The TCL P 607 and (LeEco Super4 to a lesser extent) changed my mind. Roku built in, one remote, arc/cec, can control the volume right from it. I can adjust tv and roku settings all without finding the other remote. I dont get in spots where I have to decide if the setting is a TV setting or a roku setting. I like the fire platform as well, and I could see their element tvs having a similar benefit. I'm still not a fan of samsung that much, lg has grown on me, and AndroidTV (leeco/sony) has some real nice polish to it in places. As long as they keep updating the roku, I am happy.
having used tcl, sony, leeco, lg, vizio, and amazon software somewhat extensively in the last year, I do now prefer the basic apps to just work right from the tv. its one less thing to troubleshoot. i didnt fully come to believe i liked smart tvs more until i started to notice how little bit worse the roku+vizio experience was than the roku/tcl experince. one phone app to control the device vs two. never having a cec problem. random hdcp failures are nonexistant.
I will say, it is telling my favorite smart tvs all run software made by other software companies, and not tv companies (Roku, Google, Amazon, Apple.)
having used tcl, sony, leeco, lg, vizio, and amazon software somewhat extensively in the last year, I do now prefer the basic apps to just work right from the tv. its one less thing to troubleshoot. i didnt fully come to believe i liked smart tvs more until i started to notice how little bit worse the roku+vizio experience was than the roku/tcl experince. one phone app to control the device vs two. never having a cec problem. random hdcp failures are nonexistant.
I will say, it is telling my favorite smart tvs all run software made by other software companies, and not tv companies (Roku, Google, Amazon, Apple.)