List of Apps By TV Brand?

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MSwitch

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#257457 4-Oct-2019 09:52

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to upgrade my tv in the next few weeks. I use a lot of different apps for streaming and I know that each brand has deals with the streaming companies so some have more than others etc.

I've tried having a look around but can't seem to find any kind of comparison list. Before I go through and manually compare, just thought I'd check if someone knows of a list of apps by TV.

Also, if anyone knows whether there's been any announcements about a Disney+ app on any upcoming tvs, that would also be helpful to know.

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#2329463 4-Oct-2019 09:59

The apps are not static so keeping an updated list would be difficult

Since getting my Panasonic TV a few months back it has more Apps like Spark Sport and light box

timmmay

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#2329465 4-Oct-2019 10:03

My Samsung TV had apps for the first year or two after we bought it, but support was dropped and nothing works any more. Suggest the best option may be to get a simple TV with a good panel and run your apps on another device. We use a Roku stick from Amazon and a R.Pi running Kodi.

Dial111

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#2329468 4-Oct-2019 10:08

Sony ( and select TCL and Toshiba) Android TVs would probably have the most widely supported apps, also chromecast built in so any app on your phone that supports CC should work fine.

MSwitch

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#2329472 4-Oct-2019 10:16

Linux: The apps are not static so keeping an updated list would be difficult

Since getting my Panasonic TV a few months back it has more Apps like Spark Sport and light box

That's good to know, my current tv is also a Panasonic and I do like it but is missing a few apps because it's 2015 model. Does your newer model have Amazon Prime?

timmmay:

My Samsung TV had apps for the first year or two after we bought it, but support was dropped and nothing works any more. Suggest the best option may be to get a simple TV with a good panel and run your apps on another device. We use a Roku stick from Amazon and a R.Pi running Kodi.

I've tried using an Amazon Fire TV box before but got pretty sick of it after a while, seemed laggy, no support for things like TVNZ, etc. It put me off trying out others, but I have heard good things about Roku so might consider it. Are there any setup complications using a Roku in NZ or is it easy to PnP?

rogercruse

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#2329473 4-Oct-2019 10:17

Probably best to use something like JustWatch.com to get an understanding of what's available.

Then decide which services are more important to you.

Additional tip: While the content for Sky isn't shown, Neon is a close match.

timmmay

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#2329474 4-Oct-2019 10:23

MSwitch:

I've tried using an Amazon Fire TV box before but got pretty sick of it after a while, seemed laggy, no support for things like TVNZ, etc. It put me off trying out others, but I have heard good things about Roku so might consider it. Are there any setup complications using a Roku in NZ or is it easy to PnP?

Roku works fine for Netflix in NZ and was easy to set up. I've run a few different apps, mostly UK apps, as I have a router set up as a tunnel to the UK, but that's not trivial to do.

There probably won't be NZ apps like TVNZ though.

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MSwitch

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#2329475 4-Oct-2019 10:25

rogercruse:

Probably best to use something like JustWatch.com to get an understanding of what's available.

Then decide which services are more important to you.

Additional tip: While the content for Sky isn't shown, Neon is a close match.

That's so helpful, I've been looking for something like that for a long time, thanks so much.

A shame it doesn't have TVNZ on Demand but it's still better than manually checking everywhere.

MSwitch

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#2329496 4-Oct-2019 10:37

timmmay:

Roku works fine for Netflix in NZ and was easy to set up. I've run a few different apps, mostly UK apps, as I have a router set up as a tunnel to the UK, but that's not trivial to do.

There probably won't be NZ apps like TVNZ though.

I was considering a second vpn router a while back but couldn't decide on which router to pick up and it eventually dropped off my radar. Would you have any suggestion?

dt

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#2329508 4-Oct-2019 11:12

this is why im a big fan of Android TV boxes, have always found the availability of apps much wider than that of the TV's and its much easier to justify the $100-200 hardware upgrade should you need to for future app updates requiring gruntier hardware.

trig42

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#2329533 4-Oct-2019 11:51

Depending on how much fiddling you want to do, I'd be buying the best TV (picture wise) you can, and adding an Apple TV. The ATV does pretty much every streaming App in NZ (not sure about Neon - what's with that Sky?)

It does do TVNZ, TV3, Netflix, Lightbox, Spark Sport, Sky Sport Now, Amazon Video, Apple TV+, Plex and more. If you use DNS or VPN, you can load overseas services - I've used BBC, iTV, RugbyPass, ESPN+.

It is easy to use, Harmony remote friendly.

The only thing it won't do is Casting (unless you have an Apple product you can Airplay from).

If you don't want Apple then Roku, nVidia Shield etc., are similar but because they are not NZ supported devices, getting the NZ apps on them (and keeping them up to date) is fiddly.

Senecio

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#2329553 4-Oct-2019 12:02

Just factor in the cost of an ATV 4K into the TV purchase. You'll only be disappointed in a year's time if you want to rely solely on the TV's built in apps.

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#2329669 4-Oct-2019 15:50

I would never buy another smart TV, unless there was another reason for the purchase (such as picture quality, price, etc). A Chromecast Ultra for $109 (or Chromecast 3 for 1080p screens for $69) is so affordable and works so well. Later on if necessary you can just replace/upgrade the Chromecast and not the whole TV.

Handle9

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#2329699 4-Oct-2019 18:18

timmmay:
My Samsung TV had apps for the first year or two after we bought it, but support was dropped and nothing works any more. Suggest the best option may be to get a simple TV with a good panel and run your apps on another device. We use a Roku stick from Amazon and a R.Pi running Kodi.

Any reason you don't run Kodi on the fire stick?

JaseNZ

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#2329708 4-Oct-2019 18:55

+1 for the ATV , I got our LG OLED because of the picture and not the apps although it does have every app we need.

Don't rely on TV's to keep supporting their apps as they get older.

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#2329759 4-Oct-2019 19:41

grolschie: I would never buy another smart TV, unless there was another reason for the purchase (such as picture quality, price, etc). A Chromecast Ultra for $109 (or Chromecast 3 for 1080p screens for $69) is so affordable and works so well. Later on if necessary you can just replace/upgrade the Chromecast and not the whole TV.

CC Ultra's are $88 @ the Noel Leeming sale in Auckland right now...

Just saying.

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