Key Takeaways
- SmartThings hub controls home devices from your Samsung TV.
- Utilize smart calibration and Filmmaker Mode on Samsung TVs for cinematic experiences.
- Stream Xbox titles directly from your TV while utilizing its gaming features.
Smart TVs come packed with features, conveniences, and extras, all so that the TV is central to your entertainment experience. Some of these features may automatically turn on and off, while others require additional devices for integration and some work on your behalf.
4 reasons to buy a Samsung TV over a Sony TV
An emphasis on brightness and beauty has me leaning toward Samsung.
The latest Samsung smart TVs are no exceptions, as they are designed to not only enhance the quality of your preferred entertainment, be it film, TV, music, or gaming, but also serve as the focal point for your advanced home. Here’s what Samsung TV owners should explore.
1 SmartThings
Samsung’s interconnected smart network
SmartThings is Samsung’s hub that brings together all its smart devices, allowing you to wield control of your home from your TV. The extent to which this is a useful feature depends on what other devices you’ve decided to purchase and connect to your network. This may include lighting fixtures, a doorbell, a pet feeder, an air purifier, or any number of appliances such as a washer, dryer, or refrigerator.
What is SmartThings and how does it work?
The hardware, the platform and the app. What devices will it work with?
Any such compatible devices can be accessed from your Smart TV — Samsung can even present a 3D model of your room (although that feels like a bit too much for me). You can toggle settings, monitor usage, and enact energy-saving protocols as well.
2 Smart calibration
Watch content as intended
Every TV brand is striving for cinematic fidelity at home, and Samsung is no different. Its effort to adhere to the filmmaker’s vision and optimize your TV’s settings involves calibration via SmartThings.
Samsung offers both a basic calibration, which takes under a minute, and a more advanced option, which it refers to as “professional level.” I certainly recommend taking the extra time to opt for the expert pathway; it may not quite be up to a professional standard, but it certainly will improve the image to some extent.
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Smart TVs are pretty smart, but calibration makes them look and perform even better.
Samsung TVs also include Filmmaker Mode, which is an industry standard preset available on certain TVs from partnered brands. The setting turns off a lot of features in order to make the picture look as intended, and definitely should be turned out when watching anything cinematic.
3 Connect your phone
Mirror and split your screen
Samsung knows you’re probably looking at your phone while you’re watching TV, so why not just connect the two devices together? In addition to mirroring content, casting it from your phone to your TV, Samsung TVs also allow for multi-view, in which your phone’s screen is cast onto a portion of the TV, so you can watch two things at once on the same device instead of looking in between. Samsung offers up a few reasons why this may be useful, and I can see how having your phone’s content on screen could supplement watching live sports or a movie where you want to look up the names of the people you recognize.
Samsung’s SmartThings iPhone app adds Matter support
Now you can use the SmartThings app to control Matter-powered accessories.
Samsung also suggests using the mirroring capabilities to take video calls. The best thing I glean from these opportunities is that you have the chance to watch a movie or show with someone remotely, with the video call on a portion of the screen. At least this lets you see their reactions and can keep you somewhat connected.
4 360 Audio mode
Spatial sound for one
This is a curious feature that I have yet to try, but it certainly is intriguing, if not unnecessary. Samsung has something called 360 Audio, which uses compatible Galaxy Buds to create an individual, immersive listening experience with whatever you’re watching on TV.
What’s noteworthy is that when you move your head or turn directions, the sound adjusts accordingly. So if there is sound coming from the left side of the screen, for example, and you tilt your head to the left, the sound will now feel like it’s in front of you.
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Unless your earbuds are better than the sound system you have, or you can’t disturb others with sound, then you might not find this feature useful.
5 Sync with lighting
Create an immersive experience with light and sound
Philips
An increasingly popular home entertainment feature is companion lighting. Whether it’s a striplight, lightbulb, or backlighting, smart lights that can change colors and patterns can completely alter the home sensory experience.
Samsung has partnered with Philip Hue so that users can control lighting from the SmartThings hub. There are a lot of different settings from which to choose when it comes to smart lighting, but one of the more exciting presets is letting the lights pulse and change color based on the audio coming from your TV. This typically isn’t the best option if you’re watching a serious drama, but for gaming, music videos, or even some action films, it can liven up the experience.
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6 Wield more control with the remote
You can even charge up outside
The Samsung remote doesn’t quite boast all the convenient features of some competitors, like LG or Roku, but it still has a few nice perks worth checking out. Voice activation allows you to control your TV with the help of Bixby or Alexa (Samsung dropped Google Assistant from its TVs earlier this year).
Samsung also offers a solar-powered remote with a cell on its back that can be charged by both indoor and outdoor light.
Samsung also offers a solar-powered remote with a cell on its back that can be charged by both indoor and outdoor light. It’s an easy feature to take advantage of, helping you save a bit of money and time seeking out batteries; just make sure you place the remote face down to keep it charging.
7 Xbox gaming
Stream titles from your TV
Pocket-lint
Samsung’s partnership with Xbox allows gamers to access a catalog of titles from their smart TV via Game Pass. You can stream Xbox games from the gaming hub without having a console. The TVs that allow this are naturally optimized for gaming. They boast four 2.1 HDMI ports, a high refresh rate of 144Hz, and a hub that allows you to adjust video and audio settings as you play.
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The catalog is pretty vast, so there is plenty to take advantage of. You just need a subscription to Game Pass, a controller, a fast internet connection, and some free time.
