What are the key considerations when choosing a smart tv box?

A Smart TV Box is a small electronic device that connects to your TV, turning it into a Smart TV. However, there are many types of smart TV set-top boxes with different functions. No one type of set-top box can meet all your needs. Therefore, when we buy, we can compare and compare the following points to find the most cost-effective and can meet your needs. product

1. Operating system

Like all advanced electronics, TV boxes run using a dedicated operating system (OS). However, the operating system is more than an aesthetic appeal and a collection of apps. The operating system affects the optimization and performance of the TV box through factors such as memory utilization.

The TV box's operating system also affects any smart hubs you might have. Since not all smart devices are compatible with each other, make sure your TV box is compatible with other smart technologies.

Regardless of the operating system you choose, the TV box will work just fine, but make sure you buy a TV box with the latest operating system for better performance. If you have a smart home, you will enjoy greater synergy if the TV box uses the same operating system as the smart hub.

You may also want to know： Before buying an Android TV box four things you need to know

2. Audio pass-through

Audio pass-through is a feature that allows the sound of a video file to "pass-through" the TV box and to the home theater receiver, which is better able to decode and translate compressed sound files.

In other words, Audio Passthrough is a feature designed to make movies, TV shows, and even music sound better. While not all TV boxes come with audio pass-through, some even have 5.1 audio pass-through due to their versatility. This feature isn't necessary for everyone, but it's worth keeping an eye out for.

3. Dynamic refresh rate switching

Dynamic refresh rate is another technical term that may or may not be familiar. Dynamic refresh rate refers to how fast a TV device or computer can process and project the content you're watching. 60Hz is considered ideal because at that refresh rate the human eye can no longer detect a blink, or how fast a computer can redraw the image.

Not all video is encoded to 60Hz, and when watching a movie rendered at 30Hz at the 60Hz setting, it won't look good. Dynamic refresh rate switching allows the TV box to automatically compensate for frame rate differences, synchronizing the movie's lower frame rate with the TV's higher frame rate for better visual appeal. However, for this feature to work properly, you must ensure that software, hardware, and the TV itself are equipped with dynamic refresh rate switching. If only one of them doesn't have the feature, you'll have to adjust the frame rate manually.

4. HDMI, Ports, and WIFI

For the sake of economy, we group important ports such as HDMI, Ethernet, and USB into one category. While these ports have little in common with each other, they're all very important to a TV box.

The most important of these ports is the HDMI port. If you have a 4K TV set and want to watch TV at 60FPS, then HDMI 2.0 is required. HDMI 2.0 has a bandwidth of 18GB/sec, while HDMI 1.4 has a bandwidth of 10GB/sec. While earlier HDMI models can handle 4.0 video, performance and quality are better with more modern HDMIs.

Equally important is the Gigabit Ethernet cable. Gigabit Ethernet is the most advanced Ethernet connection that provides superior data transfer and reduces buffering during video streaming. Need to look for a device with USB 3.0. Data transfer speeds with USB 3.0 are ten times faster than with USB 2.0, so if streaming video from a flash drive or portable hard drive, you will need USB 3.0.

All in all, choosing a smart set-top box that suits your needs and price is a process that takes a lot of time and effort. After we have compared the main points, we can choose other things according to our own preferences.