Be smart enough to know when you're dumb

Dear PropellerHeads: My son says my TV is stupid. I thought he was talking about what I was watching. Apparently not. Do I need a new TV?

A: First, for every episode of "Two and a Half Men" you watch, you need to spend at least an hour on lumosity.com just to break even. If your tastes run to "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," I don't think there is much I can do to help.

Seriously, your son is probably talking about "Smart TVs." He is referring to TVs that are connected to the Internet and as a result can access subscription-based streaming content. Examples include Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu+, Crackle, Vudo, and others to watch movies, TV shows and the like. Most people who use Smart TVs end up subscribing to one or more of these services for about $8 a month for on-demand viewing or they purchase content via pay-per-view. You can read a bit more about streaming sites at http://bit.ly/WiWsVR.

There is also a lot of free content available to Smart TVs, including YouTube, weather, stock quotes, sports feeds, and sometimes full browser access.

Smart TVs bring these Internet-based content services to your viewing because they can connect to your home Internet service with an Ethernet cable or wirelessly.

They've been around for about 5 years or so now. So if your TV is older, it may not be smart. Also, you can buy TVs today without Smart TV features to save a little money. There are a lot of TVs out there that do not have smart features.

So...what do you do if you have a "dumb TV" and you are not ready to replace it? Fear not, there is an easy fix to improving your TV's IQ.

If you have a fairly new DVD player or Blu-ray DVD player, it might already have Smart TV functions built-in. If so, the main menu would likely have an option for online content or Internet access. Check it out before you buy anything.

If that doesn't do it, there are several inexpensive add-on devices that will do a great job. Basically, these little widgets plug into one of your spare HDMI (HD) TV ports and a power source and connect to the Internet. You simply tune into the selected HDMI port and then typically use a remote to control what you view.

You might want to consider Roku (roku.com). They have a number of options that run from $50 to $100. The more expensive boxes have advanced features. The Roku boxes are about the size of a pack of cigarettes and are very popular because of their easy set-up and ease of use.

Google has recently introduced ChromeCast (google.com/chromecast). It is a nifty little $35 device that uses your wireless network to allow your PC, iPad, or Android device act as its remote control. If your TV has a USB plug, there is no need for a power outlet. Best of all, the device is about the size of a car key and hides behind your TV easily.

When the PropellerHeads at Data Directions aren't busy with their IT projects, they love to answer questions on business or consumer technology. Email them to questions@askthepropellerheads.com or contact us at Data Directions Inc., 8510 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. Visit our website at www.askthepropellerheads.com.