Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

What is the best dumb TV?

pointerclicker.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 661 posts

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#121

Post by grawprog »

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…

Smart 'X' in general has become synonymous with 'paid for by your data we scrape 24/7' at least when it comes to most consumer range products and platforms made by big tech companies...

Smart phones

Smart TVs

Smart speakers

Smart doorbell/security cameras

Smart home systems

If there's one thing these all have in common it's:

'Known privacy issues regarding tracking and data collection by large tech companies.'

When a product is marketed as smart...I assume it's smart as in it's watching and learning from me and giving the data to someone.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#122

Post by t0astbread »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #103
t0astbread wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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...

That is true although if the product is new (or the assembly line never ups the installed firmware version) day-one patches due to rushed software could be a thing.

But you're right, I was just saying everything with software has a reason for updates, though not a good one sometimes.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#123

Post by derwiki »

powersnail wrote: post #116
choward wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they have wifi you have no idea if they're connecting to open networks.

Buy a cheap router, don’t connect the router to the internet, and connect all smart appliances to the router.

Wonder if the TV would detect it as nonfunctional and still search for open networks that work.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#124

Post by rowanG077 »

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…

If you want to trust this you have to put your tv in a faraday cage. I wouldn't bat an eye if tv's actually connect via 4G to their spying servers.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#125

Post by ssss11 »

aphextron wrote: post #75
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 really concerning is that "smart" TV's are no longer an upgrade, but the standard. You practically cannot find a new dumb 4k TV. When I went to purchase one recently, Best Buy at least had no other option.

This. I found the same thing in Australia.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#126

Post by spike021 »

I have an older Vizio from ~3 years ago. 1080, 43" (IIRC), and absolutely no "smart" features other than HDMI-CEC (I forget if that's the right term). Works super well. PS4 games look fine on it. Video from my Apple TV looks good.

I think that TV cost me maybe $300. Probably worth much less now.

But I don't need to worry about ads, updates, etc.

It's pretty great.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#127

Post by mindslight »

jMyles wrote: post #46
_alex_ wrote: post #9

I got a “smart” tv and just don’t let it on the network. Problem solved.

> Problem solved. I suspect that the 5g era will bring with it many more devices connecting unbeknownst to their owners, and that "smart" appliances will be first on the list. As that approaches, we need solutions that address this as well.

Another free service that will show up, pop out the 5g modem/sim, and gets paid by repurposing it for mobile data. And after the mobile networks develop strict firewall rules, hopefully they can pivot to selling show popularity as a service.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#128

Post by ssss11 »

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…

But alot of people want Netflix etc streamed. also alot of people dont know how to manage firewalls, pihole etc. This idea of stuffing tracking and ads into everything “smart” is such an insult to the individual.

Re: What is the best dumb TV?

#129

Post by dehrmann »

My fear with dumb TV options that aren't intended for commercial use is that Samsung, LG, and Sharp make a lot of the panels, they keep the good ones for themselves, and they sell off the lower bins to companies making generic and store brands.
Post reply on HN