In the present day, Vizio is asserting a totally overhauled homescreen expertise for its TVs that may finally make its solution to fashions relationship again so far as 2016. The brand new interface seems to be sleeker and extra fashionable than the corporate’s present SmartCast OS. And Vizio went the direct route with branding: the brand new software program is simply known as Dwelling Display screen.
Take one have a look at the revamped consumer expertise and it’s instantly clear the place Vizio drew inspiration from: this principally seems to be like its personal streaming service. All of the telltale indicators are there. A column of navigation icons on the far left? Examine. There’s the same old hero slot on the high with immersive art work, customized typefaces / logos, and autoplaying video.
It’s a lot simpler to inform at a look which providers your content material suggestions are coming from since there at the moment are small badges included with the duvet artwork. Vizio says it’s going to additionally floor Rotten Tomatoes scores and Frequent Sense Media parental steerage within the element pages for reveals and films.
Dwelling Display screen comes with its personal common watchlist that may combination content material throughout numerous leisure apps. However that comes with the same old exception of Netflix, which all the time refuses to take part in this stuff. Every part appears extra cohesive and intuitive than SmartCast OS. The latter all the time struck me as a bit cobbled collectively ever since Vizio pivoted away from its formidable cast-everything technique (bear in mind these Android pill remotes?) and realized that folks need built-in apps with out leaping by way of hoops to get there.
Dwelling Display screen now feels extra akin to Google TV with its heavy prominence of suggestions and a customizable app row. (Your TV inputs additionally seem on this row.) However that left-side navigation is what actually makes me consider Netflix, Max, and each different main streaming app underneath the solar. It’s there you’ll discover sections for stay TV, free on-demand content material, and extra.
It ought to come as no shock that Vizio shall be pushing its WatchFree Plus FAST service, however all the additional options that SmartCast supplied — casting, AirPlay, and so forth. — are nonetheless accounted for with Dwelling Display screen. The corporate has additionally polished up its search expertise with an easier-to-use digital keyboard and added new style / assortment pages with their very own carousels of suggestions. The “app catalog” now feels extra like a correct app retailer and has improved discoverability for locating these under-the-radar streaming apps.
It’s truthful to take a look at this as only a new coat of paint, however I’d argue {that a} modernized UX is one thing Vizio desperately wanted because it continues competing towards TCL, Hisense, and now budget-priced units from Roku itself. The corporate nonetheless makes wonderful TV {hardware}, and Dwelling Display screen looks like a step in the best path to make sure that Vizio can sustain in relation to software program as properly. The redesigned Vizio Dwelling Display screen software program will start rolling out to “most” of the corporate’s good TVs from 2016 and later within the coming weeks.
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