A smart TV is very useful. For example, you can download various apps for your television to stream movies and series, but also to play music or make video calls. Which apps should you have?
Many of the apps available for smart TVs are (obviously) centered around the idea of watching TV and movies. There are also a number of apps available for smart TVs for music lovers. For all apps you have a working internet/wifi connection is required to use the streaming services. Many of the operating systems for smart TVs are frequently adapted and changed, which may affect the availability of some apps on your type of TV.
Netflix
The widely used streaming service of films and series can be viewed on all your devices. If you have a smart TV, you can also download an app to watch your favorite movies and series via this app.
There are now even smart TVs that have a special Netflix button on the remote control. Is your TV still before the Netflix era? Then download this app on your TV to access everyone’s favorite streaming service with ease. Is there no Netflix app available for your TV, but do you have an HDMI port on your television? Then you can also stream via Chromecast. You can then cast yourself with a special cast button in the app. In this article we give some tips for optimal streaming using a Chromecast.
YouTube
We will stay in the context of streaming services for a while because YouTube should of course not be missing from this list. The app gives you access to your favorite YouTube channels and now you can watch these videos on a large screen thanks to your smart TV. YouTube also supports using a Chromecast to stream in case you can’t find the app on your TV.
Google Play Movies
If you somehow have some Google Play credit left, you can of course spend it on apps for your phone or tablet. However, what you can also do is watch a movie of it on Google Play Movies. You can easily download this app on all your devices and therefore also on your smart TV.
Bee Google Play Movies you can rent or buy a movie. If you rent it, the movie will disappear from your library after you watch it. When you buy the film, it will of course remain standing, but the price of the film is also higher.
With the Google Play Films app, you have a digital video library on your smart TV, as it were.
Spotify
There is also a Spotify app available for some TVs (for example, Samsung smart TVs made after 2015). So if you would like to stream your music of your choice, the Spotify app is an ideal solution.
Is the Spotify app not supported by your type of TV? Then see if you can download the Pandora app. This is also a music streaming service and like Spotify it registers your music preferences based on what you like or dislike. You can also use a Chromecast Audio to play music from Spotify on your TV. You then stream music from your smartphone or tablet to the Chromecast Audio, thanks to the Google Home app. This app allows you to configure and manage multiple Google devices. The big advantage of the Chromecast Audio is that it can be android– if iOS devices can be controlled, and that it is a cheap option. Chromecast Audio is basically no longer sold, but if you look carefully you can find several on the internet.
Video country
Videoland is a film and series streaming service from RTL. Video country works on the same principle as Netflix: you take an account for which you pay a monthly fee. This allows you to watch as many movies and series as you want.
Because the platform is from RTL, Videoland’s offer is aimed at the Dutch market. RTL series can therefore be viewed (back) here. But of course the platform also offers international films and series.
Amazon Prime Video
As you will notice by now, there are streaming services everywhere that are popping up like mushrooms. So is Amazon Prime Video a service for which you can put an app on your smart TV.
Amazon Prime Video has about the same kind of offer as Netflix and this streaming service also produces its own ‘originals’ like Netflix does. An extra of this service is that you can easily and quickly get more information about background facts about the actor and/or film in question.
skype
It seems not so long ago that we thought video calling via a large screen was still a futuristic idea. If you have a smart TV that includes a webcam, this is no longer a dream for you. With the Skype app you can chat and call from your couch and see the person you are calling with in widescreen format!
NPO Start
Do you want access to all programs of the public broadcaster? Then download the NPO starts app and get access to the video-on-demand service of the NPO. Here you can watch or simply rewatch programs that have been broadcast.
Smart TV remote/my Tifi
One of the many advantages of having a smart TV is not only being able to watch movies and series endlessly, but also being able to operate your smart TV more easily. With the apps Smart TV remote (Android) and my Tifi (iOS) you can turn your smartphone into a remote control with which you can easily zap from channel to channel or scroll endlessly between the Netflix range. Also useful if you often lose your remote control.
NOS
Also the NOS has made an app available for (most) smart TVs. With this app you not only read the latest news but also watch the most recently made videos. This app also includes the latest traffic conditions. Handy if you like to check the news before work. You can also easily watch live streams via the NOS app. This way you are always aware of the latest news, without, for example, annoying star advertisements.
Social media
Obviously, almost all social media channels also have an app available for your smart TV. So do you want to be able to admire your aunt’s holiday photos in full costume? Download the Facebook app and scroll through your news feed via your TV. The same applies to Twitter, for example, with which you can read your latest tweets at a glance.
Gaming
Some smart TVs offer the option of gaming via your television. You do not need a separate console for this. These games often ask to be controlled with a controller, although some of the available games can also be controlled with your remote. To see whether your TV offers such a service, look in the smart environment of your TV under ‘games’.
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