Smart TVs And Picture-In-Picture (Explained For Beginners)

Picture-in-picture has been a feature on older TVs and has been for a long time.

But picture-in-picture, as popular as it was, is becoming less and less common on newer TVs.

But this feature is still available on certain TVs.  So let’s dive into which TVs have it, why it’s not as widely available and many more questions.

Let’s get started.

Here’s what you need to know about Smart TVs and Picture-in-Picture:

The picture-in-picture feature on Smart TVs allow you to watch a TV programme from one source and simultaneously watch a programme from another source in a small inset window in the corner of the screen.

Now that we know what picture-in-picture is, let’s answer some questions around this popular feature of Smart TVs.

Do 4K TVs have picture-in-picture?

Some modern 4K TVs do have picture-in-picture, but those that do won’t allow you to watch two over-the-air channels at the same time.

This is because most 4K TVs only have one digital tuner.  

TVs with two tuners do exist, but they cost significantly more to manufacture and make them bulkier.

And many people want affordable Smart TVs that are flat and wall mountable.

But it is possible to watch one over-the-air channel at the same time as watching another external video source such as a DVD or Blu-ray player.

Which new TVs have picture-in-picture?

Most Samsung TVs have picture-in-picture.  TVs that run Android version 8.0 and later also have picture-in-picture.

How do you turn on picture-in-picture?

Turning on picture-in-picture is different for each TV that supports it, but is generally available in the “picture” section within the TVs settings.

To turn on picture-in-picture on a Samsung Smart TV, press “menu” on the TV remote, then “Picture” and finally “PIP”.

Does picture-in-picture only work with over-the-air channels?

Picture-in-picture allows you to watch two video sources at the same time.  

One of those sources could be from a digital tuner and an external source that’s connected to HDMI, AV or component.

But you can’t watch two over-the-air channels at the same time as that would require two tuners.

But as a work around, you could use a coaxial splitter and do the following:

1. Connect the coaxial cable that comes from your antenna and connect it to the input on the splitter.
2. Connect two additional coaxial cables to the two outputs on the splitter.  Let’s call them cable A and cable B.
3. Take cable A and connect it to the RF/TV input on the TV.
4. Take cable B and connect it to the cable TV box.
5. Connect a HDMI cable between the cable TV box and the HDMI input on the TV.

Can I use picture-in-picture with two HDMI sources?

It’s not possible to use picture-in-picture with two HDMI sources because TVs only contain the hardware for processing a single HDMI input.

Despite a TV having more than one HDMI input, only one of those is active at any given time.

Also, the combination of video sources that you can use during picture-in-picture is usually limited.

In general, you can watch a DVD on the main screen and watch a digital or analog broadcast (over-the-air) on the sub-screen or vice-versa.

But the specific combinations of input that work together will vary depending on the TVs make and model.

The inputs that work together are usually found in the manual.

Workarounds

Despite being unable to use two HDMI sources with picture-in-picture, you can convert one HDMI input to Analog RF which will work alongside the other HDMI source.

Alternatively, you can get a HDMI PIP device like this on Amazon (#ad) which allows switching between one device and another using a remote control.  

You can connect up to 3 HDMI source devices to a single HDMI input

It also allows up to 2 sub-screens and 1 main screen.

Does picture-in-picture work with apps?

Picture-in-picture does not work with apps on a Smart TV interface.

You can only watch digital or analog over-the-air channels together with an external video source connected using HDMI, component or AV.

However, it would be possible to use picture-in-picture with a streaming device such as an Amazon Firestick.

This would be connected to the HDMI port and then you could watch a TV channel (over-the-air) in a sub-window within the main window.

Does picture-in-picture work with Netflix?

Picture-in-picture could work with Netflix if you were streaming Netflix on a streaming device such as an Amazon Firestick connected to HDMI.  

The main window or the sub-window would then be able to display analog TV channels.

Do LG Smart TVs have picture-in-picture

Older LG TVs have picture-in-picture, but most of the newer TVs don’t.  

According to one user on YouTube who contacted LG, multi-view was present in WebOS OLED TVs from before 2019.  But it isn’t available on newer models.

Multi-view isn’t quite the same as picture-in-picture, but it does enable two video sources side-by-side.

Do Samsung Smart TVs have picture-in-picture?

Most newer Samsung Smart TVs have built-in picture-in-picture.  

The combinations of input devices you can use with Samsung picture-in-picture varies by model.  

But generally you can use picture-in-picture with either two video sources such as a DVD player, VCR or a PC.

Or you can use picture-in-picture with one video source and one analog over-the-air channel.

Do Vizio Smart TVs have picture-in-picture?

Most Vizio TVs don’t have picture-in-picture, but some of the older models do, such as the Vizio E601I-A3.

Do Sony Smart TVs have picture-in-picture?

Sony Smart TVs that run Android version 8.0 have picture-in-picture (2016 models and later).

Some, but not all, non-Android Sony Smart TVs have picture-in-picture on 2014 models and earlier.

Do Hisense Smart TVs have picture-in-picture?

Hisense Smart TVs don’t support picture-in-picture.

Do Sharp Smart TVs have picture-in-picture?

Sharp Smart TVs don’t support picture-in-picture.

Do TCL Smart TVs have picture-in-picture?

TCL Smart TVs that run Android 8.0 and above support the picture-in-picture function.

Do Roku TVs support picture-in-picture?

TVs that run the Roku OS do not support picture-in-picture.

Do Philips TVs have picture-in-picture?

Some older Philips TV models had picture-in-picture (like the Philips 32PF5320/28 for example), but the feature isn’t available on the latest Philips Smart TVs.

Sources

How Do I Use Picture In Picture(PIP) On My LCD TV?

Robert Anderson

Robert Anderson, the founder of Tech Parasol, had a keen interest in tech from a very young age. He studied Electronic Engineering at University and then went on to become a Software Developer. He launched Tech Parasol in 2021 to share his knowledge with the aim of making tech easier to understand for everyone.