If you don’t have Hulu live, it is much cheaper. But we still wanted to watch CBS & NBC programming plus local news. You can’t watch CBS if you don’t have live unless you subscribe to CBS and you can’t watch local unless you have a digital antenna. Our location won’t get the local NBC affiliate. So we have Hulu Live.
Tv streaming devices...
- Thread starter jaro 101969
- Start date
Makes sense .. actually that does remind me, these smart TVs have really gotten quite good. Before our last tv died I used to have a computer permanently acting as a streaming device. The new LG’s have a zillion IPTV channels including a fair amount of news channels, though not local. For what we watch live tv for ( presidential debates, random New Years things for munchkins ) it works really well.
We do have a digital antenna that does pick up random stations ( we get philly and Jersey stations as we are on a hill ) but I am next to positive it got disconnected at some point and no one noticed
I would recommend thinking twice before getting a TCL smart TV with Roku built-in. The Roku part is fine, but if a person/family watches much OTA television I would look for something with a better remote control. The display and most of the functionality is great, but the remote is horrible for watching OTA television. The worse things about the remote IMO:
- The remote is so slim that it is awkward to hold in a manner to easily access the navigation buttons on top and the volume buttons on the side. One needs a flexible thumb or twirl the remote in hand while using it.
- The navigation arrows work in opposite directions depending on context: UP selects a higher numbered channel when watching TV, UP goes to a lower channel number in the on-screen guide. There are also other context sensitive buttons.
- This navigation issue is magnified because there is no number pad, so no way to quickly access a channel far up/down the dial without bringing up the on-screen menu. It is tedious to change the channel, left arrow....then click, click, click, ... ad nauseam in the on-screen guide to find a show to watch.
- Once one has gone through the trouble of navgating through the on-screen guide to find a couple of channels that they want to flip back-in-forth between (using channel return), the on-screen information about the channel stays on the screen so long that it becomes annoying. For example it is very difficult to watch two NFL games at the same time by flipping back-n-forth. There is no setting to turn it off, or control how long it is displayed. (one can press the context-sensitive back arrow to dismiss the on screen display, making flipping back and forth a two button press exercise).
- Half of the remote control's real estate are shortcuts for paid streaming service apps. I have not been able to find a third party remote with number buttons and the smartphone app is a virtual representation of the remote.
I have a TLC Roku TV in the shed outback. For what little use it gets it’s perfect. The remote is awful for sure.
I have got two Apple TV 4K and so far they work great with Netflix, Amazon prime, Disney+ and local Ziggo Go.
I bought them since my tv is not smart enough to do it.
I bought them since my tv is not smart enough to do it.
I recently got a Visio smart tv for the bedroom in my RV. You want to talk about a horrible smart tv interface, and a useless remote? First and last Visio TV for me. Dreadful.
I bought a TCL Roku TV many years ago from Costco. I agree that the remote is a horrible design. I much prefer a remote with numbered buttons that makes changing channels easier. Also, if the Roku isn't connected to the internet, the channel guide will not appear. There was a brief moment where I couldn't even change channels because of a software error included in an update due to poor internet connectivity. That issue was resolved, but I'm not sure it will not return with some future update.
That said, I'm a fan of Roku. In addition to the TVL Roku TV, I also have a Roku Premier, a Roku Express, and a Roku 4k+ for other TVs. I highly recommend the latter for the off button alone.
One thing I noticed, new TVs are all smart TVs. These smart TVs lack remotes with numbered buttons. Instead, they all operate with a channel guide system where the user has to scroll through an endless array of channels before finding the one (s)he wants to watch. Of the available new TV options, I'd pick a Roku TV over other smart TVs.
Have you tried a TV antenna to get over the air broadcasts? I have an aerial antenna connected to my living room TV (and also to a Slingtv AirTV Anywhere box). In other rooms, the TVs are connected to amplified indoor antennas.
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I've had a Roku TV for years. I've never had to provide credit card information. I also have Roku streaming devices and never provided credit card info on them, either. While the Roku setup process does ask for credit card information, there's an onscreen option to skip that part.
We have a few AppleTVs - I don't recall the generations. One of them would no longer update, and essentially only has Netflix now (at least what we have subscriptions for). That one may not get hooked back up again. Our main TV has a newer model that lets us download what apps we want. We mostly use Netflix and Disney+. We could probably get rid of one of those, but it's not been an issue yet. I also use that TV to stream sports via the ESPN app and NBCSports apps.
We recently upgraded the basement with a new smart TV. It came with Disney+ and Netflix already installed, and the remote has dedicated buttons to turn the TV on and jump straight to those. It's so easy my Mother in Law may even be able to use it. However, it does not have access (that I can tell) to the sports apps, so we may need to get a new Apple TV. I think we have a fire stick that never got set up, so perhaps that will work.
My experience with the smart TV apps is they start out fine, but eventually become outdated and aren't refreshed enough. Perhaps that has changed in the almost 10 years since I've used them, though. Regardless, we don't watch TV to spend more than we currently are.
We recently upgraded the basement with a new smart TV. It came with Disney+ and Netflix already installed, and the remote has dedicated buttons to turn the TV on and jump straight to those. It's so easy my Mother in Law may even be able to use it.
However, it does not have access (that I can tell) to the sports apps, so we may need to get a new Apple TV. I think we have a fire stick that never got set up, so perhaps that will work.My experience with the smart TV apps is they start out fine, but eventually become outdated and aren't refreshed enough. Perhaps that has changed in the almost 10 years since I've used them, though. Regardless, we don't watch TV to spend more than we currently are.
I just got a TV Stick with Google TV system, completely satisfied. In comparison with my other streaming systems, a new Amazon Fire stick and an old Apple TV, this system is better in my opinion.
It has it all Amazon, Youtube, Netflix, Disney, and you can install everything else, as usual.
It is branded Realme 4k. Maybe not readily available for you all in First World, but we here in 3rd world always buy these stuff from Aliexpress.
It has it all Amazon, Youtube, Netflix, Disney, and you can install everything else, as usual.
It is branded Realme 4k. Maybe not readily available for you all in First World, but we here in 3rd world always buy these stuff from Aliexpress.
