Earlier quoted context omitted.
If it's not on the network why would you need firmware updates? (serious question)
Bugs affecting its base functionality?
If it has serious bugs out of the box, just return the damn thing and get a different version.
Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
91–100 of 316 posts
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#92In my opinion you should not use ANY of the smart features of a "smart" TV. Don't give it your wifi key and don't put it on your LAN. I have about 400% more trust of Microsoft and Sony than I do of random smart tv manufacturers. I also have a fairly high degree of confidence that the xbox one and PS4 software will remain up to date with security patches, and address critical issues quickly. I have no confidence for T…
> I have about 400% more trust of Microsoft and Sony than I do of random smart tv manufacturers. It should be noted Sony's TVs are different than their game consoles in what they collect and do. They run a relatively clean version of Android TV except for "Samba TV", which is yet another piece of show-recognizing (known as ACR) analytics. However, you can apparently decline its privacy policy on initial setup and eve…
I'm not sure creating a network without no internet access is going to be a long term solution. It's entirely likely that they will create future functionality in these devices to cycle through open networks and networks to which they have credentials for until they find one with internet access.
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sadly, this will only push TV manufacturers harder to implement built-in always-on 5G connectivity that completely bypasses the end user.
Making devices that just don't work without a connection home seems a lot easier.
How? Bricking a device on purpose is a huge liability. Much easier to install a cheap 5G modem and keep it on as long as data collected is worth more than the peanuts 5G connection will cost to bulk buyers.
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#94Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I have about 400% more trust of Microsoft and Sony than I do of random smart tv manufacturers. It should be noted Sony's TVs are different than their game consoles in what they collect and do. They run a relatively clean version of Android TV except for "Samba TV", which is yet another piece of show-recognizing (known as ACR) analytics. However, you can apparently decline its privacy policy on initial setup and eve…
I'm not sure creating a network without no internet access is going to be a long term solution. It's entirely likely that they will create future functionality in these devices to cycle through open networks and networks to which they have credentials for until they find one with internet access.
I guess you could then add some user-important content to the walled-off network, like a basic SMB share. Maybe it will avoid disconnecting from the user-set network if it has user content. But yes, this isn't a very stable solution.
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#95In my opinion you should not use ANY of the smart features of a "smart" TV. Don't give it your wifi key and don't put it on your LAN. I have about 400% more trust of Microsoft and Sony than I do of random smart tv manufacturers. I also have a fairly high degree of confidence that the xbox one and PS4 software will remain up to date with security patches, and address critical issues quickly. I have no confidence for T…
Agreed. My Samsung TV is not connected to Ethernet/WiFi and I have a quadcore Pentium NUC as a 4k HTPC for interacting with it. I have a full control of what I run on NUC (Ubuntu + Kodi) and TV is just a display.
My Marantz is connected to Internet though (used for AirPlay) as it needs updates to its firmware, so there might be some audiophile listening...
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just unplug it from the network. That should get rid of most of it. I have an LG smart TV that has never seen the network. I get no ads, no popups, no features, no EULA, nothing. It behaves like a dumb TV. It was the LG 65UH series from Costco.
I wonder if one day they’ll connect to other TVs that are online to get around the WiFi.
5G
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sadly, this will only push TV manufacturers harder to implement built-in always-on 5G connectivity that completely bypasses the end user.
That sounds amazing, a free 5g connection with every tv! cellular connection is still prohibitively expensive in many parts of the world.
Why should the device share its connection with you?
As to the cost, one of the main selling points of 5G networks is their suitability for large-scale low-bandwidth uses (IoT), usage tracking among them. Samsung and others will be able to collect data from millions of devices at a very modest cost. Ericsson etc expect billions of new devices on 5G networks in the next five years. Networks are being designed for a minimum of one million devices per square km (0.39 sq mi), what do you think they will be?
We've already seen built-in connectivity. Some Amazon Kindles used to have free Amazon-provided 3G connection that worked in most of North America, Europe and other more developed parts of the world. It's only a matter of time before it becomes universal.
Samsung is launching their first 5G-enabled TV this year. 5G is there for 8K over-the-air streaming service, but can (and I am certain that will) be used for tracking purposes too, even if not subscribed to anything. The hardware is there and the cost is minimal - so why not?
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#98It also is extremely hard to fix a smart TV once it gets infected with a virus.
Just don't buy smart TVs. Buy a dumb TV, attach a RaspberryPi or an Intel NUC, install Kodi and enjoy.
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#99Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bugs affecting its base functionality?
If it has serious bugs out of the box, just return the damn thing and get a different version.
Well maybe you don't discover them until a year later when you connected some new peripheral on a previously unused input to discover it's unusable but there's a fix for the known problem.
Is it really all that difficult to envision a legitimate need for bugfixes on a "smart tv" containing so much software? These things are as much a computer as they are a display. And modern software development practices have veered far into the direction of "ship yesterday, finish tomorrow with updates."
Re: Smart TVs like Samsung, LG and Roku are tracking everything
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
If it's not on the network why would you need firmware updates? (serious question)
Bugs affecting its base functionality?
It's not that hard to display whatever is coming in on HDMI-1. They usually get that working correctly in whatever firmware version the TV is shipped with, and I don't need more than that. They can even fuck up audio, as that goes through a proper receiver and external speakers anyway and the TV is thus constantly set to zero volume.