Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

zdnet.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 398 posts

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#181

Post by EastSmith »

shaboinkin wrote: post #92
cantrevealname wrote: post #35

The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet and instead use a digital media player or external streaming device. I wholeheartedly agree. But then several people mentioned wanting to update the firmware. If you'll never connect it to the Internet, then you should never update the firmware either. It goes against conventional wisdom, but updating the firmware in this situation is more likely to…

I learned this with my router. I updated the firmware thinking it was the smart thing to do, security fixed and all that, but instead I was greeted with ads for their other products and them wanted to shove their stupid phone app in my face to interact with the router. I then installed OpenWRT and said nuts to using proprietary router firmware.

I am in a search for Wi-Fi 6 router, can you please name the company I should avoid?

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#182

Post by sen »

Meanwhile the OP post is so full of ads you’re basically scrolling past a full-screen (on mobile) ad for every paragraph. Then when I came across a chunk of text without ads and thought it was over, an ad got dynamically loaded into the middle of the text pushing what I was reading down off the screen.

Yes in this case I didn’t pay to read the content so they need ads, but the user-hostility of ads everywhere is just insane lately.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#183

Post by kitsunesoba »

Nextgrid wrote: post #160
kitsunesoba wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cost difference is marginal unless you're buying bargain bin TVs, though.

You underestimate how many people buy that ~3k TV on credit and for whom an extra ~150 bucks for an Apple TV is actually non-trivial money. In fact that's the reason these ads are there - a lot of people can't be convinced to use an external device to escape them. If everyone used Apple TVs/etc, there would be no built-in ads because it's just not worth the trouble.

If I were in that position I think I'd buy a TV that's lower priced but still quite good ($1.5-$2.5k) and spend the difference on a good streaming box. The value per dollar is much better that way.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#184

Post by jakeinspace »

roody15 wrote: post #141
cantrevealname wrote: post #35

The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet and instead use a digital media player or external streaming device. I wholeheartedly agree. But then several people mentioned wanting to update the firmware. If you'll never connect it to the Internet, then you should never update the firmware either. It goes against conventional wisdom, but updating the firmware in this situation is more likely to…

Hmm I like just buying 4k displays with no smart features at all. 65 sceptre works great.. is just a display (does need a sound bar as built in speakers are poor). No need to fight against your device IMO.

Sure, but that’s not a very high-end panel. When Samsung and LG make almost all the best panels, it’s tricky to avoid if you aren’t willing to sacrifice picture quality.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#186

Post by vonseel »

worldofmatthew wrote: post #81
smt88 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The sentiment here on HN is to never connect the TV to the Internet Appallingly, this isn't enough to stop the ads. Many TVs will proactively scan for open networks and connect to them.

Could that not get their owner arrested for stealing WI-FI?

Are the cops generally investigating Wi-Fi theft in your area?

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#187

Post by kingrazor »

cassianoleal wrote: post #172
kingrazor wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing I hate is when things like input switching are part of the TV OS. It can turn something that should be fast and easy into something slow and glitchy.

> things like input switching are part of the TV OS As opposed to what? On my LG there's a button for input switching that does only that. It's part of the OS but I don't see how it could be more convenient.

Something like input switching should operate below the OS.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#188

Post by OriginalPenguin »

TacticalCoder wrote: post #105
sgtfrankieboy wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because a 32" monitor is small for a TV? and a projector has tons of downsides? The solution is to buy a commercial TV used in retail environments.

> and a projector has tons of downsides? I'm not so sure. I've been using a projector as a TV for something like four years straight: no TV at home, only a projector. As a bonus the living room becomes a home cinema. I didn't see much downsides. Zero issue. No ads. Cheaper than a TV for a much wider diagonal and a more "cinema'ish" picture too (I hate it when movies look like cheap sitcoms on modern TVs). And as many…

I've never seen a great projector that doesn't make a ton of white noise form the fan. Do "silent" projectors exist?

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#189

Post by shahbaby »

bogwog wrote: post #76

Besides complaining on the internet, what can consumers do about this? All the TV brands do the same thing, and those that don't simply haven't gotten around to pushing out the firmware update that enables ads.

Vote with your wallet.

Re: I spent $3k on a Samsung Smart TV and all I got were ads and unwanted content

#190

Post by autoexec »

tsukikage wrote: post #136
hedora wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Samsung (Dacor) discloses this behavior in their fridge manual; it says it will mesh with Samsung TVs to better target ads. I’m not about to buy a Samsung set to find out what it actually does in practice. The fridge has deep learning object classifiers and internal cameras; I assume that is a big part of its ad targeting capability. Note that the fridge has demand response / energy use time shifting features that do…

> Samsung (Dacor) discloses this behavior in their fridge manual; it says it will mesh with Samsung TVs to better target ads. ...seriously? ...we collectively did this to ourselves. We live in the science fiction dystopian future we deserve.

You know all those stories about weird little shops run by suspicious characters but filled with incredible items that end up being cursed. That's every single shop right now. All of our technology is cursed. They will bring you great things, as promised, but always at some hidden price because those items exist to serve a dark master.
Post reply on HN