What Is a Smart TV Box? A Plain English Guide for UK Homes

A smart TV box is a small unit that plugs into the back of your television and gives it apps. It connects to your TV with an HDMI cable, to your router with WiFi or a network cable, and it runs the same kind of software your phone does. Once it is set up, you can open iPlayer, ITVX, YouTube, Netflix and a long list of other apps from the box's own menu, whatever age your television happens to be.

That is the whole idea. The TV supplies the screen and the speakers. The box supplies the brain.

What is actually inside the box

Open one up and you would find a small computer: a processor, some memory, storage for apps, a WiFi chip and usually an Ethernet port. A remote control talks to it by Bluetooth or infrared. The operating system on top decides what the menu looks like and which apps you can install.

The most common systems in the UK are Android TV and Google TV, Amazon's Fire OS, Apple's tvOS and Roku's own platform. They all do the same basic job, but their app stores differ, and that difference matters more than the hardware.

Box, stick or built in smart TV

People mix these up, so it helps to line them up side by side.

• Smart TV. The apps are built into the television itself. Nothing extra to plug in, but the software is only updated for a few years, and cheaper sets can feel sluggish.
• Streaming stick. A small dongle that plugs straight into an HDMI port and draws power from a USB lead. Cheap and easy to carry. A Firestick is the best known example.
• Smart TV box. A larger unit that sits on the shelf. It usually has more memory, a proper Ethernet port, extra USB ports and better cooling, which helps with 4K video and long programme guides.

If you only want the basics, a stick is plenty. If you watch a lot of 4K, use big channel lists or want a wired connection, a box tends to hold up better.

Who needs one

You probably want a smart TV box if your television is more than about five years old and only has a handful of apps, or if the apps on it have stopped updating. You might also want one if your TV is fine but its menus crawl, because a modern box will usually run faster than the processor inside a budget set.

You probably do not need one if your TV was bought in the last two or three years, runs the apps you care about smoothly, and has a decent remote.

There is also a middle case. Some people fit a box so the whole family has one familiar menu on every screen in the house, bedroom included. That is a perfectly good reason.

What it costs to run

The box itself is a one off purchase. Prices vary a lot, so look at reviews rather than a headline figure. After that the running cost is electricity, which is small, and whatever subscriptions you choose to add. The box does not charge you for being a box.

Data use depends on what you watch. HD video typically uses a few gigabytes an hour and 4K uses noticeably more. If your broadband has a monthly cap, check it. Most UK home broadband is unlimited, so this rarely bites.

What to check before buying

1. HDMI version and 4K support. If your TV is 4K, make sure the box outputs 4K at a decent frame rate.
2. Memory. Two gigabytes is a comfortable minimum for an Android based box. One gigabyte works but feels tight.
3. Ethernet. A network port is worth having, because a cable beats WiFi for steady streaming.
4. App store. Make sure the apps you want actually exist for that system. The big UK broadcaster apps are on all of the main ones, but smaller services are hit and miss.
5. Update policy. Look at how long the maker keeps pushing updates. A box with no updates becomes a security risk.

Setting one up

Plug the box into an HDMI port and the power supply, switch your TV to that input, and follow the on screen steps. You will pair the remote, join your WiFi, and sign in to an account. The whole thing takes about ten minutes on a first run, most of it spent waiting for updates.

If you plan to watch IPTV on the box, you will also install a player app and enter the login you were given. Our device guides walk through that for each platform, including the Android TV box setup.

A word on the TV licence

A smart TV box does not change the licence rules. In the UK you need a TV licence to watch or record live television on any service, and to use BBC iPlayer, no matter which device you use. The official TV Licensing site has the current details.

Frequently asked questions

Is a smart TV box the same as a Firestick?

They do the same job. A Firestick is a stick shaped version made by Amazon, while a box is bigger and often has more ports and memory. Both add apps to a TV through the HDMI port.

Can I use a smart TV box with a TV that has no WiFi?

Yes. The box carries the WiFi or Ethernet connection, so the television itself only needs an HDMI input and a screen.

Do I need a smart TV box if I already have a smart TV?

Usually not. A box helps when the TV is slow, its app store is limited, or you want one consistent menu across several rooms.