To think smart TVs are a fecking pita?!

[MoiraNotRuby]

Just moved house, am renting somewhere but won't be here long term. It doesn't have a TV aerial. I have a Samsung smart tv. I thought this would be no big deal and I would watch live tv by installing free view app. In trying to do this, I discover this isn't available/possible for my tv. I can go in and out of i player for BBC (and I assume the equivalents for Channel 4, 5 and Itv) to watch live programmes. But its such a bloody faff! Considering how easy it would be for Samsung/whoever to make this possible its surprising how annoying this is. Don't even know if I'm actually making sense.

Nobody watches anything on proper live telly anymore, do they?!

I watch the news live. And Strictly. Oh, and we watched Line of Duty live so we wouldn't find out what happened.

My parents still only watch "live" TV, as in they click through the TV guide on the screen choosing something that's "on" and discuss whether to watch a concert or a history programme (or whatever) saying things like "I noticed that x is on at 7, I'd really like to watch that".

I don't think that's gone away for a lot of people, especially but not only older people.

Then as others say the news and weather are things people obviously watch live - in fact a lot of things broadcast live rather than prerecorded.

Our LG smart TVs are great I wouldn't buy any other brand

We have a smart tv - however that is not enough for my DH! So we also have Sky and Netflix and Fire T V. Altogether there are 4 remotes and as he is 'in charge' of them it means I never get to learn what is for what and I haven't the faintest idea how to work the bloody thing!

I totally agree OP but I've solved it!!!!!

Amazon fire sticks on ally TVs. The interface is amazing. You can get what you want in 1 click rather than 5 clicks. You can say a show or a movie with the voice button and it will pull that movie out of all the apps and you just choose which one you want (free Vs paid for).

Oh, and it's 1 remote. Remote turns on TV, does volume etc.

Get a roku box. You only need an HDMI port and WiFi to make it work. Then you can watch through the apps.

Of course people watch live TV...sports, news, weather, 'events', big programmes/series that they enjoy waiting to watch (madness for some people, I know!)
I love our fire stick for choice but when we had a period without an ariel and just that, it was awful. I like flicking channels and finding something I'd like to watch, and I hate the way 'smart' anything tries to influence your choices and just offers you stuff they think you'll like. It becomes very one-dimensional (podcasts for example). Listening to the radio live throws up some really interesting things you might never have chosen to listen to but really enjoy. But that's another thread!

Omg I thought it qas just me. I have two smart tvs of two different, decent brands. Only had them two years and they have numerous problems. Very slow and crash nearly every single time. I would buy another, but they're not cheap and won't the same thing happen again and again....