![]() ![]() All D-series models will include a built‑in tuner.īecause most households have cable or another pay-TV service, they will not be affected by this move. On the company's website, it says that almost all upcoming Vizio SmartCast 4K UHD displays will be manufactured without a tuner., incuding all P‑ and M‑series models and most E‑series Vizio SmartCast sets. And yet, Vizio appears to be expanding its tuner-free approach. To the best of our recollection, it's been close to a decade since Consumer Reports tested an HDTV without an ATSC tuner. The timing of the decision is still a bit curious, given the growing trend toward cord cutting. "If consumers use an external 'rabbit ear' antenna to watch local over-the-air broadcast TV signals, a TV tuner can be purchased separately," the company added.Įliminating the tuner could also save the company a few dollars. Vizio added that P-Series users can play content from nearly all other sources, including most cable/satellite set-top boxes, game consoles, Blu-ray players, and more. "As we continually evaluate and focus on designing products that deliver a beautifully simple experience, we felt that removing the tuner would simplify the overall setup and user experience for the vast majority of customers." In a statement sent to us by Vizio, the company defended the decision to not include a tuner in P-series models, saying that its research showed that less than 10 percent of TV viewers receive over-the-air-broadcast programs. ![]() In fact, when we checked the company's website, we noticed that the P-series sets are now marketed as displays, although there is still an occasional reference to them as TVs. ![]() Without the tuner, Vizio SmartCast sets can't be promoted as TVs. That's what lets consumers use an antenna to get local broadcasts from ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. ![]() Are the new 4K Vizio SmartCast TVs really TVs?īelieve it or not, that's a legitimate question, because spec sheets for the new Vizio P-series models indicate that they're "tuner free." And, based on information from the Consumer Technology Association, an HDTV must be equipped with a tuner that can receive and decode ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions. ![]()
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