Which SMART TV? Google TV or ANDROID TV

[RollingProtocol666]

Hi, I looking to purchase a smart tv, but there's a wealth of confusing info out there, I hear there's Google TV, Android TV, so not sure which make to go for... in this case Samsung, Sony, Panasonic etc... I here the Sony model's are good for the availability of apps... but I'm sure the Samsung model's are good as well. If a TV has minimal apps, would I need to purchase a chromecast?

 

[hallux]

If it helps to narrow it down - I believe Google TV is the replacement for Android TV.

That said - I bought a TV during the holidays last year and have ignored the smart functions pretty much from the beginning. I added the streaming dongle of my choice (Chromecast with Google TV).

 

[bkdodger2]

Both Sony and Samsung will be good choices I recently helped a friend set up his Samsung and he has all the apps and everything needed for the smart TV I have an LG a little bit older couple years maybe ..it’s OK but apps not as good as others ..LG will probably better now with updates in my bedroom believe it or not I have an insignia and it’s excellent also with the smart content.

 

[Mooncatt]

I would suggest just buying a tv that has the tv specs you want and forget about smart functions. So consider things like screen type inputs/outputs, audio quality, etc. Smart TV's have a bad record of keeping apps and such updated, leading to frustration. If possible, save your money and get a regular tv (though honestly not sure if those even exist anymore), then do like Hallux said above and add whatever streaming dongle(s) you want. If you have a gaming console, that could even double as a streaming device.

 

[bkdodger2]

I would suggest just buying a tv that has the tv specs you want and forget about smart functions. So consider things like screen type inputs/outputs, audio quality, etc. Smart TV's have a bad record of keeping apps and such updated, leading to frustration. If possible, save your money and get a regular tv (though honestly not sure if those even exist anymore), then do like Hallux said above and add whatever streaming dongle(s) you want. If you have a gaming console, that could even double as a streaming device.

Good luck finding a regular TV I don't think those exist.. most of them have all the smart features including mirror to the TV and the only thing you really need to research is the ports in case you have other stuff you're interested in hooking up to TV

 

[hallux]

I would suggest just buying a tv that has the tv specs you want and forget about smart functions. So consider things like screen type inputs/outputs, audio quality, etc. Smart TV's have a bad record of keeping apps and such updated, leading to frustration. If possible, save your money and get a regular tv (though honestly not sure if those even exist anymore), then do like Hallux said above and add whatever streaming dongle(s) you want. If you have a gaming console, that could even double as a streaming device.

See, there's the rub. A non-smart TV rarely has more than one or two HDMI inputs, requiring a receiver with multiple to route your sources through if you have more than one. The smart TVs generally have multiple HDMI inputs. Yeah, I don't get it either.

That said - when I upgraded my TV last year (I thought I had a problem with the TV, turns out it was the receiver, ended up just keeping the TV and still upgrading the receiver and sub, thanks stimulus) I bought a smart TV AND a receiver that can handle 7 or 8 HDMI inputs.

 

[Mooncatt]

...the only thing you really need to research is the ports in case you have other stuff you're interested in hooking up to TV

I would disagree. For example, OLED tv's are popular, but they suffer the same burn in problems as on our phones. So if you watch a lot of similar content, you'll want to go with an IPS panel style. Game huds, or even watching news channels can cause burn in. If you don't have a separate sound bar, audio quality is a concern. How it looks in ambient light is worth knowing. Color saturation and temp, while subjective, is worth knowing. There's more to a tv than port count if you are looking for more than what is cheap and available.

 

[RollingProtocol666]

Really appreciate your feedback guys, it's kind of put my mind to rest, it's the stress of getting one, as TVs are pretty a large investment... also watch out for a fairly new model that came out 2020, SAMSUNG Q700 8K 55inch... they were faulty and think SAMSUNG were trying to hide the fact by issuing a free Samsung flip phone as a deal, the model stopped working, no picture only sound... an engineer came out, replaced the screen with a reconditioned one (slightly scratched)... that stopped working within a few days... customer service absolutely terrible... this was in the UK, not sure about anywhere else... heard the model is now discontinued.

 

[RollingProtocol666]

Also any ideas for makes and models around the £1500 -£2000 Mark? Thx guys

 

[Mooncatt]

Also any ideas for makes and models around the £1500 -£2000 Mark? Thx guys

I think my next tv will be an LG LED tv. I haven't had one of their tv's before, but I like their phones (R.I.P. That division) and currently have an LG 4K computer monitor that is great for my photo editing. They seem to be pretty well respected for their non-OLED displays.

 

[RollingProtocol666]

Yeah we seem to forget about LG, it's seems the other makes always comes before (maybe their marketing strategy)... Will look into LG, as one of the sites LG came up top... cheers

 

[hallux]

Also any ideas for makes and models around the £1500 -£2000 Mark? Thx guys

On that kind of budget you can get a quite nice TV! I bought a 43" Samsung in December last year and it's really nice, at only $500 USD. Amazon (in the US) still has some in stock even! Of course, how big of a TV you want also plays into the cost factor but the 85" version of my TV is still WELL within your price range. I'd look at maybe one of LG's higher-end units, they make good TV's but were a little out of my price range for what I wanted when I bought the Samsung. My 2 previous TVs were LG.

 

[B. Diddy]

I would agree with my esteemed colleagues above. My recommendation would be to get a Chromecast with Google TV (https://forums.androidcentral.com/e.../chromecast_google_tv?hl=en-US&token=Vajhc_hF), rather than relying on a smart TV's native interface and apps. The Chromecast with Google TV is inexpensive, smooth and fast, and will be updated much more regularly than any smart TV. Another decent option would be Walmart's onn. Android TV UHD Streaming Device, which has gotten very good reviews (and is cheaper than Google's).

 

[Mooncatt]

Another decent option would be Walmart's onn. Android TV UHD Streaming Device, which has gotten very good reviews (and is cheaper than Google's).

Considering how many reviews are bought these days and how the Onn brand in general is just above what you get on Wish in terms of reliability, I wouldn't do it. They are a relatively new in-house brand for Wal-Mart, and known for being dirt cheap in price and quality.

 

[B. Diddy]

Considering how many reviews are bought these days and how the Onn brand in general is just above what you get on Wish in terms of reliability, I wouldn't do it. They are a relatively new in-house brand for Wal-Mart, and known for being dirt cheap in price and quality.

I would agree about their tablets, but since I've seen a number of different positive reviews about the streaming device from good sources (and since it's so cheap), I figured it was still worth a mention. The interface and performance is supposed to be pretty much the same as the Chromecast with Google TV.

That being said, I would avoid any of those cheap direct-from-China Android TV boxes, since they get no support whatsoever.

 

[RollingProtocol666]

Really appreciate your advice guys, I have family and friends who are looking to purchase TVs for Christmas, maybe more over the black Friday period, info on here proves invaluable, again thx guys ??????