“Why is there problems with setting up and enjoying the programs? Why would anyone need Apps ? I have Uverse and just a few years back brought a new TV and plugged it in and that's all I needed to do. Whats going on with these new TV's ?”
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I just recently purchased this television and it has been a wonderful addition to our home. A TV enabled with the fire stick is generally for customers who don’t have cable such as our house hold, instead we have a subscription to the apps which we find is cheaper and more effective for us. I do believe Best Buy sells TVs without the fire stick but this is the way that technology is trending.
Sorry, there was a problem. Please try again later.It sounds like you're looking for a "dumb TV" — that is a TV that can display HDTV resolution but doesn't come with a Smart OS/apps pre-installed. There are a few dumb TVs made by Hitatchi but none that I know of that are available at Best Buy. Personally, I wish there were more HDTV choices without "bloatware" (Smart apps). I prefer the convenience of knowing that if the Smart features go out of date I can simply replace an external device, such as a ROKU, as a means to update my TV experience. The benefit of this approach is that there are no involuntary privacy losses to buying a new TV. (Smart TVs, by contrast, require users to agree to TOS that include tracking viewing habits and/or selling user data to advertisers.) A "dumb" TV also simplifies things for people who prefer the straightforward off-air TV because there is no need to bypass or otherwise navigate through "Agreements", wait for updates to install over wi-fi or wait for menus to load (the "lag" associated with interacting with what amounts to a computer). Unfortunately, consumers have been sold on the idea that building "everything and the kitchen sink" into an HDTV set — i.e. Smart features that probably won't receive manufacturer updates/support more than three or four years post purchase! — is the way to go. I am a cord-cutter who uses Amazon Prime and ROKU. Even so, I would much prefer to have bought a quality "dumb" 4K HDTV over the smart TV I overpaid for. The nice thing about connecting up Smart features externally is that there's no unnecessary complexity built into the TV itself. You only get what you choose to connect — be that an antenna, a cable box or an external smart device. Better yet, it's cheaper to upgrade the smart features by connecting up a newer device at a later date as opposed to having them "hardwired" into the set long after the TV is discontinued. All this is to say that if consumers do not want to incur the added expense, unwanted advertising or additional time it takes to set up a newer Smart TV, PLEASE let the manufacturers know. If consumers demand more "dumb" TV choices, it is possible a greater selection of dumb HDTVs will make a return to the market — which given the proliferation of competing platforms: Apple TV, ROKU, FIRE — might be more cost-effective for manufacturers, too. Locking a TV into just one Smart platform when a "dumb TV" can be anything one wants it to be via a connected device not only drives up the manufacturer's development and support costs but promises early-onset obsolescence on the part of Smart HDTV consumers.
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