Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#841

Post by boredpudding » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:05 AM UTC

pupdogg wrote: post #667

tmm wrote: post #613

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Color calibration - I'm not entirely sure what would be involved here, TBH. "Professional" in this context would be what a pro home AV installer[1] would look for, not what a Hollywood color grader would need. TV Tuner - Yes. An ATSC tuner with a COAX antenna input that can auto-scan for receivable channels. If this isn't feasible anymore, then I guess the HDMI input doesn't need ARC. Connectors - looking at your pho…

In that case, I would say that color calibration is very easy to accomplish and having the connectors facing down is something I was already planning to do. Our industrial displays are typically mounted 15-20ft in the air, so customers have an easier time accessing them from the side while on their lift. As for outdoor TVs, that's a whole other Pandora's box, but yes, we also make those displays, mainly for digital b…

What would be the best way to stay up to date with this? Could you add a little newsletter or maybe a social media account somewhere?

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#842

Post by peterfarkas » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:07 AM UTC

pupdogg wrote: post #195

dmitrygr wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think he meant that DUMBO is a name of a disney character

Aah, gotcha! Boy, I really overlooked that one. My primary goal was to come up with an easy to remember name/domain that expressed "DUMB TV" and dumbo.tv was available. Oh well, I'll have to rethink that part through a little more.

Just don't change it to Dumbotron, however attractive it may sound :)

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#843

Post by nicolas_t » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:16 AM UTC

JamesAdir wrote: post #839

I think that the answer is projector. It seems that none of them are "smart", they offer great quality and have a longer life. The downside is mounting them, but it's a one time job.

I was going to make that exact same comment. I bought a JVC video projector (B-stock for a steep discount) and it's great, amazing picture on a very large screen and no wifi, data collection or anything, it's dumb as a brick :) (well assuming a brick that can do hdr tone mapping, etc.. :))

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#844

Post by amelius » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:17 AM UTC

narrowtux wrote: post #832

midasuni wrote: post #831

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That will introduce a lot of delay - they make synchronous cuts by frame buffering every input.

Then I'm afraid it's not possible. The reason the input switch takes so long is because of the HDID negotiation. A video mixer acts as the source and sink for the output and the inputs respectively, where a HDMI switch will just physically disconnect and connect the output port to a different input port, meaning the HDID negotiation has to be re-done every time.

FWIW, I don't care if the screen briefly flickers during switching.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#845

Post by auggierose » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:18 AM UTC

cyborgx7 wrote: post #781

auggierose wrote: post #768

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is it not illegal for your device to highjack a neighbour's internet connection?

Because your neighbor "agreed" to to the possibility in the process of setting up their device as part of that device's TOS.

Should still be illegal. Nobody expects such a thing in a TOS.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#846

Post by ornornor » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:21 AM UTC

ed25519FUUU wrote: post #2

The approach I’ve taken is to just keep my TV off the internet (never join a WiFi network) and make it smart via an Apple TV, which I personally believe to have the strongest privacy protection of any smart TV device. Another bonus is my TV UI hasn’t changed despite changing and upgrading TV brands.

I’d argue libreelec/Kodi with servarr is the strongest privacy friendly solution as it leaks nothing at all to anyone at all and there is no algorithm to influence what you watch or don’t watch. It even can do YouTube in 1080p with sponsorblock (and no ads of course)

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#847

Post by nicolas_t » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:24 AM UTC

chaostheory wrote: post #823

acd wrote: post #821

Buy a smart tv but dont connect it to the Internet no Wifi, no lan cable. Instead connect and use offline video sources such as Blueray, VLC.

I don’t know why this isn’t the answer. I’m sure there will be some people who will bring up, “but it will connect to an open wifi network” argument; but that isn’t common in many places and it still will probably force you to agree to terms and conditions which the TV won’t be able to do. Also what many people have missed is that the promise of data collection revenue is what has made TVs unbelievably cheap. It’s cr…

It's not the answer because some TVs from some companies Hi-Sense will keep complaining that they aren't connected, interrupting whatever you're watching.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#848

Post by ornornor » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:26 AM UTC

bkfh wrote: post #805

When my TV is not in use, I just completely disconnect it from power with a simple switch. Saves power as well

To be fair, the minuscule amount appliances use while in sleep mode is a rounding error. At 0.15/kWh and 5W on standby, it costs a whopping 0.54/month assuming it’s on standby 24h a day for 30 days (ie you never watch it)

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#849

Post by robbiep » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:28 AM UTC

pupdogg wrote: post #582

mcherm wrote: post #571

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have a mailing list I can sign up for to let me know when your product is ready for market?

Sorry no, not yet. But I will work on getting something setup. Thank you for the suggestion.

Please do a show HN when you’re close!

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#850

Post by squarefoot » Sat, Apr 08, 2023, 10:28 AM UTC

pupdogg wrote: post #133

I've designed and built many such TVs for the commercial/industrial vertical. I am currently working on developing such a TV for the consumer market and launching it under the name DUMBO.TV Let me know your thoughts. Reference pix of 70" industrial display using Samsung LCD panel and in-house LCD controller with physical OSD menu buttons along with IR/RS232 control capability: https://imgur.com/a/k6zrH3s

If you can really make a 100% unconnected one, not even for firmware upgrades (just let me use that damn USB port), or Smart but with 100% Open Source firmware -drivers included-, and possibly sell it in the EU too, I'm in. I'll soon (2-3 months) have to buy one, and I'll be probably shelling out like 3-4 times the cost of a Smart TV to buy a signage display to connect to my Kodi based system just not to have spyware running in my next living room, so unless I'm a complete idiot, I guess there's a market for a lower cost one, even though as a consumer product it wouldn't be rated to last as much as signage displays are.

A final thought: Arduino and the Raspberry PI became the reference in the makers community, not because they were better and/or cheaper but because they were reasonably good and cheap, but most importantly they were very well documented and offered standard connectors that would allow makers to build their devices knowing they would be compatible with the new models. If you make a 100% Open Source dumb TV with a rear Open Source well documented connector allowing tinkerers to extend the device functionality beyond adding a TV box (which in most cases just moves the privacy issue one HDMI cable away), your product would be extremely well received by the tinkerers community, and probably much beyond it.