How to watch TV shows and movies for free on Samsung, LG, and Sony TVs (Lifehacks for Smart TV)
“Smart” TVs allow operating systems that can run all kinds of applications. The latter, in turn, often makes the capabilities of devices wider than provided by the manufacturer. Or they simply allow you to fine-tune the screens under the needs of the user.
There are three popular operating systems for Smart TV today: webOS, Tizen and Android TV. You can also mention Xiaomi’s PatchWall, but it is incorrect to consider it a full-fledged OS since, in fact, this software is a shell for Android TV. Simply put, on PatchWall everything that works on Android TV is launched. Which, alas, is not identical for LG and Samsung.
Nevertheless, for them, several interesting utilities make life easier for TV owners. Actually, we’ll talk about them.
webOS – SMART TV shell for LG (Lifehacks for Smart TV)
The LG operating system was launched in 2009. It, like Android, runs on the Linux kernel, but it does not open program files like .apk. As a result, what is lacking in LG TVs out of the box or in the company’s application store, you have to look for in the utilities from enthusiasts.
1. Forklayer
An unofficial online player, one of the functions of which is to play the video through torrent trackers. Simply put, the utility allows you to watch all the movies and TV shows for free and online. One but. Since the application is unofficial, during installation and configuration you will have to dance with a tambourine in your left hand and a computer mouse in your right. Although, of course, the first is optional. It’s better to take a hand with a smartphone – it will definitely come in handy. However, the difficulties of stubborn people are unlikely to stop. And on the Internet, there are a lot of detailed instructions.
2. OttPlayer
Another player with unusual functionality. Its main advantage is that it can play video playlists in m3u format. It usually broadcasts TV channels on the Web. Thus, in OttPlayer, you can watch television without an antenna and a set-top box – you only need the Internet. Moreover, if you search well, on the Web you can find playlists of not only federal channels but also satellite ones, for which they usually charge money. OttPlayer can be downloaded from the official LG Store.
3. Dstore
Dstore is not just an application, but a whole catalog of them. And unofficial. In fact, in order not to fool around with installing and configuring ForkPlayer separately, you can immediately deal with Dstore. Already through it, it will be much easier to connect to torrents. In addition to players, there are a lot of information widgets in this catalog. They allow you to read news from many popular online publications, including LIFE. Yes, we, too, are a little perplexed by the one to whom this may come in handy, but if there is, then they use it.
Tizen – SMART TV shell for Samsung (Lifehacks for Smart TV)
Tizen is the development of Samsung. It, like webOS, runs on the Linux kernel, and also does not support android .apk. Nevertheless, for Tizen, there are enough useful official and home-made programs.
1. XSMART
XSMART is a huge aggregator of links to online video hosting sites. Of course, in the first place, it is of interest to those who do not want or cannot afford to pay for content. The application is unofficial, therefore, as is the case with LG TVs, you will have to spend more time installing XSMART than installing any application from the legal directory.
2. Twitch
It’s a paradox, but, unlike Netflix, YouTube, Okko and many other popular online services, Twitch on Tizen does not have an official application. Although for a long time an unofficial client was present in the branded application catalog. In the spring of 2019, Samsung removed it at the request of Twitch directly. Fortunately, craftsmen managed to rebuild the gaming service client. Find it with Tizen Studio searches.
3. Plex
PLEX is already an official app. True, you still have to tinker with the settings. But already on the computer, not on the TV. The benefit of this program is that it allows you to create a pair between a PC and TV in the same Wi-Fi network. In a network where a PC acts as a media server. Thus, you can do without the difficulties associated with customizing factory software on a TV, but still, watch movies downloaded from the Internet without flash drives and external hard drives.
Android TV – SMART TV shell for Sony, Philips, Xiaomi and more
Android TV, whatever one may say, is the most flexible, and this, in our opinion, is the best operating system for TVs. It is most often found on the screens of Sony and Philips. Recently, the software from Google is actively mastered by the Chinese from Xiaomi. Soon Vsmart, Nokia and Motorola will join them, which we wrote about in detail here. Android TV has thousands of applications that can be downloaded from the Play Market. It’s extremely difficult to choose from them only a couple of the best. Nevertheless, we tried.
1. ATV Launcher
The Google OS interface, which is not optimized for large screens, often incurs the righteous anger of users. That is why for Android TV there are many third-party launchers that very concisely layout application icons and widgets. ATV Launcher handles this best of all.
2. Airscreen
It’s easy to connect an Android TV and smartphone because there is Google Cast. But what if in your pocket instead of, for example, Samsung or Huawei, an American iPhone? Install AirScreen on the TV. It specifically for iOS disguises the TV on Android under AppleTV.
3. MX player
Users who prefer to watch the latest TV shows offline on the way to work are surely familiar with this omnivorous media player. For TVs, it also exists. Required to install if your home still practices video playback from a USB flash drive or external hard drive.
4. Sideload launcher
This is another shell for Android TV, which will easily coexist with ATV Launcher. That Sideload Launcher is useful in cases where the application is installed from a third-party source. After all, only in it will the icon of such a utility be displayed. The standard shell will ignore it.
In the case of Android TV, we could continue the list for a very long time, since this is a great operating system in terms of flexibility. Frankly, we recommend using it also with Tizen and WebOS. Fortunately, this is not difficult – you need to buy an inexpensive Android set-top box for your TV.
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