In the mobile market, we can say that there is a duopoly of operating systems. However, this is not the case with televisions, in which some manufacturers have decided to opt for their own systems. Samsung and LG are two clear examples of leading companies that have not opted for Android TV. The two South Korean companies have preferred to have control over their devices by developing their own systems. Samsung TVs make use of Tizen TVOS, an elegant, very complete, fluid system that has not stopped advancing in recent years. Today we will tell you everything you need to know about this system.
What is TizenOS?
Throughout the history of computing, having a winning operating system has been key when making important decisions in the market. Microsoft is a clear example with Windows, but there are many other cases that have marked the development of the ecosystems that we use today in our devices.
Tizen it's an operating system Linux based that has behind a company like Samsung. The objective of the South Korean company was none other than not to give so much prominence to Google and its Android. In this way, Samsung gained a lot of freedom when developing its own electronic equipment. Tizen is openly known as an operating system for televisions, but it has variants for watches and other types of smart devices as well.
The first TVs Samsung that carried the Tizen operating system went on the market in the year 2015 . Previously, the system had already been present in photo cameras and some w of the company. The TV version of Tizen OS is called Tizen TVOS, and it competes mainly with Android TV and webOS, which is the system that LG uses.
The Tizen TV OS interface
Throughout these years, the visual section of this operating system for televisions has developing and improving to adapt to the needs of users. Tizen TV OS is a very Easy to use. In general terms your interface es similar to Google TV, only with a smarter and orderlier layout.
The system will allow us to connect our accounts of different Internet services. From there, the television will make recommendations based on our viewing history and our tastes. In the most recent version of the system, the Tizen interface is divided into a sidebar and content. Through the sidebar you can change the user, access the settings or even enter the game mode. Within the sidebar, the playback tab is the most important of all. Inside it, the normal Tizen TV OS interface will open where we can view content and run applications.
On a visual level, Tizen TV OS presents a very well ordered structure. after a little banner With movie or series recommendations, we will find an infinite line of applications with square icons. From there, we can also enter the store to download new programs.
Under this block, Tizen will show us the content that is live at this very moment, as well as the recent views and the content that we have started to see and that we can pick up whenever we want, whether it is from Netflix, HBO Max or other online platforms.
The most important points of Tizen TV OS
To get the most out of your television with Tizen you must control all these sections:
Set up Samsung Smart TV
Samsung makes it very easy for you so you can set up your Smart TV. You can do it with your smartphone or with the One Remote Control. With the remote, the process is easy, but with the smartphone app it is even more so. All you have to do is:
- Enter the App Store (if you have an iPhone) or the Play Store (if you have an Android)
- Download SmartThings and open it
- Sign in with your Samsung account or sign up if this is your first time using this service
- The app will automatically detect your new television and will guide you so that you can connect it to your Wi-Fi network
- It will be linked to your Samsung account
- The wizard will help you find your favorite apps and install them quickly and easily on your TV
Ready. You can now use your TV with Tizen.
If you already have a Samsung mobile At home, it is normal that you already have this app installed in the terminal, as it is usually installed by default. Therefore, all you have to do is open the SmartThings app.
Applications
Through Apps you will be able to download any application for your Samsung Smart TV. Your TV will come with a series of default applications that you can use or even uninstall to free up space.
From this application store you will be able to install new apps for your TV. Tizen does not have a catalog of applications and games as varied as Android TV, but we can assure you that all streaming services and online platforms have their application for this operating system. Almost all the apps that you will see in the store are totally free. Services may have additional subscription costs, such as Netflix, HBO Max, DAZN or MiTele Plus.
Samsung TVPlus
In this integrated service in Tizen in which the user will be able to enjoy quality content without having to pay any type of membership. The service has the following channels:
- Euronews
- MTV Originals and MTV Cribs
- BBC Drama
- your cinema
- BloombergTV+
- Comedies – Rakuten TV
- duckTV
- Vevo Latin and Pop
- Other channels: WildEarth, FailArmy, Fuel TV…
Samsung gaming hub
Announced at CES 2022, this is one of the great news of this system with which Samsung intends to stand out from its competition. It's about a video game module that allows direct access to a multitude of cloud gaming platforms, as well as it is also possible to play titles that have been developed directly for Samsung televisions.
For the moment, Samsung gaming hub is compatible with services Nvidia GeForce Now, Google Stadia and Utomik. However, the idea of ​​the Koreans is that Gaming Hub extends to all available cloud gaming services, so it cannot be ruled out that in the future there will also be compatibility with the Xbox cloud and Game Pass.
In addition, Gaming Hub allows you to connect a multitude of compatible controllers to be able to enjoy gaming as if it were a real console. This platform is also designed so that the player can watch and broadcast online content directly from the television.
Tizen vs. webOS, Android TV and Google TV
Google TV
Should the OS influence my purchase decision? When buying a television, we always say that the operating system must be a secondary factor It should not directly influence the purchase decision. It is convenient that you buy a model that suits your needs well. That is, focus on the inches, brightness, viewing angles or the type of panel.
Tizen. Less apps, but better performance
Generally speaking, the major operating systems for televisions can do much the same thing. Tizen isn't a closed system, but it won't give you the same freedom when it comes to installing apps as with an Android TV. The number of apps that Tizen TV OS has is not exactly small, but it is less than what we have in Google's operating system. If we compare with webOS, the limitations are similar, although in the duel of the Korean brands, the Samsung system comes out ahead, since it has a greater number of applications.
Regarding fluidity and performance, we cannot complain about Tizen either. And it works really well on all types of televisions. Its optimization is its strong point, and its menus move much more fluidly than what we are used to on webOS or Android TV. In this aspect, Tizen can only be compared to Google TV.
The best system if you already have Samsung devices
However, Tizen has many positive points. If you have Samsung phones or tablets of recent generations, the integration of services with Tizen can be a plus. He system of recommendations it works quite well and the interface has been worked on a lot since its inception. The result is a system that, although overloaded with buttons, is Easy to use.
On the other hand, Samsung's commitment to gaming looks very good. Samsung does not really offer anything here that cannot be done with other systems, but its insistence on the project and its good integration suggest that Gaming Hub is going to be one of the highlights of the company's televisions in the future.