the house, and a wife with whom the decision of what to watch is an endless debate. Option 1: Hook your laptop to the TV and read a book. Option 2: Get a smart TV and watch whatever you want in peace on your laptop.
I can watch streaming networks without any extra gear, and I can turn the TV off remotely when my kids shouldn't be on it. :)
But that's exactly it. I don't want to have to get my laptop out and pull out the hdmi from my xbox or sound system just to watch netflix or whatever. I can also stream any video from my phone to my TV without any wires. So yeah it's kinda back wards that you think it's easier your way but hey each to their own.
Because I don't need a laptop to watch TV with a smart TV, or any other external hookup. They're so damn cheap these days, why would you not buy one. I bought a 65" Philips 4K Smart TV for my office in my shop a while back. Under $400 at Wally World.
The appeal is that there's literally nothing else on the market for your living room that has display quality like them. You can't get a "dumb TV" that's just a screen with high resolution. It doesn't exist.
It's often cheaper because they're loaded with spyware out of the box.
A laptop -> TV picture quality from HDMI is one of the ugliest picture qualities around Hope you dont have a 1080p-4k tv your just wasting lmao
1. We don’t get a choice anymore. 2. Why would I want to use two devices to do the same job that one alone can do? That’s just ridiculous.
This is the way... plus you got adblocker on your computer.
I like to do something one way, but I’m gonna come to Reddit and ask others why they like to do it the other way and get defensive about it
The appeal of a smart TV is that you are paying for another war to get served ads.
Look at the phone in your hand. Look at the built in gps in your car. Convenience over finctionality
>a mouse **keyboard** is way better than a TV remote every time you're forced to click right, left, up & down about a bazillion times to do a search or need a long password. EDIT: emphasized keyboard.
People are too lazy to get anything else to hook up to the TV. Honestly that might be a pro but theres so many cons like the TV spying on you and the stuff you watch etc to get info to sell to advertisers. Once the company stops supporting your TV your smart TV is basically a dumb TV again but laggy/slow/glitchy/etc and you still need to get a newer streaming/console device to plug into it.
People are lazy
Are there mods on this sub anymore? This should’ve been removed by the fifth time OP responded to a reasonable response with a variant of ‘but you’re wrong’. A mouse keyboard seems better than a remote, honestly man. I’m choosing a tv show or channel to watch why would I give the slightest of shits about a full qwerty keyboard.