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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?

#261
post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's exactly what we do. Works great.

I hope you never have a guest that connects it when you're not aware.

The smart TV part is not connected to anything, there is no ethernet cable to it, and the WIFI is not setup. The remote for the TV is in a drawer.

The Apple TV is the only thing connected, and it will auto turn the TV on/off by itself(thanks HDCP).

So I guess someone could go really far out of their way to make the Smart TV parts work again, it doesn't seem very likely.

We use Plex almost exclusively, it provides the Live TV.

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

#262
post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple TV is pretty good and not very pricey. It’s a good value

Starting at $130 is kind of pricey. A Roku Ultra isn't as capable, but is $80, and a Roku Express 4K+ (no wired ethernet, no dolby atmos) is $30. Roku likes to snoop and push ads too, of course. And how usable are they if you're outside of the Apple ecosystem (i think I saw an article recently that someone was stuck and needed to use a mac or an iPhone to get unstuck).

I haven’t had any issues with mine yet but I have lots of Apple devices so I am not the best to answer this question.

But, as far as Roku they are subsidized by selling your data and pushing ads as you call out above. Not really a fair comparison. Just like you have to pay more everywhere for the ad free tier you end up paying more for Apple TV.

I will say though that the Apple TV handles 4K flawlessly. I am willing to bet that it has quite a bit more power than any of roku’s offerings.

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

#263
post #181
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.

No need to go digital signage: LG 48GQ900 is a 48" 120Hz 4K OLED monitor .

Sheesh that’s a bit nutty!

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

#264
post #117

The good news: large-panel TV sets are inexpensive for their performance. The bad news: like many modern products, and as freely confessed in the linked article, you don't own the TV, it owns you . The remedy: Connect the TV to your computer as a dumb monitor -- make it show only content you directly control. And disable the TV's network connection -- without that connection, it can't show ads. My large-panel TV serv…

> This means no "Scenic Mode" ads and no YouTube corporate ads, only ads embedded by video content creators, which I skip over with a pointing device because the video is being controlled by a browser, not a TV. You skip over the ones that are obvious, but not the ones that are more stealthily integrated into the content. IMO if a video creator sells out and adds sponsored content of any kind they are no longer to be…

This is a YouTube version of the well-established principle that consumers, while being trained to buy specific products, are also being trained ... to buy products, to expect consumer goods to solve existential dilemmas. And I agree, it's true -- deplorable and true.

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

#266
post #84

About 2 years ago we got a deal on a smallish Samsung for our nursery. The thing is haunted. On more than a couple occasions in the middle of the night I've heard people talking. On working up the courage and getting out of bed I've found the TV tuned in my daughter's room to one of those Samsung Internet TV channels. My wife and I never use those, so it's absolutely bizarre.

Possibly voice activation trying to interpret baby noises as commands? If so there should be a setting to disable it.

As far as I am aware the only voice control requires a button press on the remote. Beyond that, our daughter sleeps in a pack-n-play in our bedroom.

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

#267
post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

I recall reading a few years back about some crapware that opportunistically would attempt connecting through any available AP (e.g. your neighbor) and smuggle data that way.

What nearby available AP could possibly have open access in 2025?

For real, I haven't seen an "Open" Wifi network that wasn't a Coffee shop or Airport in over 10 years.

Yes, it's insidious and evil, but I'd argue the attack surface is almost nonexistent in 2025.

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

#268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just don't buy an Android TV box. My ancient, very dumb, and totally wonderful Chromecast died, and I had to replace it with a Chromecast TV device. It's turned my TV into a 24-hour a day ad faucet. Transformed from a device that does remote Chromecasting very very well, to a insufficiently provisioned Android TV box that crashes and locks up frequenly when you are doing remote chromecasting. :-(

Just change the launcher. Android TV is the only platform that can block YouTube ads and supports Sponsor block

Huh. Thanks for that. I naively assumed that Google would lock down the launcher. I have emerged from darkness into light.

The difference between an Android TV launcher that's designed give people what they want, and the baroque monstrosity that results when Google tries to extract every fraction of a cent of advertising revenue that it can is startling. My TV just became an appliance that does exactly what I want, no less and no more, instead of a cacophony of distractions and diversions trying to convince me to do things I don't want to do.

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