What You Need to Know About Smart TVs

What Is Smart Tv Featured

Since the early 2010s, smart TVs have become a significant presence in the modern home entertainment marketplace. A hybrid of television and computing technologies, they serve as a central hub for entertainment and news from a wide range of sources: over-the-air broadcasts, cable, streamed video from the Internet, as well as game consoles, Blu-ray players and other devices. Though gadget-lovers appreciate the variety possible with smart TVs, old-school TV fans may prefer the simplicity of a basic television set.


Smart TVs look like almost any modern traditional television set: a familiar rectangular screen on a stand, a forest of connector sockets on the backside, and a remote control. The real difference is in what you don’t see – the microprocessors, software, and other tech on the inside.



Virtually all modern TVs now have some kind of digital computing technology; in lower-end sets, it’s pretty basic, controlling the sound level, channel, and other details. By contrast, a smart TV has computing “brains” to rival a high-end tablet PC: one or more powerful processors to handle many tasks, greater amounts of memory, and loads of built-in software. Another crucial ingredient is WiFi, as they use all kinds of content from the Internet including video, web browsing, and software updates.

Operating System


When you turn a smart TV on, it “boots” like a computer into an custom operating system tailored to managing its various functions. The OS software coordinates the video sources, runs the apps, and provides on-screen menus you navigate with the remote.



Traditional TV programming from cable, satellite or antenna is but one of many functions offered on a smart TV. They come with a host of apps, each tailored to a specific purpose. In addition to factory-installed apps, you can typically add hundreds of others. Streaming apps, such as YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu, provide content from these sources. There are also apps for games which run on the TV itself. Other apps deliver specialty content such as for sports leagues and a range of Interests. Utility apps let you “mirror” video and images from your smartphone, laptop or tablet device, or display a slideshow of pictures from a USB stick.

High Definition


Smart TV features are typically found on higher-end models, so they come with High-Definition and 4/8K screens. Note that not all ultra high definition TVs have what it takes to be a smart TV. Some offer a super-sharp picture without the processor, apps or WiFi.


Smart TVs provide a wide range of content, from local news to streaming movies, web browsing, and other services. Many of their features are in software, and the TV makers provide occasional upgrades, giving your set new, improved features. In addition, since smart TVs use some of the most advanced displays available, they provide a sharp, clear picture.


The features found on smart TVs command a premium price compared to simpler models, so be prepared to spend money. Their flexibility and sophistication also means they’re complicated, with many features to learn and menus to navigate. Because of the remote’s limited ability to enter text, web browsing and other functions are more awkward than doing the same task on a tablet. Also, some smart TVs spy on their owner’s viewing habits to gather marketing data.


Smart TVs are a significant evolution in home entertainment, offering many media options from a single convenient package. For those who are into the latest high-tech gadgets and who might already own set-top boxes, game consoles and other devices, a smart TV will help further expand their digital universe. On the other hand, others who want nothing more than to flip on a favorite channel would probably be happier with a simple television set.

Image credit: Remote control on a table with a TV on the background by DepositPhotos

John Parsons

John Parsons is a freelance writer with many years in software development. He has a Physics degree and lives in Chicago with his wife and a zooful of animals.

One comment

  1. “some smart TVs spy on their owner’s viewing habits to gather marketing data.”
    Let’s make one thing clear right up front – ALL cable providers keep track of their customers’ usage habits. What smart TVs that have voice control do is to ‘listen’ 24/7/365 to all sounds within the range of their microphones for any key phrase. All those sounds are sent back to the mother ship for analysis. What we need to know is how much of that is stored and for how long? After all, who wants their TV manufacturer (or some hackers) listening to, recording and storing the sounds generated while you are performing the horizontal tango with your significant other???!!! Or any other partner, for that matter.

    Let’s not discriminate against smart TVs. The question of How Much and For How Long applies to any voice-activated, voice-controlled device connected to the Internet. Congratulations! Welcome to the Wonderful World of IoT! (or should that be ‘ID10T’?) A world that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘People Who Live in Glass Houses …..’ The Glass House just got much bigger and much more transparent.

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