The World Cup fever is well underway as teams take on each other in nail-biting finishes. Back in the day, events like Cricket and Football World Cups, and the Olympics were an occasion to buy a first TV or a new TV for the family. Over the years, the trend hasn’t changed much as the demand for a new smart TV is at a seasonal high. To make the choice easy for you, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider and the possible price range of smart TVs in Bangladesh.  Things to Consider When Buying a Smart TV  There are several points you should consider before buying a smart TV. The important ones are:  The Size  Did you know that Samsung came up with this giant 292-inch TV called “The Wall” recently? While 292 inches is certainly an overkill, it's important to understand the optimum size that fits both your home and budget.  Typically, sizes range from 32 inches to 85 inches. Of course the higher you go, the more expensive it gets. If your budget supports it, any size between 43, 55, and 65 inches can be a great buy for a medium to large-sized room.  Design and Build Quality The design and build quality is another aspect to consider when buying a smart TV. For example, check the bezel size as the thinner bezel looks more modern and sleeker. Also, consider checking whether the TV is a standing type or a wall mount type.  Read more: Freezer Buying Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh in 2024 Display Type  The type of display on your smart TV will determine the overall vividness and sharpness of the panel. There are mainly three types of panels used in smart TVs. They are LED, OLED, and QLED.  LED panels are entry-level displays with good contrast and sharpness. On the other hand, OLED offers perfect blacks and excellent color accuracy. The top-of-the-line QLED is geared for use in bright environments as the panel is inherently very bright.  Resolution  Resolution is another aspect to consider as it can potentially make or break your viewing experience.  There are 4 options, HD (720P), FHD (1080P), 4K (2160P), and 8K resolution. 8K is still an emerging tech with sky-high pricing at this moment. The higher the resolution is, the higher will be the details and contrast. And needless to say, a higher resolution will incur a higher price.  Read more: Portable AC Buyer’s Guide for 2024: Everything You Need to Know Smart Features and OS  Look for what type of smart features are available on your TV. Most brands these days incorporate a dedicated app to control the TV in addition to the remote. There’s also an option for voice control.  In terms of OS, there’s a host of options from Android TV, Google TV, Tizen OS (Samsung) as well as Amazon Fire TV.  Features and Connectivity  Check for HDMI ports, USB ports, Wi-Fi connectivity, and Bluetooth to ensure smooth connectivity. Other features to look out for include HDR10 support, refresh rate, speakers, and audio format. 

While there are hundreds of advanced television models in the market with built-in smart features, the price ranges of these devices are beyond affordability for many. In this situation, the most cost-effective solution can be a standalone Android TV box that works seamlessly with any TV model you might have.  Android TV boxes have been an absolute game-changer in terms of entertainment. It combined the best of connectivity and access to content with the cinematic experience of large screens. But what’s the best Android TV box out there? And how do you know what’s the best pick for you? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you everything you need to know.  What’s an Android TV Box?  There are mainly two types of television – a regular TV and a smart TV. You’ll find tons of options for both regular and smart TVs in the market. The difference is that smart TVs are much more expensive.  An Android TV box is essentially a workaround to turn your regular TV into a smart TV. It’s a device that runs the Android OS. The box turns a regular TV into a smart TV, allowing you to access a variety of online content, apps, and services on your television screen. These boxes are compact and typically come with HDMI ports to connect to your TV, USB ports for additional peripherals, and sometimes an Ethernet port for a wired internet connection. Read more: Pros & Cons of Flagship Smartphones What to Consider While Buying an Android TV Box?  There are several things to consider while buying an Android TV box. Features like processor, storage, and connectivity can make or break the overall experience. Here’s a checklist of things to consider.  Storage  It's important to consider the storage option as it will determine how many apps you can install or store local media. As a rule of thumb, go for TV box models that offer at least 16 GB ROM. Also, check whether they include micro SD support or not. An additional micro SD or USB driver is a great way to sideload content on your TV.  Processor  A good processor on your TV box would make the overall experience smooth. You don’t need a super high-end processor for a comfortable user experience. Having a quad-core processor is enough for multitasking and handling resource-intensive applications. GPU plays a significant role in improving video playback and gaming performance. Make sure your TV box uses a dedicated GPU rather than a processor-integrated one.  Operating System  Android TV boxes get OS updates just like Android smartphones. So make sure you purchase a TV box with the latest OS as well as future OS support.  Connectivity  Another thing to consider is the number of HDMI ports on your TV box. The more the number, the more devices you can connect to your TV box. Furthermore, check for the number of USB ports to connect controllers or pen drives. Many people often overlook network connectivity. Look for devices with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet options for internet connectivity. A wired connection can be more stable for streaming high-quality content. Video Resolution and HDR Support Video resolution is subjective to the TV you have. If your TV supports 4K content, make sure to get an Android TV box that supports 4K content. Some cheap TV boxes cannot decode 4K or HDR content directly from the streaming sites. For that, you might need to download the content first before watching.  Read more: Why Are We Asked to Put Our Phones on Airplane Mode During Flights? Some Popular Android TV Boxes in Bangladesh  Android TV boxes are available in different price ranges. Let’s check them out.  Under 3000 BDT  TX3 Mini Smart Android TV Box If you’re looking for an all-encompassing Android TV box within a budget, then look no further than the TX3 mini smart Android TV box. The box comes with all the standard features including ports for AV, SPDIF, HDMI, ethernet, two USB 2.0, and a standalone smart remote control.  The TX3 Mini is powered by Amlogic S905W based on a quad quad-core ARM Cortex A53 chipset. It has a dedicated Mali-450 GPU with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB eMMC ROM. The TX3 Mini uses KODI 17.3 as the native video player for a wide range of content support.  Read more: Mini DC UPS for Wi-Fi Router: Buyers' Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh Key Features:  - RAM: 2 GB - ROM: 16 GB - OS: Android 7.1- Video Resolution: Supports up to 4K  The price of the TX3 Mini Smart Android TV box is around 2,199 BDT.

2022 was a year of revelation in more ways than one for the over-the-top (OTT) platforms of Bangladesh, a rising medium in the country following the footsteps of global ones such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, and Disney Hotstar. When it comes to the potential audience base in Bangladesh, OTT platforms are just getting started here. But with rising demand, driven by local content and live sports, the future looks promising. The pandemic was not over this year. But carrying the success of the pandemic-induced 2020-2021 forward, the local OTT platforms – namely Chorki, HoiChoi, Bioscope, and Binge – brought several contents to enthral the audience. On December 18, a record 15.5 million unique viewers watched the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final between Argentina and France on Toffee, the only digital entertainment app which livestreamed the sports event in Bangladesh, said Banglalink which operates the platform. Read: The year in music: A melodious, rocking 2022 Also, Toffee hit a new milestone garnering around 1 billion views of "the greatest show on earth," it added. Football fans across the country turned to Toffee to enjoy every World Cup match, starting from November 18 to December 18. For the first time in Bangladesh, millions of viewers opted for a digital platform to watch the tournament, which was previously only broadcast on TV. Also, over the last two years, the rise of OTT platforms not only offered a breath of fresh air to audiences but also helped many popular actors and creators to rediscover and redefine their acting skills and explore the magic of creative independence. Read: Fuad enthrals Dhaka with popular tracks in night of nostalgia Seasoned and popular actors, including Intekhab Dinar, Afran Nisho, Chanchal Chowdhury, Mosharraf Karim, Apurba, Siam Ahmed, Ziaul Haque Polash, Pritom Ahmed, Mehazabien Chowdhury, Nazifa Tushi, Tasnia Farin and others were seen in different dramas and web series, and they received profound success and critical acclaim for their performances. Content makers and directors such as Nuhash Humayun, Shihab Shaheen, Tanim Nur, Syed Ahmed Shawki, Ashfaq Nipun, Raihan Rafi, Vicky Zahed, Amitabh Reza and others mesmerised the audiences throughout the year with content such as "Kaiser," "Pet Kata Shaw," "Karagar," "Syndicate," "Bodh," "Sabrina," "Punorjonmo" and others. "Shaaticup" from Chorki was a breakout content of the year, directed by Mohammad Touqir Islam which narrated a crime thriller featuring Rajshahi's local dialect and a cast of 137 actors for its eight episodes. Young filmmaker Nuhash Humayun, however, was the standout filmmaker on the web this year for glamorising the horror genre. His web series "Pett Kata Shaw" by Chorki starring Shohel Mondol, Shirin Akter Shila, Afzal Hossain, Chanchal Chowdhury, Pritom Hasan, Masuda Khan, Novera Rahman and more garnered massive appraisal from audiences and critics for being the modern revival of the mysterious and lurid plots of traditional Bengali folk tales, earning him an official selection for the upcoming 52nd edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). Read More: 5 Best Movies of Vidya Balan Nuhash's other major project of 2022 representing the same genre, "Moshari," earned him two awards at two "Oscar-qualifying" film festivals (HollyShorts Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival). Earlier this year, he got signed with the Hollywood agencies Anonymous Content and Creative Artists Agency, and later he made the Halloween special dark-comedy "Foreigners Only" from the global OTT platform Hulu as its first Bangladeshi content maker. Also, the year 2022 has, perhaps, been the most eventful one for the big screen compared to recent years. In January, the seventeenth biennale edition of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association (BFAA) election was held, resulting in veteran silver screen actor Ilias Kanchan getting elected as the new president for 2022-2024. Read More: ‘I wasn’t necessarily acting’: Chanchal Chowdhury on ‘Karagar-2’ The talk of the town, however, was the post of the general secretary (GS) – for which, actor Zayed Khan was declared the winner over actress Nipun Akter in a close contest. But Nipun refused the result and filed an appeal to the Election Appeal Board of the BFAA. After that, the board declared Nipun as the GS. Then Zayed filed a writ petition against the decision to the High Court of the Supreme Court. In March, the court cleared the way for Zayed to serve as the GS of the BFFA after striking down the decision of the Election Appeal Board of the association. Next Nipun filed a petition against the decision to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Read More: Netflix New Release January 2023: 10 Most Hyped English Movies, Series In November, after months of back-and-forth between Nipun and Zayed, the Appellate Division finally cleared the way for Nipun to serve as the GS. Of all the films released this year, two Dhallywood films – "Hawa" and "Poran" – were the most notable and successful ones, breaking records everywhere. Raihan Rafi directed Poran starring Sariful Razz, Bidya Sinha Mim and Yash Rohan and inspired by the Rifat murder case in Barishal, competed against another much-talked-about film, Ananta Jalil starrer and produced "Din – The Day" on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha this year. Poran was acclaimed by both the audiences and the multiplex and single-screen owners while Ananta and director – Iranian filmmaker Morteza Atashzamzam threatened legal actions against each other following several suave exchanges of verbal blows between them surrounding the real budget and release of the movie. Read More: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Films in January 2023 However, the biggest blockbuster over recent years was Mejbaur Rahman Sumon directed film "Hawa." The Chanchal Chowdhury-Nazifa Tushi-Shariful Razz starrer film garnered a massive audience response across the country and broke revenue records both at home and beyond while creating a great buzz on mainstream and social media with its catchy songs like "Shada Shada Kala Kala" and "Aat Ta Baje Deri Korish Na." The cinema industry also observed other major releases this year, including Siam Ahmed starrer "Shaan" and "Operation Sundarbans," Shakib Khan's "Golui" and "Bidrohi," Sariful Razz-Bidya Sinha Mim and Siam starrer "Damal," and Jaya Ahsan's "Beauty Circus." Mim, Nazifa Tushi and Puja Cherry were the breakout actresses in the industry this year. Shabnam Bubly, Apu Biswas, Pori Moni and Barsha remained embroiled in controversy for their comments and fights throughout 2022. Read More: 'Adventure of Sundarban': Trail of children's film starring Pori Moni, Siam released However, the entire film fraternity was seen unified in support of acclaimed filmmaker Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, and his battle against the Censor Board for the release of his much-anticipated film "Shonibar Bikel" (Saturday Afternoon).

From now Samsung TVs will be available at the official outlets of Singer. Samsung recently came into an agreement with Singer Bangladesh to provide customers the opportunity to buy Samsung TVs from Singer outlets. A Singer Samsung partnership celebration event took place Thursday at Singer Mega Store in Shewrapara, Dhaka. Read more: Samsung Bangladesh brings new B Series TVs Samsung Bangladesh Country Manager Hwansung Woo and Singer Bangladesh Director and Head of Business (Consumer Electronics Division) Shahriar Bin Lutfor were present, according to a media statement. Woo said: "With this partnership, we are hopeful of strengthening our relationship with Singer as well as making Samsung TV more accessible for our beloved customers." Read More: 10 Smart TVs Under Tk50000 in Bangladesh Fairoz said: "With this new partnership with Singer consumers will be able to get Samsung television at our stores across the country with convenient purchase options such as Singer's unique in-house hire purchase facility."

Bangladesh’s leading multinational electronics brand Walton’s android smart television is apparently getting a great response in Ireland – displayed and sold in one of the largest retail stores, DID Electrical. It's a milestone towards the market expansion of Walton's business in Europe and also achieving the vision of becoming a top global consumer electronics brand, said a press release. Syed Al Imran, vice-president of Walton’s Global Business Division (GBD) and also in-charge of the Europe market, said, “This year, Walton TV expanded its brand business to some European countries including Ireland.” Walton delivered the first shipment of its 32, 43 and 55-inch android Smart TV to Ireland in April last. Ireland’s renowned consumer electronics appliance company, Sommer Limited, is marketing the Walton brand television, he added. Read: Walton expands TV business in Georgia Walton TV’s Chief Business Officer (CBO) Engineer Mostafa Nahid Hossain said the market expansion of TV exports to Ireland is a milestone towards achieving Walton's ‘Go Global 2030’ vision. Geographically, Ireland is a promising market. Great Britain is its neighbouring country. Walton TV export to Ireland has created the opportunities to expand its brand business to market of Great Britain, he said Walton is now exporting 'Made in Bangladesh' labelled TVs to more than 35 countries through its hundreds of global business partners. The European market holds almost 95 percent of the total exports of Walton TV.

Samsung Bangladesh has brought its new B Series TVs for different segments and with different sizes. The company's 2022 models come with cutting-edge technology, smart features, and innovative designs, including Neo QLED and QLED TV models. Read Walton expands TV business in Georgia The new series comprises different models under different segments, namely – Neo QLED 8K models QN900B (85-inch) and QN800B (75-inch); QLED 4K TV models Q70B (75-inch, 65-inch and 55-inch) and Q60B (75-inch, 65-inch and 55-inch); Lifestyle TV models Frame (55-inch) and Serif (50-inch), Dynamic Crystal UHD 4K model BU8000 (85-inch, 75-inch, 65-inch, 55-inch, 50-inch and 43-inch). Core features of the televisions include Motion Xcelerator, dynamic crystal colour, built-in IoT Hub and multiple voice assistant, Quantum Matrix Technology Pro (Quantum Mini LED), shape adaptive light control, Neural Quantum Processor 8K with real depth enhancer, eye comfort mode, Quantum HDR 64x, Dolby Atmos, OTS Pro with 3 Layer, Q symphony, SpaceFit sound, Smart Hub, Bixby Voice Assistant, Infinity Screen and Solarcell Remote. Read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review: Multitasking King for Utilitarian Users

Bangladesh's Walton has expanded its business in the eastern European country Georgia by exporting smart TVs. The company hopes that the export will pave the way for expanding its TV business in other eastern European countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan. Also read: Walton TV gets good response in Romania Samin Yasar, the market in-charge of Walton Global Business Division in Georgia, said: "This year, a famous Georgian electronics marketing company has partnered with us to distribute Walton TVs to its market. In June this year, the Georgian company received the first shipment of Walton TVs. The second shipment of Walton TVs will be sent to Georgia very soon." "Also, Walton TVs are now available on Georgia's e-commerce platforms." Read Walton TV gets good response in Romania Syed Al Imran, vice-president of Walton Global Business Division for Europe, said: "Walton started exporting TVs to the European market in 2019. Since then, it has successfully expanded its TV export to around 16 countries in western and central Europe, including Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Poland, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Romania."

Samsung Consumers Electronics has launched a new campaign titled “Big TV Days”.  The campaign is enabling customers to enjoy lucrative discounts on selected models of Samsung’s A series televisions, said a media release on Thursday.  The discount offers include models – 43-inch 43AU7700 at Tk 54,900 (original price Tk 59,900); 50-inch 50AU7700 at Tk 72,900 (original price Tk 79,900); 55-inch 55AU7700 at Tk 89,900 (original price Tk 99,900); 65-inch 65AU7700 at Tk 116,900 (original price Tk 134,900); 55-inch 55Q60A at Tk 125,000 (original price Tk 144,900); 75-inch 75AU8000 at Tk 242,000 (original price Tk 264,900); and 85AU80000 at Tk 375,000 (original price Tk 399,900).  Read: Samsung Galaxy M13 5G Review: The Budget Samsung for 2022 On top of the huge discounts, customers can also avail of the exchange offer worth up to Tk 5,000. Samsung Consumers Electronics  Director and Head of Business Shahriar Bin Lutfor said, “At Samsung, we have recognised the rising demand for bigger screen TVs. Customers now prefer superior quality in-home entertainment solutions; hence, they want to avail bigger TVs, offering a cinematic viewing experience right at home. To meet such transforming demands, we have brought the Big TV Days campaign to offer our customers the best-in-class. The message is simple- the bigger the screen higher is the deal.” The “Big TV Days” discount offers can be availed at official Samsung Consumer Electronic outlets, it added. Read Walton TV gets good response in Romania

China’s government banned effeminate men on TV and told broadcasters Thursday to promote “revolutionary culture,” broadening a campaign to tighten control over business and society and enforce official morality. President Xi Jinping has called for a “national rejuvenation,” with tighter Communist Party control of business, education, culture and religion. Companies and the public are under increasing pressure to align with its vision for a more powerful China and healthier society. The party has reduced children’s access to online games and is trying to discourage what it sees as unhealthy attention to celebrities. Also read: China fines tech giants for content exploiting children Broadcasters must “resolutely put an end to sissy men and other abnormal esthetics,” the National Radio and TV Administration said, using an insulting slang term for effeminate men — “niang pao,” or literally, “girlie guns.” That reflects official concern that Chinese pop stars, influenced by the sleek, fashionable look of some South Korean and Japanese singers and actors, are failing to encourage China’s young men to be masculine enough. Broadcasters should avoid promoting “vulgar internet celebrities” and admiration of wealth and celebrity, the regulator said. Instead, programs should “vigorously promote excellent Chinese traditional culture, revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture.” Xi’s government also is tightening control over Chinese internet industries. Also read: China punishes 30 officials for pandemic failing It has launched anti-monopoly, data security and other enforcement actions at companies including games and social media provider Tencent Holding and e-commerce giant Alibaba Group that the ruling party worries are too big and independent. Rules that took effect Wednesday limit anyone under 18 to three hours per week of online games and prohibit play on school days. Game developers already were required to submit new titles for government approval before they could be released. Officials have called on them to add nationalistic themes. The party also is tightening control over celebrities. Broadcasters should avoid performers who “violate public order” or have “lost morality,” the regulator said. Programs about the children of celebrities also are banned. On Saturday, microblog platform Weibo Corp. suspended thousands of accounts for fan clubs and entertainment news. A popular actress, Zhao Wei, has disappeared from streaming platforms without explanation. Her name has been removed from credits of movies and TV programs. Thursday’s order told broadcasters to limit pay for performers and to avoid contract terms that might help them evade taxes. Another actress, Zheng Shuang, was fined 299 million yuan ($46 million) last week on tax evasion charges in a warning to celebrities to be positive role models.

Bangladesh's electronics giant Walton's TV is receiving a good response from buyers in Romania. Walton has been exporting "Made in Bangladesh" TV to European countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Croatia as an original equipment manufacturer, according to the company. It started TV export to Romania under its brand name in April this year. READ: Walton compressor gets ACMI award "In Romania, there is a 1.5 million TV market a year, which is very competitive. KTN Technology, a well-known Romanian consumer electronics marketing company, has been marketing Walton TV as an authorised distributor. They are supplying Walton TVs to Romania's large chain and super shops as well as retail consumer electronics showrooms," Saeed Al Imran, vice-president of Walton's International Business Unit and also in charge of the Romanian market, said. KTN Technology plans to market 1 lakh units of Walton TV in Romania in 2021, he added. Read Walton Primo ZX4 Review with Price in Bangladesh "We have been exporting TV to the European market as an OEM for the last two years and have been able to expand it to 11 countries. So, Walton posted 10 times higher TV exports to Europe in 2020 than the previous year," Walton TV Chief Business Officer Engineer Mostafa Nahid Hossain said. "We are now working on expanding TV exports to 21 European countries this year, " he added. Read Walton, Walcart announce exclusive partnership Walton is exporting 'Made in Bangladesh' TV through more than 100 business partners in more than 35 countries, according to a press release.