I live in the UK , and can't make my mind up if to get an android TV or a android set top box, what are the pros and cons?
Thank you for your help
I live in the UK , and can't make my mind up if to get an android TV or a android set top box, what are the pros and cons?
Thank you for your help
If getting an Android stb, then get a good one. Don't get those cheap ones from China. I have personally had bad experience with those. I recommend the Nvidia shield although I suggest waiting as a new version is rumoured to come out soon.
If you buy a TV with Android on it, just be aware that you will probably need to buy a separate set-top box later down the years. So if you find a TV with a good panel, or maybe that matches your criteria, and it happens to have Android on it, then take it as a bonus.
Bottom-line, just invest in a better quality TV panel, Android is just a bonus
If you have enough money buy a high end TV , it depends on how much you want to spend above all, another option , buy a screen with great specs (local dimming and so on) and buy a set top box, aim for the Nvidia shield or Xiaomi Mi Box , some STB would get Android 9 Pie in the near future
I would not rule out a TV because it has Android built in Sure if the price difference between an android TV and the other TVs you are considering is substantial then sure it may be worth going for the latter if the display performance is on a par level but the question you have to ask is what is the performance of the video processing, future proof inputs, dimming zones etc etc
You can change any OS by adding a TV box so it should not come in to high consideration
One thing I would look at is how good the built in TV tuner system is as you cannot change that with an android box
Get a standalone box.. TV software normally does not get updates as much and less features. Buy a TV for it's picture and size. Not for built in smart features
Get a Samsung or LG with Xiaomi Mi Box or Shield TV for performance on TV menu and having the choice to change your preference. The basic Tizen or WebOS are basic OS but fast for what are doing. And generally old good. Google is unstable.
Google Play services one night can update and "broke" everything the next morning. Two separate OS to minimize the risk.
Do you value:
- DolbyVision ?
- Atmos audio from streaming Apps like Netflix ?
- with a 4K TV - the highest picture quality from non 4K content (ie high quality upscaling) ?
- 4K HDR YouTube ?
- BBC's HLG HDR ?
- 4K HDR Google Play movies ?
- Amazon Prime ?
I’ve got an Android TV and I would never buy anything else in the future. The UI is just so much better than on any other brand I’ve used (used to work in an electrical retailer too so saw my fair share) and it’s just so much nicer to use the native TV apps than always having to switch to a separate input for things. This TV is at least 3-4 years old and going strong.
There’s not to many good TVs with Android. Best ones are LG, Samsung and they use their own OS. All major services wil be built in and if you want something pirated you can get Xiaomi MiBox or Amazon Fire Stick 4k for cheap.
TV usually last at least a decade. The software though inside an android smart tv would only be updated in 2 to 3 years on average. Then it will get slower together with the processor.
But if you are not the type to keep a TV for a long time then maybe you can upgrade your TV every couple of years. But if you use your TV for many years it would be cheaper to buy a normal TV and get an android TV box. At least the TV box would be cheaper to replace every couple of years.