Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

zdnet.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 398 posts

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#51

Post by SSLy »

mattwad wrote: post #19
hdjjhhvvhga wrote: post #4

I don't understand why anyone would like to connect such a thing to their WiFi. An external device gives you flexibility and control. The built-in firmware gives you ads and tracking.

I like having only one remote with my TV. I get minor anxiety when at other people's houses and they have 3-4 remotes or more, and usually only one person knows what they all do (the one that had to set it all up).

I have an Apple TV 4k ↔ LG OLED ↔ Soundbar setup, and it's all controlled via the Siri Remote. HDMI CEC seems to just work.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#52

Post by nsxwolf »

worble wrote: post #42
cantrevealname wrote: post #35

The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet and instead use a digital media player or external streaming device. I wholeheartedly agree. But then several people mentioned wanting to update the firmware. If you'll never connect it to the Internet, then you should never update the firmware either. It goes against conventional wisdom, but updating the firmware in this situation is more likely to…

>It goes against conventional wisdom Does it? So long as it's not connected to the internet, and generally works, then why would you want to? Whats the risk?

Firmware updates can bring image quality improvements, hardware compatibility fixes, all sorts of stuff beyond the built-in streaming apps.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#53

Post by bombcar »

coldtea wrote: post #36
potatototoo99 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are plenty of plain TVs around though, just like there are plain operating systems, plain phones, etc but consumers still give their money to Samsung, Microsoft, Google, etc. Most people don't care, you are not the target audience.

So, what would be some of that plenty "plain" models with good quality and comparable price?

Found a cheap one but it’s 720p.

Sceptre 32" Class 720P HD LED TV X322BV-SR

Didn’t spent much time looking at Walmart however.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#54

Post by mikestew »

ceejayoz wrote: post #50
mikestew wrote: post #31

Just give me my Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, HBO Max,... All of which are available on an AppleTV, and I assume other less-intrusive devices. TFA comes to that conclusion in the last paragraph, but just in case anyone didn't make it that far. And then, as everyone on this page is going to say, never let that TV anywhere near a network connection. Why anyone would go to the effort of dicking with a pi-hole cat-and-…

At some point, I fully expect the TVs are going to refuse to work after a month of no internet.

At which point I'm personally content to go read a book (on my network-connected Amazon Kindle, of course). But I'm one of dozens, unfortunately for the rest of you because Samsung won't care about cranky old men and their books, they don't spend money anyway.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#56

Post by sliken »

Queue a zillion posts about wanting dumb TVs.

My suggestion is buy a Roku, don't give the TV an IP address, and run Netflix, Amazon Prime, Plex, Hulu, and whatever you want out of one of the biggest channel catalogs out there on the Roku. It's way nicer remote, supports RF (so no pointing at the TV), and even supports using earphones (BT or wired from the remote).

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#57

Post by rewgs »

jrib wrote: post #22
walrus01 wrote: post #6

never, ever give a TV an internet connection, wifi password or dhcp lease. I realize there are ads on the homescreen of an xbox series x, ps4 pro, ps5, etc but I would much rather deal with those than whatever shoddy operating system TV manufacturers put on their thing. I have a thousand times more confidence that microsoft and sony will keep their OSes patched and up to date (they have a strong financial/self-intere…

my parents' TCL TV would blink a white light at the bottom of the front bezel unless we gave it access to the wifi... :(

I assume connecting it to an adhoc network that doesn’t have internet access wouldn’t work?

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#58

Post by agilob »

cantrevealname wrote: post #35

The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet and instead use a digital media player or external streaming device. I wholeheartedly agree. But then several people mentioned wanting to update the firmware. If you'll never connect it to the Internet, then you should never update the firmware either. It goes against conventional wisdom, but updating the firmware in this situation is more likely to…

Why even buy a TV then, why not a PC screen or a projector?

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#59

Post by PreachSoup »

agilob wrote: post #58
cantrevealname wrote: post #35

The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet and instead use a digital media player or external streaming device. I wholeheartedly agree. But then several people mentioned wanting to update the firmware. If you'll never connect it to the Internet, then you should never update the firmware either. It goes against conventional wisdom, but updating the firmware in this situation is more likely to…

Why even buy a TV then, why not a PC screen or a projector?

Because if u want the best oled panel as pc screen, you have to get a tv

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#60

Post by smt88 »

cantrevealname wrote: post #35

The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet and instead use a digital media player or external streaming device. I wholeheartedly agree. But then several people mentioned wanting to update the firmware. If you'll never connect it to the Internet, then you should never update the firmware either. It goes against conventional wisdom, but updating the firmware in this situation is more likely to…

> The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet

Appallingly, this isn't enough to stop the ads. Many TVs will proactively scan for open networks and connect to them.

Post reply on HN