Smart TV? yes, no, or whatever?

[Vibing_V]

Anyone paying a little bit of attention to the home electronics market must have noticed how TV-type companies are using the interactive web market as a battleground to enforce their respective new technology standards - placing the focus on Smart TV support in the process, since this is what these new formats are all about, it seems : not placing more pixels on the screen, but rather interfacing with web-based content.

Meanwhile, other companies chose to totally ignore Smart TV for now (there's probably something-or-other that wouldn't support it)

Now, what I wonder is : how many people do actually own a Smart TV? I'd be tempted to say "not too many right now" - maybe because there is little need for additional interfacing mechanisms to web-based content.
But how many people will be really eager to invest in a Smart TV system when such a content (like video games and Netflix) becomes more widely integrated? "Many", TV developers seems (sic) to be betting on (creating new needs markets is their job, after all).
However, I know that personally, I won't be investing in a Smart TV anytime soon

[Lord Golbez]

I don't know what this is. What's Undine going to do?

[Fei Ayanami]

No but I've tried using some in hotels and found them a pain in the ass.

[Damien]

I thought companies had pretty much given up on smart TVs. The main TV in our living room belongs to my wife, and it's a 3D smart TV. She's had it for at least 4 years. It's been at least a year since we used either of these features. We find it easier to do the smart stuff from the connected boxes (Sky Q, PS4...).
I think the next question is 4k. That's the new equivalent of HD back in the day.

[Vibing_V]

Looks like you need a new poll then!

I know nothing about TV's really. I didn't even realize what a Smart TV actually was (I had to wikipedia it). The only thing I knew about Smart TV's is that you can speak to them - but I guess that was just my friend's TV.

At one point the TV managed to mute itself by accepting voice input from the characters onscreen. I was immensely amused.

I agree it seems a bit redundant since you can do all those functions from everywhere else. But I'm sure there's a niche market of grandmas who might like them.

[Damien]

Will do the 4K poll once this one is done with

[WaWard]

These boxes are suck

I end up using streaming boxes to work around.

[Damien]

Just found this relevant article from early this year http://uk.pcmag.com/tv-home-theaters/87 ... -gen-telev