Wondering whether all those so-called smart TVs are really that smart? Or perhaps you're skeptical about dozens of apps littering the screen when all you want to do is watch TV. Not to worry, we've got the answers to the most frequently asked questions about smart TVs.
1. What is a smart TV?
Originally called "connected TVs," these sets were then branded by companies such as Samsung and LG as "smart TVs." The term has come to denote any television that can be connected to the Internet to access streaming media services and that can run entertainment apps, such as on-demand video-rental services, Internet music stations or Web browsers.
2. Which companies make smart TVs?
Virtually every major TV manufacturer makes a smart TV today, with the trend toward making every set "smart." Budget sets from Chinese makers such as TCL and Hisense offer smart features, including built-in Roku services, while high-end models from Samsung have built-in video cameras, microphones, and voice and gesture recognition. A partial list of the biggest smart TV makers includes Hisense, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TCL, Toshiba and Vizio.
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3. How do smart TVs connect to the Internet?
Smart TVs use either a direct, wired Ethernet connection or built-in Wi-Fi to connect to a home network for Internet access. Most models today have built-in Wi-Fi, but check before you buy.
People with larger homes should also double-check their Wi-Fi coverage. If the Wi-Fi router is on the second floor and the smart TV is going to be in the basement, the set may not be able to stream video from Netflix or other providers without experiencing hiccups. Furthermore, in our testing, most Wi-Fi receivers in TVs are not as sensitive as those in set-top boxes, such as Roku. (More aboutset top boxes in a bit.)
If your smart TV isn't getting a strong enough wireless signal, you have a few options to remedy the problem, though none of them are foolproof. You could try moving your Wi-Fi router to a location closer to the TV, though movement may be restricted by where your cable or DSL service comes into the house. If the router is more than four years old, a new Wi-Fi router could also do the trick, as the latest wireless standards have greater range. If neither of those solutions are an option, there are Wi-Fi range extenders available from companies such as Netgear, but they require some time and patience to set up and install.
4. How do smart TVs differ from each other?
There is no standard operating system or interface for smart TVs. Nearly every smart TV maker uses different software and a different graphical presentation. The manufacturers also offer a different assortment of online services and apps.
For the most part, all smart TVs support popular services, such as Netflix and Pandora. However, some sets offer only a handful of apps that rarely change, while others deliver several screens of offerings ranging from MLB to Facebook to Stitcher. Making it even more confusing, the lower-priced models of some manufacturers offer only the most popular apps, while higher-priced sets get a complete array of services. Some companies even install different operating systems and interfaces on their low-end vs. their high-end sets.
The arrangement of the apps also varies. Some smart TVs use scrolling screens of icons to display options; others use tabbed windows or scroll bars along the bottom of the screen. Still others use a 3D-style carousel of screens to sort and arrange all the available services.
The moral: Spend a little time at the store flipping through the set's smart offerings to make sure you and your family will be comfortable with it.
5. Will my smart-TV maker regularly update the software with new features?
That depends. For the most part, TV manufacturers are adding and customizing apps on their own. Some TV companies are quicker than others at fixing the occasional bug or working with developers to improve their apps.
Given that proviso, most major manufacturers perform regular software updates, including updates to the set's own internal firmware (often downloaded automatically late at night). And if one company adds an additional popular service, such as Twitter, the rest generally follow suit.
6. Can a smart TV crash or hang like a PC?
Definitely, and they do. Smart TVs require computer chips to juggle video processing, upscaling, multiple screens and an Internet connection. They also use memory to buffer streaming video and music, and need additional processing power to deal with graphics. Just as phones have become computers, so too have smart TVs.
We've seen particular apps crash or freeze a smart TV. We've witnessed upgrades that have caused sets to power off unpredictably, and a raft of other glitches. However, simply turning a set off and then on usually resolves these issues.
7. Aside from apps, do smart TVs have other benefits?
Smart TVs do offer other potential advantages. Because these TVs have built-in computers and an online connection, manufacturers can add other features. Casual games, such as "Angry Birds," are now quite common on smart sets. The games are nowhere near as sophisticated or as compelling as those available on a PlayStation or Xbox console, but they can be addictive.
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Using a built-in camera or optional video camera accessory, some high-end smart TVs offer video calling services, such as Skype. With more powerful processors, other sets include basic voice recognition for searches and gesture recognition for switching between screens.
8. How does a smart TV compare to set-top boxes like Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast or Fire TV?
You do not need a smart TV to get streaming Netflix movies or YouTube videos on your screen. Many set-top boxes can stream those services and more to an HDTV. The leading models are from Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku.
As an example, the Roku Streaming Stick, just $50, delivers more than 1,000 channels and apps. That includes nearly every major service, as well as hundreds of more-obscure channels, ranging from Kung Fu Theater to Victory Westerns. In fact, Roku offers more options than any other set-top box or any smart TV on the market. So if you don't need to buy a new TV but want smart-TV services, a separate, inexpensive streaming media player is the prudent choice.
Furthermore, if you want your iTunes collection on the big screen, only the Apple TV can deliver that. No smart TVs have an app for iTunes. Chromecast lets you stream content from your computer's Web browser, and Amazon's Fire TV doubles as a basic gaming console.
For more information, see our comparison of Roku, Apple TV and Chromecast, and ourreview of Amazon Fire TV.
9. Is it better to buy a smart TV or get a cheaper TV and a set-top box?
A smart TV costs around $150 more than a comparable set that lacks smart services. However, that price difference is quickly narrowing, and soon most sets will have smart services built in.
MORE: Set Top Box Buying Guide
The price difference can also be deceiving, because connected services are often just one aspect of higher-end TVs. Usually, smart TVs also include better video processing — in other words, better picture quality — and expanded features, such as more HDMI ports on the back. That means you get more for your money than just an Internet connection and apps.
10. Can my smart TV get hacked or contract a virus?
In theory, the answer is clearly yes. So-called white hat hackers have brought attention to the issue by demonstrating ways to break into a smart TV connected to the Internet and do things like steal passwords and change channels.
At the moment, such hacks are theoreticaland have never appeared in the real world (well, not yet). Although smart TVs have a variety of interfaces, most run some version of Linux underneath — a popular operating system that hackers know how to manipulate well.
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To be safe, avoid doing anything sensitive on a smart TV such as online banking or shopping with a credit card. Smart TVs are simply not as safe as computers.
11. Can a smart TV watch you?
Yes, it can. Information you share on a Facebook app on a TV or when ordering on Amazon or Netflix on the big screen is shared in the same way as when you conduct such business on a PC or a smart phone.
In 2012, computer researchers demonstrated ways to break into particular smart TVs that had built-in video cameras and microphones to eavesdrop on people in their living rooms.
Hackers have broken into connected baby-monitoring cameras in the past. And companies can collect private information about you and your viewing habits from a smart TV. Late in 2013, for example, LG admitted to receiving information about what channels owners were watching even after those users turned on the privacy setting. (LG said that was due to a software bug and that it has since corrected the problem).
12. Can you surf the Web on a smart TV?
Some, but not all, smart TVs will let you go online. It requires a special browser that's not only compatible with all the HTML standards that websites use, but that can also convert and display those sites properly on a big screen.
If you want to be able to surf the Web on your TV, make sure your set has its own browser. Also ask if there's a wireless keyboard option.
13. Can a smart TV get local channels?
Smart TV services and features don't affect a TV's ability to get local stations. If you have cable or satellite service, you will continue to receive the same stations. If you don't have either of those services, you'll still need some sort of Internet connection (DSL or cable) for the smart services and then an HDTV antennato pull in local, over-the-air broadcasts for free.
At least for now, televisions stations have not followed the lead of radio stations, which stream their live broadcasts online.
14. Can a smart TV replace cable?
Much has been made of so-called "cord cutting," which refers to terminating cable or satellite TV service in favor of paid online services such as Hulu Plus and Netflix. Some networks, such as PBS, also let you watch a limited number of shows for free using an app. You can also use your smart TV to take advantage of these services and cut the cord — with certain provisos.
For example, there are no a la carte options for subscribing to individual TV stations online (yet). So although HBO Go has apps that let subscribers watch its shows on different devices wherever they are, customers still have to have a cable or satellite subscription to HBO. Other networks make the same requirements.
MORE: How to Watch Live TV Online
However, the biggest reason to maintain a cable or satellite TV subscription is so you can watch live sporting events. (There are some apps, such as MLB.com, that stream live sports, but they cost extra and don't include all games.) Otherwise, if your household mainly watches movies, news and the occasional series, a smart TV could help you cut the cord.
15. Does a smart TV need a cable box or broadband?
If you want to continue receiving your current lineup of stations and channels and make use of the smart TV streaming services, the answer is yes. You still need a cable or satellite box to decrypt the stations that TV providers scramble to prevent pirating.
For streaming movies from Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video onto a smart TV, a broadband connection is necessary. In fact, slower DSL speeds can stymie video services like Netflix, although they can be sufficient for streaming music from the likes of Pandora and Spotify.
16. Does a smart TV have a better picture?
Not necessarily. Built-in Wi-Fi and a processor for decompressing video do not directly affect picture quality. However, since manufacturers initially added smart TV features to more-expensive, higher-end (and better-performing) HDTVs, shoppers will find that the picture quality on some smart TVs beats that of lower-priced models without the smarts.
John R. Quain has been reviewing and testing video and audio equipment for more than 20 years. He is currently a contributor to The New York Times and is an on-air technology contributor for the CBS News television network. Follow him @jqontech. Follow us @tomsguide, on Facebook and on Google+.
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