It seems to me that so-called “Smart TVs” just give you more of the same: corporately-curated, pay-to-subscribe, advertising-supported television.
I’d like to be able to create my own “channels” from websites and services that I choose. My channels would include:
- PBS Passport
- medici.tv
- Curiosity Stream
- NASA TV
- C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, C-SPAN3
Currently, I access these (with the exception of the C-SPAN channels*) by selecting the content I want on a laptop computer which I’ve connected to my television.
It would be nice to have the web browser built into the television and a TV remote that includes a keyboard (real or virtual) and a touchpad (or arrow keys) to navigate website menus and enter text into search boxes. That way you could dispense with the connected laptop.
It would also be nice to be able to automatically and securely log in to each website by simply clicking on the channel icon. No apps to download, configure, or install.
Does such a television even exist?
*Access to C‑SPAN, C‑SPAN2 and C‑SPAN3 online and in the C‑SPAN Now app is currently limited to cable and satellite TV customers.