Is a Samsung Smart TV an Android TV? What’s The Difference?

Samsung smart TVs are some of the most common household television sets in the world. They are easy to use, made by a reliable company, and they are as advanced as TVs get. However, when it comes to the operating system, there can be a bit of confusion. Samsung smartphones and tablets use Android operating systems, but what do their TVs use?

Is a Samsung Smart TV an Android TV? A Samsung smart TV is not an Android TV. The TV is either operating the Samsung Smart TV through Orsay OS or Tizen OS for TV, depending on the year that it was made. It is possible to convert your Samsung smart TV to function as an Android TV by connecting external hardware via an HDMI cable.

Throughout this article, you’ll also learn the following information about Samsung smart TVs:

Which operating systems they use and are compatible with
Different brands of TVs that use Android TV
How you can add Android TV to your Samsung TV set

What Kind of OS Does a Samsung Smart TV Use?

Samsung TVs can be found in many, if not most, countries around the world. They come in a wide range of prices and capabilities, allowing all audiences to get a sample of their high-quality functionality.

The operating system (also known as the “OS”) defines how a TV, tablet, smartphone, or computer will work and controls the user’s experience. As mentioned in the introduction, Samsung smart TVs use either Orsay OS or Tizen OS. Both of these operating systems are top-of-the-line, but recent Samsung TVs only use Tizen OS these days.

The purpose of each operating system is to make the user experience as smooth as possible. Many rivaling companies will come up with their own unique design, but it’s very rare for a company to use its own OS. For example, you wouldn’t expect Samsung TVs to use Samsung OS, simply because it doesn’t exist. Instead, they operate and own Tizen.

Tizen is a branch of Samsung, but it’s not the same thing as its entirety. In short, Samsung sells TVs, tablets, refrigerators, computers, and so on. Tizen doesn’t sell any of those, but they provide the operating system for a handful of devices.

The area of confusion usually lies with the fact that Samsung is a proud partner with Android operating systems in their mobile devices. If you’ve ever used a Samsung Galaxy, Note, or Tablet, then you’ve used their Android OS. It runs the same across other Android phones, including LG, HTC, and more.

Despite all of the different types of operating systems for smart TVs, it’s safe to say that Samsung took the better route by being part of its own OS company. Since they don’t have to pay an outside company for their OS maintenance, they can offer lower prices for their customers. The result is a top-notch TV with a high-end operating system, minus the massive price tag.

Which Brands Use Android TV?

According to Digital Trends, Android TV is owned and operated by Google. Android is a common choice for many smartphones, but there are fewer companies on the list when it comes to TVs. However, you’ll still notice many of your favorite brands using Android operating systems with their TVs.

The following brands currently use Android TV as their primary operating system:

Sharp

Dish
LG
Technicolor

Sony
Toshiba
Asus

NVIDIA
RCA
Philips

Xiaomi

There are plenty of others as well, but these brands remain the most popular on the market.

Owning a device with Android TV operating systems installed immediately grants you access to the Google Play store. In this menu, you’ll have the option to access YouTube, Netflix, thousands of games, and more. It’s like having a smartphone installed on your TV.

One of the main reasons that so many people choose Android TV is that they want to expand their television experience. Not only will you be able to access all of your favorite apps from one screen, but you can also connect your devices.

If you have an Android account of your smartphone, tablet, or another device, you can connect them all. Save your game scores, review your search history and movie ratings, and enjoy your favorite multimedia content from screen to screen.

Again, Samsung doesn’t currently use Android TV as their primary operating system, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the features from your TV set.

Tizen has several features that are similar to Android TV, offering unique user experiences and unparalleled speed. If you’re still set on using Android TV on your device, you’re in luck! It only takes a few minutes, and you can have almost any TV connecting to your favorite operating systems.

For more details about how you can convert your Samsung smart TV to an Android TV operating system, proceed to the next section.

How to Add Android TV to a Samsung Smart TV

Adding Android TV to your Samsung smart TV (or any other TV set) will convert it to a brand-new system. Even though it might sound a bit complex, you’ll be surprised to learn that it only takes a handful of steps to have your television changed entirely in minutes.

Here’s what you’ll need for the project:

HDMI cable

Android converter box (Chromecast or Android TV)
A remote (often comes included with the Android converter box)
(Samsung) TV with HDMI port

WiFi connection
(Optional) Ethernet cable

Follow this quick step-by-step guide to install Android TV operating systems on your Samsung smart TV:

Connect the HDMI cable to your TV on one end and the converter box on the other end. The Android TV Box is one of the best choices on the market, and it comes at a budget-friendly price. This box gives you the option to use Android operating systems at high speeds with 4GB of RAM.
Turn on your TV and connect the ethernet cable to the convert box. You might be prompted to connect to the internet via wireless WiFi connectivity, in which case you won’t need an ethernet cable. Using these cables still offers the quickest connection, though, so you could accelerate your speed by using one.
Sign in to your Android account on the TV if you’re prompted to do so. You might also be able to sign in to each app individually, allowing you to cycle through accounts on YouTube, Netflix, Google, and dozens of games. Depending on which version of Android you get, your results may vary.

If it’s not done already, sync the remote to the TV. Each remote comes with instructions, but most of them come pre-synced to get you going right out of the box. If you purchase the remote separately, you’ll sync it before setting up the WiFi and applications.

As TampaTec points out, you can also use an HDMI cable to connect your Android smartphone to your TV via an HDMI cable. For more details, follow this helpful video guide:

Conclusion

Samsung smart TVs are more than capable of providing a top-tier experience without Android operating systems. They come outfitted with either Orsay OS or Tizen OS, but you can still use an HDMI cable to convert any TV that has a port for it.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the post: