I haven't studied this recently. Initially, I would lean towards a TV with Roku built in, but who knows. This is a good resource:

https://www.avsforum.com/forums/

With favors delivered like that, who needs a knife in the back ? ;-) in this case, their own device will not take the correct password for that ID, and worse, even indicate it's got a 2FA issue... At all.. "incorrect password" is all you get... you gotta google this weird failure for ages and make the apple ID page send you a new code at the right time, which you add a the end of your password (I'd never heard of that - on a TV screen keyboard with a remote), like mypassword+321546 within 30 seconds of receipt. I guarantee you more than one person has tossed their apple TV to the garbage in frustration...

Yeah I've got 2 FA on anything that matters (and apple ID has access to a card, so I can see the need), but piss poor interface work there from Apple. Also on 2FA, beware of an accidental phone change for whatever reason - try to get 2FA disabled on most services without the original phone - it is no picnic!! the fun is endless !

Anyway, Firestick 4K for now, Roku FTW later.

Sounds like you had an old device if you couldn't install apps. My ATV is several years old, but it will download apps.
My guess is that the old device that you had was old enough (if it wouldn't allow apps to be installed) that it also didn't understand TFA.

Who knows, but as long as you're happy now, it doesn't really matter.

Steve is correct.

Only 4th gen apple TV's allow for app installs so the device you are trying is not 2-3 years old it's at least 6 or more years old.

If it's a gen 3 that came out 10 years ago.

What are the better smart TVs ?
 

I have Smart TVs (LG) but I use AppleTV with them. I’ve never even enabled the SmartTV features. Using a QUALITY external device (Roku, AppleTV) is better because that standalone device has more compute power than the SmartTV does.

And as others mentioned, if you’re an Apple customer, tying the AppleTV to iCloud gives it access to apps, videos, music, etc. that you have from other Apple stores. Once you install YouTube on an AppleTV, and watch those videos on a big screen, you’ll never go back to watching them on a small phone screen when you’re home.

As far as MFA goes, if your iPhone and AppleTV are on the same home network, you will get prompted on your iPhone to use it to enter text. So, rather than trying to use the AppleTV remote to hunt and peck a character at a time to enter passwords or MFA codes, you can use the keyboard on your iPhone. Same thing for content searching in any app running in the AppleTV.

Seriously, for me the only bad aspect of the AppleTV is the minimalist design of the Remote. But all iPhones have a built-in Remote app that can be used in place of, or alongside, the AppleTV remote.

Bottom line: keep the Smart TV dumb, buy an AppleTV or the best Roku, and install apps for the content providers you prefer.


-rb

Do they even sell tv's that aren't smart tv's anymore?

That remote is definitely one of the worst designs they've ever come up with. On par with the touch bar with the non physical ESC key that you'd inadvertently touch 20 times a day cancelling whatever it is you had going.

The idea of a trackpad seemed really cool at first and sounded like a great innovation but in real world use it's just awful.

Happy to see they've tossed that in bin.

That was my question. I don't think there are many, but there are a few.
The Samsung that's listed isn't really a TV. It's a "sign." It's designed for lobbies and that sort of thing where companies want a big sign where they can show video, etc... Even then, the TV is running a version of linux, so it's still a computer. It just doesn't have apps. What I noticed trying to compare those to regular TVs is that they seem to be missing some of the features that you get in regular TVs unless you go for the really high end stuff. Like HDR, high scan rates, etc....
https://www.makeuseof.com/best-dumb-tvs/

I wonder what the TV reports back if you're using something like a roku, firestick or Apple TV. I suspect they report something. And then, of course, what are the roku, firestick, and ATV phoning home about?

https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/how-to-turn-off-smart-tv-snooping-features-a4840102036/

I think I have everything mentioned in this thread.

Old “dumb” TV with Roku stick.

Roku TV (I think it’s a TCL brand).

Sony Bravia with Google Android.

Streaming only in all of them, haven’t had cable for years.

They all seem to function the same to me. I don’t really have any preference for any of them.

Same here - I have a 15 year old Samsung 1080p TV that still works just fine. I have an ancient Apple TV and a Roku streaming device hung off of it so I can stream just about anything.

I also have a Sharp TV with Roku in my office - I have no issues with the apps, although I just use it to have the business news on in the background while I work.

That said, I have not had an issue with the Roku devices. They are reliable and pretty quick to load the apps. When I replace my main TV, it will likely be a Roku equipped device - which right now is Sharp or TCL TV's. Alternatively, I will need to buy a separate Roku device.

I don't follow ya. I have a cheap 72" Roku from Wally World that is great. I gave my daughter an old 42" Vizio TV that I had out in my barn. The thing works great with a fire stick. My Samsung in the house is a nice TV. I had an LG that crapped out after about 2 years. Probably the worst TV I've ever bought.

A good TV is like a good mattress. If you're going to spend half your life there...

Find a good woman to spend that time with? :D

I know some will disagree with me....but I think the new tv's have advanced to the point that they are almost all equal...if adjusted right.
Why spend $3K when you can get the same for $1K or less.

Shop for the best price.
If you don't like it after a year...get a diff one.

I doubt it

It may be groundless, but I don't like LG. I've never owned anything LG, and as it stands, I'm pretty unlikely to own any LG in the future.

We bought LG appliances just so I could tell people I had them monogramed with my wife's initials. Livin fancy ;)