Television A Smart TV (sometimes referred to as Connected TV or CTV) is a traditional television with built-in Internet capabilities and interactive Web 2.0 features. This allows users to perform various actions directly through the television, such as:
- Video and music streaming: Watch popular streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, Spotify and more, without the need for an external device.
- Internet browsing: Using a built-in web browser to access various websites.
- Show pictures: Access photos stored in the cloud or on other devices on your home network.
- Launching apps: Download and install various applications through a built-in app store, similar to a smartphone. The applications can be games, social networks, news, weather, and more.
- Connecting to the home network: Connecting to your home Wi-Fi network or using an Ethernet cable.
- Screen Mirroring and Casting: Display your phone, tablet, or computer screen on your TV wirelessly.
- Voice assistants and voice control: Many models come with support for voice assistants like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, which allow you to control the TV using voice commands.
- Integration with a smart home: Connect and control other smart devices in your home directly through your TV.
- Personalized recommendations: Receive content recommendations based on user viewing history and preferences.
The difference between a smart TV and a regular TV:
The main difference is that a smart TV can connect to the Internet and run apps, while a regular TV only displays content received through traditional broadcasts (antenna, cable, satellite) or from external devices connected to it.
Common operating systems on smart TVs:
- Android TV / Google TV: An operating system from Google, used by many brands such as Sony, Philips, TCL, and more. Offers broad access to the Google Play Store.
- Tizen OS: Samsung's operating system is only found on Samsung TVs.
- webOS: LG's operating system is only found on LG TVs.
- Amazon Fire TV: Amazon's operating system is found on Fire TVs and televisions from other brands such as Toshiba and Insignia.
- Roku TV: A simple and popular operating system, found on TVs from TCL, Hisense, and more.
- tvOS: The Apple TV operating system is found on Apple's streaming devices but not on televisions from other manufacturers.
- VIDAA: The Hisense operating system is only found on Hisense televisions.
In most cases, today most new TVs are smart TVs, and "dumb" TVs are becoming less common.
