[VanillaPod]

I'm thinking of getting a new TV to replace my old CRT set from 2001 and I've been looking at the SMART TVs that seem to be all the rage now. But one review I read complained that when the reviewer turned the TV off at the wall (rather than just putting it on standby), the wi-fi settings disappeared and needed entering again when the TV was turned back on.

I always turn appliances right off (my current TV has an "off" button, which I think might be rare now...), so I wouldn't get a SMART TV if this is what commonly happens. Does anyone here have one, and has this wi-fi problem also happened to you?

[chrisjr]

I would think that if this was a real problem DS and similar forums would have loads of threads complaining about it. I haven't seen any.

Most likely explanation is either a faulty set or the reviewer being a plank and not saving the settings correctly. I favour the latter

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanillaPod

I'm thinking of getting a new TV to replace my old CRT set from 2001 and I've been looking at the SMART TVs that seem to be all the rage now. But one review I read complained that when the reviewer turned the TV off at the wall (rather than just putting it on standby), the wi-fi settings disappeared and needed entering again when the TV was turned back on.

I always turn appliances right off (my current TV has an "off" button, which I think might be rare now...), so I wouldn't get a SMART TV if this is what commonly happens. Does anyone here have one, and has this wi-fi problem also happened to you?

I've never seen any such problem - but sets don't have mains switches now so they can download updates and EPG information - but they use VERY little electricity in standby now.

I would suggest your main concern should be what you actually expect/want a 'SMART' TV to do.

[tealady]

Don't bother with a smarttv. If you want catch up services, then you are better off with a stand alone box, more flexible and cheaper to replace.
I also think it was user error - what happened to all the other settings, did they disappear?

[VanillaPod]

Thanks Chris and Nigel. I haven't seen any other complaints about wi-fi, but I did read somewhere a while ago that most TVs are left on standby these days, so I wondered whether that was why no-one had had a problem.

Chris, I suspect I would fall into the "plank" category

Nigel, I would want it for iPlayer and similar sites, although I see that ITVPlayer and 4oD aren't available on the Panasonic model I am looking at (or maybe anywhere - there seems to be some confusion about whether other manufacturers might have them and/or when they might be available). I wouldn't want it for general web-based activities. It would just be good to be able to watch catch-up TV on a proper TV rather than the computer.

But now I see that I'm supposed to resist the temptation to buy shiny new gadgets, so it's quite a puzzler

[VanillaPod]

Thanks tealady. I'm not sure about the other settings - he just complained about the wi-fi. I did wonder whether SMART TV was a bit of a gimmick, but it's so long since I've looked at TVs that I have no idea whether they're actually the way of the future!

[chrisjr]

Thing is there is no reason why you HAVE to use the Smart features of a Smart TV. Though some Smart TV's I've seen should be done under the Trades Description Act for the misuse of the word Smart

You can always use the "dumb" parts of the set and use something truly Smart to do the clever bits

[Deacon1972]

Hook your PC up to the TV.

If your PC is not suitable, the money saved from not buying a smart TV will pay for a new laptop/something more suitable.

[gomezz]

At a guess the reviewer was not using DHCP on their wi-fi network for some reason other.

[chrisjr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomezz

At a guess the reviewer was not using DHCP on their wi-fi network for some reason other.

Even so you'd hope the telly would remember a manually entered IP address next time it turned on.

[VanillaPod]

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. I'll think about it some more. Mostly I would just like something bigger than my current 21" screen and, as I'm likely to keep it for years and years I thought I might as well get the latest thing out there (apart from 3D, which I don't need). Alternatively I'll be the old lady in the local paper proudly pointing at the square TV I've had for 50 years I wouldn't need catch-up at all if my PVR didn't keep eating its timers...

[tealady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanillaPod

I did wonder whether SMART TV was a bit of a gimmick, but it's so long since I've looked at TVs that I have no idea whether they're actually the way of the future!

I'd say they were an option a couple of years ago when there were competing ways to access catchup tv or other internet based video services. However, with the likes of the youview box, there is no point in buying a smart tv, you should just put the money saved to one of those.
There are also android based boxes too of which there are posts about in this forum.

[VanillaPod]

Thanks tealady. I've just had a look at YouView, which has more of the catch-up channels on it, which is good, and they even analysed my broadband speed and told me what it was. Looking at the John Lewis website for TVs, nearly everything seemed to be "Smart" (at least in the brands I was looking at) but I have checked Currys and they have a lot more "un-Smart" models and I see there is quite a saving.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tealady

However, with the likes of the youview box, there is no point in buying a smart tv, you should just put the money saved to one of those.

The original idea of YouView was a common interface across TV's, set-top boxes etc.

Unfortunately by the time it actually happened (it was years late, due to it's committee origins) pretty well everyone had given up on the idea, so it's become basically a subscription system.

[paul_smith3]

if i may chip in ..
i have a apple tv.. and a new oncetvbox( sky)
and the wifi signal is fantastic,, switch off/on and its alwas there..

[battlezone]

We have just upgraded to a 'smart' tv. The WiFi works even if the tv has been unplugged, no need to re-enter the settings. The tv uses only 0.3w when on standby.

[evil c]

Here's my pre-decimal tuppence worth. I bought a Smart TV in 2010 after following the technology for years and specifically waiting for a wi-fi interface to link to the web via the TV.

I was initially excited but immediately found the web browser absolutely hopeless and gave up on it. I went through all the apps just to play with them and quite enjoyed the 3D demos. Then I used the i-player for quite a while before I got fed up with that as well.

Now I only very occasionally use i-player because I'm not that bothered if I miss a TV programme. I-player is handy to have though in case I do miss a progamme that's worthwhile watching. What I do watch is YouTube and it's very good because the TV size makes the viewing experience a lot more enjoyable than my laptop's 18.4 inch screen.

I'd say go ahead with Smart regardless as you may well enjoy the extra facilities at some stage in the future. I'd also say that if you are going to keep the TV for years and years then buy a really good one, the best you can afford and preferably top of the range or as near to it as you can.

Also consider the size carefully. 21 inches seems tiny. I have a 40 inch full HD 1920 x 1080 TV and sit about 11 feet away from it. I reckon I should've bought the 46 inch instead but I was swayed by some of the reviews I read that said the best quality picture and longevity was on the 40 inch panel because of the way it was manufactured. I hadn't fully realised from looking at shop demos that the HD picture looks smaller when you are further away.

Bearing in mind the Sale of Goods Act and the price I paid (£800), I should expect the TV to last for several years anyway and if not I would have a good claim to get it fixed or replaced.

My TV uses <1W in standby but I always switch it (and everything else apart from my power amp) off at the wall.

Recommended HDTV viewing distances (min and max): http://www.thehighdefinitionstore.co...tance-s/79.htm

[VanillaPod]

Thanks again, everyone! Paul Smith 3, one of my friends has the Apple TV and raves about it (in a good way ) Battlezone, thanks for that confirmation about the wi-fi - it seemed like it would be a huge pain to keep typing in the wi-fi code every time! Evil C, that link was very useful. I had wondered about viewing distances as my living room isn't that big. The 21" is indeed tiny, although it wasn't that small, comparatively speaking, at the time I bought it. I think the truly giant tellies have only become popular since flatscreens, because the old sort would just be too heavy. I think I could get away with the 39" Panasonic which I've been looking at, and which is available as both Smart and un-Smart. But it has led to a follow-up question, which is this:

I have a Humax Freeview+ PVR, which isn't an HD one. I bought it five years ago and HD meant nothing to me then (if such boxes even existed then). Currently the aerial cable is plugged into the aerial point in the wall and then into the Humax, which is connected to the TV with a Scart lead. (And contrary to what I said yesterday about always turning things right off, I do in fact leave the Humax box on standby all the time, so it can record things when I'm not there.)

If I buy an HD TV, and I have the same aerial configuration (i.e. going into the PVR rather than the TV) will I get HD pictures, or will I just get the picture that is being fed to the TV from the non-HD PVR? I think it would be the latter, wouldn't it? Do I therefore really need a new TV *and* an HD PVR? Or do I need an aerial splitter? Or indeed some other solution?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanillaPod

If I buy an HD TV, and I have the same aerial configuration (i.e. going into the PVR rather than the TV) will I get HD pictures, or will I just get the picture that is being fed to the TV from the non-HD PVR? I think it would be the latter, wouldn't it? Do I therefore really need a new TV *and* an HD PVR? Or do I need an aerial splitter? Or indeed some other solution?

Having the PVR in the aerial lead doesn't affect the TV in any way whatsoever - why would it?.

Just replace the TV, no need to replace anything else - unless of course you want to be able to RECORD HD, which would require a new PVR as well (but you can do that later).

[chrisjr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanillaPod

I have a Humax Freeview+ PVR, which isn't an HD one. I bought it five years ago and HD meant nothing to me then (if such boxes even existed then). Currently the aerial cable is plugged into the aerial point in the wall and then into the Humax, which is connected to the TV with a Scart lead. (And contrary to what I said yesterday about always turning things right off, I do in fact leave the Humax box on standby all the time, so it can record things when I'm not there.)

If I buy an HD TV, and I have the same aerial configuration (i.e. going into the PVR rather than the TV) will I get HD pictures, or will I just get the picture that is being fed to the TV from the non-HD PVR? I think it would be the latter, wouldn't it? Do I therefore really need a new TV *and* an HD PVR? Or do I need an aerial splitter? Or indeed some other solution?

Do you have a link lead from the Humax Aerial OUT socket to the TV Aerial socket? Possibly not if the TV doesn't have Freeview as you wouldn't be able to use the TV's tuner anyway now.

But basically when you get your new telly use that link lead to connect the Humax to the telly (plus the SCART) and that will let you use the TVs tuner to watch programmes independently of the Humax. Including the HD channels if you get a Freeview HD TV.

Just buying a HD TV does not mean you will get Freeview HD. Designations such as Full HD or HD Ready refer to the display panel in the TV they have no relevance to what, if any, TV broadcasts the set can receive. If you want Freeview HD it is essential you check it says Freeview HD or has the Freeview HD logo displayed on the box or the webpage of the manufacturer/retailer you are looking at.

And even if you did buy a HD PVR to go with your new telly you wouldn't get HD via SCART anyway. SCART does not support HD, for that you need HDMI which any HD PVR and HD TV should have.

[VanillaPod]

Quote:

Having the PVR in the aerial lead doesn't affect the TV in any way whatsoever - why would it?.

Nigel, I don't know But where is the TV getting its picture from if not through the PVR? If the PVR isn't on, I just have snow. I thought the TV only showed what the PVR could "see", if you like. This is why I've had the same telly for 12 years

Thanks, though - that's good to know.

[derek500]

Quote:

Originally Posted by evil c

Recommended HDTV viewing distances (min and max): http://www.thehighdefinitionstore.co...tance-s/79.htm

The maximum distance is way too far for HD viewing. If I was 11'8" form my 47" I would be in the "I can hardly see the difference between HD and SD" brigade.

Toshiba's recommendations are far more realistic.

For a 47" they say 4'7" - 7'4" .

http://us.toshiba.com/tv/research-ce...wing-distance/

Work out what distance you sit from your PC screen (basically an HD panel) as that's the optimum. Most people sit less than 2 times screen size.

[davor]

I have samsung smart tv ES8000 and I think it's the best thing ever. If you are buying a new tv now, I'd recommend you to get a smart tv. As for your question, you can unplug your tv all you won't and all the settings including wi-fi wont be lost. The only thing you would need to re-set again is time and date.

[VanillaPod]

Thanks Chris! I don't have the link lead you mention, but at least now I know what to do. I am looking at TVs which say "Freeview HD" - I was just a bit confused about how I get the HD part. I have an HDMI cable which came with the Humax, and which I put away in a safe place in case I ever understood what it was for. So that's handy!

[VanillaPod]

Derek, thanks for that. I may even be able to watch without my glasses on!

Thanks Davor. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the new TVs in the shops, but the pictures are undoubtedly amazing.