smart vs dumb 4k tv

GunsMadeAmericaFree

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2007
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I've started looking for a replacement for my 1080p TV. I was leaning towards a Roku TV, but then I realized that you can only directly enter numbers on one of their TV's. (only one model has a remote with number buttons on it) I need to be able to enter broadcast tv station numbers directly, so I think smart TV's are out.

Can anyone recommend a 50" |HDR10+ dumb TV? Thanks!
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
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You might be better off just getting a smart TV and buying a universal remote for it.
 

GunsMadeAmericaFree

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2007
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I appreciate that, but my understanding after reading up on it is that the numbers on a universal remote don't work with Roku TV's, since they weren't designed for direct number channel input.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
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I am not even sure there are dumb tvs anymore. Unless you go to the pro display market
 

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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Why are you implying the only choice is Roku vs non-smart (dumb) TV?

Many of the smart TVs on the market besides Roku have remotes with numpads. However I wouldn't get an Android TV unless it is from a top tier brand that puts the development effort in to get the bugs out.
 

GunsMadeAmericaFree

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2007
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What input into the TV do you want to type numbers into?

If I want to watch channel 7, I want to be able to push the number 7 on the remote, and have it instantly go there. Then if I want to go to channel 22, for example, I can press 2 twice. After doing that, I want to be able to press "recall" to switch back and forth between the two channels when a commercial comes on.
 
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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
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If I want to watch channel 7, I want to be able to push the number 7 on the remote, and have it instantly go there. Then if I want to go to channel 22, for example, I can press 2 twice. After doing that, I want to be able to press "recall" to switch back and forth between the two channels when a commercial comes on.
Yeah, that's pretty basic and I don't have that and it drives me nuts... well, when I think of it. Fact is, though, I don't watch TV like that, although I'd like to be able to at times. In practice I have around stations I watch. So I can go up/down to get to one... in addition to that I almost never watch LIVE... I timeshift. My TCL 43" 4K Roku TV does that with a 16GB stick in the USB port. I can PAUSE/REW/FF (means I can skip commercials!!! Problem is, with this TV if you change channels you lose your buffer, you are starting over, which is nasty). But (AND THIS IS BIG) there's no numbers on the damn remote. I'm thinking maybe I can get a tuner that will plug into an HDMI port, but it would need a remote and a timeshifting feature somehow.
 

GunsMadeAmericaFree

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Jan 23, 2007
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Well, here we get over 60 different broadcast channels & sub channels, so I would probably REALLY notice it if I had to scroll through something vertically. Now, if they had a grid representation of the channels, and I could quickly move a pointer between them on the screen, that might be acceptable. This is what has kept me from buying a Roku TV.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
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I did a lot of research before upgrading to 4K and a larger TV. Based on bang for the buck I opted for a HiSense 65" 4K. After 9 months of owning it, I'm still impressed with the actual picture quality.

It comes with Android OS. It works, but I really found navigation between streaming services, and within those services to not be that great. Since 95% of our viewing is via streaming, this is a factor.

Got a FireStick 4K on sale on Amazon. Much better option... works great, and easy to navigate, with the Firestick remote the TVs remote, the Logitech Harmony remotes, and an app installed on our phones.

Given they had the same video characteristics, I'd go with the dumb TV, and plug in the "smart" that fits my viewing.
 
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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
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I did a lot of research before upgrading to 4K and a larger TV. Based on bang for the buck I opted for a HiSense 65" 4K. After 9 months of owning it, I'm still impressed with the actual picture quality.

It comes with Android OS. It works, but I really found navigation between streaming services, and within those services to not be that great. Since 95% of our viewing is via streaming, this is a factor.

Got a FireStick 4K on sale on Amazon. Much better option... works great, and easy to navigate, with the Firestick remote the TVs remote, the Logitech Harmony remotes, and an app installed on our phones.

Given they had the same video characteristics, I'd go with the dumb TV, and plug in the "smart" that fits my viewing.
May I ask, what's the app you're using on your phones? I'm using a Harmony remote too, BTW. I still haven't unpackaged my Fire Stick 4K, have been engrossed in various other projects the last week. Hadn't decided to keep it or not. My thread on that included a post saying I should consider the "new Roku remote," which I know nothing about. Well, I'm not currently streaming anything but Amazon Prime, but I do have a bunch of free streaming channels set up on my TCL 43" Roku 4K TVs, although I don't often check them out.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
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May I ask, what's the app you're using on your phones? I'm using a Harmony remote too, BTW. I still haven't unpackaged my Fire Stick 4K, have been engrossed in various other projects the last week. Hadn't decided to keep it or not. My thread on that included a post saying I should consider the "new Roku remote," which I know nothing about. Well, I'm not currently streaming anything but Amazon Prime, but I do have a bunch of free streaming channels set up on my TCL 43" Roku 4K TVs, although I don't often check them out.
 
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