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Original poster

When did you last buy a tv?

130 replies

SugarAndSpike · 17/05/2023 20:17

Mine is about 13 years old and I feel like I've been left in the dark ages as I haven't a clue about smart TVs, I don't stream, don't watch 'catch-up' tv or whatever. This is mainly a financial decision as I can't justify monthly payments for telly but actually if my current one broke down I'd be completely lost as to what to buy.

Anyone else?

Have I got the wrong end of the stick and actually it's worth having a more high tech tv? I haven't been bothered to look into it as, to me, it's a minefield and I've got enough on my brain.

How old is your tv?

OP posts:
CharlottenBurger · 22/05/2023 08:46

SugarAndSpike · 22/05/2023 08:00

That's so crap if the curry's guy was talking rubbish. It was through live chat on the website so you'd hope it was honest. He gave me the impression the sticks do work in some HDMI TVs but that our particular tv wouldn't cope with internet.

How do sticks work? Do you get a separate remote to navigate the internet? I'm assuming it doesn't allow internet surfing but what comes up on screen when you startup and how do you navigate this on an old tv?

For a Firestick to work the TV and hence the HDMI port it will connect to must be 'HDCP compliant' (a digital copyright thing). Some very early flat screen TVs have HDMI but are not compliant in the way a Firestick needs. If the Curry's live chat guy knew the TV make and model number he might have looked it up, or might just have been guessing. They want to encourage you to buy a new TV! In any case, the stick handles the internet, not the TV. If you have wi-fi in your house the stick connects to that and you do get a little remote with it.

User14528564 · 22/05/2023 14:34

We had a Roku on our old 2006 Panasonic TV, maybe they might be more compatible than Firestick. The screen that comes up on TV will be from the stick and will show apps that you navigate with the stick's remote. Similar to connecting a DVD player

NeverDropYourMooncup · 22/05/2023 21:04

SugarAndSpike · 22/05/2023 08:00

That's so crap if the curry's guy was talking rubbish. It was through live chat on the website so you'd hope it was honest. He gave me the impression the sticks do work in some HDMI TVs but that our particular tv wouldn't cope with internet.

How do sticks work? Do you get a separate remote to navigate the internet? I'm assuming it doesn't allow internet surfing but what comes up on screen when you startup and how do you navigate this on an old tv?

Oh, I'm willing to bet that he was bullshitting all the way through the chat.

But that's the thing - under £45 for a Firestick you can return for free through Amazon if you buy it from them and your TV is one of a tiny handful that won't work with it - or him persuading you that you need to buy an all-singing, all dancing Smart TV from Curry's.

You plug it in, switch it on, connect it to your wifi and press the Amazon key - it's easy. You can use voice search on the remote control by pressing and holding the blue button if you want, if not, you use standard buttons - up, down, select, back, etc - to navigate around the screen.

You download the apps like iPlayer, a browser if you want one and set up casting so that you don't need to plug you laptop into the TV at all.

Order it, follow the instructions, see if it works - you won't lose a penny either way.

FannythePinkFlamingo · 23/05/2023 08:16

We use a Firestick on a 2009 Samsung. Works fine. I think the Curry's man was trying to get you to buy a new TV.

Polis · 23/05/2023 08:54

We had to return a Firestick because it just didn’t work with the TV we wanted to use it with.

It was bought direct from Amazon so sending it back was easy.

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