Smart TVs for Dummies

[GMOOH2023]

I have lived abroad for over a decade so apologies in advance for asking what is probably a very dim question.

I will be moving back to the UK this year and very much looking forward to the delights of BBC iPlayer. We currently watch UK live TV via satellite and have no facility to record anything or watch any catch up TV. We do get most of the freeview type channels too.

If I buy a smart TV in the UK, do I just need to connect it to the wifi to be able to watch "live" TV and access the freeview channels?

Do I need some sort of subscription/registration/gadget (??firestick) to see the freeview channels?

Just wondering if it really is straightforward these days and I can just connect it all up and be ready to go without any assistance.

TIA

Depends where you are in the UK. Most areas have a Freeview transmitter, in which case you just connect to the aerial socket and the TV will detect the Freeview channels for regular viewing. If your area does not have a public Freeview transmitter, or is one of the areas that only broadcasts a bare minimum of channels, then you'll need some sort of Freeview stick/box thing to get the full range.

'Catch Up', and Subscription channels are delivered via Wifi, which your TV will connect to. It's not really any different to a phone/laptop/tablet in that regard. Most of the common apps will be pre-installed, so it's just a case of logging in on the TV then confirming on the relevant website.

Thank you.

I'm not sure there is an aerial socket (or indeed an aerial).

Looks like we will need some sort of "box/stick" then.
Useful to know.

There are plenty of local businesses who cover this sort of thing - just didn't want to ring up sounding like a complete idiot (and get ripped off).

The retail Freeview aerials will only pick up whichever channels are broadcast by your local Freeview transmitter, so before you buy one check that your area does actually have a transmitter broadcasting the full range of Freeview channels.

If it does not, then you are probably just as well watching BBC/ITV/C4 live via their own app.

A "smart" TV will have app already pre installed, YouTube, iPlayer, C4 and such. All you need us a router connection, some even work over WIFI.

But, and this is the controversial bit, you'll probably need a TV licence as most smart TV sets can receive "live" broadcasts out of the box and there's no way for you to delete the pre installed apps.

Also, most of them now have a camera built into the screen which you can't see, and unless you turn it off it WILL record you. All these new TV sets can make video calls and do voice searches.

You MUST go into the settings menu on your new TV and switch off all the permissions in the "data sharing" sub menu.

Samsung TV sets send video and sound recording directly to SAMSUNG, they day it's to "enhance voice search and camera functionality".

@onefinemess

Yes, we would be getting a TV licence.

If there is a branch of Richer Sounds where you are moving, go in for a chat. They are knowledgeable and unpushy, and will help you choose something to suit your space and budget. I think they might offer a set up service, but not sure of this.

Thanks everyone.

I think we'll definitely go down the "set-up by someone who actually knows what they are doing" route, but at least these replies have given me a bit more of an idea of what we actually want/need.