Question How is Samsung Smart Hub?

nwgarratt

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I have decided to get another TV. I haven't decided between 32 or 40" yet but have decided on Samsung. I also would like to know if Smart Hub is worth it. I am not sure I would use it. Do all TV's have wireless?

I have got it down to one of these -

Samsung UE32H5500 (no smart hub and 2 HDMI's) £220
Samsung UE32H5500 (smart hub and 3 HDMI's) £280
Samsung UE40H5000 ((no smart hub and 2 HDMI's) £280

I am only watching from about 5-8ft away as it is for a bedroom. I am thinking the 40" might be too much. My main source will still be SD with a PVR. I do have a blu ray player and media player connected. The WDTV Live media player plays back mpegs recorded from TV on a hard disk. I assume the smart hub would make this not necessary?
 
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No Sky so will be using Freeview.

Having looked at Smart Hub on the net I rather have 40" than smart hub. It looks like using media from USB storage is possible without Smart Hub so the H5000 model is tempting.

I believe I do have room but may have put the TV on something to raise it a few cm as there is not much room under the screen. My current TV is has the screen higher up due to the speaker underneath.

This is my current 32". The PVR cannot be moved as that is where the wires and aerial are. The 32" would go up to the Sagem but the 40" would be over it.

Hopefully I can get rid of the WDTV and use the TV for media playback.

P1070857.JPG
 
Has it got DLNA ?
If you have Sky downstairs to run a cable up ?

DLNA is what you need really.
 
AFAIK, the Smart Hub ones have DLNA. I have no problems reading of a HDD/Pen drive.
 
John Lewis does a 5 year warranty.
Usually the higher number on tvs mean better spec, sometimes identical spec but made for 1 shop only.

I would get the 5500.

You could buy a nas hard drive & store all your media on there. Tvs blu ray, iphones etc will all stream of it.
 
I can't afford the 40" 5500. I would get it from either John Lewis or Tesco's as they both do the 5 year guarantee.
 
Looks like the 5300 does not have wireless so that is out.

Another question. Is the smart hub needed to record TV to a pen drive/HDD. Can HD channels be recorded?
 
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I could stretch to £350.

Looking at some reviews it does seem there is some picture improvement with the 5500 over the 5000.
 
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Going on Richer Sounds the 5500 does record to a usb

But please be aware you ideally need a 5,400 rpm usb hard drive .... Amd a lot of usb sticks arent fast enough.

I think £380 seems to be the recording starting price on 40".

I have sky downstairs & ran a rf cable for the magic eye to change channels etc & bought a powered hdmi splitter & 20 metre hdmi cable for perfect picture upstairs.

I ran CAT 6 upstairs and an unmanned network switch for xbox, blu ray & tv all to play of my nas hard drive.

Anyway its just another option.

The problem I have with smaller tvs is reading the banner on sky news for example, so I would always say 40"
 
I think I am sold on the smart hub now but it would have to be 32". To get 5 year guarantee it is £400 for the 40".
 
Save up some more money, and in the meantime TVs will come down in price in the new year as the new models are announced for launch in the spring. There may be some deals in the post Xmas sales too (normally on less popular models to shift stocks, but JL and Richer Sounds normally have a couple of great deals if you move fast)
 
My TV is close up giving up (picture goes dark then brightness is normal again) so saving money is not an option. I don't think I can wait too long.
 
Hmmm that is interesting, I had a bad Toshiba in the past but that was back in the CRT days.

edit.

I saw a AO.com youtube. It looks the smart side of things is slow (20 seconds to load and another 15 to load a app). The graphics are also basic.

I can see myself using the DLNA side of things more than the catch up TV.
 
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