So it was with suspicion that I stared at LG's new FreeviewPlus-enabled television - a 49-inch, 4k Ultra High Definition interloper that had somehow appeared before me.
It promised the world: ''it really is a smarter way to watch TV'', Freeview general manager Sam Irvine said in an email.
We'll see, I thought, while imagining endlessly cycling through four channels of shopping, daytime talk shows and a radio station if I was lucky.
After all, as a long-time satellite dish-boaster, I had watched from the sidelines - with just a whiff of arrogance - as the nation heaved and sighed its way through the switch to digital television two years ago.
The thought of making the jump to Freeview now gave me pause for thought - like being asked to walk backwards into a woodchipper, only worse.
But I was to be pleasantly surprised.
The setup process was relatively simple - a quick bit of assembly for the base, a scramble for the UHF aerial cable (what's that again?), and LG's TV came to life.
There was a short pause while a scan detected ... one ... two ... three ... and, eventually, 25 channels!
And not one, but three, radio stations!
Where did they come from?
Then, with a wave of the wand (actually the remote, which projects a red teardrop directly on to the screen like a laser pointer), the new world of FreeviewPlus began to reveal itself.
All the staples were there, of course - TV1, 2, 3 and Maori TV, together with their plus-one delayed iterations, among them.
So, too, was everyone's favourite local TV station: Dunedin TV.
But what's this?
A Wimbledon pop-up channel, dedicated to the tennis?
Al Jazeera?
As the channels rolled out, I started to think again.
But the real strength behind this new toy's appeal was still a couple of wand waves away.
With a press of the remote's red button, up popped the FreeviewPlus electronic programming guide, offering a menu full of handy, clear and easy-to-use features.
That included an overview of the next eight days' offerings across all channels, as well as the previous eight days and those still available using OnDemand.
Those feeling swamped by content could search by one of 14 genres - from comedy and kids shows to drama, news or sport - and hitting record soon built up a nice library of thumbnailed shows saved for later.
But perhaps this toy's biggest plus is to bring all three OnDemand services - TVNZ, 3NOW and Maori TV - together under one hood.
TVNZ's still requires a tedious sign-in registration process, but the other two gave no such bother, and together all three services added to the wealth of content available.
And, for those wanting to stray further afield, the remote's home button opened up a menu of apps and extra features buried inside the television's user interface.
Everything from a quick web search to a YouTube clip or a movie on Netflix were ready and waiting, as well as the ability to link the television with my computer, via WiFi, and stream directly to the big screen.
If there are grizzles, they are few - and certainly don't involve the screen itself, which was truly a thing of beauty.
I did find myself locked more than once in a one-man tennis match with the remote, forehanding and backhanding while trying to centre the pointer, and I missed the ease and familiarity of some of my MySky remote's buttons.
But all up, I was impressed.
It is television for the internet age - a convergence of different generations, designed to cater to both, and all through a FreeviewPlus-enabled LG TV.
Who knew?
