It’s been our standard practice to spec an ATV or Roku when streaming is required and not to use/support smart TV streaming functions. The two mains reasons for this are: 1) historical shortcomings when trying to control smart TV functions from a control system and 2) poor user experience with smart TV streaming.

It seems that recent improvements have mitigated these issues, and now I am wondering if we should rethink our practices and get behind smart TV streaming - especially for clients who really only want to stream Netflix.

My main concerns with smart TVs are: 1) the smart TV experience is different among different brands, and 2) I like the idea of keeping the streaming technology on a separate upgrade path from the display technology.

Thoughts?

If it is just Netflix and a decent TV, we use Sony I think it is fine. I have seen some TVs only a few years old no longer support some of the apps but Netflix is usually good for at least 5 years. Anything with a receiver definitely gets a streaming box.

Streaming box for the consistency of the interface alone.

TCL and some Sharp models have Roku built in and ARE the control system, using a Roku remote control. It works just like a normal Roku and just like my Roku, the Spectrum app sucks but the rest work normally. For the money, I think the TCL is a good value and haven't heard that they're dropping like flies.

This. I also believe that standalone streamers do a better job of streaming vs. the TV. I don't have proof but I have to imagine there is better processing power in a dedicated streamer over the TV.

Reasons for separate streamer:

1) In some instances, it can be very difficult to power cycle the TV when the apps lock up. We came across an installation the other day where there was a 1" border/space around the TV and this made it impossible to unplug the set as their Netflix had locked up.

2) Consistency across devices makes it much easier to troubleshoot issues over the phone.

3) Needed delay time for some systems to go to the correct input when using a Smart TV. It is much faster using a separate streamer.

Disclaimer: I think it is fine for a secondary/Guest Room TV.

No streaming box has a processor that comes anywhere near the Sony X1 or X1 Extreme processors, and now X1 Ultimate processor that they using in the XBR line. (Maybe X1 has trickled down to standard line now even)

I've A/B/C 'd AppleTV, Roku, and XBR Native watching Netflix 4K Content, Amazon 4k, and YouTube 4k

the Sony does a significantly better job with Motion and colors always look more natural.

if getting audio back to the Receiver isnt an issue, We use the Sony apps. It helps that they have a fantastic Control4 Interface as well. (And savant works the native apps just fine as well)

If your using off brand TV's with Hodge Podge operating systems and cheap arm processors, the Roku Box will for sure be better.

But if your using XBR's. Use the native apps when you can.

We recently had a customer that wanted to use Plex on a QNAP NAS on his boat to distribute movies to several Samsung Smart TVS.  I warned him that it would be buggy.  Sure enough, he had issues with the movies being choppy and locking up.  We installed Rokus in each area and the system works perfectly now.  These were all hard wired 2018 model Samsung TVs.  So based on my experience, smart tv functions still suck balls.

One thing to think about is the user experience. I have a client who first got introduced to netflix via a Blu-ray player. Her old DVD player died so we foolishly updated it with a BD player. Of course she stumbled upon the apps and wanted to use netflix.

She absolutely loves the Netflix interface on the BD player. The problem? The BD player is old and requires DAILY power cycles to work properly.

No problem right? Add an Apple TV to the mix. Problem solved!? NOPE. She wants to use the BD player to watch Netflix.

Solution? Wattbox & App so she can reboot her BD player every day so she can watch Netflix.

I am absolutely 100% convinced that this is really just about her being used to the Netflix interface on the BD player and not wanting to change. I wish we had started with an Apple TV or just replaced the DVD with a DVD.

Point here is that with Roku or Apple TV the UI will be similar (hopefully) enough from model to model that you wont end up in crazy land like i did.

Xfinity X1 boxes support netflix, youtube and amazon prime is coming soon. I recently switched a client over to this and it is so much easier for him to use versus his old MX850s and netflix app on Sony blu ray.

The smart TV experience is different among different models, very different among different brands. Sticking with one brand might not make things as uniform as you'd like. (Also, this might be an advantage only for the installer, as customers simply have to use whatever they're presented with.)


Consistency for us or for the client? We see a lot of products, the vast majority of our clients see one to maybe three. This is a slight advantage for the client as we will more easily troubleshoot equipment we install more often.

WOW.

I sell Sony, including the Z9 series, and you probably know I've been a video enthusiast my whole life and ISF calibrator the last 20 years. I'll tell you the marketing BS about those X1 processors is just that, marketing BS! The X1 is just a basic processor. Now it is a good one and Sony's video processing is also very good among TVs. But it is not some super chip pulled from a $5K Lumagen processor.

If you are seeing 'colors' look different on the Sony app vs. an ATV or Roku... I can assure you the app is WRONG! There is no color shift problems that have ever been documented with the Apple TV or Roku units (going back a decade). So if the colors are in fact different on the Sony app, then it is doing something incorrect.
I know for a fact it has been documented by some ISF calibrators, that the special 'Netflix Calibrated Mode' built into the Sony is NOT doing anything of the sort (would have to look it up again to see exactly what those issues were). Again, it is just marketing BS.

Now as far as motion goes, I have not done a test comparing the Sony app to an externally generated app (ATV, Roku, etc.). But I would have a hard time believing there would be any difference there either - "as long as" the boxes were setup correctly for the video output. But this is one area that it certainly is possible the internal Sony app could get frame interpolation correct vs. a miss conversion going from external box to displaying the content.
So I would have to pause in judgment on that, until I could do some testing myself.

Lastly. I think the Sony Android TV experience is crap. But I also have not been impressed by any Android TV box experience. The interface is kludgy, cluttered, and not easy to navigate. ATV & Roku both have significantly better GUIs (even a Sony bluray has significantly better GUI).
You did say you use C4 & Savant for the interface/control. I can only imagine that is MUCH better than trying to use the native interface. So this paragraph wouldn't really matter for your customers, as they don't have to deal with it. They have your beautiful interface to use.

Food for thought.

Also: I assume you have the Sony engineering document about what picture settings to use. It is fairly accurate with only minor tweaking needed.
Again if you are seeing color differences with the internal app, make sure that 'Netflix Calibrated Mode' BS is turned off and that the other settings haven't been reset.

Thanks for a really insightful post, Brad.

I recently upgraded my primary TV to a new-model Sony Z-series, and using the Control4 driver to directly access Netflix and Prime through the TV has been really slick. I was using a Roku previously, and while the Control4 access is very similar, my Roku had gotten to the point where it was locking up and needing a power cycle about once every 10 days.

I also have an AppleTV 4K, and I feel that the iTunes-delivered video is superior to Prime video (via the TV's internal app) for rental content- can you comment on that at all?

And coming soon. Spectrum world box with the new guide and Netflix access. Oh boy. Not kidding.

I saw a Netflix logo on the Spectrum box I was installing last week. Unfortunately, it took over an hour to get the effing thing to work because the 'Self Install' box hadn't been programmed before it was shipped. Same house that took over 7 hours for them to yank their heads out of their collective butts to get the Time-Warner to Spectrum migration finished.

Spectrum is pushing the envelope. I was told, by a technician for business, that Charter wasn't ready to take over something as large as Time-Warner's cable business and they're showing that every day.