Smart TV Vs Smart Set-Top Box: Which one do your prefer?

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2016-11-24 23:25

Home entertainment has come a long way and with the ongoing development of the new Smart TVs and Smart Boxes, it is now even harder to choose suitable Entertainment System for our Home.

Smart TVA "Smart TV" is any TV that has built-in Internet connectivity, allowing it to access a range of online services including video on demand, social networking and instant messaging. Some TVs even have a fully featured web browser which allows access to most websites and an App Store which allows us to install our favourite streaming and social networking apps and games on their TV.

These days, many mid- to high-range TVs offers smart functionality, and even some budget models and brands are starting to include smart features. Smart TVs are one of the first and easiest devices you can add to your living room to start to make your house into a smart home.

In order to access the extra features offered by a smart TV, you'll need some sort of Internet connection at home. Most smart TVs will feature an Ethernet port on the back, allowing you to plug it directly into your home broadband router. Some models are also capable of accessing Wi-Fi, either using built-in hardware or a USB dongle that plugs in the back.

Smart Set-Top Box

A "Smart Set-Top Box" or media center often has many features in common with a smart TV. These devices generally have internet connections, can stream services such as Netflix , Hulu, and Pandora, and can give your TV tons of apps.

However, these devices are sold separately from your TV and are attached to it, like a DVR or DVD player or game console. A smart box acts as another input into your TV. This can add an extra layer of complexity to your tangle of wires but it might be worth the added features.

Now, why would you want an extra device when you could have it built into your TV? Well, for one, it’s a much more economical option. Oftentimes TVs labeled as “smart” are priced at a premium because of that. Buying a non-smart (or dumb) TV and then adding one of these set-top boxes could dramatically reduce the price of your entertainment system.

So, Which one do you prefer? Smart TV or Smart Set-Top Box?