Vizio Smart TV app help for Dummies

[rick64]

Just bought a new Vizio Smart TV. How do you load apps that don't already come preloaded on the TV? Needing to load the Google Play Movie & TV app and the Spectrum TV app. Geez I feel like an absolute idiot trying to figure this out. Maybe I should just ask the teenager down the street. TV comes with literally no owners manual or how to manual.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

You need to find the Vizio App Store, not sure where that is. But the remote might have some general "Smarthome" or "Media" type button. From there, you just have to search around and play with the menu.

But honestly, just go buy a Firestick or Roku..

 

[Ron Mehico]

What an idiot

 

[funKYcat75]

You have to get NAS from the PLEX store first.

 

[cricket3]

Unless something has changed in a couple years you don’t. There is a Vizio App Store but it’s pretty limited.

 

[Glenn's Take]

You need to find the Vizio App Store, not sure where that is. But the remote might have some general "Smarthome" or "Media" type button. From there, you just have to search around and play with the menu.

But honestly, just go buy a Firestick or Roku..

Yeah dude. You should have just bought a Roku enabled TV that already has it on it. You can go buy one for $30.

 

[funKYcat75]

You can find jAiLbRoKe FiReStIcKs on Facebook Marketplace

 

[wildcatsboston1984_rivals]

You can find jAiLbRoKe FiReStIcKs on Facebook Marketplace

Aka they just flip a switch in the settings

 

[joeyrupption]

I also came here to suggest buying a streaming stick. Get a Roku or Amazon fire stick. The computer in your TV that runs the Vizio smart Tv apps is always really underpowered and slow. The remote will lag and you’ll end up selecting the wrong stuff. It’s a terrible experience that can wear on you. It’s better to bite the bullet now and get a streaming stick.

The Roku interface in particular is much simpler and just lets you get to what you want to watch, IMO. The Fire stick interface is too busy, IMO.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I do like my 2019 LG B9 interface.. it's intuitive, and the remote has a nice "pointer" function to make typing and menu surfer very easy..

But I know its only going to become outdated as time goes on. They all do.

Also, idk about these Roku TV and screen/build quality. Check Rtings.com for TV ratings. Im a big LG fan for a solid combo of picture quality and smart features. The only brand that's general ahead of them is Sony.

 

[rick64]

Unfortunately Roku no longer offers the Spectrum TV app. Just did some research on the Spectrum website.

 

[IdaCat]

What an idiot

At least you found someone to make you feel superior.

 

[KyCatFan_rivals45723]

Unfortunately Roku no longer offers the Spectrum TV app. Just did some research on the Spectrum website.

You can just screen mirror it from off your phone or tablet. I do that when I watch random stuff that isn't attached to an app.

I have a 58" Onn Roku TV (was a $200 Black Friday deal) and it works pretty well. About as smooth as when I used a stick. Only issue I have is if the remote messes up there is only a power button on the TV. There is a Roku app that let's you use your phone as a remote so it's a good backup.

You can also plug earbuds in your phone (wired not bluetooth or there will be bad audio lag) and listen privately with the app. Now the Vizio that we put in my daughter's room ran like crap with their apps. I only used sticks on it. Maybe higher end versions of that brand work better.

Speaking of sticks, the Amazon ones suck compared to the Roku ones I have had. It's like they don't have enough RAM and they lag and freeze a lot when searching through it. Probably doesn't help with all the Amazon garbage that is attached to it. If you aren't heavily invested in Alexa products I would suggest to stay away.

 

[CrittendenWildcat]

Been a Roku supporter for years (have 4 Roku TV's and 1 Roku stick for my Vizio 4K from 2015), but it looks like they want to play hardball with the content providers on their platform to make them pay to play. Not cool with me, seems like a shameless money grab similar to the hard buttons (that cannot be reprogrammed by users) they have on their remotes. In the long run I think Roku will regret going down this road because they will lose market share.

Time for a new open platform that will encourage content providers to create an app on the platform, simple and with a minimal fee. Make your money off the hardware and stop trying to strong-arm your content providers.