Smart TV or media player?

The first Smart TV sets appeared in 2011. The Korean company Samsung became a pioneer in this field. With her help, televisions learned to surf the Web, show videos on YouTube and online cinemas, find out the weather and much more. Soon other TV manufacturers announced their desire to follow this path.

For some time, each of the TV manufacturers has been developing its own system, as well as applications and services for it. Often they even called their developments differently. If Samsung originally used the term Smart TV, then, for example, Panasonic decided to name its platform VIERA Connect. Now all smart TVs are associated with the term Smart TV. And most of the mid- and high-end models have already become such.

Smart TV and media players – an unequal battle

Smart TVs have learned what media centers used to be able to do, for example, play video files and go online. The creators of media players could not stand by and watch this and in response began to develop the network capabilities of their devices. This is how the competition between Smart TV and media players began.

Televisions are developed and manufactured by such well-known corporations as Sony and Samsung, and media players, usually, are produced by companies with relatively small resources. There are exceptions to this trend — Apple with its Apple TV and Asus with a line of O!Play players, but for the latter, the sphere of media centers is not a priority. Industry giants invest more financial and engineering resources in technology development than relatively small companies like iNext, Sigma Designs and the like. But at the same time, compact media centers are much cheaper than advanced and multifunctional televisions, although at times they can provide even broader functionality.

Every year manufacturers produce a new generation of televisions. Each generation differs from the previous one not only with more advanced software, but also with more performant processors, better remote controls, built-in cameras, etc. Media player manufacturers are less actively updating the range of their equipment, as well as software and hardware for it. At the same time, it cannot be argued that in terms of the number of functions, this "arms race" has already been won by someone. If we compare the capabilities of Smart TVs and media players, then parity can develop between them in many ways. So let's see what they have in common and unique:

It is worth looking not only at the number of functions, but also at the quality. In modern models with Smart TV, most network functions (for example, the browser and social network clients) are implemented better than in media centers. Online stores offer more interesting content and applications. In addition, the interface of the Smart TV software shells looks nicer, their management is implemented easier, and the number of bugs is minimized. Instead, media centers have a number of functions that are completely inaccessible to televisions (the ability to use internal hard drives or torrent clients).

Magic Remote is designed to control smart TVs from LG

According to these criteria, there is a worthy competitor in the media centre camp – Dune HD. The brand store of this company is Dune Store – in terms of the quantity and quality of content at the level of stores for Smart TV. There are also a lot of interesting things in the Play Market store for Android-based media centers, but the quality of content is inferior to Dune Store according to reviews.

Therefore, if network capabilities are important to you, then in choosing between a Smart TV and an HD player, you should make a choice in favor of a smart TV. If image quality and full support of video formats are more important to you, then you can buy a regular TV and a media centre for it. Because network media players are better video sources than built-in TV players.

Additionally, buying a relatively inexpensive TV and a good media centre for it can provide the same functionality as in the case of buying an expensive and advanced TV, but at the same time significantly saves money.

Google comes into play

Philips TVs with Android TV have already gone on the market

Not so long ago, another industry giant, Google, did not interfere in the game. In 2014, the corporation presented its vision of Smart TV. The Google TV platform, which has not gained popularity, will be replaced by the Android TV operating system, designed specifically for televisions. "We want to pay as much attention to television as phones and tablets. We want you to adapt your Android experience to TVs," company representative Dave Burke said during the conference. The platform combines the properties of Android, which we are used to seeing in smartphones and tablets, and Smart TV, which are now used in televisions.

Owners of TVs with Android TV will have access to Google Play, where they will be able to buy applications, games and interesting content (not only movies and TV series, but also music). Of course, they will have access to YouTube and Google Maps, the Chrome browser and other developments of the company. And from other Smart TV systems, Android TV developers borrowed voice search in the media library and on the Web and the selection of content based on the tastes of viewers. Spend less time searching for movies and more time watching them. There will also be control of the TV by gestures and using Android gadgets (including Android Wear watches).

In January, the CES 2015 exhibition will be held in Las Vegas. At it, the giants of the industry will present a new generation of televisions. The new products will focus on trending technologies, such as curved displays and 4K resolution. There will also be reforms in the field of Smart TV – a number of manufacturers are expected to switch to the Android platform. Sony and Sharp are planning to join Philips, which has already introduced Android TVs on the market.

Do you want to make your TV multi–functional - just add a media centre with Android TV to it

Philips TVs with Android TV went on the market in October 2014. Interestingly, these models combine applications from the Google store and proprietary programs from Philips. Sony plans to please its customers with the introduction of the PlayStation Now service: with the help of a TV and a PlayStation controller, it will be possible to launch games for PlayStation 2 and 3 without a console. Time will tell whether other companies will follow this path.

Google's important partners – Samsung and LG – are planning to further develop their own platforms. Panasonic and Toshiba are also not ready to switch to the Google platform yet. The reason is that the company has invested huge resources in its own developments. In addition, their own Smart TV platform allows their TVs to stand out from the competition.

Google has prepared a surprise for media centre manufacturers as well. Android TV will be not only in smart TVs, but also in media players. The company introduced the first model of the Nexus Player, created in partnership with Asus. Western IT publications have already tested the novelty with a recommended price of $99 and generally speak positively about it. So, IGN rated Nexus Player 6.8, and The Verge - 7.5. Although experts found reasons to criticize, for example, a small number of compatible programs and the lack of a built-in Ethernet port. If we take into account the popularity of HD players of the current generation based on Android, we can assume that media centers based on the new Google platform have good prospects. We hope they won't repeat the fate of the Google TV loser.