My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app • Hacker News Board

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#71

Post by secabeen » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:44 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #25

Yep, I used to use the Netflix app on my Sony TV (bravia W8) but after an update couple months ago it stopped working completely, Netflix just closes when I try to play anything. I actually have completely changed my opinion on OTA updates over the last few years - I don't want any updates. I want the software my phone/TV/car shipped with and I don't want to to change for the sake of updating, it's universally more p…

I agree, but things will still break with Netflix (or whoever) deprecates and then discontinues the API that they're using to access content.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#72

Post by josephg » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:45 PM UTC

paulie_a wrote: post #33

isoprophlex wrote: post #26

This is, sadly, nothing new. See [0], Samsung also did something like this in 2016. I was affected by this, I'm never getting a Samsung TV ever again. [0] http://adage.com/article/digital/samsung-smart-tv-update-for...

I don't get why Samsung bothers too make great products that have shitty software. My refrigerator shouldn't need to reboot. Or at one point get into an endless reboot cycle. This "smart" but mediocre age needs to go away

I've been looking at getting a new washing machine lately. One of the "hot new features" some new washing machines have is the ability to "download new washing programs via our app!".

Really? The 40+ different pre-programmed wash cycle options aren't enough and you expect to think of new washing machine routines over the next year or two? Its like ... DLC but for washing my clothes. Who thinks this is a good idea?

I wonder how much of that functionality will still work in 10-15 years when the machine is getting long in the tooth.

I can't wait for botnets made up of old internet connected washing machines. You know its just a matter of time before some Russian teenager takes down github using your grandma's washing machine.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#73

Post by ge0rg » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:45 PM UTC

pwg wrote: post #70

buro9 wrote: post #55

I'm the author and linking to my tweets is a bad idea because they auto-delete after 14 days. For future HN context, as the author I'm reproducing them here in full: My @Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app from https://samba.tv and boy oh boy... this is worse than recent @facebook stuff. From their own privacy policy: https://samba.tv/legal/privacy-policy/ … they track what you w…

Solution: don't ever purchase a smart TV. Preferably, no one would ever purchase a smart TV. When smart TV sales go to zero, the makers would get the message. Sadly, too many folks don't know, or if they do know, they don't care.

Or, the "smart" TV is cheaper than a technically comparable flat screen that just comes with HDMI-In.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#74

Post by squarefoot » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:45 PM UTC

tome wrote: post #13

sparkling wrote: post #12

This is the problem with putting logic into the TV. Keep it Unix-y. Do one thing, but do it right. A TV should be just a panel, nothing more. A $50 player box does everything better than the built-in player hardware and software.

> A TV should be just a panel, nothing more. Don't we have such things, called "monitors"?

Yup, that would be the ideal solution, but their prices skyrocket as soon as one goes above the "normal" office/gamer panel sizes. They're also probably built using better parts and better quality control. Economies of scale do the rest.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#75

Post by chrisper » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:46 PM UTC

pwg wrote: post #70

buro9 wrote: post #55

I'm the author and linking to my tweets is a bad idea because they auto-delete after 14 days. For future HN context, as the author I'm reproducing them here in full: My @Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app from https://samba.tv and boy oh boy... this is worse than recent @facebook stuff. From their own privacy policy: https://samba.tv/legal/privacy-policy/ … they track what you w…

Solution: don't ever purchase a smart TV. Preferably, no one would ever purchase a smart TV. When smart TV sales go to zero, the makers would get the message. Sadly, too many folks don't know, or if they do know, they don't care.

Or just don't connect it to the internet

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#76

Post by buro9 » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:46 PM UTC

pwg wrote: post #70

buro9 wrote: post #55

I'm the author and linking to my tweets is a bad idea because they auto-delete after 14 days. For future HN context, as the author I'm reproducing them here in full: My @Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app from https://samba.tv and boy oh boy... this is worse than recent @facebook stuff. From their own privacy policy: https://samba.tv/legal/privacy-policy/ … they track what you w…

Solution: don't ever purchase a smart TV. Preferably, no one would ever purchase a smart TV. When smart TV sales go to zero, the makers would get the message. Sadly, too many folks don't know, or if they do know, they don't care.

Try it.

I did.

I couldn't find a non-smart TV. They are everywhere. If you want the 4k, then you have a smart TV.

The best alternatives were super large monitors (way over the price of a TV, and with no decent sound built in), or corporate display panels (for advertising, signage, etc) whose prices are also way above a TV and include no sound system at all.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#77

Post by JasonFruit » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:47 PM UTC

pwg wrote: post #70

buro9 wrote: post #55

I'm the author and linking to my tweets is a bad idea because they auto-delete after 14 days. For future HN context, as the author I'm reproducing them here in full: My @Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app from https://samba.tv and boy oh boy... this is worse than recent @facebook stuff. From their own privacy policy: https://samba.tv/legal/privacy-policy/ … they track what you w…

Solution: don't ever purchase a smart TV. Preferably, no one would ever purchase a smart TV. When smart TV sales go to zero, the makers would get the message. Sadly, too many folks don't know, or if they do know, they don't care.

A smart any device, honestly.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#78

Post by jmilloy » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:48 PM UTC

svckr wrote: post #59

nathanaldensr wrote: post #2

The meme of "if you're not paying, you are the product" is, of course, true, but it doesn't acknowledge the host of cases when you are the product even if you're paying . This guy basically paid to be spied on.

I'm fairly certain the smart features are what's subsidizing current TVs and making them relatively cheap. Last time I checked dumb TVs were reserved for the more high end part of the maker's lineup (if at all available). So, yes, you're still paying, but you get a price cut in exchange for being … productized?

And in particular, I suspect this is why smart TVs are often cheaper or the same price as the equivalent non-smart (?) TV.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#79

Post by lucb1e » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:48 PM UTC

buro9 wrote: post #55

I'm the author and linking to my tweets is a bad idea because they auto-delete after 14 days. For future HN context, as the author I'm reproducing them here in full: My @Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app from https://samba.tv and boy oh boy... this is worse than recent @facebook stuff. From their own privacy policy: https://samba.tv/legal/privacy-policy/ … they track what you w…

> linking to my tweets is a bad idea because they auto-delete after 14 days.

I feel like you should mention that in your bio, it's not standard and breaks conversations. People should know that they should cite you if they want something to be preserved in conversations or when linking.

Re: My Sony "smart" TV has updated itself and tried to force me to use a new app

#80

Post by tzahola » Sun, Apr 01, 2018, 2:49 PM UTC

gruez wrote: post #61

sparkling wrote: post #12

This is the problem with putting logic into the TV. Keep it Unix-y. Do one thing, but do it right. A TV should be just a panel, nothing more. A $50 player box does everything better than the built-in player hardware and software.

A tv, by definition, goes against the unix philosophy because it's a display panel + tuner + speakers.

The joke's on them, I feed my dumb TV a video-only HDMI stream from an OSMC box. Audio goes directly to my HiFi amp.