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Vizio's New TVs Sport Google Cast, HDR and Android Tablets (engadget.com)

Posted by msmash on from the smart-tv-getting-smarter dept.

An anonymous reader writes from an Engadget article: Vizio's latest P-Series 4K HDTVs are more than just an annual upgrade -- they also completely redefine how you'll be accessing media. The TVs, which range from 50- to 75-inches, are still technically 'smart,' but they don't have any apps of their own. Instead, you'll have to stream content with built-in Google Cast -- a first for any TV set. You can shoot media to the sets using the Vizio SmartCast app, either from the included Android tablet remote, or any other iOS or Android device. SmartCast also serves as the central hub for discovering media, and it controls all of your TV settings. The 6-inch Android tablet that comes with every P-Series set isn't very exciting on its own: It's got a 1080p screen and a V8 octa-core processor. But it's significantly more interesting than the traditional remotes most TVs ship with. As for that SmartCast app, it's surprisingly well designed. You can search for TV shows and movies, and it'll point you right to it on the appropriate streaming service.

7 of 56 comments (clear)

  1. Battery life? by QuietLagoon · · Score: 2

    ...But it's significantly more interesting than the traditional remotes most TVs ship with. ...

    I currently get a couple of months from the batteries in my remote.

    .
    Will I need to keep the remote for my new Vizio TV tethered to a charger?

    1. Re:Battery life? by MightyYar · · Score: 2

      I have a Roku and it has an app for the phone. Despite my entire family having phones and tablets, we almost always use the remote instead of the app. If we were forced to use the app we probably would, but there's no preference for it as far as I can tell.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
    2. Re:Battery life? by Adriax · · Score: 3, Funny

      You mean the tingly sensation and first degree burn marks on my ring finger aren't from the spark coming back into my marriage?

      --
      I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
    3. Re: Battery life? by Type44Q · · Score: 2

      That depends on where you inserted your finger.

  2. More importantly... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 2

    Do they still send fingerprints of everything you display on them to the vendor for some sort of undesirable purpose, with an implementation lousy enough to be a network hazard?

  3. NO TV TUNER by jupiterssj4 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They seem great however they lack a TV tuner, so it kills it for people that want to use an antenna to watch local OTA HD content.

  4. um by wardrich86 · · Score: 2

    So basically it's just a huge monitor with a built-in Chromecast, and a built-in Vizio-equivalent of a Chromecast?