Posted on

What is Smart TV?

Smart TV, aka connected TV, is a conventional television set embedded with Internet and interactive features of “Web 2.0” like streaming of music, videos, internet browsing, etc. As compared to the traditional television sets, smart TVs are technologically advanced. Apart from providing normal broadcasting media services, these TVs also enables users to operate Internet, over-the-top content (OTT), on-demand streaming, online interactive media, and access to home networking. To be more precise, smart TVs can be termed as the technological convergence of conventional television sets and set-top boxes. Modern Smart TVs are also integrated with smartphone characteristics.

smart tv image
Image credits: Flipkart.com

Difference Between Normal TVs and Smart TVs

  • Smart TVs can access the Internet while Normal TVs cannot
  • A smart TV always comes with an inbuilt web browser, while Normal TVs don’t have a web browser
  • Smart TVs can stream content like music, videos, and other stuff. Normal TVs need external equipment to stream content.
  • Many Smart TVs come with a touch screen facility. Normal TVs don’t have a touch screen.

How Does Smart TVs Work?

Smart TVs have the ability to access the broadband connection through a router or Wi-Fi network that you use to connect your PC or smartphone. Once the connection is established, you need to enter the necessary login details provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). After a successful login, the TV screen will display a list of available internet channels in the form of apps. Some apps are inbuilt in Smart TV while you can download other apps as per your choice. The navigation style of the Smart TV menu and management of apps varies according to the model and brand.

In addition to internet features, many smart TVs come with some unique capabilities like screen sharing and Miracast. Using these features, you can view the content from your smartphone on a smart TV. These features are also termed as “SmartShare” by LG and “SmartView” by Samsung. Some smart TVs are able to perform vice versa functionality i.e you can get the content from your TV on your smartphone and continue watching it away from the TV.

Which Companies Manufacture Smart TVs?

With the growing craze for smart TVs, almost every TV manufacturer is making smart TVs. Chinese companies like TCL and Hisense manufacture smart TVs that come with in-built Roku services. Some biggest smart TV manufacturer brands are Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, TCL, Toshiba, Philips, Vizio, and Sharp.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *