Oh sorry - it’s STube - probably smart tube as Gareth mentioned.
We don’t use google play. Can I use an APK on our new TV? I bought it for DH for his birthday and I’m very happy with it 
Ive plagarized this off of another site, these are the easiest ways of getting an apk onto your telly.
You can use either of the following methods to install the app:
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( easiest ) install Downloader by AFTVnews on your Android TV, open it and enter
kutt.it/stn_betaorkutt.it/stn_stable, then read, understand and confirm the security prompts. (You can also enter 79015 (for beta) or 28544 (for stable), but this requires an extra step to install the AFTVnews Downloader browser addon if you haven’t already.) -
install a file transfer app on your Android TV, download the APK on your phone or computer and transfer it to your TV (e.g. Send Files to TV *)
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download the APK onto a USB stick, put the USB stick into your TV and use a file manager app (e.g. FX File Explorer * or FileCommander *). Android’s preinstalled file manager does not work!
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if you are an advanced user, you can install it using ADB. guide | alternative guide
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The above mentioned apps are available in the Google Playstore and Amazon AppStore.
I’m confused, I’m a bit clueless, do you mean you’re have to initially install from Google? DH is a computer boffinn so no issues doing it all, will pass the info to him, thanks! Particularly interested in the you tube with no ads!
It’s a game changer…! 
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They are just the various options of getting the apk onto the telly as there are so many different ways the tellies all interact with android . Ime sure DH will figure it out its not much different to putting an apk onto a phone. You will love Newpipe no ads whatsoever and you can use your youtube subscriptions on it.
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My experience of an Android TV is such that I advise not to touch them. I am a software developer focussed on mobile development and Android should stay in a phone. I bought a Sharp Android TV here in France just a few weeks ago. It’s using the satellite input and the programme guide is useless, if you are lucky it will show what is on now and what is on next but then that’s it. It reboots itself quire regularly i.e. Android crashed. Stich with Samsung, they know what they are doing with TVs
provided that you can put up with Samsung quirks when it comes to using some 3rd party apps (or not being able to use them at all…)
We like our Samsung smart TV (it’s a bit old now) so don’t misread the point I’m trying to make…
LG WebOS is garnering support among other TV manufacturers and many people find it easier to get to grips with than AndroidTV.
As @JohnBot intimated, Android was developed for mobile smartphones and I believe it is an excellent phone operating system. AndroidTV is Android modified so that it works for televisions. WebOS was designed for TV from the start so is very well suited to the task.
That’s your clue right there 
WebOS was originally designed for phones and tablets. It was purchased by LG and repurposed for TVs. Both WebOS and Android are both Linux based and have similar architectures. I do agree that Android is not really suited for TVs though. I did some work on Android for STBs before I retired, and it’s a similar story.
Yes, originally designed for Palm PDAs if I’m not mistaken.
Thanks, all for the interesting posts.
The reason I am looking to change the TV is that it has started giving out a very loud sharp crack, it’s happened once upon switch-on and several times, maybe once or twice a week over the past 6 months. No flash on the screen, just a whip crack.
I am a bit of a gadget man, so the realisation that there might be a new toy to play with …
But after the comments I think it sensible to hang back …
we get that sometimes on ours… I put it down to a sound issue (we use a soundbar) rather than a TV fault per se.
As is Tizen and, in fact, Samsung’s previous TV OS; I’m not sure Android is a fundamentally worse OS for a TV than anything else Linux-y.
Granted you’ve experienced the sharp end so have more experience than I do - however sometimes dealing with the frustrations that platforms offer as a developer can cloud your view a bit. On that basis I’d never willingly recommend Windows for,… well,… anything really 
We were using Android SDK on our products, which is basically the Android that is used in phones and tablets, although there were custom drivers for the STB SOC from Broadcom. That’s quite a bit of bloat. At around that time (early 2018), Android TV was being put together and being implemented by Google partners for both TVs and STBs. I’ve no experience with this,but it’s supposed to be much leaner and more suited to the task.
Many years ago, we were closely involved with Microsoft’s attempt to get into the STB market, with Intel silicon. It was a disaster from start to finish. Windows CE based, so bound to be a failure.
All our phones and computers are Apple and the tv is the odd one out being an android equipped Sony Bravia . It’s works perfectly.
So is my TV and 3D to boot. I kept wondering what this Android heading was that comes up every time I turn it on.
Hi I was about to ask the same question. Thinking to buy an android type tv , and we are using a Humax, able to record two channels,or watch one and record one . But if we get a smart tv or android can we still record with the Humax? As we all know programs we like always appear at the same time. we can only watch progs in HD anyway as our internet is at most 18Mbts, usually less. any answers gratefully received.
I don’t see why not.
The Humax is just a different device in the scheme of things - much like the Sky HD box we have connected to the satellite dish (without subscription).
I should work in exactly the same way as your current arrangement.