Buyers Guide Explaining Smart Tv’s

By Author: Barry Knightly
Total Articles: 57
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In the same way that smartphones revolutionised the mobile phone market, Smart TV’s are the next-generation in home entertainment which bring the exciting possibilities of the Internet to your living room. From unlimited streaming of content to useful apps and streamlined integration with your other electronic devices, Smart TV’s are set to become the next must-have.



Introducing the Smart TV



In a nutshell, a Smart TV (also known as "Connected TV") is the term used to describe the modern trend of harnessing the Internet into the television arena. These new devices focus less on traditional broadcast channels, and more on interactive online media, Internet TV and on-demand streaming content. In the same way as the Internet, web widgets, and software applications are integrated to define modern smartphones over traditional mobiles which were designed primarily for calls and texts, you can expect far more interactive abilities from a Smart TV compared to the previous type of telly, which was primarily used for simply sitting back and watching your favourite shows.

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All in all, by integrating your television with the web, you’ll end up with a completely different experience when it comes to sourcing and consuming interesting content that is tailored to your preferences.



The Technology of Smart TV’s Explained



The technology that powers Smart TV’s is already used in Blu-ray players, game consoles, tablets and other such gadgets. These devices now allow us to find movies, video clips, photos and a wealth of other content - whether on the web, a local PC hard drive, a local cable TV channel or a satellite TV channel.



A Smart TV earns its title by either being a television set with integrated Internet capabilities or a set-top box with a 10-foot user interface that provides a more sophisticated computing ability and connectivity than a traditional television set. Think of a Smart TV as an information appliance, it has the same computer system as a handheld PC or tablet, all built within the good old telly.



While Smart TV’s are still relatively new to the marketplace, the latest software frameworks such as Google TV and the open source XBMC platforms are rising fast to corner the consumer electronics market.



Just as with any advanced computing device, Smart TV’s now offer a steadily increasing range of mobile operating systems to choose from. Currently, most models are based on Android, Linux, Unix, or other open-source software platforms. When it comes to the option that will suit you best, as with choosing your mobile phone or PC operating system, your individual preferences will decide on which one is best for your needs.



Features That Make A Smart TV So Clever



Web Applications


Just as App stores are increasingly what make smartphones so useful and fun, the same is true for Smart TV’s. As the industry grows, leading electronics manufacturers are packing their Smart TV’s with a wealth of must-have apps. This is closely tied to the progression of TV’s that have fast and seamless Internet access – without being able to easily download these apps, consumers would soon lose interest.



And while Smart TV’s are still far from being in most homes, there is increasingly a range of heavy-weight video streaming apps to choose from, such as Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube, along with other news and information sources. Sooner than later, this will set the new standard in home entertainment.



DLNA Certified Streaming


The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is the organisation that has set the yard stick for sharing media among multiple devices on your home network. Without this integration, you’ll have the frustration of having to customise many devices from scratch, which would be time consuming to say the least.



For this reason, you’re strongly advised to choose a Smart TV that has DLNA certification – this means it will be able to display movies, music and photos, whether from your PC, smartphone, Xbox or any other device that connect to your wireless network.



Conclusion



At this point, the traditional TV is at the centre of a revolution which involves a great deal of changes to the way we view content. This revolution is necessary if we are to keep pace and take advantage of the exciting advancements in computing and mobile technology. A Smart TV will allow you to take your home entertainment to a brand new level – now, instead of settling in for the night to watch broadcasted shows and DVD movies, you will be able to interact with your telly to browse the internet, stream content, keep up with your social networking and download useful apps. This advancement will offer us the type of customised viewing that was previously unimaginable.



About the Author: Barry Knightly owns a Smart TV and electronics repair business.