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

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

#81

Post by buro9 »

lucb1e wrote: post #79
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.

The bio space is too short. Meh, I can delete if I want to :)

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

#82

Post by lotsofpulp »

Merad wrote: post #58
bsenftner wrote: post #36

I just picked up a 55" TV, and the troubles I had explaining I did not want any "Smart" features was like explaining to morons that smoking is bad for you. The store had no commission on the sale, but the sales people, all of them, could not understand why I'd not want TV apps and Internet.

Is it even possible to buy a non-smart TV today (not counting PC monitors)? I bought my TV in 2015 and even then it seemed like most of the non-smart options were overpriced older models with worse image quality, etc.

You have to get commercial or hospitality versions made for hotels.

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

#83

Post by greenleafjacob »

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"?

TVs are monitors that are large, for more distant viewing.

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

#84

Post by kungtotte »

josephg wrote: post #72
paulie_a wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

You think botnets don't already include all these smart devices? We recently bought a new fridge and freezer with that functionality but there's no way they are getting hooked up to any network.

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

#85

Post by babalulu »

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?

I bought a 32-inch dumb TV just a couple of weeks ago. It was only $77US, on clearance at Walmart from $129US. The brand is Element, which I'm unfamiliar with, but it works nicely and has absolutely no smart capabilities. So you can find dumb TVs on the low end these days if you look for them.

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

#86

Post by JasonFruit »

dorkwood wrote: post #69
Waterluvian wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am quite angry that my PS4 is full of ads. I paid money for that box. What I want is a law that requires a product to clearly indicate if it has ads or not in the software, and it cannot change at any point in the product's life. So I know what the price tag actually is. Edit: I want to be clear. I am not against advertising or the freedom for a manufacturer to decide that advertising is their business model. What…

Windows 10 has so far served me ads on the lock screen and in the start menu. If I try to search my computer for a file, it also sends that search query to Bing. This OS should be free.

All those things can be easily turned off, but yes, that's not right.

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

#87

Post by [deleted] »

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.

[deleted]

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

#88

Post by wtf42 »

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…

>> That I could just plug this into any display panel, including dumb displays.

Do you mean Chromecast? You can just plug it into your TV's hdmi port and use netflix/youtube/twitch/mubi android apps to control your streams on TV.

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

#89

Post by CyberDildonics »

Reliable internet basically turned tech companies into giant bait and switch factories. Things get swapped out from under you at will to force you to use certain apps, sign up for certain services, give over whatever data they want. Look at Microsoft switching out their terms of service for skype, xbox live, office, etc. Windows updates are more of the same. Cell phone apps are a prime target since they basically give a direct line to update whatever software a company wants on to your phone, now that you have invested in setting up and getting some particular software to work. All the solutions to problems get switched out to create more problems.

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

#90

Post by reacharavindh »

chrisper wrote: post #75
pwg wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

This. I use a "Smart TV" but never ever configure any Internet connectivity to it. An old Mac mini serves as a media server connected to TV via HDMI. Everything works like a charm with a wireless keyboard and mouse.
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