Recent thread (~300 comments) on open-source firmware for smart TVs: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29338658
Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
221–230 of 518 posts
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#2224K monitors. You need a soundbar though or some kind of audio setup + remote. Also no built-in tuner or such but I assume you get a set top box from your service provider or use a streaming device (Apple TV, Fire stick etc.) 4K OLED https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P=7 4K IPS https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P=2 4K VA https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P…
Why does (consumer) monitor tech always seem to lag TV tech by a few years? It looks like the situation is still that in the 4k OLED space there are a few ~$4000+ monitors and dozens of ~$1000 TVs. Per the pcpartpicker link, maybe the Gigabyte FO48U will change that, but it's still out of stock. Besides, I feel like this has happened before with HDR and 4k and IPS. First it shows up in TVs, a year later it is cheap i…
TV's are such a big business that they overwhelm the rest of the display manufacturing world. That's why 16:10 monitors basically disappeared - 16:9 is 1080p is a TV.
On the other end of the spectrum is professional industry displays which are ahead of consumer facing devices, like are shown at NAB (vs CES) and there you'll find 8k monitors for tens of thousands of dollars.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#223All TV's are dumb tv's if you only use them as an external display/monitor and don't connect them to the net. I have a dedicated computer for a media center and just use HDMI1 input on the TV. Never enter menus. Never update the OS. Never agree to anything. Never let the TV "phone home." Never set up wifi. Never connect a CAT5 to it. Set the input using the remote and forget it. Treat it as a dumb monitor. Computer i…
I have seen stories of smart TVs doing active scans for any unsecured wifi network in range, then connecting and phoning home without ever informing the user or showing anything in the menus. Is that a real thing?
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#224I keep mine disconnected from WiFi, and I connect it to Ethernet maybe once a year just to see if there's a firmware update, then I disconnect it.
I have an Ethernet to WiFi bridge that is already configured on my wireless network, so I don't need to pull an Ethernet cable all the way, and the TV never knows the network passphrase.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#225Is anyone just opting for a projector instead? How does that work It is a bit ridiculous that TVs have to be a computer with internet access to sell nowadays, but that’s coming to just about every household appliance.
I have a older projector which I bought used some years ago. It was much bigger than expected (you can't tell the size from the image of it..)
https://www.projectorcentral.com/Mitsubishi-UD8350U.htm
Its 6500 lumens DLP and has 2 bulbs. DLP tech is kinda neat (Its literally a chip with flippable mirrors). but modern projectors are usually laser or led based. New ones have gotten brighter for less money too.
I've used it day to day initially and now mainly to project movies. It does draw a lot of power and it does get warm. They're really best at night or in a dark room and with a proper screen. Basically went back to an flat panel tv for TV watching.
I also ended up getting a HDMI/ audio breakout box, because sometimes we used an appleTV or Roku with it and those don't have audio out and my projector lacks it.
The projector central site I found as a decent source of information, you can even enter a model and see how big it will project. https://www.projectorcentral.com
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#2264K monitors. You need a soundbar though or some kind of audio setup + remote. Also no built-in tuner or such but I assume you get a set top box from your service provider or use a streaming device (Apple TV, Fire stick etc.) 4K OLED https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P=7 4K IPS https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P=2 4K VA https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P…
Why does (consumer) monitor tech always seem to lag TV tech by a few years? It looks like the situation is still that in the 4k OLED space there are a few ~$4000+ monitors and dozens of ~$1000 TVs. Per the pcpartpicker link, maybe the Gigabyte FO48U will change that, but it's still out of stock. Besides, I feel like this has happened before with HDR and 4k and IPS. First it shows up in TVs, a year later it is cheap i…
If I had to guess I’d say it’s just market size. I’d bet there’s a larger market if people who want a large, high definition TV for movies and shows than there is for people who want a high definition monitor.
Most business uses for monitors don’t require high definition, so you’re really looking at specific industries and gaming.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#227Never buy Samsung products.
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Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#228Earlier quoted context omitted.
Which one are you using if you don't mind me asking?
LG C1. I have to turn it off and on with a remote, take the usual OLED precautions, and tolerate its "smart" nonsense, but the color is gorgeous and the contrast is magical.
Does autodimming work decently on C1? It's really bothering me when I try to use my CX as a monitor.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#229All TV's are dumb tv's if you only use them as an external display/monitor and don't connect them to the net. I have a dedicated computer for a media center and just use HDMI1 input on the TV. Never enter menus. Never update the OS. Never agree to anything. Never let the TV "phone home." Never set up wifi. Never connect a CAT5 to it. Set the input using the remote and forget it. Treat it as a dumb monitor. Computer i…
not all. some require a network connection at least to get started. some find an open network and connect "for you"
And some bombard you with "helpful reminders" to set up networking.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?
#2304K dumb projectors are easy to find. They're not for every room but can give you a great home cinema result while still working for normal TV and games.
Projectors are still a fairly poor substitute for a TV in the same price range, though. Every time I look at them, I'm not happy with the trade offs even if they've been getting better. Most recently it was a combination of price, brightness (HDR) and framerate (VFR, 120Hz).
It depends on what you value. For us it was image size, low noise and good color to get a great cinema experience at night. We couldn't get the same at any reasonable TV price and we also hid it really well so that when it's not on it's just an empty white wall and the room doesn't seem to have a TV at all. It's definitely a tradeoff and not for everyone.