There is something bugging me about an argument regarding the inclusion of more multi-media features in various pieces of hardware like the XboxOne, and more importantly, it is something i have heard from many of the game journalists i follow. They have all said some variation on "...why would i bother when i already have a smart TV that can do that stuff." Seriously, they all seem to have smartTVs and thus mark the system(not just the XboxOne mind you) down for it. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have a smartTV nor do i know anyone who does, and i live in a fairly well off area. Personally I think such people are over-estimating how many people have them. I would like to have one (naturally), but my internet is pretty bad so it would be largely pointless, And I already own a big flat screen(which works just fine); WHICH is something I bet these hardware makers are partly counting on. But enough about my problems. What about you folks. Do you own a SmartTV?
Poll: Prevalence of SmartTVs
- Thread starter mechman123
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For me it's not about owning a Smart TV, it's about using one. The added expense didn't provide anything I actually wanted or would use - so I didn't buy one. That doesn't bode well for a massively expensive gaming machine that has side-lined games in favour of mimicking Smart TV functionality.
Nope, that's one thing that pissed me off about today's Jimquisition. he can't seem to realise that not everyone owns a smart tv.
Nope and that's why Jim Sterling's arguments always falls apart, for one not a lot of people own Smart TV's or even have an interest in them. In fact if most people had to choose they would take a game console over a smart TV any day.
Nope and I don't see the point of em. Why browse the internet or whatever they do on the TV when it's better and easier on PC.
I have one, it even has motion controls which are still shit. Noone else in family has one and only a few of my friends do, the only people who tend to have them are people with a large (42"+) TV they bought within the last 18 months or so. Jim and the other Journalists are being a bit inaccurate saying "everyone" has one, sure in another five years or so lots of people will have them but even then "everyone" wont have one.
As the thread about the Xbone only supporting HDMI output points out lots of people still have old SDTVs.
His point about the redundancy of the Xbones feature stands though, even if his reason is inaccurate. You can buy set top boxes that add all the same functions for a fraction of the cost, there are also decent Blu-Ray players that do the same too. In a lot of countries anyone with a SDTV will need a digital set top box (if they haven't already) as analogue signals are being switched off, in those cases they can get a smart set top box too.
Smart TVs are overrated anyway, the only real use they have is the ability to directly receive streaming services. Everything else either doesn't work that well or a hundred other things do it better.
As the thread about the Xbone only supporting HDMI output points out lots of people still have old SDTVs.
His point about the redundancy of the Xbones feature stands though, even if his reason is inaccurate. You can buy set top boxes that add all the same functions for a fraction of the cost, there are also decent Blu-Ray players that do the same too. In a lot of countries anyone with a SDTV will need a digital set top box (if they haven't already) as analogue signals are being switched off, in those cases they can get a smart set top box too.
Smart TVs are overrated anyway, the only real use they have is the ability to directly receive streaming services. Everything else either doesn't work that well or a hundred other things do it better.
Smart TVs are in the same basket as 3D TVs were/are..just another gimmick to get people to pay more money for their televisions. It is what happens with a product's price essentially flat-lines or the product maxes out on the technical side so-to-speak. My video card has an HDMI port on it so if i really really needed internet on my TV i'd just hook my tower up to it.
I do own a smart TV, however, I've only ever used the non-standard features when I was testing them out and I've only used the 3D once. Basically, if I just had a non-3D, non-smart HDTV, I'd be in the same position I am now.
EDIT - Should probably add, I use my TV with my computer and Xbox. In relation to the Xbox One, IF I ever bought it, I'd probably never use any feature other than the gaming feature and Skype.[footnote]My cousin doesn't own a console, while my friend hates PC, so I could talk to both at the same time. Only non-gaming feature that attracts me to the Xbox One.[/footnote]
EDIT - Should probably add, I use my TV with my computer and Xbox. In relation to the Xbox One, IF I ever bought it, I'd probably never use any feature other than the gaming feature and Skype.[footnote]My cousin doesn't own a console, while my friend hates PC, so I could talk to both at the same time. Only non-gaming feature that attracts me to the Xbox One.[/footnote]
I don't own one and I don't see the need to. I can watch Netflix and all that jazz on my pc or phone.
Not many people have smart tvs, but most people have smartphones or computers, so is it really necessary for the xbone to have all this crap cluttering up the system?
Not many people have smart tvs, but most people have smartphones or computers, so is it really necessary for the xbone to have all this crap cluttering up the system?
Guessing you're talking about Jim here, and I would like to know what Smart TV he has because the one in my house is truly awful. It's a samsung and the OS is the worst i've ever used, Win98 was better. It's forever trying to update some shit, switching between programs is a nightmare, the internet is worse than some of the old IEs and it's slower than a snail on a lazy day. As just a TV it's not bad, does exactly the same as any other and the 3D is pretty good.
So yeah, don't know where Jim is coming from on this one, my smart tv is pretty stupid. My only problem with this part of the Xbox reveal is they didn't ensure internationals that it would work with all the different TV providers around the world.
So yeah, don't know where Jim is coming from on this one, my smart tv is pretty stupid. My only problem with this part of the Xbox reveal is they didn't ensure internationals that it would work with all the different TV providers around the world.
The tech might not be ubiquitous now, but it will be fairly quickly.
Let's put it this way: my TV is a hand-me-down, HDReady LG 32" LCD which is approaching a decade old and really rather showing its age.
Connected to it I have a Blu-Ray player with built in SmartTV functions.
It cost me £80. The same price I paid for my first DVD player, eleven and a bit years ago, around the time when DVD was finally starting to get real traction in the marketplace, and "it's a cheap and easy way of getting a DVD player... oh and it also happens to play games" was no longer a valid reason to buy a PS2.
If the XBone costs less than five times that amount at launch I will be very surprised. If it costs less than four times, shocked. It's certainly at least five times the physical volume of my device, and probably consumes a lot more energy and makes more noise.
Or in other words, anyone who wants to be able to hook their TV up to the internet can already do so in a much cheaper, convenient, and general-TV-watching manner. Either they have a set with the functionality built in, or they can buy a cheap add-on box (if they already have a Blu-Ray player then "straight" SmartTV boxes are even cheaper than mine was), or maybe they have an XBox 360 already with XBMP installed.
If you have it already, you don't need the XBone.
If you don't have it, and you buy an XBone with SmartTV functionality as the main reason, you're a mental.
Does the thing act as a Tivo or something, then? Can you use it as a PVR, download things from the intertubes for offline viewing, record stuff to HDD from aerial/cable/satellite broadcast or whatevs?
Cuz unless it comes with some serious added value that justifies building that stuff into a separate games console, it'd be like buying a full food processor just to make smoothies, when smoothie makers are a well established market segment. I'd prefer that they stuck something more useful in there, like the ability to use it as an actual computer for the random occasions when your fondleslab just can't cut it for writing and printing a letter or what-have-you.
Let's put it this way: my TV is a hand-me-down, HDReady LG 32" LCD which is approaching a decade old and really rather showing its age.
Connected to it I have a Blu-Ray player with built in SmartTV functions.
It cost me £80. The same price I paid for my first DVD player, eleven and a bit years ago, around the time when DVD was finally starting to get real traction in the marketplace, and "it's a cheap and easy way of getting a DVD player... oh and it also happens to play games" was no longer a valid reason to buy a PS2.
If the XBone costs less than five times that amount at launch I will be very surprised. If it costs less than four times, shocked. It's certainly at least five times the physical volume of my device, and probably consumes a lot more energy and makes more noise.
Or in other words, anyone who wants to be able to hook their TV up to the internet can already do so in a much cheaper, convenient, and general-TV-watching manner. Either they have a set with the functionality built in, or they can buy a cheap add-on box (if they already have a Blu-Ray player then "straight" SmartTV boxes are even cheaper than mine was), or maybe they have an XBox 360 already with XBMP installed.
If you have it already, you don't need the XBone.
If you don't have it, and you buy an XBone with SmartTV functionality as the main reason, you're a mental.
Does the thing act as a Tivo or something, then? Can you use it as a PVR, download things from the intertubes for offline viewing, record stuff to HDD from aerial/cable/satellite broadcast or whatevs?
Cuz unless it comes with some serious added value that justifies building that stuff into a separate games console, it'd be like buying a full food processor just to make smoothies, when smoothie makers are a well established market segment. I'd prefer that they stuck something more useful in there, like the ability to use it as an actual computer for the random occasions when your fondleslab just can't cut it for writing and printing a letter or what-have-you.
I have a smart tv, bought one only a few months ago. I don't use the apps on it, nor do I use those same apps on my 360 or PS3.
I bought my TV for it's HD-displaying massive screen (which I use to play games on) and that's it. The Smart 3d stuff was just included in the package of said TV.
I'm certainly not marking the One down for having those features. Will I use them? No, but that's not what I'll buy it for, I'll buy it for the games.
Every single piece of tech we own nowadays has some useless apps or features on it that we don't want, need or use. They are put there to increase interest for those people on the fence.
I can guarantee that even the toaster in your house has that de-frost function on it, that you never use.
Other things are the same.
Like I said, they are put there to sway people on the fence
I bought my TV for it's HD-displaying massive screen (which I use to play games on) and that's it. The Smart 3d stuff was just included in the package of said TV.
I'm certainly not marking the One down for having those features. Will I use them? No, but that's not what I'll buy it for, I'll buy it for the games.
Every single piece of tech we own nowadays has some useless apps or features on it that we don't want, need or use. They are put there to increase interest for those people on the fence.
I can guarantee that even the toaster in your house has that de-frost function on it, that you never use.
Other things are the same.
Like I said, they are put there to sway people on the fence
No, in fact I don't even know anybody who does. Most people I know have fairly decent HDTV's, but I don't know anybody with a 3DTV or a SmartTV.
Although Jim's point is still valid, as even without a SmartTV, there are much simpler and easier ways to do what the XBone is trying to do.
Although Jim's point is still valid, as even without a SmartTV, there are much simpler and easier ways to do what the XBone is trying to do.
ResonanceSD said:
Jim's already made the point about trying to corner a market that's already cornered. I think the end result here is that the primary group looking for this sort of functionality probably has the devices that already do so, much in the same way people who play Call of Duty aren't buying your game because they already have Call of Duty.Andrewtheeviscerator said:
More depth could be added to this poll by asking who actually wants a smart TV or these functions.
I'm in the market for a new TV, and I'm going to skip the smart TVs. I'm also going to skip the new X Bone, most likely. Honestly, I don't really need or want these features. I already have like fifteen Netflix-ready devices, I don't have cable, and those fifteen netflix ready devices all access the internet. I can even surf the web on my current TV with the devices I already own, and many of them are pretty common.
I know I don't represent everyone, but we've got a lot of people on here saying they don't need or want this stuff anyway. The bigger question, I would say, is "who exactly is this for?"
I'm betting the number of people who want this functionality on their TVs and don't have it and would buy an X Bone is smaller than Andrew is giving credit.
Microsoft seems to be trying to replicate what Sony did with the Playstation line, except its features are mostly not cutting edge. The PS2 brought us a cheap DVD player at a time when those were hard to come by, the PS3 was the cheapest BD player and is still one of the best rated. Microsoft is bringing us...Another way to get apps.
yay