Smart TV is very common at the moment but many people still have no clue as to what it really is. Smart TV is basically a television application that can be connected to the internet giving you access to multimedia applications, games, catch-up services, social networking and much more. Smart TV can also give you access to content stored on your home computer such as photos, movies and music. Let’s have a look at some of the services offered by Smart TV.
Multimedia Applications – Like apps on a Smart Phone you can download and enjoy apps on your television. Some systems come with some apps already downloaded such as BBCiPlayer, YouTube and Facebook. Like on a Smart Phone some of these apps will be free and others you will have to pay for. The applications available will vary between brands. Samsung will have different apps to Panasonic for example.
Games – Interactive games from a range of genres are available from the app store. Whether you like to gamble or just play for fun there’s sure to be something for you.
Catch-up Services – Video On-demand is a great way to catch up on missed shows or discover something new. BBCiPlayer, 4OD and ITV Player let you watch a range of programmes from the past seven days, but you can’t record any of the content onto a DVD or hard disc. You can even stream movies with rental services like Love Film and AceTrax. If you use these you’ll have no more late fees, posting DVDs or trips to the rental store.
Social Networking – Connect with friends through Facebook and Twitter. You can also share photos with apps like Picasa and Flickr. Some brands like Samsung have added Skype so you can catch-up with friends and family without ever leaving the couch.
Browsing the web – If your Smart TV has a web browser then you can surf the web in addition to all the other fantastic features.
Sharing Content – Want to watch videos stored on your computer on your TV? Well now you can! Many Smart TVs include DLNA which allows you to connect to your home computer and view files on your TV.
To access all of this your Smart TV will need to be connected to the internet. Before you do this you may want to check your download limits as streaming and downloading on your TV will eat into this. In addition to this to be able to stream content without those annoying jerks and jumps a minimum 2Mb internet connection is needed. If your ethernet cable won’t reach to the TV and you can’t use a wireless connection don’t panic. A wireless dongle can be used to connect to your home Wi-Fi, simply plug it into a USBport on your TV. However, make sure the dongle and TV are compatible to avoid disappointment.