Why is my smart TV so slow when trying to stream videos with it?

Episode 1079 (38:37)

Alan from Honolulu, HI
Roku 3

Alan bought an 80" Sharp Aquos LCD TV, but he says it doesn't work very well. Every time he loads a movie, it takes forever to load. Leo says that while the TVs are so-called "smart TVs," the apps that they include aren't really that good. Leo advises buying a Roku box. Apps on a TV are really an after thought. Roku specializes in the apps they offer and they do a great job.

Another good choice is Apple TV, because they serve Netflix from their own data center, so there's no slow down. He could also try the Google Chromecast. It's great because it'll hand off the movie to his TV from his phone or tablet.

Leo says that the Roku 3 is best. It has a great feature that includes a headphone jack in the remote control so he can watch TV with headphones on. Leo prefers it. If he wants to save money though, the Chromecast is the best option for $35.