Home entertainment company Vizio has launched 30 free streaming channels on its SmartCast TVs, the company has announced, giving quarantined customers some additional entertainment. The new content is available as of April 7; it spans a variety of genres, including news, comedy, entertainment, sports, music, and lifestyle.
For Vizio TV owners, it just got a lot easier to watch Disney+. Today, Vizio announced that it has added Disney+ to its SmartCast platform, which means that those who have a SmartCast TV can watch Disney+ directly through the app. Previously, users were able to stream Disney+ to Vizio TVs through either Apple AirPlay 2 or Chromecast, which come built-in on some sets.
Music and video streaming service TIDAL has announced the addition of a new partner: Vizio. The company best known for its home entertainment products is now offering the TIDAL app for its SmartCast TVs, enabling users to access their TIDAL playlists and more directly from their television. Vizio joins a large and growing number of other companies and platforms that support the TIDAL service.
While big names like Samsung and LG are pushing 8K TVs to the market, VIZIO is focusing on TVs that will better appeal to the masses for their price value. That's not to say these SmartCast TVs are on the cheap side of features. In fact, all of VIZIO's new 2020 sets boast 4K HDR and new silicon to drive both image and gaming experiences higher. And for the first time in its history, VIZIO is launching its first OLED TV that adds deep blacks and infinite contrast on top of all that.
Today we're taking a peek at a list of devices that won't run Netflix by the end of the year 2019. Earlier literature from Netflix suggested that many of these devices would no longer run Netflix as of December 2, 2019. Some of these devices seem to have a big of lag in the cutting of this proverbial cord - but rest assured, they won't work without some hacking by the end of this month.
Vizio is rolling out software updates for its SmartCast HDTVs that'll make it possible for Disney Plus subscribers to access the new streaming service. Rather than making the Disney Plus app available on its smart TVs, Vizio is using something like a workaround solution involving casting (for now). Select models have already received new Apple AirPlay support and Chromecast built-in will arrive next month.
It has been a while since the class of technologies known as DRM or Digital Rights Management has been the focus on contention but the news surrounding Netflix's sudden withdrawal from some devices could put it back in the spotlight. It's only semi-official, considering Netflix has not yet issued a formal explanation, but it seems that affected devices are unable to keep up with such DRM systems, practically locking them out of the streaming service for good.
Vizio revealed today it's beginning to roll out Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to its lineup of SmartCast 3.0 TVs. This, of course, means that you'll be able to cast videos and photos (among other things) from your Apple device to your TV or control your TV using the Home app and Siri voice commands.
You often hear news of high-profile cases being settled with some large fines, including those that were filed by consumers as a class action lawsuits. You seldom here, however, about that settlement reaching affected consumers. In addition to having to file a claim, people have to first know they're even entitled to that part of the settlement. Fortunately, Vizio, which was probably required by law, is now displaying on its Smart TVs information on how users can grab a part of its spying settlement, which could amount to as much as $31.
TVs are no longer just the entertainment hubs of the home, some have even become smart home hubs. But while smart TVs have all sort of Internet-connected features, not all of them are able to support all the streaming services and sources one might like. The next best thing is to stream videos and audio from your phone to the TV and as of SmartCast version 3.0, VIZIO’s smart TVs will be equipped to handle almost all content sources, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Apple's decision to enable AirPlay 2 on TVs from Samsung, LG, and more may have reignited speculation that Apple TV momentum is fading, but owners of smart TVs are probably more interested in whether their models are in luck. Happily, there's now an official list of AirPlay 2-enabled TVs that you can consult.
What do you really need in a modern TV these days? Picture quality is, of course, a given, with terms like “4K”, “HDR”, “FALD”, and “Quantum Dots” being thrown around in marketing spiels and materials. With increasingly connected homes, Internet connection for streaming is almost expected as well. Maybe even some smart home control, too. And beyond being just functional, these “smart” TVs are expected to look just as nice as any decoration in your living room. In all but one of those, Vizio’s 2018 P Series promises to check all those dots. And so we take it for a spin to see, no pun intended, if it can deliver.