Question on buying a TV

There should be a "guide" button on your remote if you are using cable TV or direct TV etc that should show a list of channels. at least that is my experience

Ralph Lipeles wrote:

I am looking to buy a 50" TV. All of the sets I have seen are now SMART. That means that I will have to go through menu items to get to the TV stations that I want. Are there any non-smart TV's?  Or, is there a feature that can bypass the smart menu and get me directly to the channel listing?

Our "Smart TV" operates just like a regular dumb TV for local channels on Directv.  We use the Directv remote.  If you want the smart features, you have to press a selector button on the TV remote to get to the smart menus.  Go to a retail outlet and play with one.

The Smart part means they will hook up to your WiFi and connect to the internet.  They have Apps like your phone so you can watch the major streaming networks, Net Flix, Disney, Hulu etc. without additional equipment needed.

They act just like a normal TV and can hook to an antenna to get local over the air stations

You can hook up to cable, Dish, Direct TV as well.

The biggest thing I will say is figure out what size is going to be best for your space.  

Sit in your normal spot then measure the distance to the TV.  Use this as a reference when you are looking at them.  Try and get that far away and see if you are viewing the entire screen or you have to move your head to see the edges..  Adjust as needed.

Next look at something black.  Make sure it is a true black not just a darkish blue gray, also look at contrast between objects.  

Mike

All of them allow you to control the input such as DVD player, cable, antenna, wifi, etc. You don't have to use the "smart" features.

Are you going to use an antenna, or cable service? If antenna, you'll be able to select the antenna as input for broadcast TV, and you should see a pretty simple list of available channels to select. On the other hand, if you're getting your TV from a streaming service, then you're pretty much stuck with a little more complex menu.

My Smart LG works like a regular TV off our satellite receiver box. When I want NetFlix, YouTube, or other internet site I display the smart apps and select it.
If you have a TV that is setup primarily as an internet TV then it becomes more of fiddle - I have an Amazon Fire TV and it, not surprisingly, is designed to bring up the Amazon internet site when the TV is first turned on. To use the regular satellite TV, I have to then change the input to HDMI 1 where the satellite receiver is plugged into.  I don't know how common TVs like the Fire are but for a regular smart TVs there should be no problem.
Get the people in the store to demo your requirements on their display.

Now should be a pretty good time to buy a TV. The other good time I've heard is just before the Super Bowl. I pay attention once in a while to TVs, one set - Sony XBR 46"has be be around 20 years old and isn't 'smart', don't know how many years it has left. I have a newer Philips that is smart but I don't use the network features. I had TiVO and have switched to Roku after 'cutting the cord' (getting rid of cable). From what I've gathered OLED displays are the current standard, supposed to be blacker black and more accurate/better colors. My problem isn't the hardware, it's finding something to watch that doesn't make me feel dumber.

Higher definition with many more pixels, truer colors, better contrast cannot perform the much hoped for alchemist trick of changing garbage into something worth looking at! Of course, there are the "pixel watchers", those people who ooh and aah the pixels without paying attention to the program.
I will admit though, that there are some good entertaining and some good educational programs available.

I've never had a TV since divorcing in the 90s. The shows on TV never interested me, and the news was entertainment masquerading as journalism. I read newspapers and magazines, in print and then later online. About six years ago, I bought a 55" Samsung 4K TV and hooked it to the Internet. Now I can relax on the sofa and watch Internet documentaries, take online classes (every course taught at MIT can be audited free online), and watch Taylor Swift in all her 4K glory.