What is the best dumb TV? • Hacker News Board

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#101

Post by TedDoesntTalk » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:31 AM UTC

This article reads like paid blogger content.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#102

Post by crazygringo » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:34 AM UTC

Some people are suggesting just don't connect your smart TV to the internet, others are suggesting it might still connect to open (unsecured) Wi-Fi networks.

Is there any major brand of smart TV's that will attempt to connect to open networks, in order to download updates, ads, send back data, without your consent?

I've never in my life had a Wi-Fi-enabled device that would connect to a network I didn't tell it to, and I'd view that as a major breach of norms/ethics/security/everything.

Is it fine to just not configure the Wi-Fi? Or are there brands that are actually known, proven, to circumvent that, if you have open Wi-Fi nearby? (I've been googling but can't find anything.)

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#103

Post by Wowfunhappy » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:35 AM UTC

t0astbread wrote: post #72

acwan93 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Genuine question: what kind of updates would a dumb TV possibly need?

Any digital TV could have a software bug that bricks it.

I think the chance of this happening is much higher if new updates are being pushed all the time...

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#104

Post by choward » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:35 AM UTC

shotgunsparkle wrote: post #48

Prism+ tv is just a tv without smart tv functions except it can run Netflix and YouTube and prime video. Thats it.

Sounds like the worst of both worlds. You have a smart TV but it's locked down even more.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#105

Post by Wistar » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:36 AM UTC

nfoz wrote: post #52

LG sells them as some of their "Business" tvs, intended e.g. for hotels. In Canada some of them are branded as "Commercial Lite". Here's an LG 65" 4k HDR dumb TV: https://www.lg.com/ca_en/business/commercial-tv/lg-65UV340H I have a similar model from a few years ago (purchased from Canada Computers fwiw), and I love it. Because I don't notice it exists. It just does its job, like a TV should.

Along those lines are the commercial display panels intended for digital signage and advertising use. They usually have a very bright picture, are very durable, and have typically been quite expensive but that seems to be changing.

Here are some LG commercial displays ranging from 43" to 86" and priced from $745 to $3,850:

https://www.displays2go.com/P-42023/86-Inch-4K-Ultra-HD-TV-A...

Here is a brief article from 2019 detailing the differences between digital signage/display monitors and home TVs:

https://www.itesmedia.tv/en/resources/digital-display-monito...

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#106

Post by chuable » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:39 AM UTC

bitwize wrote: post #85

chuable wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure how large you're looking for - however, I use a LG 43" 4K monitor as a TV. Lots of connectivity - Multiple HDMI, DVI and even USBC inputs.

That's thousands of dollars, though, innit?

About 700USD last time I checked. Model number is 43un700

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#107

Post by kzrdude » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:39 AM UTC

davidhyde wrote: post #73

My advice is to stop seeing a “smart tv” as a feature and see it as an expensive piece of equipment subsidised by extra advertising revenue. Don’t get upset about this, just understand it for what it is. Now, what can you do about it? Easy, don’t connect it to the internet. They will tell you that it needs updates but come on, what is a security vulnerability going to to to something that’s only output is a screen an…

What's a good media player system for raspberry pi in that case? Any chance that it can drive netflix?

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#108

Post by syndacks » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:40 AM UTC

kzrdude wrote: post #107

davidhyde wrote: post #73

My advice is to stop seeing a “smart tv” as a feature and see it as an expensive piece of equipment subsidised by extra advertising revenue. Don’t get upset about this, just understand it for what it is. Now, what can you do about it? Easy, don’t connect it to the internet. They will tell you that it needs updates but come on, what is a security vulnerability going to to to something that’s only output is a screen an…

What's a good media player system for raspberry pi in that case? Any chance that it can drive netflix?

Kodi, and yes, I believe there is a Netflix add-on that you can authenticate to if you need to ;)

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#109

Post by lukeschlather » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:41 AM UTC

crazygringo wrote: post #102

Some people are suggesting just don't connect your smart TV to the internet, others are suggesting it might still connect to open (unsecured) Wi-Fi networks. Is there any major brand of smart TV's that will attempt to connect to open networks, in order to download updates, ads, send back data, without your consent? I've never in my life had a Wi-Fi-enabled device that would connect to a network I didn't tell it to, a…

Samsung TVs have been reported to connect to any available open WiFi network.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#110

Post by pier25 » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 12:42 AM UTC

ebg13 wrote: post #40

userbinator wrote: post #24

The best dumb TV is a monitor with an HTPC attached to it. Also, you can find "LVDS converter boards" which are sold for repurposing LCD panels out of laptops and such, but they can also be used to dumb down TVs. You can buy a large smart TV just for the panel (which is the majority of its price anyway) and replace its motherboard with a dumb converter board.

> The best dumb TV is a monitor Can you find a monitor as large as a good TV for a reasonable price?

Also, OLED with HDR.