I hate Smart TV's and prefer the AppleTV!!!

[icanhazmac]

Couldn't agree more. Our main TV is probably the last of the Plasma "dumb" TVs connected to an Apple TV and you will pry it from my cold, dead hands. My Samsung TV is not allowed to speak to the int4rw3bz and spends its life as a monitor for my Apple TV or gaming PC.

I don't need my TVs spying on me too.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

I prefer to use my phone or siri when typing on my appleTV verses not having that on the smart TV.

Also syncing the watchlist and where you left off if you have multiple devices/TVs. We have 2 ATVs, iPads, iPhones, Macs, etc. Everything syncs. I'm glad they finally added family profiles though. Much needed.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Is there any difference in picture quality between the ATV and LG WebOS?

 

[jwolf6589]

Also syncing the watchlist and where you left off if you have multiple devices/TVs. We have 2 ATVs, iPads, iPhones, Macs, etc. Everything syncs. I'm glad they finally added family profiles though. Much needed.

Also the ability to watch using AirPods or a HomePod. No thanks a smart TV will never replace an appletv. Also I took a walk in the park and got video HDR on iPhone and watched on Apple TV with the photos app.

 

[Nermal]

Since many years, I always use Panasonic OLED. The colors are not flashy like Samsung and even though the panel is from LG Display, I prefer the built quality of Panasonic. Their HomeScreen OS is very simple, too and no Google. I still use an Apple TV but one button is only needed to access it.

Things must have been better then, because I have an 18-month-old Panasonic with Android, and I can't get over how buggy it is. I use none of the smart features (it's not connected to a network) and they haven't even got the basics right.

I have a Panasonic-brand sound bar connected, and every time I turn the TV on there's about a 50/50 chance of whether it'll remember the sound bar is there, or whether it'll return to using the (useless) internal speaker. If it does remember the sound bar, it'll work for around ten seconds and then there's a 50/50 chance of it muting itself. Fortunately once you unmute it'll keep working for the remainder of the session.

...unless.

Unless you're playing a game, you put it on pause, and then you come back after a wee while has passed (maybe 10-15 minutes). It seems that if the game doesn't output any sound for a while then the TV will forget the existence of the sound bar again.

For bonus points, and just to prove that not everything is sound-related, the built-in clock has an absurd amount of drift, perhaps 30 minutes a week.

I am certainly not wasting money on another Panasonic.

 

[gigatoaster]

Must be bottom-end, Panasonic is the best for OLED TV. Although the quality is decreasing that’s true. For instance I used to have a nice fancy remote on my old TV, on my new one from 2022, it’s plastic.

 

[DaveN]

Is there any difference in picture quality between the ATV and LG WebOS?

I don’t have any experience in LG TVs (I have one Panasonic and two Sonys) but a very handy tool that Apple has is TV calibration. You select the calibrate option on the AppleTV and move your iPhone’s camera close for it to do the color calibration. Of course the calibration is only functioning when you are playing something on your AppleTV on the television but it is pretty slick. As it turns out the calibrated color on my TVs is only slightly different than the TV’s default colors but it is fun to geek out sometimes.

 

[Realityck]

Must be bottom-end, Panasonic is the best for OLED TV. Although the quality is decreasing that’s true. For instance I used to have a nice fancy remote on my old TV, on my new one from 2022, it’s plastic.

Panasonic OLED are not sold in the USA anymore. They tanked a few years ago (kept promoting plasmas too long) and left. Compared to their EU market over here in the states it's limited to some professional displays.

 

[Realityck]

Why would anyone use the smart TV features which are sluggish and poorly organized compared to a polished AppleTV I have to wonder?

For me I user ATV's because I don't want to use various app log in methods that seems to be TV manufacturing centric. Take LG WebOS as an example you need an account with them, same for Samsung. On any computing device you have choice of a streaming host log on or using some other authentication like using your Apple ID via web for example. The other reason is that the ATV4K supports every streaming host I want to use including many specialized VoD subscriptions. Yes the navigation, speed of Apps, and newer wifi protocols make it better then most. Example TVs that might still use Wifi 802.1ac then Wifi 802.1ax still.

 

[gigatoaster]

Yes, that’s from a long time ago. In Europe, TVs are manufactured in Czech Republic. I think it’s for niche users, passionate about movies. Colors are truly accurate, not flashy like other brands or over saturated. There are some issues like banding but overall I am sticking to Panasonic for my TV. I don’t think they will continue though, not enough margin which a shame because they are recognized as the best for OLED TV in the industry.

 

[Realityck]

Yes, that’s from a long time ago. In Europe, TVs are manufactured in Czech Republic. I think it’s for niche users, passionate about movies. Colors are truly accurate, not flashy like other brands or over saturated. There are some issues like banding but overall I am sticking to Panasonic for my TV. I don’t think they will continue though, not enough margin which a shame because they are recognized as the best for OLED TV in the industry.

This marketplace seen a lot of damage with product vendors. Panasonic is just one that got seriously impacted. There has been some consolidation of multiple brands under some owners group. Look at what happened to Pioneer as another example. COVID really affected the smaller TV manufacturers. I remember Berlin IFA the year before last when there was no one there except some press and a few vendors presenting. Hopefully this fall with the IFA and other similar trade shows like CES/CEDIA in the states shows off a lot more we want to see. At least no matter the brand you utilize, 4K/8K OLED rules at the moment. Nows where's that upscaling to 8K ATV?

 

[jwolf6589]

For me I user ATV's because I don't want to use various app log in methods that seems to be TV manufacturing centric. Take LG WebOS as an example you need an account with them, same for Samsung. On any computing device you have choice of a streaming host log on or using some other authentication like using your Apple ID via web for example. The other reason is that the ATV4K supports every streaming host I want to use including many specialized VoD subscriptions. Yes the navigation, speed of Apps, and newer wifi protocols make it better then most. Example TVs that might still use Wifi 802.1ac then Wifi 802.1ax still.

Also I can use AirPods and HomePod for a more stereo clearer sound.

 

[Realityck]

Also I can use AirPods and HomePod for a more stereo clearer sound.

On that last note its the ATV4K support of HDMI supplied multi-ch audio from the VoD as well as streaming audio subscription services that works very well going to a AVR/speakers system. Its still not hi-res audio in the latest ATV4K but its acceptable for how it performs.

Related discussion

Apple is offering “Hi-Res” lossless music in their store: It’s encoded in 24 bit/192 KHz. For delivery, it is losslessly compressed using the ALAC algorithm.

Apple apparently does not offer any device that makes use of these Hi-Res files: AirPlay2 maxes out at 24 bit/48 KHz. So does the DAC in the lightning-to-3.5mm cable. Not even the expensive Apple AirPod Max headphones can go beyond 24 bit/48 KHz. The AppleTV would have been the perfect device to allow passing on high-resolution music: In many cases, it is connected to an AV receiver over an HDMI cable. HDMI can handle the high bitrates and frequencies - and pretty much any AV receiver has a potent Digital-to-Analog converter inside. You could keep everything Hi-Res until you are converting back to analog.

So one possible improvement for the next ATV4K whenever it arrives.

 

[jwolf6589]

On that last note its the ATV4K support of HDMI supplied multi-ch audio from the VoD as well as streaming audio subscription services that works very well going to a AVR/speakers system. Its still not hi-res audio in the latest ATV4K but its acceptable for how it performs.

Related discussion


So one possible improvement for the next ATV4K whenever it arrives.

You are speaking Greek to me. I have the latest ATV4K.

 

[audiomixer]

Is there any difference in picture quality between the ATV and LG WebOS?

I have done A B tests (which drives my wife batty) using apple tv+ app between the Lg CX and apple tv and to my eyes and hers apple tv looks sharper. Its not big but we think its there.

 

[richard13]

Is there any difference in picture quality between the ATV and LG WebOS?

I'd have to agree with @audiomixer. To me, ATV does look better but it's almost indefinable. I would definitely say that my LG WebOS TV apps output don't look better than ATV.

 

[jimmirehman]

Every TV I buy, that I know I'm going to watch regularly, is complimented with a new AppleTV. I wish TV manufactures would make non-smart versions of all their flagship models for less $.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I wish TV manufactures would make non-smart versions of all their flagship models for less $.

Why would they though?

Understand the history of this. Even a "dumb" TVs these days needs a healthy about of processing power. Decoding a 4k input video signal, decoding and applying the HDR maps, and decoding and processing all the various audio signals takes a lot of processing power. You simply cannot build a 4K TV without it also having a fairly high-end SoC - heck even a basic 4k computer monitor these days likely has a more powerful processing chip than desktop computers from 25 years ago. And if you're sticking a high-end SoC in there anyway, might as well put that SoC to further use. Making a TV smart doesn't actually increase the cost that much - a little bit more storage space, a NIC, and an OS (some of which are free!).

So comparing costs, a non-smart TV might be ~$15 cheaper than a smart TV. That's what, 3% or less of the cost of an average new TV. Totally deminimus.

 

[jwolf6589]

Why would they though?

Understand the history of this. Even a "dumb" TVs these days needs a healthy about of processing power. Decoding a 4k input video signal, decoding and applying the HDR maps, and decoding and processing all the various audio signals takes a lot of processing power. You simply cannot build a 4K TV without it also having a fairly high-end SoC - heck even a basic 4k computer monitor these days likely has a more powerful processing chip than desktop computers from 25 years ago. And if you're sticking a high-end SoC in there anyway, might as well put that SoC to further use. Making a TV smart doesn't actually increase the cost that much - a little bit more storage space, a NIC, and an OS (some of which are free!).

So comparing costs, a non-smart TV might be ~$15 cheaper than a smart TV. That's what, 3% or less of the cost of an average new TV. Totally deminimus.

Then some like SAMSUNG need to stop forcing people to connect to WIFI to eliminate annoying pop up messages.

 

[drsox]

Then some like SAMSUNG need to stop forcing people to connect to WIFI to eliminate annoying pop up messages.

That's a Marketing strategy.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Then some like SAMSUNG need to stop forcing people to connect to WIFI to eliminate annoying pop up messages.

Samsung isn't forcing you to connect to wifi. You can use the TV fully - even local casting! - without connecting it to Wifi. You do get a message urging you to connect, but there are instructions online for disabling that too.

Fwiw, you bought a Samsung and that's on you

 

[jwolf6589]

Samsung isn't forcing you to connect to wifi. You can use the TV fully - even local casting! - without connecting it to Wifi. You do get a message urging you to connect, but there are instructions online for disabling that too.

Fwiw, you bought a Samsung and that's on you

I don't have time to go online. It was easy just to connect.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I don't have time to go online.

Lol. Dude, you've posted 26 times on this stupid forum (which I love dearly) for Apple fanboys in the past week alone. You clearly have plenty of time for going online.

 

[ort888]

I use both Rokus and Apple TVs quite a bit and honestly, my main takeaway is that for the money, the Rokus are actually pretty great. I do prefer the Apple TV and the extra cost is worth it to me, but the experience on the Roku is just fine. I have both an Apple TV and built-in Roku on my main TV and either built in Rokus or add-ons on all the other TVs and I don't really mind switching between them. I am the only person who uses the Apple TV on the main TV, the rest of my family just uses the Roku and they don't care.

While it's worth it for some people (super picky nerds and people with tons of apple stuff) I think most people are 100% fine with a $30 Roku over a $130 Apple TV. In my opinion the Apple TV is only like 20% better.

 

[kiranmk2]

Is there any difference in picture quality between the ATV and LG WebOS?

I'm sure I read a few years ago that Apple streams higher bit-rate videos to Apple TVs then the Apple TV app on smart TVs. After the whole pandemic "streaming services reduce their bit-rates" thing, I don't know if that's still true.

Netflix to cut streaming quality in Europe for 30 days

The video-streaming giant wants to ease strain on internet service providers.

www.bbc.co.uk