Buying a new smart TV

[pharvey]

Cracking - would love to know!!

That was easy, two clicks ... done. Can now browse the USB stick with VLC on the TV and it plays all formats. Also installed the Red Bull TV app while I was there for some additional petrol head entertainment.

And... Any instructions, how to...?

[buksida]

And... Any instructions, how to...?

Couldn't be easier, the Hisense runs on pure Android so go into Google Play, search for VLC, and install it - exactly the same procedure as on a phone. I can also use my phone to install apps on the TV since I used the same Gmail account on both!

I also installed Express VPN with the hopes of getting BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub on there ... but the TV is geo-locked to Thailand so got the "app unavailable in your location" error. Need to use the set-top box or laptop for those.

All other free streaming TV apps I experimented with were either subscriptions or so full of ads that they were unusable. Will stick to downloads!

[pharvey]

And... Any instructions, how to...?

Couldn't be easier, the Hisense runs on pure Android so go into Google Play, search for VLC, and install it - exactly the same procedure as on a phone. I can also use my phone to install apps on the TV since I used the same Gmail account on both!

I also installed Express VPN with the hopes of getting BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub on there ... but the TV is geo-locked to Thailand so got the "app unavailable in your location" error. Need to use the set-top box or laptop for those.

All other free streaming TV apps I experimented with were either subscriptions or so full of ads that they were unusable. Will stick to downloads!

Cheers buks - still trying it out! Will take a look at downloading VLS etc.

[usual suspect]

So I've just bought a Weyon 40" 1080 TV (not smart..the TV, I already know I'm not smart)
Bought it from Lazada..lasted 1 day! Screen's just black now, & nothing works. Weyon company are sending me lots of messages (all in Thai script, despite me asking them to reply in English)..But it does look like they're gonna take it back finally. (All I gotta do now is find out , in English how to send it/get it picked up..?
BUT..My question is this...
...I tether my phone to my laptop for all my internet work/surfing etc via Bluetooth.
Can I buy a Smart telly that will allow me to still do this?..Phone Bluetoothed direct to TV..Or is there a gizmo/box I should be buying that will make things easier/better..?
The telly that's on it's way back was not a 'Smart TV'..so would have needed to hook up my lappy to it via a HDMI lead
So any hints/ideas/pointers (in plain/layman's English please) would be welcome...
...Many thanks U.S.

[fft100]

US.

If not a smart TV you would need to connect via a USB port to your phone or HDMI to your laptop.

If a smart TV then WiFi connection.

BUT. The picture quality will be awful compared to either your laptop or phone. Virtually unreadable. I connected a 32 inch HD 1980/1280 TV via HDMI to my top end laptop to use as a trading screen and it was nearly unusable. The only thing worth doing was to stick on a TV channel (i.e. free sky news).

Don't know if certain TV's will work well as large monitors, but the price of monitors is more than TV's. Probably for a reason !

[hhinner]

US.

If not a smart TV you would need to connect via a USB port to your phone or HDMI to your laptop.

If a smart TV then WiFi connection.

BUT. The picture quality will be awful compared to either your laptop or phone. Virtually unreadable. I connected a 32 inch HD 1980/1280 TV via HDMI to my top end laptop to use as a trading screen and it was nearly unusable. The only thing worth doing was to stick on a TV channel (i.e. free sky news).

Don't know if certain TV's will work well as large monitors, but the price of monitors is more than TV's. Probably for a reason !

Not as straight forward as you might think. I've been looking into this myself. This YT video (among others) offers some guidance (https://youtu.be/5atcE3jDEIs). You also need to use a suitable HDMI cable according to the resolution your using.

[hhinner]

So I've just bought a Weyon 40" 1080 TV (not smart..the TV, I already know I'm not smart)
Bought it from Lazada..lasted 1 day! Screen's just black now, & nothing works. Weyon company are sending me lots of messages (all in Thai script, despite me asking them to reply in English)..But it does look like they're gonna take it back finally. (All I gotta do now is find out , in English how to send it/get it picked up..?
BUT..My question is this...
...I tether my phone to my laptop for all my internet work/surfing etc via Bluetooth.
Can I buy a Smart telly that will allow me to still do this?..Phone Bluetoothed direct to TV..Or is there a gizmo/box I should be buying that will make things easier/better..?
The telly that's on it's way back was not a 'Smart TV'..so would have needed to hook up my lappy to it via a HDMI lead
So any hints/ideas/pointers (in plain/layman's English please) would be welcome...
...Many thanks U.S.

How do you connect to the internet? Is it using your phone's data connection? And you tether your laptop to your phone via Bluetooth? Why not use wifi? If you want to use a TV as another screen for the laptop you should connect with HDMI. If you want to connect a smart TV to the internet you could tether it to the phone's wifi hotspot. Maybe even use Bluetooth, but resolution wouldn't be that good.

Or do you really tether your phone to your laptop (ie internet is through the laptop)?

[VincentD]

US, since you're using your mobile phone as a wifi hotspot, you'll need a wifi enabled smart tv to be able to utilize it. I have a hand-me-down smart tv without wifi, but surprisingly it connects to my home wifi with just a wifi stick. So that may be the other option. If you want an upgradable option, get something like a Mi stick (android box - connected via USB). But you'll still need some kind of wifi to connect to.
And get a decent name brand tv; not all the China brands can cut it.

[HHTel]

I have a smart tv. It's linked to my laptop via HDMI just the same as when I had a non-smart tv. My phone is linked to my laptop and all the TV does is act as a PC Monitor. Never had a problem in the years I've been doing this. When using the smart functions of the TV it's logged into my wifi router. I've never found a problem with the laptop linked to either type of TV. As far as the picture quality goes, if your laptop supports 4K and your TV also, then the picture quality is excellent.
I use the smart functions of the TV to watch various movies and others via the TV and not my laptop. Both ways work of course.
As has been said, you do need to get a good HDMI cable which is often 2 or 3 times the price of a bog standard one.

[dtaai-maai]

Right, make yourselves useful. Bearing in mind I'm in the UK, which TV should I get?

Toshiba UF3D 43 Inch Smart Fire TV 109.2 cm (4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Freeview Play, Prime Video, Netflix, Alexa voice control, HDMI 2.1, Bluetooth, Airplay) [Energy Class F]
Visit the Toshiba Store
4.2 out of 5 stars 565 ratings
Amazon's Choice for "smart tv"
-29%
£249.00


Hisense 43A6BGTUK (43 Inch) 4K UHD Smart TV, with Dolby Vision HDR, DTS Virtual X, Youtube, Netflix, Disney +, Freeview Play and Alexa Built-in, Bluetooth and WiFi (2022 NEW) [Energy Class G]
Visit the Hisense Store
4.5 out of 5 stars 2,436 ratings
Amazon's Choice for "hisense 43 inch smart 4k tv"
-42%
£249.00

[Dannie Boy]

I did a quick search on Google and they are roughly equal in appraisals (both fairly highly regarded) so either should be fine - maybe pop into somewhere like Curry’s and see if they have them on display. Another one to consider TCL RP620K.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pharvey]

Right, make yourselves useful. Bearing in mind I'm in the UK, which TV should I get?

Toshiba UF3D 43 Inch Smart Fire TV 109.2 cm (4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Freeview Play, Prime Video, Netflix, Alexa voice control, HDMI 2.1, Bluetooth, Airplay) [Energy Class F]
Visit the Toshiba Store
4.2 out of 5 stars 565 ratings
Amazon's Choice for "smart tv"
-29%
£249.00


Hisense 43A6BGTUK (43 Inch) 4K UHD Smart TV, with Dolby Vision HDR, DTS Virtual X, Youtube, Netflix, Disney +, Freeview Play and Alexa Built-in, Bluetooth and WiFi (2022 NEW) [Energy Class G]
Visit the Hisense Store
4.5 out of 5 stars 2,436 ratings
Amazon's Choice for "hisense 43 inch smart 4k tv"
-42%
£249.00

I'm mightily impressed with the Hisense I recently purchased - of course as is the norm DM, being a Welshman I have the larger version.....

Seriously though, picture quality and add-ons/Apps with the Hisense - spot on. Also, cheap to extend warranty.

[dtaai-maai]

...of course as is the norm DM, being a Welshman I have the larger version.....

It's all a matter of scale, and I don't live in a castle like you, Pietro! The 43" already feels like the cinema.

[Dannie Boy]

In an age when nearly everything seems to be getting bigger, it’s nice to hear of someone happy with having something smaller!!

[pharvey]

In an age when nearly everything seems to be getting bigger, it’s nice to hear of someone happy with having something smaller!!

Wish the LHG agreed DB....

Joking aside DM - have a good look at the Hisense. Curry's offering good deals (or AO special offers).