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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

#121

Post by jghn »

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…

I wound up having to change my wifi password.

Without thinking about it I configured my current TV to join my wifi network. After it so kindly started putting ads on the screen while watching things I turned it off. A few months later, ads again. Somewhere in the bowels of the settings the wifi was reenabled, so I shut it off. A few months later, more ads. In a new place in the settings it was back on. Repeat a few more times.

Changed my wifi password and that took care of that.

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

#122

Post by rocqua »

djrogers wrote: post #27

> Ideally you run a TV on a different VLAN. Why let it ‘run’ on your network or the internet at all? I’ve never connected my newest TV to my WiFi, and can’t ever foresee a reason to do so. All of the apps I want are running on a connected box I trust to maintain a degree of privacy that I’d never assume from Sony, Samsung, or the like. It’s not as if Netflix or Hulu actually force you to use the embedded TV apps.

A few times at home with my parents, I've used the 'chrome-cast' functionality to view Youtube controlled from my laptop, without any cable hassle. The same thing with Plex worked, but finicky. Somewhere between linux, plex and the TV, there is some compatibility problem.

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

#123

Post by leesalminen »

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.

It’s very difficult to find a high quality LED TV > 46” without the apps.

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

#124

Post by k3oni »

exabrial wrote: post #111

On a similar note, Samsung updated a bunch of apps on my dad's s7 and pushed a bunch of notifications to him, trying to get him to join some Samsung rewards club and suspended use of his phone until he clicked next. He's 67 guys. The madness needs to stop.

Wow, now that's all kinds of f'ed up. Not so crazy about the update but to suspend the use of the phone is just stupid when you talk about just some apps updates.

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

#125

Post by NelsonMinar »

Mister_Snuggles wrote: post #116

I would like to see a TV with the following attributes: 1. 8 Inputs, with at least four HDMI and one HDMI accessible from the front panel. The remaining inputs would have at least two composite inputs. There would be no cable input since most cable companies, around here anyway, require a set-top box anyway. 2. An optical audio output, for those who wish to hook up a proper audio system. Those who don’t would get ok-…

Because there's almost no profit in selling a dumb screen. SmartTVs are all about the TV manufacturer trying to get a cut of subscription services.

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

#126

Post by TAForObvReasons »

buro9 wrote: post #102
lukeschlather wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why Android over Linux or MacOS? It feels like at this point, Android and Windows are surveillance systems. If you don't want a surveillance system, you need to go with Linux or MacOS (or iOS.)

Netflix, Amazon Prime, Mubi, BBC iPlayer... in Hi-Res, UHD or 4k mode. The apps with rich capabilities are restricted to the platform. Android is the one with them all. (caveat on Amazon vs Google stupidity)

Is there any concern with a smart TV that isn't connected to the Internet (using a chromecast to connect to netflix)?

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

#127

Post by bobwaycott »

maccard wrote: post #91
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.

Unfortunately if you’re in the market for a high quality TV, your choices are restricted to smart TVs.

You can then avoid connecting it to the internet at all, providing you a TV with all the beautiful looks and dumb insides.

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

#129

Post by NelsonMinar »

djrogers wrote: post #27

> Ideally you run a TV on a different VLAN. Why let it ‘run’ on your network or the internet at all? I’ve never connected my newest TV to my WiFi, and can’t ever foresee a reason to do so. All of the apps I want are running on a connected box I trust to maintain a degree of privacy that I’d never assume from Sony, Samsung, or the like. It’s not as if Netflix or Hulu actually force you to use the embedded TV apps.

How much longer do you think it will be possible to buy a TV that works without Internet access? I assume at some point soon they will demand connectivity to even display images coming in on the HDMI port. Internet services is the future profit center for screen manufacturers; also it's easier to build a system if you assume it has Internet connectivity always. (For, say, HDCP updates.)

I also don't allow my screens to have Internet access; did that the second time Samsung demanded I approve a firmware update before I was allowed to watch my TV show. Fuck that.

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

#130

Post by 0x0 »

braythwayt wrote: post #113
spacehome wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is the current situation possible? Shouldn't some company be able to buy the same panel, put minimal electronics and casing around it and sell it cheaper?

What if... Work with me here... The "Smart" TV company is paid by malicious hackers to include malware that snoops on its customers. That would allow them to lower the price of the TV to below the cost of the dumb TV. Mind you, they might have to call the malware "apps" and call the hackers "partners." Ok, snark aside, what if the makers of Smart TVs call them "platforms," and they get a subsidy for bundling apps, an…

Right on. It's the same way a windows computer is often cheaper than the same computer without an OS. The seller doesn't get paid by McAfee, Microsoft Office, Norton, and so on for bundling their crapware and has to make up for that by charging more. All that crapware probably covers the license cost of Windows and then some.

You can bet Sony didn't put this app on the TV because they wanted to give consumers an improved experience for free out of the goodness of their hearts.

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