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My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

support.vizio.com

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Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#91
post #70
post #2

I seem to recall that Vizio was added to my "do not buy" list quite a long time ago, when it turned out they were monitoring your watching habit ( https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/7/14527360/vizio-smart-tv-tr... ). This seems to be more of the same I guess. Choice text from the link above: Q: Why did I see an ad in Scenic Mode? A: After Scenic Mode launches to full screen, you may see ads. We offer free, scenic conten…

To be honest, this is part of why TVs can be offered for so cheap these days. Same reason really cheap phones are stuffed with bloatware. Luckily with TVs you can freeload: just never connect it to the internet and only apply updates via USB. Stick an Apple TV / Chromecast / console into it for playback. This might even become standard operating procedure considering Samsung is getting into the ad game, and LG and So…

I don’t know how much longer that will be possible with how cheap 5G is getting. Sooner or later they’ll be able to install a $10 part and make a deal with wireless carriers as backhaul for unconnected TVs. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone has already made a deal with Spectrum or XFinity to use those open wifi networks that are open to customers via their account signin.

The best solution is commercial displays but those can be quite a bit more expensive and hard to pick out.

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#93
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be honest, this is part of why TVs can be offered for so cheap these days. Same reason really cheap phones are stuffed with bloatware. Luckily with TVs you can freeload: just never connect it to the internet and only apply updates via USB. Stick an Apple TV / Chromecast / console into it for playback. This might even become standard operating procedure considering Samsung is getting into the ad game, and LG and So…

Or take the back off and remove the WiFi module

Or just don't give it your Wifi password...

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to feel bad for South Dakotans. Now I feel bad for all of us.

I feel like ads are taking over everything. I fear the world will soon resemble Minority Report. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bXJ_obaiYQ

Soon?

Sure, we don't have billboards that scan the biometrics of whoever's walking past in order to deliver customized ads, but instead we have conditioned everyone to glue themselves to their own personal miniaturized billboards.

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#95
post #43

I refuse to buy any “smart tv”. If that means going without a TV, then I’m going without one and will use the largest monitor I can use with a small beelink Linux box. We’re prey for their bottom line as they can’t sell TV’s for a profit without running ads all over it. I’m done. I’m out. Back to books, vinyl, fresh press, gnu, board games, and going outside.

Why not buy a smart TV and don't connect it to wifi?

Some smart TV don't enable all features until you've connected them once and done a firmware update. And I don't even mean smart features, sometimes it's things like HDMI input formats.

Of course you could just do the one update and then unplug it.

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#97
post #19

I refuse to buy any “smart tv”. If that means going without a TV, then I’m going without one and will use the largest monitor I can use with a small beelink Linux box. We’re prey for their bottom line as they can’t sell TV’s for a profit without running ads all over it. I’m done. I’m out. Back to books, vinyl, fresh press, gnu, board games, and going outside.

We bought a projector. Would definitely recommend this if you have a wall that works for it. No unsettling frame smoothing, a minute or two warm up that adds just enough friction and no smart functions or ads.

I second this. Great for movie parties and sporting events. I got a reasonable quality one as surplus from a high-school IT department on fb marketplace.

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#98
post #26

My TV occasionally turns on unexpectedly. I'm pretty sure it is the Xfinity Flex streaming box that is connected to it telling it to do so. It used to happen between 3 and 4 am, if I remember correctly, and was very annoying because the TV is in the same room I sleep in. I guessed that it might be the Flex box doing it after I remembered that the Flex box was scheduled do to automatic updates between 3 and 4 am. My g…

That's crazy of you to sacrifice your sleep enough nights to notice a pattern. The extent of my patience would be 1st night - disable CEC on the TV 2nd night - to hell with you, into the garbage it goes

You're way more patient than me.

If any of my devices turn on in the middle of the night, they get the business end of a 48" crowbar that weighs too damned much. They all saw what happened to the printer when it refused to print a black and white document without yellow ink. I think their fear will keep them in line.

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#99
post #2

I seem to recall that Vizio was added to my "do not buy" list quite a long time ago, when it turned out they were monitoring your watching habit ( https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/7/14527360/vizio-smart-tv-tr... ). This seems to be more of the same I guess. Choice text from the link above: Q: Why did I see an ad in Scenic Mode? A: After Scenic Mode launches to full screen, you may see ads. We offer free, scenic conten…

I believe a Roku does the same kind of TV fingerprinting, and probably so do the other streaming hardware devices. So, not sure there is any relief anywhere? You can run your own linux HPC, but those get locked to 720p quality.

> You can run your own linux HPC, but those get locked to 720p quality.

That is demonstrably not true.

If you run Jellyfin and pirate using thepiratebay and yandex searches, you can get 4k 7.1 audio shows.

Re: My TV started playing a video in full screen by itself. What happened?

#100
This is truly dystopian.

Also this sad excuse for an FAQ:

Q: Is payment required to receive Scenic Mode? A: No. Scenic Mode does not require payment and is part of VIZIO’s mission to continually make your Smart TV better than when you bought it.

Smart TVs are really and truly awful.

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