smart tv vs aple tv?

[monkeydoodle]

hi,
I am getting a new TV and am wondering if a smart tv will work with cathe downloads. if it would, could you please provide an updated tutorial? or some quick instructions please?
what is your opinion on smart TV's and ease of use compared to apple tv? the tv is just for my gym. I don't have any devices other than my ipad mini which doesn't hook up to TV and a dell laptop.
thanks for your help

 

[Curt Kapus]

Hi,

As far as the new TV working to play the downloads, you would have to check the specifications to see if it plays h.264 encoded m4v files. You could always take some videos with you on a USB stick and ask the sales clerk to try it. Most are tech geeks anyway and will be more than up to the challenge of giving it a go (I can say that because I am one myself!). As far as instructions, there are none that are universally applicable to provide. Smart TVs, even from the same brand, operate differently when it comes to their capabilities and how they function to play video files.

My personal opinion on Smart TVs is that they are still too much in their infancy and there are no real standards between brands. While you will find similar functionality, there is no guarantee that the TV will be updated as technology progresses, and could easily be abandoned by their manufacturers for support. I would invest in the Apple TV, which is cheap enough that you can update it if you like, and put more money into a nice, dumb TV monitor! The Apple TV is frequently updated with new capabilities. Your iPad mini can connect to the Apple TV to play movies, music, slideshows, games, etc., and even mirror the screen. Hope this helps!

 

[monkeydoodle]

Thanks for the reply, this really did help. I decided to go with Apple TV, my husband loves it so much he is getting another one for use upstairs.