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The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

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Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#201

Post by dylan604 »

nesk_ wrote: post #189
jtbayly wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you block internet if it will join open networks automatically?

I just allowed my Samsung TV to connect to the wifi (to access the local network, because the Steam Link client is better on it than it is on the Apple TV) and then, on my router, I blocked all Internet access coming from the mac address of the Samsung TV.

At some point, these devices will be smarter than you about this. They will recognize a WiFi connection that cannot access the internet, and prefer an open network instead.

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#202

Post by scarface74 »

cube00 wrote: post #167
scarface74 wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact that are. They are selling TVs cheaply subsidized by ads.

When I first purchased my TV there were no ads on it. The ads came later when Google updated their Android launcher. So, where's my discount?

Why do you think Google - an ad company - was trying to get into the TV market?

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#203

Post by nesk_ »

kornhole wrote: post #183
nesk_ wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

However those TVs are not easy to get and, like you said, they come with an increased price. I couldn't recommend enough to buy an Apple TV (or equivalent) and block all Internet access to your "smart" TV. I did this and everything was instantly better.

I don't know if you have been following the news about Apple expanding its advertising business. If you don't want a corporation collecting data about your viewing, you could modify your approach slightly and try kodi.tv. I have Librelec running on a RPI with attached SSD as house media server. The add-ons catalog is large and growing, but it won't have all the channels you might want.

Unfortunately yes, I saw the news about Apple. I'm waiting to see what will happen concretely, but I'm not very optimist. We'll see and maybe it will be time to move to another device :'(

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#204

Post by BoGs83 »

cube00 wrote: post #47

The new Google TV launcher complete with ads on an expensive TV or a Shield is getting a hammering in the ratings, shows how little they care about customer feedback. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and... Bonus points for making the preview images in the store not show the ads you'll see. If any other app tried to mislead users like that they'd be banned from the store. Although it's not lik…

I have the same problems and it enraged me. It enraged me to the point where I back flashed the nvidia and blocked all domains to .google.com at the pihole for that mac address. Above that all NAT for DNS and blocking DoH and DoT. I do not need "new firmware" versions as the software I run on nvidia shield is just fine.

I unlock the shield, manually install the apps I want updated and ignore the rest. It has no external internet so meh if its got zero day exploits open.

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#205

Post by wccrawford »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #43
ClumsyPilot wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

some manufacturers are outright scamming people - philips has added advertisement to TVs after they were sold!

Same with my Nvidia Shield TV which is aggravating.

At least with the Shield, nVidia wasn't the one that added those ads. It was Google. nVidia was put in a bad situation there, and I'm hoping they'll correct it soon.

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#206

Post by vlunkr »

teddyh wrote: post #25
littlecranky67 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "they use any open wifi they can see" myth has been brought up on HN multiple times, and never did anybody provide any credible proof of this rumour (that started as a single reddit comment).

I would be surprised if modern TVs didn’t connect to open WiFis; there is literally no reason for TVs not to do this, and every incentive to do it. Even if we discount the ads as a motivator, it’s still a simple solution to get people’s stuff configured automatically.

In my sample size of two different brands, this isn’t true.

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#207

Post by Workaccount2 »

1ncorrect wrote: post #117
rendall wrote: post #57

> Some may argue that there's no need to be dramatic and that there's nothing wrong in seeing an occasional ad every now and then. Oh, no, I am very dramatic about this. I will go to any lengths not to see advertising. I will entirely forgo any platform that shows me even one ad, especially when I pay them. Amazon Prime video is already pushing it with their preroll previews. The second it's something else I'm cancel…

Advertising needs to become as socially acceptable as smoking. It indiscriminately pollutes the environment, and inflicts harm on non participants by incentivising unbridled data collection.

The hard, spikey, jagged, foul tasting pill to swallow then:

Society needs to pay directly for content.

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#208

Post by blueflow »

scient wrote: post #190
blueflow wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a non-argument - just because most people do it doesn't mean you have to do it, too. Edit: The slippery slope: 95% of people are straight.

Quoted post unavailable.

> other people shouldn't watch it either.

Where did i suggest that? I only showed that what i did is a possible path. At no point i judged the other paths.

Watch my phrasing.. "... is an option", "you don't have to ...".

I suspect you are reading too much between my lines.

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#209

Post by indeyets »

marcinzm wrote: post #162
HeckFeck wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cynical, sly enthusiasm. I just can't imagine 5G bands devoted to adverts passing invisibly through my skin. It is too much like the adverts in your dreams skit from Futurama. Again, it is increasingly hard to separate satire from prophesy.

Maybe in the future the TV will play barely audible ads when it detects you're asleep.

Don't give them hints!

Re: The downfall of smart TVs: From promises of seamless viewing to ad tool

#210

Post by AlexandrB »

werds wrote: post #178
1ncorrect wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Advertising needs to become as socially acceptable as smoking. It indiscriminately pollutes the environment, and inflicts harm on non participants by incentivising unbridled data collection.

this is a bit silly

Maybe, maybe not. The mental effects of products optimized for delivering advertising don't seem to be great for people or society (see: Meta's products, Twitter, TikTok).
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