Today, television is gradually evolving from a simple broadcast service to something completely new. A modern TV can be used not just as a receiver of a signal from TV towers, but as a full-fledged multimedia center that perfectly satisfies all the needs for recreation and entertainment.
Of course, the Korean company LG could not stay away from the production of this kind of technology. Moreover, they launched production so successfully that today LG Smart TV is almost the market leader in many countries.
What it is?
Smart TV is a technology that allows you to combine classic television with Internet services that are deeply integrated into it. Such LG Smart TV supports not only the banal playback of online broadcasts from the network, but also allows you to install applications, and in some cases, upgrade your software. Most of these “smart” devices are able to connect to your home LAN, including not only via Ethernet, but also using Wi-Fi.
Modern devices of this kind support voice and gesture control, contain built-in decoding and playback of 3D-video.
Play video
Now it’s not enough to surprise anyone with cheap LCD TVs, to which you can easily connect a flash drive. Moreover, many of them even have a browser with support for high-resolution flash video. Some models even work with “heavy” MKV files and images of Blue-Ray disks.
“Smart” TVs can easily cope not only with these tasks, but can also “give out” something more serious:
- automatic search for shared folders on the local network;
- independent connection to the network, for which the presets stored in their memory for thousands of providers are responsible for;
- A huge number of pre-installed services and applications that provide access to free music and movies.
But this is not all the advantages of LG Smart TV.
HbbTV Technology
The Hybrid broadband TV function is a logical development of teletext technology, when the viewer at any time can get all the information of interest to him about the artist, favorite actor or film. The HbbTV standard is far from being developed by all manufacturers, but LG always includes it in its flagship models.
Applications
Since the modern LG Smart TV is in many ways similar to computers, it would be extremely illogical not to provide for it a variety of applications. We already mentioned this question in passing, but now we’ll talk about it in more detail.
If you assume that the functionality of applications for “smart TV” is limited to the next version of “evil birds”, then you are mistaken. Today there are many such programs for TVs, which, when used correctly, are really able to turn them into fully-functional analogs of home computers.
The same Skype, for example. Microsoft releases a special version for LG Smart TV. Programs of this class are not very serious, but you can comfortably stroll through the expanses of the network and talk with friends.
In addition, it is the applications that provide the most comfortable access to leading video hosting sites. Add to this the ubiquitous integration with social networks, and then get the perfect multimedia center for entertainment for the whole family. Moreover, even a child will be able to set up LG Smart TV, since you will be required to enter a maximum password for your home network.
Voice Control Features
Today, many manufacturers include in their products several dozen pre-programmed voice commands for controlling the TV. In particular, according to the word “Next Channel”, the TV itself will switch to it. If you remember the number, just say it. The device will switch to the channel you need, where you can watch your favorite TV show.
The volume control works in approximately the same way: by saying “Quieter / louder” several times, you can easily adjust the sound level to a comfortable value. As a result, the remote control frees up space for more important functions.
Voice guidance for traveling on the Internet will especially please you. Attention! Commands need to be pronounced clearly, since the control interface is not yet able to independently correct inaccuracies and errors.
Gesture control
Gesture control is the second promising innovation, which Smart TV differ from their "stupid" counterparts. The option is activated by a characteristic short wave of the palm of the hand, and therefore the probability of a false alarm is virtually zero. Moving the palm in the desired direction, you move the cursor there, and specific menu items are selected by a sharp squeeze of the palm into a fist.
If you don’t like gestures
If we talk about the specific model 47LM960V LG Smart TV, this TV has a rich package, which even includes a “miracle mouse”, Magic Motion Remote. It is also designed to control your TV with gestures. You pick up the remote control in your hands, after which the cursor immediately appears on the screen, which responsively follows all your movements.
Ergonomics experts have earned a separate praise: the remote fits perfectly in the hand, all buttons fall perfectly under the fingers, the clicks are clearly felt. Many users believe that Motion Remote has far more perspectives than the “classic” gesture control. The latest LG TVs can recognize not only short waved hands, but also quite complex gestures.
Exclusive LG flagship features
You should not think that Magic Remote “understands” only gestures. All the latest Smart TVs from LG have dual controls, when with a wave of your hands and gestures you can perform even very complex operations without using the remote control keys. Since an HD camera is built into the frame of the screen, engineers came up with an original application for it: you can control the TV not only with palm gestures, but also with finger movements.
Remember how we talked about services that provide access to movies and music? The possibilities of “smarts” are not limited to this, as dozens of sites with content have been created specifically for them. Focusing on the data you enter daily and the list of visited sites, the TV can even independently recommend you to watch a specific movie that will fully meet all your preferences. Of course, the “recommendations” function can be turned off at any time.
Integrated Receivers
Keeping pace with the times, manufacturers of Smart TV integrate digital receivers in all their latest models, suitable for direct connection of satellite equipment and HDTV. Since in our country there is a transition to digital television, you can also connect a special antenna to the TV to receive it.
In Russia, broadcasting is currently in the DVB-T standard, but most of the SmartTV can also decode DVB-T2. To find out about the type of broadcasting in your area, you should visit the official website of digital TV in our country. As a rule, LG Smart TV tech support is competent enough . How to set up the reception of digital TV, they will definitely tell you.
3D
Currently, even the most inexpensive models of smart TVs can play 3D video. The more expensive the TV, the more points it can go with it. However, the technology is constantly getting cheaper, so that almost any consumer can at least get every element, even at least separately.
We record transmissions
Alas, the often advertised option to record shows in practice is completely useless. The fact is that the resulting material is protected by a special DRM signature, and therefore can only be played back on the TV where it was recorded. In principle, it will not work to record some channels at all, since a special encoded signal is used for their broadcasting.
Some technology flaws
- Video. Often when you try to watch a movie “packaged” in an MKV container, you will only see the message “Format not supported”. Even banal AVI files are sometimes not normally read. This happens if the manufacturer has saved on the number of supported codecs.
- Games. If you are a loyal fan of AAA-class games, it is better for you not to look at those applications for LG Smart TV offered by developers.
- Video on demand is an excellent option, but only often the list of films includes a list of paintings that could have been recognized as “antiques” several years ago.
- Browser. At first glance, it’s a great idea, only the complete absence of sound management puts an end to it. Of course, if you do not buy a special mouse and keyboard separately, paying for them is clearly an overestimated price.