Smart TVs running Android - about time.

[Crossy]

Having been bitten by an early purchase of a 'smart' TV which turned out to be pretty dumb, I've not been in the market for another.

Today, whilst buying a digital TV for Wifey (the old analogue one died) I spotted a Toshiba large screen telly running Android complete with PlayStore etc. Can work with a mouse and keyboard too.

I wasn't over fussed on the styling of the Toshiba and the sales chap didn't know if anyone else did an Android TV so I'm asking here:-

Any other manufacturers seen sense and released 50" or thereabouts Smart TVs running Android?

[RichCor]

Integrated is usually a good thing, though it turns out not so good when marrying a TV Display and a Internet Media System (the smart or the smart-tv combo).

Android OS, abilities, and its requirements change every year. While most people have android or iOS on their SmartPhone they immediately recognize the vast improvements when they get a new device 2-3 years later. TV's usually last a LOT longer, but it the smart electronics are integrated there is no method of upgrading or swapping it out. People end up adding an external media player device and ignore the one built-in once it's exhausted it's usefulness. Better to get an add-on device, swap it out as needed.

There is the allure to have one remote to control them all but at what cost, Mr Baggins?

[Retired2]

I think RichCor is right on.

Personally, I use the Android TV Boxes.......

Minox and MX2.

They are inexpensive and now easier than ever to program.

Many, many changes coming to XBMC and KODI.

A salesman today, tried to sell me a smart tv. I told him that

I had a much better system. I just don't think that the tv sets

will be able to keep up with all the changes coming.

[tariq786]

Yes agreed with the above posts.

I highly recommend you to have a look at :

Tronsmart Orion R28 RK3288 Android Media Player & TV Box $99

or

Minix NEO X8-H $150

Google it on Youtube for details and you can buy directly from Alibaba.

I am using a local Android TV box and installed XBMC with great results although I have a Samsung Smart TV which is off course no match to these boxes.

[IMHO]

Smart TV's always remind me of the old TV/DVD player all-in-ones. Soon enough, the technology of at least one falls behind, and when that happens you're upgrading part of the system anyway.

On top of that, there's just so much replication in the systems now - we now have smart AVR's, smart bluray players, game consoles and a myriad of set top boxes and dongles that all want to be your Netflix client, Youtube client, IPTV streamer, web browser etc. I see no need for it to be all replicated again in the TV too, IMHO.

[IMHO]

There is the allure to have one remote to control them all but at what cost, Mr Baggins?

Logitech Harmony remotes aren't that expensive

[Crossy]

Some good responses to "Should I buy a Smart TV if I want a sensible (or any) upgrade path".

Sadly that wasn't the question.

Ok, I'll rephrase, do any of the big names still make large screen 'dumb' TVs with the same picture and audio quality as their 'smart' brothers?

If I'm going to have to pay for 'smarts' then at least let it be running a mainstream OS.

[chris2004]

The WebOS used by LG TVs is not Android but it is easy to use, much better than previous "smart" TVs.

[fvw53]

this lead learns me a lot - thanks !

[tariq786]

>>>Ok, I'll rephrase, do any of the big names still make large screen 'dumb' TVs with the same picture and audio quality as their 'smart' brothers?

Crossy the answer is Yes. Visit Samsung website and look for LED TVs

Click on this link : http://www.samsung.com/us/video/led-tv

Then, add an external smart Tv Box,if required, as suggested earlier.

[steve187]

some people are 'have to be the latest gadget' people, others just want to be ' that will do the job i want' people

[Jeffrey346]

Integrated is usually a good thing, though it turns out not so good when marrying a TV Display and a Internet Media System (the smart or the smart-tv combo).

Android OS, abilities, and its requirements change every year. While most people have android or iOS on their SmartPhone they immediately recognize the vast improvements when they get a new device 2-3 years later. TV's usually last a LOT longer, but it the smart electronics are integrated there is no method of upgrading or swapping it out. People end up adding an external media player device and ignore the one built-in once it's exhausted it's usefulness. Better to get an add-on device, swap it out as needed.

There is the allure to have one remote to control them all but at what cost, Mr Baggins?

Not completely accurate. Samsung Smart TV's have an upgrade module you can purchase and LG does OTA Updates that keep your TV up to date.

Most people are familiar with Android, but LG's WebOS is a much faster and easier to use. The downside is LG does not have as many available Apps as Android.

Keep in mind, apps need to be designed for large TV's or they don't look good.

[RBOP]

My 8 year old Samsung 55" LED semi-smart (series 3) is starting to go on the blink. My next TV will be the curved OLED. Anyone bought one?

[Thaijack2014]

Though it is not an answer on your question, there is something I'ld like to say. I too was looking for a dumb tv and was planning to use the TOT ip-tv box, which is based on an Android system. There was an LG with a beautiful picture (3D too) but no extra's like "smart-tv". The only reason that I didn't buy it, was the fact that sometime in the near future Thai broadcasting will be digital and then I had to buy an extra box. The Samsung I bought had it all and with the price for it (including a 5.1 sound system) it was too much to resist.

I nearly never use the Smart functions and we have it hooked on a 280 baht antenna. My girlfirend only watches Channel 3, so it is enough for us.

My suggestion now is to look for a monitor, if you don't want a TV. I think a Android Box for ip-tv and the monitor will do. And then you have a big choice: 3D, 4K or nothing the like is available. Just use your tv only via the Android Box (the latest have Android 4.4), Quadcore processor, 2-4 gb Ram, you can connect harddrives, keyboard, mouse etc to it. They are getting so good, you might replace your computer with it.

If you look at http://www.lazada.co.th/ , there is a good choice to order from.

[sotsira]

My 8 year old Samsung 55" LED semi-smart (series 3) is starting to go on the blink. My next TV will be the curved OLED. Anyone bought one?

8 years and it's already on the blink! typical Samsung. Try Sony or Panasonic next time

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Ok, I'll rephrase, do any of the big names still make large screen 'dumb' TVs with the same picture and audio quality as their 'smart' brothers?

Samsung have a full HD 49" LCD for 22k.

[Dustdevil]

Different people have different needs on large-screen TVs. My perspective is strictly size and quality of the picture. I study, watch and sometimes write about movies, so when I watch them at home, a 60" is my minimum size for a cinema-type experience. (I have ties to Thailand but I'm working in Saudi Arabia, so home cinema is all the more significant in a country where movie theatres don't exist.)

So I ignore 3-D and all the other crap. Yes, I get most of my video material from the internet. But I simply download it first with my laptop and onto any USB drive, and then connect it to my Asus media player, which in turn connects to the TV via HDMI cable. So, long story short, I watch anything I want on a large TV without paying extra for "smart" nonsense.

This is personal taste, but i ignore 3-D and certainly prefer not to pay extra for it. 3-D perverts cinematography. It's great for watching talking rats stick their noses in your face. I think it will fizzle out.

I noticed Siam TV in Chiang Mai this past year has offered a couple of basic 60" models (I believe Sony and LG or Toshiba) for under 50,000 baht.

[Jaggg88]

Different people have different needs on large-screen TVs. My perspective is strictly size and quality of the picture. I study, watch and sometimes write about movies, so when I watch them at home, a 60" is my minimum size for a cinema-type experience. (I have ties to Thailand but I'm working in Saudi Arabia, so home cinema is all the more significant in a country where movie theatres don't exist.)

So I ignore 3-D and all the other crap. Yes, I get most of my video material from the internet. But I simply download it first with my laptop and onto any USB drive, and then connect it to my Asus media player, which in turn connects to the TV via HDMI cable. So, long story short, I watch anything I want on a large TV without paying extra for "smart" nonsense.

This is personal taste, but i ignore 3-D and certainly prefer not to pay extra for it. 3-D perverts cinematography. It's great for watching talking rats stick their noses in your face. I think it will fizzle out.

I noticed Siam TV in Chiang Mai this past year has offered a couple of basic 60" models (I believe Sony and LG or Toshiba) for under 50,000 baht.

I agree 3D is a gimmick that you quickly tire of. I Have a dumb TV and connect it to my WiFi/laptop with a Chromecast stick which turns my TV into a smart tv - costs about 1300bht

[dotpoom]

I have to confess,

i know little or nothing about smart TV's. When I read your OP mentioning TV's with Android and keyboard and stuff like that and did any other makers have large smart TV's on the market that do the same stuff., I said to myself....... I would love to know more about all this modern technology.....then when you clarified your question further down.....it seems you were just asking about equally good quality picture and sound .........seems like two different questions to me.........the latter i do understand.

[MediaWatcher]

RBOP, on 09 Nov 2014 - 18:12, said:

My 8 year old Samsung 55" LED semi-smart (series 3) is starting to go on the blink. My next TV will be the curved OLED. Anyone bought one?

Haven't bought one, and don't see it as a selling point... remember, any curved surface has only ONE point of focus... 3D was a failure and I suspect so will be curved screens. As for "smart" TVs, mine is the "smart" person holding the remote, I don't like integrated units, one part goes faulty, the whole thing needs to be taken away/replaced. These days I prefer a cheaper "monitor," no tuner, then add individual units, eg set top box with PVR, DVD player/recorder (also give back up tuner), satellite receiver etc.

[JohnnyJazz]

Integrated is usually a good thing, though it turns out not so good when marrying a TV Display and a Internet Media System (the smart or the smart-tv combo).

Android OS, abilities, and its requirements change every year. While most people have android or iOS on their SmartPhone they immediately recognize the vast improvements when they get a new device 2-3 years later. TV's usually last a LOT longer, but it the smart electronics are integrated there is no method of upgrading or swapping it out. People end up adding an external media player device and ignore the one built-in once it's exhausted it's usefulness. Better to get an add-on device, swap it out as needed.

There is the allure to have one remote to control them all but at what cost, Mr Baggins?

Agree with you. Below is my idea of a smart TV, a mini computer either running Windows or Linux mounted on the back of the TV. There are literally thousands of smart apps available on the web, why limit yourself with the ones selected by your TV manufacturers ?

[IMHO]

Some good responses to "Should I buy a Smart TV if I want a sensible (or any) upgrade path".

Sadly that wasn't the question.

Ok, I'll rephrase, do any of the big names still make large screen 'dumb' TVs with the same picture and audio quality as their 'smart' brothers?

If I'm going to have to pay for 'smarts' then at least let it be running a mainstream OS.

I think the general idea most posters are trying to express is, don't be concerned about the "smart" bits in the TV at all - no matter how compelling they might look now, they quickly won't be.

Given what I've witnessed when it comes to system updates once devices are discontinued (i.e. no further updates at all), I'd actually be concerned about having a potentially unsecure TV connected to my network - especially one with an OS like Android, for which there are no end of exploits, crapware and malware. You're better off with a $100 Android box that you can just throw away and replace when the vendor no longer provides OS/security updates, IMHO.

There are very few un-smart TV's out there now - just like 3D, it's a must-have checkbox, no matter how crap or useless the feature is. Thankfully, you don't have to give it a net connection though

[astral]

Ok, I'll rephrase, do any of the big names still make large screen 'dumb' TVs with the same picture and audio quality as their 'smart' brothers?

Sadly I suspect that the answer is No

For many years I have wanted a TV without any audio facility,

I have a home theatre system, and never use the internal TV speakers

Your question is very similar.

We are in the minority with such requests

and just have to buy the extra bits, whether we want them or not

[rambling]

Just bought a Panasonic TH-50A410 at Powerbuy. Same 50" IPS LED flat panel as their equivalent size Smart TV series and pretty much identical specs minus the Smart part. I looked at it in the store right next to a Smart one showing the same video feed and played with the remote to make sure I'm looking at an image with the same settings on both sets. Looked identical to me. Paid 22,790, several thousand Baht less than the Smart one.

For streaming etc. I use an ATV2 jailbroken running XBMC.

[Digitalbanana]

My 8 year old Samsung 55" LED semi-smart (series 3) is starting to go on the blink. My next TV will be the curved OLED. Anyone bought one?

8 years and it's already on the blink! typical Samsung. Try Sony or Panasonic next time

My 32 inch Sony is 8 years old and cost 55,000 THB back then. Now it s screen is looking on the blink, I prefer other brands.

[rambling]

My 42" JVC lasted 7 years. Cost just shy of 50K THB back then. Hopefully the Panasonic will last longer.

Maybe the heat here puts extra stress on components.

[sotsira]

My 8 year old Samsung 55" LED semi-smart (series 3) is starting to go on the blink. My next TV will be the curved OLED. Anyone bought one?

8 years and it's already on the blink! typical Samsung. Try Sony or Panasonic next time

My 32 inch Sony is 8 years old and cost 55,000 THB back then. Now it s screen is looking on the blink, I prefer other brands.

Each to their own, but i'm always seeing and hearing Samsung products having a short life span

in comparison with Panasonic and Sony which i also believe to be superior quality.

Nowadays they're all in the same price range too.

[chris2004]

My 8 year old Samsung 55" LED semi-smart (series 3) is starting to go on the blink. My next TV will be the curved OLED. Anyone bought one?

8 years and it's already on the blink! typical Samsung. Try Sony or Panasonic next time

My 32 inch Sony is 8 years old and cost 55,000 THB back then. Now it s screen is looking on the blink, I prefer other brands.

Each to their own, but i'm always seeing and hearing Samsung products having a short life span

in comparison with Panasonic and Sony which i also believe to be superior quality.

Nowadays they're all in the same price range too.

My Samsung TV only lasted 2 years, i would never buy another Samsung.

[RBOP]

I had a Sharp TV that lasted 3 years. Personally, I like the Samsung screens the best. Doesnt Pana and Sony use Samsung LED panels in their products?

[astral]

My current 50" Samsung has a 3 year guarantee.