What is SMART TV: features, advantages, how to choose and use

What is smart TV

Smart TVs are TV models with a built-in operating system. Thanks to it, there is Internet access, an abundance of applications, game services and entertainment content. Smart TVs are like huge tablets that are controlled using the included remote control. The latter, by the way, are also not standard - they are compact in size, with a minimum of buttons and touch wheels for ease of control.

In addition, smart TVs can be a connection center for various home smart gadgets, including smart lamps, lamps, household appliances, and so on.

How much does a SMART TV cost?

As mentioned above, TVs with SMART TV are more expensive than regular TVs. Prices range from 5,000-400,000 UAH. and depend on the brand, diagonal, screen resolution, matrix type and set of smart functions.

Samsung SMART TVs will cost you from 7,000 to 2,500,000 UAH. For “reasonable” Sony you will have to pay from 10,000 to 2,500,000 UAH, similar LG ones - from 8,400 to 1,215,000 UAH. Philips TVs will cost 8,600-100,000 UAH, Skyworth - 7,300-48,000 UAH. The cheapest of our six are TVs from the Ukrainian manufacturer KIVI. Their price ranges from 5,200-37,000 UAH.

What can TVs with smart TVs do?

Replacement for regular television

Smart TVs can easily replace the coolest and most expensive cable package. After all, all this is here, but in a more pleasant and accessible form.

You can install games and applications on your smart TV. For example, there is a large selection of different services with hundreds of channels and huge databases of movies, TV series, cartoons, anime, documentaries, reality shows, and so on (Netflix, Megogo, ivi, Kinopoisk HD, PREMIER, and so on). A monthly subscription to such services usually does not exceed, or even less than, the cost of cable television, and there are much more opportunities and content.

Moreover, by subscribing to such a service, you can forget about advertising forever, which not only clears your brain of unnecessary information and eliminates the urge to buy something, but also frees up a lot of time while watching, because most of it is no longer occupied by advertising.

If you still like to watch TV channels, then you can do this on smart TVs. Moreover, on them you will have access to recordings of various broadcast programs, TV series, movies and more. Didn't get home from work in time to catch the latest episode of your favorite TV series? It doesn’t matter, because almost all the online cinemas described above keep all programs recorded and provide access to them for a week, two or even a month.

Replacement for smartphone and computer

Using SMART TV, you can easily surf the Internet through the built-in browser, hang out on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, etc.), order food, goods and various services through downloaded applications.

Replacing a game console

On many smart TVs, you can easily play games from the Google Play app store. This means that your purchase is doubly profitable, because it partially replaced the capabilities of a PC and console.

You can play using the remote control, but it will be much more convenient to do it using a gamepad. Yes, the controllers easily connect to smart TVs and work without problems with racing, shooters, action games and other games that you download.

How to set up and use SMART TV

To start enjoying all the benefits that the SMART TV function offers, you must first configure it correctly. Regardless of the operating system, the algorithm is as follows:

1. Connect your TV to the Internet . If your model has a built-in Wi-Fi module (in extreme cases, a wireless network adapter), then in the “Network” section, select “Wireless connection” and enter your username and password. Otherwise, connect the cable to the TV via the LAN connector, then go to the “Network” section and specify the IP address, subnet mask, gateway value and DNS in the “Master connection” item. Wait a few minutes while the operating system makes the necessary configuration for the new hardware.
2. Register a personal account . This will allow you to use all the functions of the TV, for example, quickly install applications, widgets, switch between channels, create a movie catalog, and the like. Also, go to the main menu, click on the login button and enter your email address and password.
3. Go to the manufacturer's app store and download the necessary programs and widgets . The quantity and assortment depends solely on your interests and needs.

SMART TV is controlled using:

• a special remote control equipped with a QWERTY keyboard;
• wireless keyboard and mouse (some models allow you to combine them);
• voice commands (for example, you can switch channels by calling a number, or adjust the volume by saying “quieter”, “louder”);
• gestures (the function is activated by waving your hand, moving the cursor with your palm, and launching a menu item by clenching your fist).

Advantages and disadvantages of smart TV

Advantages:

• The ability to connect to the Internet via cable or Wi-Fi for quick access to the necessary information.
• Possibility of control not only from the remote control, but also from a smartphone or tablet.
• The ability to play games without consoles and PCs.
• Access to entertaining and useful applications.
• Access to a huge database of cable channels, movies, TV series, cartoons and TV shows.

Flaws:

• Slightly higher price tag compared to regular TVs.
• A higher barrier to entry for users who do not deal with smartphones.
• Not the most powerful filling for mobile games.

Disadvantages of technology

Despite the large number of advantages, this technology has a number of disadvantages. The disadvantages of using smart TV are:

• inability to play video of non-traditional standards. This includes, for example, .mkv, the “sailor suit” container. When trying to play such files, sound problems may occur;
• infrequent updates of the built-in application store, especially games. It's also not very convenient to use the remote as a joystick for gameplay;
• some models of smart TVs have limitations in watching movies or fully surfing the Internet;
• high price. You won’t be able to buy a TV with smart TV inexpensively, since you have to pay extra for the service. You should be prepared for this when you need to choose a new TV receiver for your home.

What versions of smart TV are there?

Smart TVs from different manufacturers are equipped with different operating systems. They are all very similar, but have their own characteristics, pros and cons. The most popular OS for SMART TV: Tizen OS, Patchwall, Android TV and WebOS.

Tizen OS is installed on TVs from the Korean company Samsung and stands out for its simplest controls and flexible settings. Android TV is often installed on Sony smart TVs; it is characterized by a wide range of tools, greater functionality than competitors and compatibility with various gadgets.

WebOS is included in smart TVs produced by . They have a nice minimalistic interface and a useful Smart Share function, thanks to which you can display movies, photos and other files from external media. The Patchwall shell works on Xiaomi and Redmi TVs. It has a lightweight interface with smooth animation, horizontal content scrolling, and is easy to learn.

Top models

In the 21st century, it is not man who is the slave of the TV, which shows what he wants, but the TV, which is the servant of man, and shows what you want to see.
Kir Bulychev - “News of the Future Century”
Main features of the widget:

— editor of a unique multitasking interface (skins).

— editor of TV and IPTV channels, Favorites.

— built-in widgets for YouTube and Vkontakte.

- unique functions for managing cable TV channels with a program guide, editing channel names, updating them while maintaining sorting, - IPTV playback with personal settings and program guide, - large Film library, a selection of IPTV channels on the Network folder of our website, - cloud network folder, - support for devices with DLNA (2012+), - easy connection of any folders/drives on your computer for viewing on TV, - playback of multimedia files from USB drives, from local and Internet computers, - support for Torrent TV and video via a local server controlled by the TV remote control , - viewing photo slideshows with transition effects, - convenient Explorer for viewing files, - screen clock with several modes, - displaying News, news portals and Film Posters, - displaying Weather, - displaying MP3 and XML playlists as folders, - launching and adding to Favorites of installed widgets, - autostart when you turn on the TV (not all models), - computer control (turn off, sleep, turn off the monitor), - select the appearance of the widget (skins), - 9 customizable buttons which can be set to one of 26 actions, - complete support for touch control panels, - support for voice, gesture and mouse control (2012+), - switching audio tracks and subtitles (2011+), - full support for file names in Russian letters, - Favorites section in which the playback position of any file, links to folders, sites and TV channels, - notifications about new personal messages and reading them on the screen, - import/export settings and channels to the site, - and much more

Main server features:

— easy automatic installation of any widgets on SmartTV on Taisen,

- bypass AVI blocking (Divx/Xvid) on TV 2018+,
- multi-stream playback of files from computer folders on TV (Network folders, no other programs required), - automatic recursive conversion of XML and M3U playlists into NetPlay files for our widget, - convenient creating, editing and sorting NetPlay files (links to IPTV channels, movies, etc.) without special knowledge, - quick and convenient sorting, renaming, deleting unnecessary TV channels with remembering the sorting the next time you update channels, - long Russian names for analogue channels with saving and restoration.

Errors and problems when using ForkPlayer

Since IPTV is a relatively new technology, users regularly encounter problems while using ForkPlayer. The most common questions related to the quality and quantity of working channels, the correctness of picture display and the operating principle of IPTV. Below are some common problems and how to solve them.

When playing all IPTV - black screen

When downloading IPTV, users are faced with the problem of a black screen and no sound. Main reasons for the error:

1. A non-working IPTV is used or the playlist is blocked. Approximately 80% of public IPTVs do not work due to rapid blocking. To solve it, just check the status of the playlist in the settings, and if it is blocked, select a new one.
2. Invalid video player format. If all selected playlists are not displayed, you need to change the player type in the settings, after which the channels should load.

Why are there so many non-working IPTVs?

Anyone can create an IPTV broadcast, but to do this it is necessary to buy expensive equipment, rent premises and computing power, and also obtain an operating license. All this adds up to a large sum, which is why most free playlists operate illegally. Users independently find problems in broadcasters' security systems and share information with others.

Legitimate IPTV providers are constantly fighting leaks by blocking third-party streams. Moreover, the more users are connected to a free playlist, the faster it is discovered. As a result, we get a system where hundreds of constantly updated IPTVs appear every day, which are promptly blocked by providers.

To make watching television more convenient, enable the “Show rating” option in the ForkPlayer application settings. After activation, the user sees the percentage of working channels to the total number, as well as an indicator for each section.

No videos work - black screen

Some users experience problems when watching videos and movies. Instead of a picture, a black screen is displayed. Main reasons for the error:

1. The site you are interested in uses codecs that are not supported by the TV. To check, you need to go to Kinokrad, YouTube.
2. Invalid player format, which can be changed in the settings. For proper operation you must select Media or Html

In some cases, it is enough to restart the TV, after which the black screen problem will disappear on its own.

The MAC address has changed, how to return the old one

You can restore the old MAC address on a new LG device if the information was registered in your personal account. Step-by-step instructions for recovery:

1. Open the settings section and find the MAC address item, then click “Unlink”.
2. Enter a new value that is displayed in the ForkPlayer settings.
3. In the “My Notifications” section, confirm changing the new MAC to the old one.
4. Wait until the widget reloads, after which the data will change.