Smart TVs, or internet TVs, are now in everyone’s homes, but how do they work? Discover all the additional features that come with an internet connection.
Nowadays, knowing what a Smart TV is and how it works is almost a must. Almost everyone now has a “smart TV” that is gradually retiring the traditional TV, and that is not only useful for watching what the various broadcasters are transmitting. In fact, there are several functionalities of a Smart TV, and currently it is possible to do things that only a decade ago was difficult to even imagine. It’s no coincidence that these devices can be connected to the Internet, and allow access to content taken directly from the network, as if they were an effective extension of smartphones, tablets or PCs.
What is a Smart TV
As you may have guessed, a Smart TV is therefore a television that can connect to the network, and is also characterized by the presence of an operating system. Thanks to it, the TV can carry out various functions – more canonical or not – as well as present a much higher level of user interaction. These devices, as surprising as it may seem, can be considered real “living room” computers equipped with complete OS – such as AndroidTV – and applications of various kinds. With just one click, we’ll be able to download apps like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify, visit a site, access the photos and videos we’ve shared via our Wi-Fi network, or even interface with our phone and launch a game. That being said, the “profile” of a Smart TV and how it works should now be clearer and more immediate information.
Smart TV: how it works and how it connects to the Internet
To download apps to a Smart TV, an Internet connection is obviously essential, which allows us to put them on download for free. First generation smart TVs were only equipped with an Ethernet cable, while most of the best smart TVs out there boast connectivity via Wi-Fi. Of course, if our network has password-protected access, we’ll have to type in the password to allow the smart TV to connect and browse.
In any case, although this process varies depending on the model, it is generally part of the initial configuration of the TV, fully guided during installation and easy even for those who are not exactly a “geek”. Alternatively, we can click on the Settings button on the remote control and choose the item related to the network connection, and then select the Wi-Fi connection option from the panel. At this point, we press the Activate button to start scanning for available networks in the vicinity.
Smart TV: apps to download
After these few basic premises, useful to define what is a Smart TV and how it works, we can devote ourselves to those that objectively stand out as the best applications to download on our TV. The main ones focus physiologically on entertainment, starting with YouTube, the famous Google videosharing platform here present with all its features active on PCs, tablets and smartphones. There is also all the on-demand music of Spotify, as well as the many existing streaming services, from Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, passing through the most recent Disney+ by Mickey Mouse and our own Premium Online by Mediaset and RaiPlay. To close, social networks are also supported on Smart TV thanks to the same apps already known on other devices.