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

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

#121

Post by donohoe »

jorvi wrote: post #70
pmags wrote: 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…

No it’s not. The cost dropped because new tech became cheaper over time.

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

#122

Post by genocidicbunny »

vitus wrote: post #94
leereeves wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Actually, wasn't one of the selling points of those freezer/fridge door screens that CVS or Walgreens had that they could show personalized ads based on the person standing in front of them?

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

#123

Post by genocidicbunny »

reaperducer wrote: post #119
kulahan wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m pretty sure you can buy “industrial” TVs from standard vendors which might fit the bill for you. They’re much pricier though, if I’m remembering correctly.

I once priced a generic panel from B&H and it wasn't very much more than paying for a smart TV with nearly the same specs. That's why I don't buy the "but ads make it cheaper" lie.

The ads _do_ make it cheaper though. Just not for the consumer.

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

#124

Post by valgaze »

afavour wrote: post #9
nosrepa wrote: post #7

And possibly why this got posted: https://www.reddit.com/r/ABoringDystopia/comments/1jkwcbx/if...

God that’s another level of dystopian. Not just ads but political propaganda.

Those are probably part of this ad campaign: https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/kristi-noem-announces...

Those idle tv moments are probably bought as an ad slot

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

#125

Post by Nectar0516 »

3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #47
pmags wrote: 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.

The bigger problem with running on a PC is UI. No longer will it work well with a simple remote that only needs 10 buttons.

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

#126

Post by Spooky23 »

thakoppno wrote: post #105
throwup238 wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

> 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. I’m skeptical an arrangement like this could work. The authentication mechanism would be interesting enough to attract security researchers and likely open anonymous Internet access that may undermine any potential benefit gained from viewer data. I…

Definitely a risk.

I knew a guy who basically got internet access at his apartment in college via his local DOT. The message signs on the boulevard he worked on were just cellular mifi units with open or default credentials. Not super fast, but the price was right.

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

#128

Post by tiltowait »

gennarro wrote: post #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.

That answer is a laugh. I quite liked my Vizio when I bought it. After a few updates, I vowed never to buy Vizio again and to recommend against them to anyone who asked.

Now, it constantly nags me to buy a new remote, aggressively changes to an ad screen the moment you disconnect an input, and runs more slowly than before. Great job, Vizio!

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

#129

Post by jimt1234 »

paradite wrote: post #73

You can turn it off. This is just a poorly worded FAQ. At the beginning, there is an FAQ that says you can't turn off ads in scenic mode. Q: Can I turn Scenic Mode ads off? A: No, not at this time... But in fact you can turn the Scenic mode off completely, but it buried later in the content of an FAQ about settings. Q: Can I change any settings for Scenic Mode? A: Yes. To use Scenic Mode with or without volume, navig…

Sounds like a job for Pi-hole.

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

#130

Post by qwerpy »

Nectar0516 wrote: post #125
3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The bigger problem with running on a PC is UI. No longer will it work well with a simple remote that only needs 10 buttons.

It's definitely less ergonomic but I successfully trained my extremely non-technical wife to use a VNC client on her phone to control the media center PC so she can watch streaming/youtube with an adblocking browser.

If you go to the trouble of setting up a media server and Kodi/Plex on the TV, and install a barebones launcher that avoids all the ads on the official launcher, the remote still works well. I don't know whether to blame Sony or Google but every system update brought bigger and bigger ads to the point that I took an afternoon off to sideload an extremely plain ad-free launcher.

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