Limited app memory available on S90C, how to expand? Or is it time for a Fire TV Stick Max 4k?

[PBH]

I set up my 65" S90C last week and it looks great. However, I am bumping up against a limited amount of memory available for Apps to be loaded. From the Apps setting it looks like this TV has only 4 GB available for apps. And at least half, closer to 2.5 GB out of 4 GB total is already in use by preinstalled apps which cannot be deleted. I've added Pandora, SiriusXM, PBS and a few others to the 12+ preinstalled apps and am now at 3.2 GB used.

Is there a way to expand the memory available for apps? I've deleted which I can that I don't use, flushed app cache. But really, 4GB is pretty stingy, especially if it is half used. 

Do I really have to plug in a Fire TV Stick Max 4k which recently updated to provide 16 GB memory? It might be a blessing to be rid of Tizen OS but it'll make it more inconvenient to half to keep the Samsung remote around to access actual TV settings (picture, sound, channels for OTA).

[Techyeah]

hdmi to external hard drives

[PBH]

No, I don't think an HDMI media device, or a USB drive with movies and other media is what I am looking for. The Samsung TV already has USB ports that I can use to attach a USB drive and look at music or video that I have saved. That works fine. But it is not what I am looking for.

I want to have more memory for streaming apps, like Max or Paramount+ or Sirius, etc. So I can then start the app and stream their content.

As is, the TV only has 4GB memory for apps and it is 75% utilized. I can add several more apps as is but might run out. Or I'll just have to uninstall some apps as best I can to make space for something else. But preinstalled apps that cannot be deleted take up at least 50% of available memory.

[MembersTimN]

Yes, I'm with you, I have the S95B QD OLED tv with the exact same problem! I tried a 2T hard drive via USB like manual says for recording which it won't do, but thought I could maybe use that for extra apps like a cell or tablet uses a SD card but no, read only which I think makes this the opposite of Smart tv.

[PBH]

I had forgotten about the issue of recording which is also a topic I was curious about. My prior TV was a Fire TV (a $400 tv with nowhere near the pic quality of these Samsung TVs) that allowed for some simple recording of the live OTA channel being watched. So I could pause to take a short break. Barely a few minutes with built-in TV memory but for a decent time with an external USB memory stick. That was convenient as heck. Too bad that for 3x-4x the price Samsung won't enable the use of these  features and use of external memory. Not sure why the recording feature  is disabled for US. These kinds of features would go a long way towards building brand loyalty.

[MembersTimN]

Yes, I have a 4k 55" JVC TV that only cost $249. 2 years ago that records to usb drives and my new samsung QD-OLED 65" won't do it even though the owners manual claims it does on multiple pages of instructions and I'm really P.O. Ed that a $2000. New Samsung top of the line TV can't do what a $200. TV can! What a huge disappointment, and after multiple calls to customer svc wanting my money back and multiple svc calls to my home for that and multiple motherboard problems, this will definitely be the last Samsung anything I'm going to take a chance on. 

[PBH]

Oh well. I have not found a solution to the limited application memory issue. For now, I seem to be ok with the apps that I have loaded. They fit but there is not much room left. So be it. The picture is excellent.

I have put some MP3 music files (well, several thousand actually) onto a USB stick and plugged that into one of the TVs USB ports. By selecting that input, I get a decent method of browsing the music folders and playing music through the TV and its connected soundbar.  So at least I have good access to my personal music library. I think the same would work for videos if you have a bunch of saved home movies or ripped DVDs.

I am still unhappy that a simple pause & resume function is not enabled for US so that I can take a few minutes for a break while watching a live OTA show.

[faqman]

Is there another option to extend the app memory or a different model that does? I have a TV in my bedroom that is a nice looking Samsung LED but it ran out of the stingy memory that is in there, which is absurd. I've noticed that another competitor has only a little more and a third has a whole LOT more. The limited memory issue (which is also due to how many required apps I don't use are included) has caused me to rethink whether to get a Samsung S90C model, perhaps consider a step up, or just go elsewhere with what should be at least 16GB standard bare minimum on an item that costs this much.

[rjh1]

rjh

I have a new 77" S95c oled with an anemic 4gb, using 3.8 on streaming apps already and looking for solutions.  Reviews indicate Samsung allowed 8 gb, matching my Sony. That must have been optimistic.

[PBH · Accepted solution]

If the limited memory is a problem for you (and I agree that it isn't enough), I think the solution is to use a 3rd party item (Fire Stick 4k Max, or other similar with good memory). It makes sense that you could pick your interface (Fire, Roku, Apple, etc from $30 to $100) independent of the TV brand and free the TV guys from developing their own interfaces and just focus on the picture quality. If you find one you like then you can use it on multiple TVs in your home and not have to learn new interfaces. That said, using a 3rd party item complicates remote control and menu usage since you might have to bounce between the TV remote for picture and other settings and a 3rd party remote for channel selection, cloud dvr controls etc. 

No easy solution. Look for ability to use external memory via USB port for apps and for recording. The TV brands should at least support that. Samsung does to a degree but seems to have it disabled in US for some reason (US copyright laws perhaps?).

Good luck.