Report: Smart TVs almost twice as popular as set-top boxes

According to the Diffusion Group's "Defining the In-Home CE and Network Ecosystem 2013" report, set-top boxes are not as popular as Smart TVs for Internet connectivity on the big screen.

25 percent of households with broadband own a Smart TV with an embedded app platform, compared to 14 percent for set-top boxes, which include the Apple TV, Boxee and Roku, among others.

The figure for smart TVs jumped from 12 percent at the end of 2011 to 25 percent at the end of 2012. Set-tops saw slower growth, from 12 percent to the aforementioned 14 percent.

While ownership may have been higher, only 69 percent of smart TV owners were even connected to the Internet. It is safe to assume that set-top owners are all connected to the Web, otherwise the boxes themselves are rather useless except for playing local content.

Consoles remained the most popular way to connect to the Internet on the big screen, with 62 percent of households with broadband connecting via their Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo devices.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 4 May 2013 16:33

Interestx

I really like the idea of a smart TV, I have one myself, what I can't stand is the way a lot of Youtube content is blocked on them.

4.5.2013 17:00 #1

lamain

my main problem is the whole app things. The early Boxee box had this down. You had one area to search for what you wanted to watch and then it gave you a list of places you could watch it. once picked it would open Netflix, amazon, YouTube or what ever app it needed to play it.

My current Samsung TV makes you open each app and then search. It can take for ever to find out that your first thoughts were correct none of them stream what you are looking for.

4.5.2013 19:11 #2

Bozobub

Originally posted by Interestx: I really like the idea of a smart TV, I have one myself, what I can't stand is the way a lot of Youtube content is blocked on them.
This is why it makes far more sense to buy an HDMI- or USB-based (assuming your PC supports USB) "stick" PC and pair it with a "dumb" TV; *pouf* smart TV for $50-100! It'll cost much less, you get exactly what you want, and you can use the stick PC with other TVs as you desire. They also have far less silly restrictions (generally none).

4.5.2013 20:19 #3

Jemborg

Originally posted by Bozobub: Originally posted by Interestx: I really like the idea of a smart TV, I have one myself, what I can't stand is the way a lot of Youtube content is blocked on them.
This is why it makes far more sense to buy an HDMI- or USB-based (assuming your PC supports USB) "stick" PC and pair it with a "dumb" TV; *pouf* smart TV for $50-100! It'll cost much less, you get exactly what you want, and you can use the stick PC with other TVs as you desire. They also have far less silly restrictions (generally none). I'm with Bozobub here, though I'm not sure what he means by "stick PC". But a HTPC (of any kind) still seems like the only solution that actually works uncompromisingly.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 00:54 #4

Bozobub

Just Google "stick PC". It's a very compact PC-on-a-stick, essentially, generally running Linux or Android. Think of the TV-specific ones as super-beefy Raspberry Pis, sort of. Many of them also have Bluetooth and/or 802.11x support.

5.5.2013 03:10 #5

Jemborg

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 03:47 #6

Jemborg

Originally posted by Bozobub: Just Google "stick PC". It's a very compact PC-on-a-stick, essentially, generally running Linux or Android. Think of the TV-specific ones as super-beefy Raspberry Pis, sort of. Many of them also have Bluetooth and/or 802.11x support. Originally posted by Jemborg: Originally posted by Bozobub: Just Google "stick PC". It's a very compact PC-on-a-stick, essentially, generally running Linux or Android. Think of the TV-specific ones as super-beefy Raspberry Pis, sort of. Many of them also have Bluetooth and/or 802.11x support. Cheers, thanks for that Bub... sounds great, good if they can run VLC (or XBMC I suppose).

Should be able to use the OUYA too in this regard. Update :)

Wow, you know they aren't that easy to find from here but I found them on ebay:

dual core: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MK809II-Dual...=item1c3237d7e6

quad: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tronsmart-MK...=item27d2625b0d

air mouse and keyboard: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...atchlink:top:en

want.....one..... uhg!

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Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 08:54 #7

Bozobub

Not easy to find? That search may not be the best (it was merely the 1st I tried), but they are NOT difficult to find 0.0' .

I did just find many more using the search "smart tv dongle", BTW.

Edit �> It's a new market, so DEFINITELY make sure to search for reviews of w/e product you are interested in; they are not all created equal!

5.5.2013 10:35 #8

Jemborg

Maybe because I'm in Oz. I couldn't find anything on a local search. I guess they seem pretty well only available from Asia here through something like ebay. The links I posted seemed the best I could find on short notice. Not many quad cores available yet there but a couple had 2gb ram. Some talk of custom firmware to up the speed. It all looks pretty promising.

Thanks for the suggestions Bub.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 11:03 #9

Bozobub

NP. Sorry, I didn't realize the market penetration was so different Down Under =x .

A Raspberry Pi running XBMC, BTW, can do a pretty damn good job with many of the same functions as the dedicated "stick" PCs. I found an excellent explanation of what the Pi can (and cannot) do re: 1080p here on XBMC's forum. I found it with the search "raspberry pi 1080p". Even if you have to pay for 1 or 2 hardware-decoding codecs, it'll be damn cheap, as well as potentially fun to build.

5.5.2013 11:46 #10

Jemborg

We're meant to be early adopters of tech... which I think is bollocks. Pffft.

But these PC Sticks seem as good as the Raspberry Pi or even better looking at even just the dual core one... depending what you want I suppose. Be nice if you could plug a usb tv tuner into it to record... if android became more popular as an alternative desktop environment you could have more drivers written for it. Still I haven't played with it much so what would I know?

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 12:09 #11

Mrguss

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yughT2_C3ZE&feature=fvwp&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTy1H60NJL4

+5000

5.5.2013 17:14 #12

Interestx

I have to agree with the HTPC route (had one myself at one time). Never an issue with anything once the HDMI graphics card went in (HD audio too).

I've seen the USB dongles/sticks & they do look interesting, I currently enjoy a WD HD TV Live attached to the TV which covers a lot of bases.
Plus I can just hook up the laptop via HDMI (which makes things very nice & easy).

But sadly only an HTPC (or decent laptop) covers them all, for instance lots of our 'catch up' TV services are not available everything.

5.5.2013 17:55 #13

Jemborg

VLC beta has become available on Android... there's mention of only experimental hardware decoding at the moment so you need a decent cpu. Tegra3 or above seems the minimum at this time for HD decoding according to the site.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-android.html

Now, if only one could get USB BluRay support to the PC stick haha.

I noticed some had an "on-the-go" OTG port I suppose that would be useful with a telly with USB (I don't but I know that's standard now mostly).

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 23:15 #14

Bozobub

Many of the TV stick PCs will talk to wifi-enabled Blu-Ray players just fine.

6.5.2013 04:37 #15

Jemborg

Originally posted by Bozobub: Many of the TV stick PCs will talk to wifi-enabled Blu-Ray players just fine. I can't recall getting a optical drive to network across pooters properly. I had a look at BR players that share across the network not just connect to the www or read external or networked drives... they aren't cheap... except for refurbished ones.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Latest-Samsu...=item27d2008870

I not sure that's the kind of wifi-enabled BR player you were referring to Bub.

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Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

6.5.2013 22:08 #16

Bozobub

Hm. I may be thinking "backwards" on that one, as you note, but I'll dig around, could swear I saw a few.

I should note that I *believe* I've seen TV stick PCs that have an HDMI in, as well as HDMI out, which would solve your problem handily, but I'm similarly shaky on that � lol. I'll see what I can find.

7.5.2013 00:37 #17

Jemborg

Na, I don't really have a problem, don't bust a gut, I'm just intrigued how far you could take it. I have an htpc AND an OUYA coming... I'm just trying to justify getting one of these... :) can't do it really haha but it seems like fun. I was with all these old geezers today and I'm telling them about it. "Computer on a stick you say! Well I'll be..." I'm wondering at this rate if Android could replace Windows or Linux desktop.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

7.5.2013 05:33 #18

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