Looking to upgrade my setup - mainly consume media using IPTV and YouTube.
What are the pros/cons of using Android TV via an external device (e.g. Chromecast Google TV) vs TVs with built-in Android TV (e.g. Sony Bravia range)?
Looking to upgrade my setup - mainly consume media using IPTV and YouTube.
What are the pros/cons of using Android TV via an external device (e.g. Chromecast Google TV) vs TVs with built-in Android TV (e.g. Sony Bravia range)?
I am not overly tech savvy so my opinion might not carry much weight. I have a Philips 50pfl5604. Android tv with chromecast built in. It wasn't very expensive and so far I haven't come up with much I can't do. My son in law chose this for me. I think he did very well. Just an old lady sharing her 2 cents. 😉
Separate boxes are usually faster and better supported but honestly Sony has gotten better that if I got one now with Android TV _ I would use the built in Android TV until it was no longer updated or outdated (as in apps no longer update or there's a feature in a future Android TV update that my set won't get and I want enough to buy another device) and then buy whatever the best bang for buck/performance separate Android TV box is out those many years later. Don't expect SHIELD performance at all but I think it's good enough to get by and a way to save some money towards something better later.
Buy the TV you want based on budget, features, quality etc - not OS. Add box, stick of preferred OS.
External. You are likely to replace your device far more often than a tv. The devices out there are far better and have more community support if you go with a good brand too
Since my first (and the only one, for now) 10-feet device I bought, I have taken rather modular approach. I use first MiBox connected to my fewteen-yeard old computer screen as my primary media consumption hub while regarding that I can swap monitor to cheap projector or Xiaomi to nVidia. But nevertheless, I can enjoy streaming, make photo showcases or even connect USB TV tuner to such a box (using of such a set may be slightly more of a struggle, though). And there's another side of this, if form-factor allows - you can take your device elsewhere.
Only circumstance I would consider getting a smart TV in is if someone gives me his/her old device. But integrated Android TVs tend to be better integrated - I don't like proprietary TV tuner solutions in opposition to Live Channels, but they usually are better packed with classic TV features like teletext.
I always recommend going for an external device over anything built in. The tv may break but the external device will last for years and years from tv to tv. Or. The tv may last for years and years but the external device might break or get discontinued or outdated, but can easily be replaced at a fraction of the cost compared to an entire tv.
External, no question. The only downside would be 2 remote control units.
I've had both. Right now I have a Hisense with Chromecast built in. Compared to a separate device:
According to this , the external device can stream 4K HDR but the built-in can't.
I'm sticking with built-in even though I have an older external device that I could plug into an HDMI port, just because of the remote.
It depends on each user. If they have a good TV, then buying the Android TV Dongle or Box. If they don’t have, and it’s affordable price, then better to choose TV built-in Android TV. But according to my experience, better to choose the non-Smart TV meeting my budget and flavor (screen size, Dolby Atmos, ... ) and Android TV Dongle or Box separately. Truth be told, most of mid / high-end TV already has Android TV or Tizen or WebOS.
I use an external Android tv box and it's simply more powerful and flexible like being able to sideload virtually any app. The only con is the Xfinity app doesn't allow hdmi connections but there's even a workaround for that. So no real cons.