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Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

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Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#351

Post by dmitriid »

metadat wrote: post #219
dmitriid wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Protects your TV performance and functionality from surprise degradation due to "updates" Instead, it will have its own upgrades which will degrade performance and/or UI. A recent Android TV update on my Xiaomi Android TV brought ads covering a 1/4 of the screen from services I'm not subscribed to. Had to revert the upgrade and stop it from updating.

A new dongle is a lot cheaper and less e-waste than a new TV.

And a new single will help me with getting rid of the ads how exactly?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#352

Post by enos_feedler »

cortesoft wrote: post #186
enos_feedler wrote: post #74

I want a dumb tv but with one smart feature: the ability to download software emulations of these terrible hdmi sticks so I don’t have to spend $35+ on each one. Imagine a tv with no ports but the ability to pull the souls of these roku, fire, google tv, apple tv and probably a microsoft one soon. I want the tv to manage all of my bluetooth connections and hot swap to the appropriate “OS” when i reach for each blueto…

Sounds like you want a computer

I am not sure about that. A computer draws pixels. I don’t want my TV drawing any pixels itself

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#353

Post by enos_feedler »

michaelmrose wrote: post #182
enos_feedler wrote: post #74

I want a dumb tv but with one smart feature: the ability to download software emulations of these terrible hdmi sticks so I don’t have to spend $35+ on each one. Imagine a tv with no ports but the ability to pull the souls of these roku, fire, google tv, apple tv and probably a microsoft one soon. I want the tv to manage all of my bluetooth connections and hot swap to the appropriate “OS” when i reach for each blueto…

All of those devices are another useless layer to select an "app" that serves as a client for various streaming services. There is no utility to be had from visualizing multiple entire OS to run their respective nearly identical apps and a unique but useless settings and app switcher gui. You can experience an actual decrease in complexity simply by getting a device that supports the streaming services desired and re…

I agree with what you are saying, but I think it is futile to force all of these distribution platforms to disappear. You will never get everything you want on a single platform. Something will always be missing. The only way to get it all is to have access to all the operating systems.

Therefore, as a user, I just want good hardware that respects what all of these players are trying to do but makes my life as easy as possible. In my view, this is what hardware should do. Having a TV trying to stick it’s own ugly UI in front of all these other ugly UIs is just making the problem worse, not better. I would rather it not even have it’s own remote. It’s like everyone promises their remote will be the one you will use, but in reality you just added another remote to the living room. You didn’t solve it you just made it worse. The best TV right now actually subtracts, not adds.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#354

Post by indrora »

geerlingguy wrote: post #334
undersuit wrote: post #93

What about getting a smart TV that respects you, because you paid a premium. I have a Sharp/NEC c651q. The Raspberry Pi 3 Compute Module in it lets me watch media on the internet(newer models will accept the RPi4 CM). It has no integration with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, etc.

I just reviewed a newer model (MA551-MPi4E) with the CM4, and it is a breath of fresh air after a couple app-ridden ones I've used in the past 5 years. My review is on my website (link in profile), or on my YouTube channel.

I just recently donated an older Sharp-NEC display that I got for $20 at a recycler.

Absolutely worth the two years that it spent on my console as a Chromecast target. They're probably one of the best displays I've ever owned, and the fact that there's an API to go along with it is even better.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#355

Post by vineyardmike »

Georgelemental wrote: post #257
amelius wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's unfortunate the manufacturers are in a position where such perverse anti-customer incentives exist. Why can't we have a consumer organization that protects us from having to buy stuff that we don't want. Wouldn't it be great if any product sold in mass quantities would have to pass a consumer/environment protection committee first?

No, please no committees of incompetent government stuffed shirts that raise the barrier to entry so high that only the established megacorps and their armies of lawyers can hope to compete. Instead, mandate that people must be allowed to opt-out of ads/tracking antifeatures, with private right of action so consumers don't have to rely on government agencies to enforce the standards.

> instead, mandate that people must be allowed to

> ... don't have to rely on government agencies to enforce ...

Who's enforcing the mandate?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#356

Post by indrora »

GekkePrutser wrote: post #45
walrus01 wrote: post #26

Just don't ever give it the wifi password. Drive the TV from a PS4/PS4, xbox series X or home theatre PC. Use the youtube/netflix/amazon video/whatever client software on those platforms. I have a thousand times more confidence that microsoft or sony will keep their operating system patched and free from zero days than some random OS on a TV. And at least they're big enough that their telemetry and data collection pr…

> Just don't ever give it the wifi password This works for now but Amazon is already working on a way to share messages from devices through echo dots etc in the area. Even your neighbors'. It's intended precisely for this purpose :( To capture days from those trying to stay under the radar. It's called sidewalk.

That's a gross misunderstanding of Sidewalk.

If you read the paper, the goal of Sidewalk is to handle "how do I unlock my smart door" when your power/internet has gone sideways. It's intended for super low bandwidth "please pass this note to this device" type situations.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#357

Post by vineyardmike »

adamredwoods wrote: post #119
julianwachholz wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know them as 'digital signage' or 'hospitality tvs' and they do work for their intended use. But they're usually a lot more expensive than their consumer counterparts? My guess is they are either heavily subsidized and/or built to be powered ON 24/7?

Samsung 4k UHD business display (only an example, YMMV): https://www.samsung.com/us/business/displays/pro-tv/be-serie...

... this is a smart tv

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#358

Post by noduerme »

mcculley wrote: post #212
MR4D wrote: post #205

You want to buy a “monitor”, not a TV. For instance there is this from LG [0] or this from Dell [1]. Just do a search for “large 4K monitor” and you’ll find more. [0] - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-43-ultrafine-4k-uhd-monitor-... [1] - https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-55-4k-conference-r...

Is there a proper term or category for a monitor meant for high end installations that has no branding on it (e.g., as one would put into a display at a museum)? I refuse to buy something with a logo on the front of it.

I refuse to hang a TV on my wall at all. That's why I have a projector.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#359

Post by ornornor »

Panasonic OLEDs are it i think. I have a FZ800 (there are more recent updates of this model) and it’s perfect. No ads anywhere. Turns on (everything ready to use) within 5 seconds, picture is amazing because OLED, has no bezel so no branding. It is technically a smart tv because it has Netflix and other downloadable apps but it works perfectly fine without internet or using any of these apps: for the features that matter it behaves like a regular non smart tv without any obnoxious interface, just plain blue text on grey boxes.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#360

Post by vineyardmike »

Scoundreller wrote: post #49
GekkePrutser wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just don't ever give it the wifi password This works for now but Amazon is already working on a way to share messages from devices through echo dots etc in the area. Even your neighbors'. It's intended precisely for this purpose :( To capture days from those trying to stay under the radar. It's called sidewalk.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next iteration of TVs will take ads over a data signal over OTA deals with TV stations and display localized ads in programming and in their apps.

> take ads over a data signal over OTA deals with TV stations

Isn't that just regular OTA linear tv?

But really, I'm not sure how legal it would be for the stations to mess with what they use that band for and what is distributed.

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