How to keep your TV smart using a streaming device

Digital media players (also known as “dongles”) are small computers that plug in to a TV and take over its smart functions. When you use one, you can keep using your malfunctioning TV for its primary role as a display, effectively turning it into a “dumb TV” of old.

Smart TV software often fails first

Manufacturers have historically been poor at supporting TVs for long enough. As a result, they tend to lose compatibility with third-party apps or stop receiving security updates, making it unsafe to use them to access the internet. You shouldn’t expect your smart TV to keep supporting your streaming apps indefinitely.

Unfortunately, local New Zealand apps are more likely to drop off first, because they’re maintained by smaller companies with fewer resources, and TV operating systems are developed overseas. We saw this happen in July 2023, when the TVNZ+ app stopped working properly on Samsung TVs made in 2015 and 2016, affecting about 25,000 consumers.

Media players are the solution

Once you start losing apps, it's time to switch to a separate device for handling streaming. Luckily, it’s easy. Plug a dongle into an HDMI port on your TV, set it up on your WiFi network, and you’re away. The device will come with some apps preinstalled – think the big names like Netflix and Neon – and an app store of some sort where you can download niche services.

Nearly all streaming devices come with a basic remote control and are used in much the same way you’d interact with a smart TV. They also have built-in Chromecast and/or Airplay, allowing you to control your TV from your Android or iOS mobile device, respectively.

Which media player is best?

We don't think there's a single "best" media player. The best one for you depends on what you watch and which other devices you use. Most media players come in two versions - if you have a 4K TV, get a 4K player, but if not, you can save a bit on an HD variant.

Chromecast with Google TV

$110 (4K) | $69 (HD)

Chromecast is the most popular streaming device. Its operating system, Google TV, is the same as many smart TVs, so it might feel familiar to use. If you’ve owned a Chromecast in the past, note that the new version is much improved, with a proper menu system and remote control.

SmartVU SV11

$149 (4K) | $89 (HD)

The SV11 a great option if you watch a lot of New Zealand TV. It comes with Freeview built in and is generally better at supporting New Zealand-specific channels (SmartVU is a brand from Dish TV, a company based in Kirikiriroa Hamilton).

Apple TV 4K

$279

The Apple TV is on the pricey side, but it integrates so well with iOS devices that it can’t be beaten if you use an iPhone or iPad. It also has a faster processor than most media players and works well with other Apple services like Fitness+ and Arcade.

Amazon Fire TV Stick

$129 (4K) | $69 (HD)

The Fire TV Stick is very similar to the Chromecast. It features a slightly different operating system, and integration with Alexa rather than Google Assistant. If you can find a Fire TV Stick on sale for less than a Chromecast, it's worth buying.

A media player in every living room?

We foresee a world where many more consumers run their TV needs through a streaming device, rather than buying a new TV every few years. Display technology has reached a standard where we think a mid-range TV you buy in 2024 could keep you visually satisfied for at least a decade. You might need to buy another media player in that time, but that’s far cheaper than $3,000 on a new TV.

All computers get slower and less reliable as time goes on. Why use a computer that's built into a complex piece of hardware and costs thousands to replace, when you can instead use a cheap media player that's easy to upgrade?

Every time a New Zealander buys a media player rather than a new TV, it's less e-waste going to landfill.