VPNs always seemed like a pain for me to use and set up. Wouldn’t my ISP realize I’m constantly jumping around servers?
Moreover, I watch my movies and shows directly from my smart TV. How easy would it even be to set up my VPN there?
As it turns out, having a VPN on my smart TV is fantastic. I didn’t need to cast streaming services from my PC to access certain content, nor did I need to worry about my ISP figuring out that I was using a VPN in the first place.
Even now that I’m done testing it, I don’t want to return to a world without a VPN, on my smart TV or anywhere else.
- Logging policy
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No-logs policy
- Mobile app
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Android and iOS
Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPN services if you commit to two years.
The setup was both simple and complicated
Though it’s not the VPN’s fault
Downloading Surfshark was really easy on my Google TV. It was available in the Play Store, and all I had to do was install it and log in. Even logging in was simple, thanks to a secure QR code displayed on the screen.
Just like on other devices, turning on a VPN is simple: Find the server you want and click the connect button.
Sure, navigating the app with a remote was a little clunkier compared to using a mouse or tapping the screen, but what app isn’t?
However, despite its ease of installation and use, I encountered a problem: The VPN wouldn’t run as a background app.
Without Surfshark being able to run simultaneously with other apps, it was rendered useless. I couldn’t access shows from other countries, nor prevent targeted ads.
But the problem wasn’t with Surfshark. It was with the settings on my Google TV.
After I found and turned on developer mode, I was able to adjust the number of background applications running simultaneously. When I did, the VPN worked like a charm.
I can watch anything, anytime
Even if sometimes I can’t download the app
The best part about having a VPN on my smart TV, however, was being able to easily bypass geoblocking on streaming services. This is possible on the PC, which you can then cast to your TV with Chromecast or Apple AirPlay, but that lacks the convenience factor.
Why would I want to go through the extra steps to bypass those restrictions when I can turn the TV on, boot up Surfshark, and start watching? You can’t beat how easy that is.
What was less easy, however, was getting the apps for certain streaming services from the Play Store. Even with the VPN on, I couldn’t download UK-specific streaming service apps like ITVX.
I could access the services and watch whatever I wanted on my PC browser with no problems, but as soon as the Play Store came into the picture, I was hard-stopped.
As it turns out, Google uses more than just your location to determine the country you live in, so even with a VPN on, the Play Store knew I was located in the US.
There are ways to bypass Google’s additional tracking systems to download these apps, but at that point, it’d be easier to either side-load from an alternate app store or cast the show from my computer.
However, essentially, I can watch whatever I want, whenever I want (as long as I have a subscription). It’s binge-watching on a whole new level.
It’s harder for my data to be collected
No more ads about Temu reading journals
There is a benefit to VPNs beyond bypassing region restrictions on streaming services; you also get more privacy.
Google and other advertisers are continuously scraping your information and selling it to third parties. That’s why, when you talk about some product or service (especially online), you’ll eerily see ads for it for some time after.
It’s invasive and not particularly pleasant to think about, but VPNs help stop that from happening, along with other cybersecurity practices.
VPNs will encrypt your data as you browse the web, making it so that most trackers can’t access your information. This is great for getting rid of annoying targeted ads and makes browsing the internet more pleasant on all my devices.
Sometimes the VPN can block the ads on streaming services themselves, though your mileage may vary.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Surfshark blocking ads while watching Netflix and ITVX, but I wouldn’t expect them to be able to do so 100% of the time.
After you have a VPN, you don’t want to go without it
Keep your browsing habits safe and secure
When you get a VPN service like Surfshark up and running, there are very few reasons not to continue to use it.
If you want to watch something from another country, you can easily do so. If you want to go back and stream something available in the US, you can connect to a US server and keep your information private.
The only reason you may want to turn off a VPN is when your videos stutter or buffer due to slower speeds.
However, depending on the service you’re using, this is not a significant concern. I never experienced buffering while streaming anything from the UK, and the speed tests I ran were surprisingly good, no matter the country I chose.
Every time I turn on my TV, I open my VPN and connect to it before doing anything else, and I can watch my shows without worrying about what data advertisers are harvesting from me.
- Logging policy
-
No-logs policy
- Mobile app
-
Android and iOS
- Number Of Servers
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3,200+
- Free Trial
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7-day
- Encryption
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AES-256 encryption
Surfshark has easy-to-download apps on many smart TV OSes, and for most, all you need to do is turn it on and get to streaming.
This article was produced in partnership with Surfshark.
