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Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

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Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#441
post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can come up with other fun conspiracies by realizing that the HDMI spec can share internet connections. Plugging in your "fire cast", or whatever external television device you use, could provide your TV an internet connection, but it doesn't seem to be widely used yet.

This is, it seems, just untrue. It was posted before ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24668736 ) and I was curious about this attack vector so looked it up [0] Simply put, it seems that this never took off and would require the entire hdmi chain to support it (tv, cable, and device) - none of which do currently, so for the medium future it doesn't seem to be a concern. Plenty of concern elsewhere, just not nece…

It's definitely real. A/V receivers are the typical devices to support HEC, so you can run one Ethernet cable to the receiver and use a smart TV with the HDMI audio return channel, with one HDMI cable.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#442
post #432

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It stretches credulity to suggest that the lack of non-smart TVs on the market causes the popularity of smart TVs. Would you also suggest that the lack of black and white TVs on the market causes the popularity of color TVs?

Why weren't TVs with built in VCRs and DVD players more popular?

They were mostly small TVs and not the highest quality. And separate VHS or DVD players had more features.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#443

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've literally never ever seen a washing machine that isn't a 'front loader' here in the UK either in someones house or in a store, I didn't know you could still buy other ones!

UK yeah, you all have those washer/dryer combos that wash tiny loads, and almost set clothes on fire to dry them. (In my experience they also take forever to dry the clothes!) Can't be very good for synthetics, I have clothing that has gotten scorch marks from my American dryer's "medium heat" setting, I can't imagine what would have happened in a UK machine! It should be noted that in many places in the US that hang…

My washing machine can fit in one of those 'comforters' (duvet as It would seem to other UK folk!) easily with more to boot. Maybe our front loaders are larger than the ones available in the US?

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#444
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t have proof of purchase for 90% of the stuff I own. It’s insane to expect people to hang on to receipts for eternity.

Even more fun is that there’s some receipts where the ink fades/rubs off in a matter of days so even though you have the paper receipt you still have no proof of purchase.

You have a high-res camera on your person at all times. I take photos of all receipts for over $50 or so as a precaution.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#445

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UK yeah, you all have those washer/dryer combos that wash tiny loads, and almost set clothes on fire to dry them. (In my experience they also take forever to dry the clothes!) Can't be very good for synthetics, I have clothing that has gotten scorch marks from my American dryer's "medium heat" setting, I can't imagine what would have happened in a UK machine! It should be noted that in many places in the US that hang…

My washing machine can fit in one of those 'comforters' (duvet as It would seem to other UK folk!) easily with more to boot. Maybe our front loaders are larger than the ones available in the US?

The front loaders in the US tend to be of the High Efficiency variety, which means they spray just a little bit of water on the clothing and then "tumble" it around to get the clothes clean.

If the machine is stuffed full this doesn't work, the water gets caught in some fold of the clothing and you end up with 1 damp spot and an otherwise dry duvet.

I Air BnB'd my way around the UK, the washing machines in the places I stayed were generally tiny, like smaller than anything I've even seen in the US, but that could've just been an artifact of me staying in Air BnBs.

They all did share the trait of getting the clothing seemingly scorching hot to dry it though. :/

American top loading machines are generally huge. Now days they have sensors to detect how much water they really need to use, so they aren't going through LMAOWTFBBQ gallons of water like they did when I was a kid.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#446
post #421

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Monitors generally don't have remote controls or speakers. The latter solved with soundbar but former is important use case.

Some monitors do have speakers, and not having enough functionality for a remote to be needed is exactly why someone would get a monitor. A remote for a non-smart tv these days would basically be an input control and volume. Everything else would be controlled by some other piece of equipment that would need its own remote/app on your phone.

I used to have a Nintendo WiiU connected up to an old computer monitor with integrated speakers. The WiiU has no volume control of its own, so the only way to change the volume was by going through a series of menus using the crappy unreliable light-sensitive (yes) buttons on the bottom of the display. It was a pain in the neck, and a remote control would have solved that problem nicely.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#447

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Front loading washing machines just seem like an all around more fragile design that is also less usable. I have an HE top loader. It uses just as little water, but it can wash a lot more clothes when needed. I can push a button and it stops being HE and can fill its tub up to wash blankets and comforters. Also front loaders just can't clean synthetic fabrics that water beads off of. I've seen fabrics come out of a f…

I've literally never ever seen a washing machine that isn't a 'front loader' here in the UK either in someones house or in a store, I didn't know you could still buy other ones!

Huh. Top loaders are more common than front loaders in the US.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#448

I bought one of Samsung's smart televisions a couple years ago. I think I paid $1500 for it. Anyway, it started showing me ads and the TV eventually became sluggish less than a month after owning it. Returned it as defective. Ever since that experience, I swore of all smart televisions and will never buy another Samsung television or smartphone again if I can help it.

Can you recommend a non-smart TV? Seems like everything is smart these days.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#449
post #434
post #385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See previous discussion about this problem here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27701977 TL;DR- TVs are using their own cellular connections and/or neighboring open wireless networks.

>L;DR- TVs are using their own cellular connections The link doesn't say that.

It links to https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/01/huawei-reportedly-plans-f...

And it opens with,

> Though its 5G products are not entirely welcome in the United States, Huawei is reportedly pushing forward with a unique new product: the world’s first 5G television. As Nikkei reports this morning, the Chinese company plans to use the cellular-enabled TV and new PCs to challenge Samsung’s and Apple’s dominant positions in the global consumer electronics market.

Re: Samsung remotely disables TVs looted from South African warehouse

#450

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why is everyone so confused that smart TVs are popular? Also the real reason that they're popular: there are no non-smart TVs available.

It stretches credulity to suggest that the lack of non-smart TVs on the market causes the popularity of smart TVs. Would you also suggest that the lack of black and white TVs on the market causes the popularity of color TVs?

Why does it stretch credulity? It's exactly the reason smart printer cartridges are popular.
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