You might deny it but televisions are slowly and quietly becoming obsolete. With the advent of smartphones and all kinds of PCs, televisions have been reduced to family infotainment. You rarely watch your favourite shows, movies or sports on TV anymore. Popular television brands like Videocon and Onida have disappeared while the others have changed directions. But in this fight for survival, televisions have clung on, with a flurry of advancements. Flat TV -> LCD TV -> LED TV -> Smart TV. Smart TV is the future of television, if there is any.
But here's the interesting bit- you don't need a complete overhaul of your television. Your old conventional LCD TV can be transformed into a smart TV, with the addition of a few gadgets. By buying a few of the below-mentioned gadgets to boost your old TV's capabilities, you don't have to purchase an entire smart TV. This way, you get your smart TV but at a lower cost and more convenience. At the same time you can get these useful gadgets on Amazon at reasonable prices.
So, here are a few cool gadgets that will turn your old boring TV into a smart one:
1. Mi Box
What you get from Mi Box is your typical satellite TV, plus much more. For starters, you get popular streaming services like Netflix, Amazon PrimeVideo and Hotstar for free. That means, you don't have to recharge your subscription every month to watch your favourite movies and TV shows. It also offers 4K quality, Dolby Atmos support and comes with Android TV 9.0 out-of-the-box.
Mi Box is inbuilt with Google Assistant which means that you only need to speak to change the channel. This gadget comes along with a sleek-design remote that is easy to handle and can be used to control your now Smart TV.
Price Range: Rs. 3,000- Rs. 5,000
2. Xbox One X/PS4 PRO
In the gaming underworld, the rivalry between Xbox and PlayStation is the equivalent of Netflix and Amazon, or Microsoft and Apple. Both are hugely popular amongst gamers around the world when it comes to gaming consoles. I won't ask you to choose, since both are state-of-the-art gaming consoles. Both support 4K HDR and the Xbox One X also has a Blu-ray drive to cater to your Blu-ray needs.
Along with a large library of 4K HDR games, these gaming consoles also support Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Yes, the PS4 Pro is slightly cheaper than the Xbox One X. But whichever gaming console you choose to buy, I assure you, your FIFA or Fortnite nights are going to be afap (as fun as possible). And if you're a gamer, you need one of these gadgets to make your smart TV.
Price Range: Xbox One X- Around Rs. 44,000; PS4 Pro- Around 40,000
3. Sony HT-S20R 5.1 Soundbar
For a standard TV to turn into a Smart TV, a soundbar is one of the critical elements. Because so many of the aspects of a smart TV require fine sound quality, it becomes necessary to have a good audio output. A conventional set of speakers occupies a lot of space and gives you less music, more noise.
What your TV needs is a soundbar paired up with two speakers and a subwoofer. In all, they give 400W of output. But here's where it gets interesting: with Dolby Digital, you get a supreme 5.1 channel surround sound experience.
Multiple audio modes are provided to set the audio right for movies or songs. Your music experience is made further convenient by the USB and Bluetooth connectivity options on this soundbar. Plus, the soundbar's sleek design suits your smart TV and hence, proves to be the perfect smart TV gadget to have.
Price Range: Around Rs. 20,000
4. Logitech Harmony Smart Control
Losing your TV remote can be so frustrating. Even more when you have separate remotes for all your TV gadgets (one for the speakers, one for the DVD player, one for the TV). Wouldn't it be better to just have one remote for all your smart TV gadgets?
That is exactly what the Logitech Harmony provides you. With Logitech Harmony, you get a remote that handles all your channel-changing needs.
There are two ways to use the Logitech Harmony. One way is that you simply use the Logitech Harmony universal remote control. Or else, you can download the Logitech Harmony app on your iOS/Android smartphone. Through the app, you access the Wi-Fi enabled IR blaster that you purchased. Once you do that, your universal smart remote is ready.
Price Range: Around Rs. 15,000
5. Zettaguard 4K HDMI switcher
If you're buying all these gadgets to make your TV smart, you will probably run out of HDMI slots on the TV. Hence, an HDMI switch becomes a necessary gadget to buy. And there is none better in the business than the Zettaguard upgraded 4K 4x1 HDMI switcher.
This switcher comes with 4 input slots which you can connect your gadgets to and easily alternate between them. Its picture-in-picture mode allows you to view another HDMI source on a tiny window in the corner of your screen. You can switch between HDMI sources through a wireless infrared remote. It's small and doesn't occupy much space in your room. This Zettaguard HDMI switcher is truly an all-round, affordable gadget that you need for your smart TV.
Price Range: Around Rs. 8,500
To conclude, these are a few gadgets that you can use to turn your standard television set into a smart TV. Smart TVs have become a commonality in households worldwide. And that's completely understandable. People no longer want a TV where they keep searching for the right channel all the time.
Now remember, it's not worthwhile purchasing an entire smart TV if you don't see any long-term use for it. But if you still want to enjoy its benefits, these gadgets are the way to go. There will come a day in your life when you wouldn't be able to walk two feet in your house without coming upon a cool gadget. Find the gadgets your TV needs and prepare an amalgam of a smart TV.
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About the author:
Devesh Gedam is a content marketing intern with competency in creative writing.
