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Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

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61–70 of 518 posts

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#61

So if you just use the HDMI port, does the smarttv know what is going through the HDMI port? A smart tv with no internet connection that only uses its HDMI ports is a dumb tv, isn't it?

Yeah, that works for several models. I do it with my slightly older Samsung to make it dumb.

Unfortunately, many manufacturers are now forcing you to stay connected to WiFi to use the TV. “TV phone home!”

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#62

Why don't people like their Smart TVs? I've had a 4k smart TV for years and love it. Being able to stream without needing my phone is great. It seems ironic that people are complaining about smart TV ads while the [2] link in the OP has an absolutely MASSIVE video ad that takes up 2/3s of the screen. And it's not like you're not being tracked when you stream from a Roku stick / Chromecast. Edit: I have a 4k Samsung t…

Many/most of the built-in interfaces of smart TVs are slow, buggy, and ad/tracker-ridden and have a limited upgrade path, if any.

Since there are effectively no dumb TVs on the market anymore, I bought a fancy Sony TV with AndroidTV built-in, hoping that'd it'd be decent enough to use out of the box. Nope. Slow, laggy, and some of the big name streaming apps from the app store just plain don't work.

Also when the TV updated itself it broke HDMI-CEC for a good couple months before another update fixed it. Screw that.

Bought an AppleTV and it's been great. Unplugged the SmartTV from the network and treat it as a dumb TV now.

Yes I know AppleTV is tracking me, too, but at least the user experience is great with no ads.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#63
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So give it a network connection for initial setup then take it away?

So you'll still have all the adverts, they just don't update?

Annoying, but at least it isn't feeding your information in to the weird ad-driven panopticon (we'll leave that to the content providers!)

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#64
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So give it a network connection for initial setup then take it away?

So you'll still have all the adverts, they just don't update?

> they just don't update?

That's a cursed scenario...

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#65
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So give it a network connection for initial setup then take it away?

So you'll still have all the adverts, they just don't update?

I had to do that. My Samsung couldn’t leave “demo mode” or whatever without going online first and would restart itself every hour. I just let it register and blocked it from coming out my router. It stays quiet like that. I believe removing the wifi showed some nag when booting that I had to deal with. Real scummy stuff.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#67

Why don't people like their Smart TVs? I've had a 4k smart TV for years and love it. Being able to stream without needing my phone is great. It seems ironic that people are complaining about smart TV ads while the [2] link in the OP has an absolutely MASSIVE video ad that takes up 2/3s of the screen. And it's not like you're not being tracked when you stream from a Roku stick / Chromecast. Edit: I have a 4k Samsung t…

Let me Google That For Ya!

https://lmgtfy.app/?q=smart+tv+spying+in+you

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#68

Why don't people like their Smart TVs? I've had a 4k smart TV for years and love it. Being able to stream without needing my phone is great. It seems ironic that people are complaining about smart TV ads while the [2] link in the OP has an absolutely MASSIVE video ad that takes up 2/3s of the screen. And it's not like you're not being tracked when you stream from a Roku stick / Chromecast. Edit: I have a 4k Samsung t…

Because it's cheap to replace a roku/chromecast as technology evolves, but TVs tend to be longer-term investments. Hating smart TVs is akin to hating cars that have built-in factory navigation systems. Content streaming devices/services (and mapping/navigation/music for cars) regularly evolve/change with the fast pace of technology and the Internet, while TVs and Cars are hardware you hang onto for a long period of years. You don't want outdated tech baked into your hardware forever, especially tech built in by companies that don't specialize in that stuff to begin with.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#69
Look, I think it’s a legitimate question, and I’m not thrilled about most “smart” TV operating systems. But why pigeonhole your search like this? You will almost certainly end up with a worse actual display, which is what you’re spending the money on in the first place. Just buy a nice panel and disable as much of the smarts as you can—-it’ll be fine. Android TV is the best option out there, in my opinion; and it’s what Sony’s run (the best panels out there).

If you buy something marketed as a monitor, it will have no (or terrible) audio, and you will struggle to find something in the >=65” class. I think it’s a fine option for a spare TV, but it doesn’t cut it for the living room.

I get why HN hates smart TV’s, but unfortunately the ship has sailed. I’d rather have a nice TV than be an activist, gotta choose your battles.

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