How to tell if you have a smart TV
How to tell if you have a smart TV
What's coming up
In this activity we’ll look at some ways to tell if you already have a smart TV, as well as what you should look for if you are thinking of buying a new smart TV.
If you just bought a smart TV or know you have one, you can use this activity to learn how to check it’s connected to the internet, and how to load a new app onto it using the TV’s app store.
Start activityDo you already have a smart TV?
Smart TVs have been around for a few years now, and even though the latest models have more features, an older smart TV still might have all you need.
All TVs can receive TV broadcasts through an antenna, so it’s possible you might have been using your TV for a couple of years and not even known about its smart functions.
How to check if your current TV is a smart TV
While many TVs have a button on the remote called Home or Menu, a smart TV will respond with a lot more options when you press it.
What if there is no Home or Menu button?
If the remote control for your TV doesn’t have a Home or Menu button, then it’s almost definitely not a smart TV.
You can skip ahead to the next activity: How to make a TV smart, or keep following along with this activity to learn more about smart TV.
What the Home or Menu button does on a smart TV
To check if your TV is smart, try pressing the Home or Menu button on your TV remote.
If a number of squares showing small ads for TV shows, or logos for apps such as YouTube and Netflix appear, congratulations! You already have a smart TV!
If you only see some options to change TV settings, or a basic TV guide, then you probably don’t have a smart TV.
Check if your TV is connected to the internet
You can use the arrow controls on your remote to highlight one of the squares that you can now see on the screen. These squares are known as apps.
Highlight the YouTube app and press the OK button on your remote. If YouTube doesn’t load, look for your TV settings, and follow the steps to connect the smart TV to your home Wi-Fi.
This can be a bit complicated, so you might like to ask a family member or friend for help.
Try the ABC iView app
Once your smart TV is connected to the internet, let’s check out some catch-up TV.
The ABC offers a free app called iView. Look on the Home screen for an ABC logo. If you can’t see it, look for a panel or button marked Apps. With your remote control, highlight it and press OK to go to your TV’s app store.
Each smart TV’s app store is a bit different, but you will be able to use your TV remote and an on-screen keyboard to search for the ABC iView app, install it, and then open it to catch-up on your favourite ABC programs.
Installing an app can be fiddly, so you may want to ask a friend or family member for help.
Well done!
This is the end of the How to tell if you have a smart TV activity. You’ve learned how to check if your TV is a smart TV, how to open the Home screen, and how to find and install the ABC iView catch-up TV app.
How to make a TV smart is the next activity, and it’s worth following along even if you already have a smart TV, as you can learn how to add the latest smart TV features to your existing TV.
