I remember buying my first Hisense TV a couple of years back.
Back then my friends asked me what Hisense was.
And also…
“Is Hisense a smart TV?
Can you watch Netflix on a Hisense TV?
Is Hisense like Samsung?”
You probably have similar questions. So…
You’re about to discover:
- If Hisense is a smart TV.
- What kind of TV is Hisense.
- How to connect to the Internet or WiFi on a Hisense TV.
- Which Hisense TVs have apps like Netflix installed (and which ones don’t).
- And many more…
Is Hisense a smart TV?
Hisense is a smart TV brand that offers TVs which have the Android OS, Vidaa OS, or Roku OS. You’ll often find Hisense TVs with the label “Hisense Android Smart TV” or “Hisense Roku TV”. Other TVs under Hisense include Smart Laser TVs, ULED/4K TVs, or Quantum Google TV. All of which are Smart TVs.
Can you get Internet on Hisense TV?
Hisense TVs allow you to connect to the Internet wirelessly or through a LAN (wired) setup.
As mentioned, Hisense TVs are smart TVs.
By definition, smart TVs…
- Can connect directly to the Internet.
- Use an operating system to access apps like Netflix without a stick device (Fire or Roku Stick).
In a nutshell, any smart TV will have WiFi capabilities.
Most will also have pre-installed apps like Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, and so on.
What’s more is you can connect to the Internet via your TV.
It’s also worth noting that Hisense TVs use either an Android or Roku operating system.
Other times, they use their own operating system known as Vidaa.
Check out: 7 Surprising Reasons Why Roku TVs Are So Cheap
How to get Internet or WiFi on Hisense TV
If it’s your first time using a Hisense TV, here’s how to connect to the Internet:
Step 1: On your Hisense TV remote, tap the Home button.
The home button will have a house icon and it’s found in the center of your remote.
Does your remote have a settings (gear icon) button? Then you can tap that as well instead of the home button.
Step 2: Tap “Settings.”
After pressing the home button, a menu should appear.
You’ll see a list of options like Apps, Source, Live TV, and Settings.
Step 3: In the Settings menu, tap “Network.”
Step 4: Tap “Network Configuration.”
In the Network menu, you should see the following options:
- Wake on LAN.
- Connection Test.
- Network Information.
- Network Configuration.
- Wake on Wireless Network.
Don’t worry about the other options you see listed in the Network menu.
Tap “Network Configuration” to set up your WiFi.
Step 5: Choose Wireless as your “Connection Type.”
In the “Network Configuration” menu, you should see “Connection Type.”
Below “Connection Type” will be a list of WiFi routers your Hisense TV detects.
Step 6: Select your WiFi network.
For example, if your WiFi’s network name is Max30, this should appear on your screen.
Step 7: Type your password to complete the setup.
To complete the WiFi setup, you have to input the password of your WiFi network.
After that, you can browse the Internet on your Hisense TV.
How do I set up my Hisense smart TV?
You can set up your Hisense TV in less than 5 minutes. Here’s how:
Step 1: Set your language preference and country.
Step 2: Set up your TV with your Android phone.
This step is optional.
You can choose “Skip” if you don’t want to set up your TV with your Android phone.
Step 3: Choose your WiFi network.
Simply choose your WiFi network and input your password so your TV can connect to the WiFi.
You’ll know the connection was successful because your TV should display:
“Connected successfully to internet.”
Step 4: Sign in to your Google account.
Signing in to your Google account allows you to download apps from the Google Play Store.
However, you can also skip this step if you want.
Step 5: Accept Google Terms of Service
Step 6: Allow Google to access your location.
Step 7: Confirm the “Help Improve Android” feature.
This is mostly used to report any app crashes or glitches automatically to Google.
Step 8: Install additional apps on your Hisense TV.
You’ll be asked which apps you want to install on your Hisense TV.
Simply press “Continue” to proceed with the installation.
Step 9: Your Hisense TV will provide a short walkthrough of your TV’s features.
For example, your Hisense TV will display how to download apps on the Google Play Store.
Or, how to cast to your Hisense TV.
Step 10: Choose your Text to Speech setting.
Some Smart TVs will come with a voice guide.
If your Hisense TV has a voice guide, you can set the speed of your voice guide.
Step 11: Set your time zone.
Step 12: Set your TV and Tuner mode.
Step 13: Accept user disclaimer.
“What next?”
From here, you’re free to register your Hisense TV but it’s not required.
After you’ve completed all 13 steps, you should see your home screen on your Hisense TV.
Just in case, here’s a video of how to set up your Hisense TV:
You can also use Hisense’s user manual in case you run into any problems.
In the manual, you’ll find useful information such as:
- Device preferences.
- Shortcuts you can use.
- Installing and deleting apps.
- Connecting to a WiFi network.
- How to use your Hisense TV remote control.
- And a lot more…
Do all Hisense TVs have Netflix?
Hisense TVs should have Netflix pre-installed already. It’s also easily accessible on your home screen.
You can find Netflix in the apps section of your TV’s home screen.
It’s rare for any Hisense TV nowadays to have no Netflix pre-installed.
If it wasn’t, don’t worry.
Here’s how to get Netflix on your Hisense TV:
- On your Hisense TV home screen, select Apps.
- Tap “Google Play Store” to launch the app.
- In the search bar field, type “Netflix.”
- Tap the Netflix app from the search results.
- Click Install and wait for the installation to finish.
- Netflix should appear in your list of apps on your Hisense TV.
You might also want to know: 5 Easy Steps To Reset Netflix On Smart TV
Are there non-smart Hisense TVs?
On the Hisense website, all the TVs listed are smart TVs.
In fact, it’s hard to find a non-smart TV these days.
If you try searching for non-smart TV on Amazon, you’ll find several regular TVs.
However, Hisense TVs won’t be listed in the search results.
Most non-smart TVs available today should be under the following brands:
Brands like Sceptre and Caixun are less popular TV brands.
Some brands like LG or Samsung might have a few non-smart TVs. However, the majority of these TVs are much older or discontinued models.
For example, LG lists all their discontinued models on their site. Some of which are non-smart TVs.
Should you get a smart Hisense TV?
Hisense TVs are worth buying if you’re looking for a good bargain deal.
Hisense’s 4K TVs are highly affordable compared to popular brands like Samsung or Sony.
Not to mention, the quality of a Hisense TV offers good value and great features for the price.
Of course, you don’t expect the same picture quality as you would in an LG, Sony, or Samsung TV.
However, Hisense TVs aren’t bad because they’re lower-priced.
Whether you’re looking for a 40-inch or 65-inch Hisense TV, the price tag makes for a good value deal.
In fact, here are some of Hisense’s best TVs today:
- Hisense 55R8F (55-inch) TV.
- Hisense 43A6G 4K (43-inch) TV.
- Hisense 656UG 4K (65-inch) TV.
- Hisense ULED U8G 4K (65-inch) TV.
- Hisense 100L5G 4K Laser (100-inch) TV.
- Hisense 85H6570G 4K Ultra (85-inch) TV.
The only concern with Hisense TVs is the audio system. It’s not exactly what you’d call good audio.
But luckily, it’s an easy fix. I just buy a soundbar to help improve my TV’s audio quality.
Who makes Hisense TVs?
Hisense TVs are manufactured by Hisense Group. They also manufacture Sharp and Toshiba TVs.
Hisense Group was founded in 1969, and currently has…
- Over 53 overseas companies.
- 12 research and development centers.
- 14 high-end international production facilities (Europe, Central America, and South Africa).
They’re also the largest manufacturer of TV brands in China.
Hisense is relatively new in the United States.
However, their market share has steadily increased over the last few years.
Fun fact: Hisense manufactures most of its TV components, including its LCD panels. Most TV manufacturers outsource their panels or components. This is why it’s harder to find replacement parts for certain TV brands.
Hisense only outsources two components for its TVs:
- OLED panels: manufactured by LG.
- Flash memory chips: manufactured by Intel.
If you’re wondering why Hisense manufactures Sharp and Toshiba TVs, here’s why.
Hisense Group acquired Sharp back in 2015. In 2017, they bought 95% of stock shares from Toshiba Visual Solutions Corporation.
This gave Hisense the license to use the Toshiba brand for the next 40 years.
Reading recommendation: Is Toshiba A Good TV Brand? 5 Things You Should Know
Conclusion: What kind of TV is Hisense?
Hisense TVs are smart TVs known for their affordability, high-quality, and high-tech components. The brand offers several TV varieties. These include laser TVs, HDTVs, 4K UHD TVs, and 4K ULED TVs. Most Hisense TVs run using an Android OS. Some run using a Roku OS or Hisense’s own OS known as Vidaa.