Another new TV question

[Myk Rian]

"Smart" TVs may be able to access online guide sources...they can connect to the Internet through your home's Internet service.

^^^^This^^^^
I use my desktop to change channels on the TV in my office. Comcast offers that service. A smart TV would do the same thing.
http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv-listings

[Rich Enders]

Sam,

I was unable to receive any stations when I switched away from the cable feed. Probably this is because I have no antenna, Sorry I couldn't be of some help.

[Sam Murdoch]

Sam,

I was unable to receive any stations when I switched away from the cable feed. Probably this is because I have no antenna, Sorry I couldn't be of some help.

Hey - no problem I appreciate that you would even try. Thanks very much. I think we'll be fine based on the commentary above.

[Tom Stenzel]

Hi Sam,

I'm an OTA watcher and have the rabbit ears to prove it.

With our old TV we had a Magnavox converter box that would show the upcoming OTA shows for the next couple of hours. When the TV died it was replaced with a fancy Visio. The information button tells you what’s on. That’s it. And it’s a smart TV that connects to wifi. So I know where you’re coming from.

I looked up the Samsung UN40H6350 that you mentioned.

This is what the Samsung is supposed to have (from the Samsung minister of propaganda):
------
S-Recommendation

Receive personalized TV and movie recommendations based on your own preferences and what's popular and trending.
------


Here’s the gushing review of the S Recommendation system from PC World from 2013:

-----------
Most users generally use their TVs mostly for watching free-to-air digital TV, and Samsung is banking on this for its S-Recommendation feature. What S-Recommendation does is keep track of what you’ve watched, and of any content questions you might have asked, and pick out shows that it thinks you might be interested in. It learns your preferences each time you watch TV, so it’ll get more refined with time. It can also be configured for individual users, tying in with face recognition where it’s available. It’ll work with your free-to-air digital TV from when Samsung’s new TVs hit the shelves, and should support the in-built Foxtel app by the end of the year.
-------

So you will be able to find out what’s coming OTA, but you need an internet connection to do it.

My own (jaundiced) view of this: Samsung can and wants to track what you watch OTA so it can sell the info to it’s Valued Partners. The facial recognition sounds just plain creepy. My television watching me? No thanks.

You can take from that what you want!

-Tom

[Sam Murdoch]

My own (jaundiced) view of this: Samsung can and wants to track what you watch OTA so it can sell the info to it’s Valued Partners. The facial recognition sounds just plain creepy. My television watching me? No thanks.

You can take from that what you want!

-Tom

My take? Exactly like yours TOM. I will not play in that reindeer game. Thanks for the heads up.

[Tom Stenzel]

My take? Exactly like yours TOM. I will not play in that reindeer game. Thanks for the heads up.

Sam,

Not all the S Recognition systems have facial recognition, and some of it may have been over blown hype from PC World. Read everything carefully, make your own decision.

-Tom

[Jim Becker]

Don't buy a set that has a camera...not really necessary for a TV, IMHO...and without it, "facial recognition" is impossible.

[David Weaver]

I employ black electrical tape on our computers. Actually black duct tape from none other than mcmaster carr. Blends in, does its job. I cover the mic, too, which is not a 100% proposition, but nobody needs to hear my private ramblings about the impurity and total downfall of society via exposed dovetails, pocket screws and inferior sharpening stones that make fallacious or salacious (as in lustful, lecherous, lewd) claims.

Plus, I don't want anyone to steal my idea of making custom veneer underwear for furniture that shows it's unmentionables (end grain, dovetails, etc)...

[Steve Peterson]

DO THESE NEW TVs HAVE BUILT IN TV PROGRAM GUIDES?

With my current Proscan there was a TV guide for over the air channels.

I used to have an old analog Proscan TV for over the air channels. I loved the built in guide. I think it picked up the guide from channel 6 during the off hours. I am not sure how it does it now since the switch to digital TV.

The guides on Dish/DirecTV/Comcast are very frustrating. The search functions are practically useless because they front load them with premium channels and pay per view. It is just a money grab and there does not appear to be a way to filter them to search through just a few channels.

Steve

[Sam Murdoch]

I used to have an old analog Proscan TV for over the air channels. I loved the built in guide. I think it picked up the guide from channel 6 during the off hours. I am not sure how it does it now since the switch to digital TV.

The guides on Dish/DirecTV/Comcast are very frustrating. The search functions are practically useless because they front load them with premium channels and pay per view. It is just a money grab and there does not appear to be a way to filter them to search through just a few channels.

Steve

Actually the Guide on DISH is very good. It does have an edit feature but you must spend some time selecting the various channels to put in your categories - like a folder. My folders are set up and called: LOCAL, MOVIES, PREMIUMS, FAVORITES. These are not categories that I named but are offered for editing by the DISH - I think there may be SPORTS and NEWS among others. Obviously you add to each folder as you like and can edit, add or subtract at anytime. You then can just scan those folders when you click on GUIDE on your remote rather than going through all the channels. THIS IS THE ONLY FEATURE I LIKE WITH DISH - it is far superior to that offered by Time Warner cable. I have no experience with others. Can't wait to dump them - satellites and/or cables. Imagine a pay for TV system that fails - utterly loses the signal - when it is raining hard on the East coast or snowing .

[Sam Murdoch]

Here is an update. My questions all answered.

We bought a Samsung UNH46H7150 smart TV. This replaces our old Proscan. The Tv does have a rudimentary guide - tell you what channels you have and what is on at any given time but you need to scroll down the list and ONLY GET THE INFO FOR THE HOUR.

I also eliminated DISH (which offers an excellent program guide - for 20 hours or so ahead) in favor of over the air reception. Bought a Lava HD2605 Ultra G3 outdoor HGTV antenna. This is a small unit that was able to go directly onto my DISH mount and use the same wire. I only get 10 local channels but that combined with the online streaming capacity and Netflix will provide all the TV we need.

This Lava antenna combined with the Samsung TV to give me a real program guide showing the available channels and info for each show for an evenings worth of watching. Can't plan for tomorrow night but at least I don't need to channel surf all night. Also I've discovered that there are a couple of TV guides available on line for local channels so I can get more info as needed with the web search capacity of the TV.

To summarize - my opening question has been answered in the affirmative much to my relief.

To add to the discussion - calling DISH to cancel was quite a revelation. They just did not want to hear that I was just ending all together. I was offered quite a few deals until finally they said I could have 6 months for $ 13.00 and the following 18 months for the basic fee (I think she said $ 27.00 or thereabouts). I have to admit that at that point, had I not already purchased and set up my antenna, I might have given in to the hard sell. Oh well - I can always re-up, though I think that is highly unlikely.

[Myk Rian]

There are guides available for computers, tablets, and smartphones that you can use, if not.

I use my phone to view the guide, change channels, record programs, etc. Great to have.
If I'm at the desktop, I'll use that to do it all. I consider the channel guides through the TV to be hard to use, slow viewing the channels. I don't use it if I don't have to.