72% of smart TVs and 46% of game consoles hardcode DNS settings

Post by hanklazard » Sat, Dec 05, 2020, 2:34 PM UTC

dspillett wrote: post #42

tga wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren’t all smart TVs dumb if you don’t connect them to the internet? I wouldn’t be surprised if manufacturers start selling TVs that need to be activated online before first use, but I don’t know of any that do that already.

Mine quite happily works as a dumb TV without a connection, and I know many others who do the same. Though I hear stories of TVs being annoying to use without a connection (timing out waiting for a server response that can never come, before falling back to an ad free menu, or just constantly nagging, even while content is playing, about the lack of connectivity).

Post by anthk » Sat, Dec 05, 2020, 2:41 PM UTC

willis936 wrote: post #80

anthk wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does your TV magically crack the WPA2 password?

Why would it need to? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25275350

Post by therealx » Sat, Dec 05, 2020, 2:44 PM UTC

overscore wrote: post #46

mojo982 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it? I’m still holding onto my TV from 2014 because it doesn’t have “smart” functionality. Every time I look at new ones I can’t find good dumb ones.

If you don't need any "TV" features such as a tuner or speakers, you might consider using a monitor. I use a 32" 4k monitor as my "TV". In my case, anything with a TV tuner requires an expensive license, so that's another motivating factor, but whenever I use someone else's "smart TV", I'm always relieved that I don't have to deal with glacial UIs and injected ads.

Post by therealx » Sat, Dec 05, 2020, 2:45 PM UTC

grishka wrote: post #109

ksec wrote: post #85

May be we start detaching the Smart into a separate box, or basically buying a large Monitor ? Is there such thing as 55" Monitor? The whole TV industry needs some new thinking and innovation. Right now it is race to the bottom and everyone is trying to get some extra revenues from Data gathering. There are also a huge oversupply from LCD panel maker.

I heard that you can buy a dumb 55" monitor if you call it digital signage. Though these things are expensive because they're made for businesses. Another option is to simply never give your smart TV any kind of network connection.

Post by 2Gkashmiri » Sat, Dec 05, 2020, 2:46 PM UTC

jacob019 wrote: post #101

2Gkashmiri wrote: post #64

Jio (India) is super obnoxious in the fact that their own router is locked down hard. Now you cant even change your DNS. I have suggested few people to bypass this limitation by removing the router as dhcp and using pihole for that. That works but don't know for how long. The pathetic thing is their router does not even allow bridging mode. Fuck jio.

You can always put your own router in front of the ISP provided crap, pretty common to have to do that.