In Defense of Dumb TVs

#1

Post by rbanffy » Fri, Feb 26, 2021, 10:05 AM UTC

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#2

Post by luplex » Fri, Feb 26, 2021, 10:33 AM UTC

Consumers no longer own their devices. Companies decide which code runs on them, and of course they choose code that makes them money.

There really is no reason to couple two functions (displaying images, selecting and playing content) in a single device. It's an antipattern for resilient and serviceable systems.

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#3

Post by johs » Fri, Feb 26, 2021, 9:33 PM UTC

this is intresting

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#4

Post by lrvick » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:20 AM UTC

This is exactly why I never connect TVs to the internet.

Then they are just dumb HDMI panels.

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#5

Post by xwdv » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:21 AM UTC

Did “Dumb” TVs really need defending? Seems like if anything we should be convinced instead why Smart TVs are a good idea.

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#6

Post by imglorp » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:21 AM UTC

> Incredibly, Samsung even recommends that you run virus and malware checking on your TV regularly.

Given its constant ambient speech scanning, Samsung also recommends that you leave the room if you want to have a private conversation. This makes me very, very angry.

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#7

Post by scrooched_moose » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:22 AM UTC

At least for the time being it's still possible to keep TVs off the internet and bypass this garbage. I've got a 2020 Sony and have never seen an ad on it.

I'm expecting these days are numbered though; some combination of ethernet-over-HDMI, Amazon Sidewalk, built-in 5G antennas, or just straight up refusing to work without a network connection feels like it's just a couple years away.

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#8

Post by capableweb » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:23 AM UTC

xwdv wrote: post #5

Did “Dumb” TVs really need defending? Seems like if anything we should be convinced instead why Smart TVs are a good idea.

Maybe not in the HN bubble, but certainly outside. Many people don't give a fuck if it's smart or dumb, they buy what the salesman in the store manage to sell them. "Smart" sounds... Smart, so easy sell.

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#9

Post by neolog » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:27 AM UTC

imglorp wrote: post #6

> Incredibly, Samsung even recommends that you run virus and malware checking on your TV regularly. Given its constant ambient speech scanning, Samsung also recommends that you leave the room if you want to have a private conversation. This makes me very, very angry.

Source?

Re: In Defense of Dumb TVs

#10

Post by Buttons840 » Sun, Feb 28, 2021, 1:31 AM UTC

scrooched_moose wrote: post #7

At least for the time being it's still possible to keep TVs off the internet and bypass this garbage. I've got a 2020 Sony and have never seen an ad on it. I'm expecting these days are numbered though; some combination of ethernet-over-HDMI, Amazon Sidewalk, built-in 5G antennas, or just straight up refusing to work without a network connection feels like it's just a couple years away.

Imagine a TV that must be connected to the internet at all times being hacked so that it only plays educational videos about the evils of Smart TV's 24/7.