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Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

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Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#171

Post by bko »

rtkwe wrote: post #96
giancarlostoro wrote: post #68

I never connect my smart TVs to the network, I just plug in my Apple TV and move on. It's frustrating because it takes longer to turn these devices on than it should because of all the additional overhead I don't want or need. I wish someone would make a painless gadget to flash the software with dumber software that loads instantly.

They're also cheaper because they're subsidized. I did the same thing with a FireTV but understood the extra crap they want to boot and use is part of why they're so cheap, they're hoping for information to sell or puchases they can monetize.

The most insane thing which I wouldn't believe if I hadn't experienced it myself, but Samsung will periodically just install random apps and games on your phone. You delete them, then a month later, new apps show up. It's one of the most aggressive anti-consumer thing I've seen and it's coming from such a large player.

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#172

Post by jonpurdy »

____tom____ wrote: post #169
jonpurdy wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder about this every time I see a smart TV-related thread on HN. I recently purchased an LG OLED (C5 48") because my old TV died so I'll finally comment. As others have said, just don't connect it to the internet. But you knew this already, so I'll provide my anecdote on the experience of this since I wondered the same thing for years before getting this TV. When the TV is never connected to internet, and you us…

Don't assume that because you don't connect something to the internet that is doesn't connect to the internet. Things can use cellular modems to phone home. This is already done. Walmart could also easily cut deals with cable providers for outbound access via WiFi and cover most of the country.

Totally correct and a good call out. I did check this as best as I could for this particular model of TV. But I'd have to do the same in a few years if it was ever to be replaced. I suspect I'll have to desolder the cellular module of my next TV circa 2036...

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#173

Post by 555513 »

toast0 wrote: post #135
555513 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Roku makes TV, as well as Amazon. All 3 make streaming devices (Stick, set-top box, etc).

Show me a listing for a Roku made TV? All the ones I've seen are for like a TCL Roku tv. Same for Amazon, usually the same makers. n/m I do see that Roku sells tvs under its own name now. That's a change from the last time I looked.

Sure:

https://www.roku.com/products/roku-tv

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DD2P7YVW

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#174

Post by 0manrho »

____tom____ wrote: post #169
jonpurdy wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder about this every time I see a smart TV-related thread on HN. I recently purchased an LG OLED (C5 48") because my old TV died so I'll finally comment. As others have said, just don't connect it to the internet. But you knew this already, so I'll provide my anecdote on the experience of this since I wondered the same thing for years before getting this TV. When the TV is never connected to internet, and you us…

Don't assume that because you don't connect something to the internet that is doesn't connect to the internet. Things can use cellular modems to phone home. This is already done. Walmart could also easily cut deals with cable providers for outbound access via WiFi and cover most of the country.

They could also make agreements with ISP's where their TV's can be whitelisted for access to a public or potentially unlisted WiFi, enabling them to connect that way, without the vast majority of customers ever being aware.

Similarly, these TV's could connect to any open wifi hotspot it can find and phone home/download updates that way. Cox for example proudly boasts how more than 4M of it's residential customers modem+router+ap's can be used for "WiFi Hotspots" by anyone - not just the customer/resident - if they have a cox account. I don't see why Samsung or any other manufacturer may approach said ISP's to use this network to update devices under some guise of "convenience" or "seamless updates" ostensibly for their less tech savvy users.

I don't know if these business deals exists, but "smart devices" will often try to phone home/update anyway they can, even if you don't manually configure it on a private network.

EDIT: Forgot the source on the cox hotspots claim: https://www.cox.com/residential/internet/learn/cox-hotspots....

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#175

Post by nosrepa »

0manrho wrote: post #174
____tom____ wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't assume that because you don't connect something to the internet that is doesn't connect to the internet. Things can use cellular modems to phone home. This is already done. Walmart could also easily cut deals with cable providers for outbound access via WiFi and cover most of the country.

They could also make agreements with ISP's where their TV's can be whitelisted for access to a public or potentially unlisted WiFi, enabling them to connect that way, without the vast majority of customers ever being aware. Similarly, these TV's could connect to any open wifi hotspot it can find and phone home/download updates that way. Cox for example proudly boasts how more than 4M of it's residential customers mod…

Comcast/Xfinity does this as well.

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#176

Post by JoeBOFH »

hypercube33 wrote: post #23
JoeBOFH wrote: post #2

At my last job we bought a lot of Vizio tvs. We used them for conference rooms, hallway displays, etc. They were reasonably priced and had a good feature set needed. They have been on a decline for years and this is a nail in the coffin.

There are business models that are dumb displays that you bring your own device to do conference stuff on whatever platform you wish. I'm not current with the pricing but they typically have good warranties.

This was a what can we order under X dollar amount from Target kinda thing. We bought 2 TVs a month for several years.

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#177

Post by rtkwe »

beAbU wrote: post #170
ryandvm wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, the current Chromecast on an HDMI port is far superior than anything the TV vendors offer. I think you pretty much get access to every service you might want except Apple TV (no surprise, Apple gonna Apple).

Apple tv is available on my chromecast?

Yeah there's an appletv android app.

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#178

Post by olyjohn »

SoftTalker wrote: post #123
c420 wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saw this elsewhere: "It will not let you do anything until you download the app on your phone, make an account, and log in on the TV. You cant just change it to HDMI 1 and use a Firestick. I set it up with a throw away email, then deleted the app, and took the TV off of the WiFi."

Well that sucks, but maybe tolerable for a cheap TV if you only have to do it once.

Everybody tolerates it, and then they will make it even worse. Thats how we go to where we are now with this bullshit.

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#179

Post by eks391 »

-warren wrote: post #85

This is why I have protonmail aliases, a burner second phone, and an x1 virtual cc. While I can't stop the enshittification, I can fight back by remaining pseudo anonymous and compartmentalize each service.

What you described is aliasing, not compartmentalization. To effectively compartmentalize requires a different email, phone, and CC for every service. By only having one alias of each, the ad networks that are sharing information about you with partners have no obstacles tying together your habits when they see the same proton email, etc across several vendors, even if you have a different name on your alternate products. After these have been matched enough times, there enough of a profile on you to effectively know who you are, even if it is just probable instead of proven. You mention proton, which allows several emails on a paid account, and there are several competitors offering a similar service with varying success, so this should be no problem to implement. There are also companies that offer anonymous CCs, although they are slowly not working. Privacy and Ironvest are two that used to work but I'm not sure if they still do. I'd be interested if you know of CC companies that still work most of the time at vendors. Regarding phones, there are several sources for this as well, depending on whether you want long term or just one time use numbers, but these likewise have been failing as security measures increase.

Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

#180

Post by spl757 »

Vizio and every other major brand has been, for years, harvesting data from your smart TV. It's a lot easier to track what you are doing if you have to be logged in.

At this point, it can actually be easier to piece parts together instead of paying for a TV with Tizen OS on a tv that may have a camera to watch you sit on the couch with your fingers all orange from the cheeto binge screaming at the TV because that seems to happen a lot now.

1984 has been here for 10 years, now it's just grown big enough to be noticable.

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