Smart tv

We are complete techno phoebes and want to buy a Smart tv for our cave, not sure if we have to buy it in Spain or if we could buy in uk where we have plenty of time and the winter sales coming up, so is it ok to use a tv purchased in the uk ??

Next question is we have the internet connection at the cave and I have been told you can pay for the internet for the month that you are in Spain and want to use it, is this correct??

And another how can we see uk tv ?? Told you we were rubbish, I read all about you clever folk streaming this and that, have not a clue how this is all happens

Really appreciate an idiots guide to tv viewing please assume I know nothing

Be gentle & thanks a million

Probably worth reading this topic for a start click here

If you are getting Internet from Habland then yes they offer a facility to switch it on and off. There is a reconnection charge but cheaper than paying for 12 months if you are only out for two or three.

Thank you La Mancha, lots to read and hopefully understand, thank you

Ps what about buying the smart tv uk or does it have to be Spain ??

We have UK TVs but just dumb TVs and added an external box to make them smart. We have NowTV boxes as have a number of people. You can get the NowTV box for a tenner so you might want to get one before you take it to Spain to have a play with. I have a set of files and instructions that you are welcome to have if it would help.

Him & Her wrote: want to buy a Smart tv for our cave,

I wouldn't bother with a "smart" TV.
The way these work is that they have a little computer built in that does all the "smart" (though in reality, it's not very smart at all) stuff. However,things change. The link that is programmed into the smart-bit for, say, Youtube might change in a year or two. That would stop you being able to use that feature (as happened to me with my "smart" Toshiba). Then, the software the TV uses to access iPlpayer could become out-of-date, or superceded, or need an upgrade.

But with smart TVs, there are few or no upgrades available. Once they have your money there is no further benefit to the manufacturers of spending their money improving an old model - when there's a chance you'd buy a newer one instead.
So the net result of my "smart" TV, one from a major, reputable supplier, is that after a few years none of the "smart" features work any longer. Despite the TV getting 5* ratings when it first came out. It's still great as an ordinary TV, but all the smart stuff is a waste of time, becomes onsolete very quickly and is never updated to include any new features or fix any old bugs.

A better solution is to buy an ordinary TV with LOTS of HDMI sockets on the back and one or two USB sockets, too. After that, you can but "smart" devices, like a Chromecast or one of the many alternatives such as Apple TV or Roku  that plugs into the back of an ordinary telly and gives you the smart features. Even if it becomes obsolete in a few years, it's only £30 for a newer, better version - as opposed to £300 or £400 for a new TV that will do the same thing.

Fantastic advice thank you, I just looked up NowTv and Google Chromecast wow how clever so you just pay monthly and you can use this in Spain ??

Now being a real numpty can I just stream it from my iphone if I have o2 free to roam or do I have to have Habland internet to use this - sorry I know its like pulling teeth !!!!!

You'd be better with Habland and you'll need a wi-fi router as well but Habland can supply this. Your mobile connection is unlikely to be fast enough for decent watching and if you consider that an hour of TV can be half a gigabyte (Pete can't quite remember the numbers you may need to correct me here) you wouldn't have to watch much to use your data allowance up. You'd have to have a tethering contract for the phone to connect the NowTV box to it and many don't have this. You might have a problem with location too. Put simply you need to convince NowTV you're in the UK and this is much easier done through Habland.

Once you've paid for the initial install with Habland you can then email them to switch it off and on as you require. You will pay an extra month when you switch it on and to be honest at 11E per month you may just want to leave it on if you are out two or three times over the summer for instance.

Thank you so much, we already have the internet connection stuff installed at the cave the previous owner sold it to us (not sure about a router though) so hopefully if we get in touch with Habland (could I have the contact details please) they can switch me on and possibly supply a router will they come out and set it up for me ? at a fee of course. How long does it take to get switched on should I do this from the UK or wait until in Spain ?

And to confirm its ok to buy a tv, nowtv and dvd player in uk everything works the same just different plugs ? Do I need Nowtv and the Google Chromecast or just one or the other ?

And in the event I get really stuck is there anybody local to Galera we can pay next May that I can get to come in and set us up ?

many many thanks

www.habland.es.

You may have ADSL not Habland if you are in the village and you won't get the option of switching it off and on. If it is Habland you should have a small grey dish about half the size of a UK Sky dish on the roof that connects to the end of the box in the cave.

Yes buy in the UK, electronic goods tend to be cheaper in the UK anyway. Only issue will of course be warranty.