I've seen all these ads from TV manufacturers promoting 'smart TVs' with internet access. What is it all about?

Last year everybody was talking about 3D TVs, this year is the year of the Smart TV. The good news is that you don’t have to be particularly smart to understand what it’s all about. If you’re familiar with how a conventional TV works and how a computer works, you’ll soon get the picture (so to speak).

A Smart TV is quite simply a TV with internet access. On some models the access is quite limited, on other you can browse the web pretty much like you do on a computer.

Each TV manufacturer has a different Smart TV offering. They will all give you access to social media like Facebook, Twitter, Skype and YouTube. They will all offer a variety of video and music on demand…movies, sports programmes, TV shows you may have missed. The new range of LG Smart TVs even have apps, just like a smartphone. 

Smart TVs are very much a work in progress. Some manufacturers are more advanced than other and there’s no question they will all try to get the upper hand in the years to come. The best thing you can do if you’re after a Smart TV – or any TV – is to catch up with your local Betta Electrical and see what the various manufacturers are offering right now.

One thing you’ll need to consider before investing in a new Smart TV is your internet connection. You’ll need a minimum 1.5mbps internet connection – BigPond Movies require a minimum of 3.5mbps – and a generous plan. Especially if you start downloading movies, the gigabytes will be gone faster than you can abbreviate to ‘GB’. So you might have to upgrade your internet plan…it’s a good idea to check with your provider before you buy a Smart TV.