Freesat new TV advise wanted

[IGraham]

Looks like its time to upgrade to a ‘Smart TV’ - and I have little idea of what will be ok.

At the moment I have a non smart flat screen hooked up to a twin input freesat Manhattan Plaza on which I can watch and record simultaneously.
Viewing wise the replacement doesn't need to be super anything, I just want to watch the idiot box.

For no particular reason other than price and inputs (terrestrial & satellite) have been looking at the LG 43UJ635V

I do have a few requirements/questions
Teletext is a must, aged dad likes teletext – will this LG tv do teletext.
Do I need a smart tv with twin freesat input to Watch & record simultaneously.
Watch & record simultaneously to a usb ? I'm guessing any inbuilt/supported service only cover Certain channels and maybe for a limited period.
Connectivity to my Synology NAS ? What level of functionality can I expect with files on my NAS.
Will the inbuilt browser allow me to use the photo app on my Synology NAS

At about the £500 mark can anyone suggest a better alternative to the LG 43UJ635V. Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received

 

[Channel Hopper]

Do you have friends / neighbours with smart tvs you and dad can go look at beforehand ?

Nobody here is likely to give you advice as good as a proper viewing.

 

[IGraham]

Do you have friends / neighbours with smart tvs you and dad can go look at beforehand ?

I'm hoping to have as much info as possible before i go into a shop and start asking questions, the teletext thing is one that if i cant get an answer here i can get in the shop with luck. shop people sometimes just say anything to get the sale, which is why i'm fishing for answers
thanks for your input

 

[daro2096]

You sure you need a smart TV? I got one and I never use the 'smart' features of it.

 

[PaulR]

From what I've seen of smart TVs their cleverness tends to get in the way of simple viewing. I get all the intelligence I need from a Now TV box attached to my dumb TV.

 

[IGraham]

Do I need a smart tv ? in truth I never considered not needing one. if I didn't get one I'd need a dumb tv with a separate freesat box, a separate way to get iplayer, a separate computer to access the internet/NAS and probably more than one remote to control it all. Probably its better to have something and not use it than not have it and wonder if I was missing out. Though there is the out of date and unsupported in a couple of years thing to realise.

Besides, I'm a sucker for new tech toys.

 

[pgh13]

From what I've seen of smart TVs their cleverness tends to get in the way of simple viewing. I get all the intelligence I need from a Now TV box attached to my dumb TV.

Agreed. And so called smart TVs (in my experience) seem to be constrained by limitations in the software. I have 2; a Panasonic and LG. They're both a couple of years old so newer models may have more whistles and bells. LG gets periodic firmware updates but I don't think the Panny has for ages. The LG has more 'goodies' but we mainly use it to watch regular TV from our media PC, only venturing into the LG smart features for Netflix and sometimes IPlayer. Indeed, a lot of the apps are front ends for subscription services, so another way into your wallet. (sorry, cynical head on there!)
I did have a go at hooking it up to the dish with a HDD connected and recorded a couple of programs. It did this OK, but the interface wasn't very friendly.
Again, I don't know if things have improved in the meantime, but I don't find the Freeeview experience particularly slick; compared to a S-y box where the EPG updates without user intervention, both TVs will periodically come up with a message saying the program map has changed and prompting a rescan.
You also mention teletext.... I don't know if you're used to anything different but these days that seems to mean the BBC red button feature which I don't find as useful as the 'old fashioned' Ceefax and the like......and it's slow.
Also a bit frustrated by the limited (by the manufacturer) range of apps. I don't want gazzillions, but it would be nice to be able to have Virtual radio or some such internet radio player.

Some of these issues may have been addressed in newer models but they may give you things to think about.

Just my opinion, of course!

 

[Topper]

Smart tvs are only as good as the time you are prepared to spend learning how to use one, it is the same with a pc you cannot learn without one, it will be out of date in less than three years so stop thinking long term just jump in with both feet and learn to use what you buy, advise from others is determined by their expectations of what they want out of it not what you want out of it

 

[Adam792]

Looks like its time to upgrade to a ‘Smart TV’ - and I have little idea of what will be ok.

At the moment I have a non smart flat screen hooked up to a twin input freesat Manhattan Plaza on which I can watch and record simultaneously.
Viewing wise the replacement doesn't need to be super anything, I just want to watch the idiot box.

For no particular reason other than price and inputs (terrestrial & satellite) have been looking at the LG 43UJ635V

I do have a few requirements/questions
Teletext is a must, aged dad likes teletext – will this LG tv do teletext.
Do I need a smart tv with twin freesat input to Watch & record simultaneously.
Watch & record simultaneously to a usb ? I'm guessing any inbuilt/supported service only cover Certain channels and maybe for a limited period.
Connectivity to my Synology NAS ? What level of functionality can I expect with files on my NAS.
Will the inbuilt browser allow me to use the photo app on my Synology NAS

At about the £500 mark can anyone suggest a better alternative to the LG 43UJ635V. Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received

If by teletext you're talking about Red Button on BBC channels etc. then yes that will work on that TV. It's a part of the Freesat spec.

To record and watch something else at the same time, you're right in that you would need a TV with two tuners!

For the connection to the NAS, I think it will work if your NAS supports DLNA (the WebOS on the LG TV won't support a normal Windows SAMBA share out of the box).

 

[John Pykett]

i suggest you dont get a smart tv because:
1. can get hacked easily
2. breakdowns are more likely
3. why need a tv with built in satellite cause you already got a box.

 

[IGraham]

Thanks for all the replies people, much appreciated and much to consider – much of which I wasn't aware of.
The consensus seems to be dont get a smart tv ??? I really dont want lots of remotes to control different things and that’ll probably sway me to going for the smart tv.

A few answers to a few points raised
For the connection to the NAS, I think it will work if your NAS supports DLNA - yes my NAS does support DLNA, though it has to be configured, thanks for pointing me at this.
To record and watch something else at the same time, you're right in that you would need a TV with two tuners! - thats going to be a problem.
Teletext red button – thanks.
can get hacked easily – had no idea, will have to think about that.
why need a tv with built in satellite cause you already got a box – bbc iplayer now needs a smart tv or a box that supports iplayer, the Manhattan Plaza box I have does not support iplayer.
A lot of the apps are front ends for subscription services – noted, they’ll be the ones I wont be using.

However I have been well warned and if it all ends in aggravation I'll only have me to blame

 

[John Pykett]

Thanks for all the replies people, much appreciated and much to consider – much of which I wasn't aware of.
The consensus seems to be dont get a smart tv ??? I really dont want lots of remotes to control different things and that’ll probably sway me to going for the smart tv.

A few answers to a few points raised
For the connection to the NAS, I think it will work if your NAS supports DLNA - yes my NAS does support DLNA, though it has to be configured, thanks for pointing me at this.
To record and watch something else at the same time, you're right in that you would need a TV with two tuners! - thats going to be a problem.
Teletext red button – thanks.
can get hacked easily – had no idea, will have to think about that.
why need a tv with built in satellite cause you already got a box – bbc iplayer now needs a smart tv or a box that supports iplayer, the Manhattan Plaza box I have does not support iplayer.
A lot of the apps are front ends for subscription services – noted, they’ll be the ones I wont be using.

However I have been well warned and if it all ends in aggravation I'll only have me to blame

and also i consider getting rid of the manhattan box, the capacitors die easily cause i had that box and the capacitors died on me

 

[Lazarus]

and also i consider getting rid of the manhattan box, the capacitors die easily cause i had that box and the capacitors died on me

That's an issue by no means confined to Manhattan.

And it's generally easily resolved.

 

[John Pykett]

That's an issue by no means confined to Manhattan.

And it's generally easily resolved.

i know and besides i got rid of it, also that box never had any ventilation while my humax does