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Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

patents.google.com

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Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#191

Post by 8organicbits »

autoexec wrote: post #176

Anyone who cares at all about their privacy wouldn't have a roku TV to start with. Roku is one of the most invasive companies there is. Their devices take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second and then uploads those images to their servers to be scrutinized so that they can make assumptions about you as a person. If you have a Roku TV they can do that for any non-roku device you're using too…

I clearly made a mistake, but I bought a Roku after seeing how often my Samsung TV was pinging back on my pi-hole DNS logs (constantly). The last two years it's had an increasing number of ads on the home screen. I won't buy another.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#192

Post by BeetleB »

autoexec wrote: post #176

Anyone who cares at all about their privacy wouldn't have a roku TV to start with. Roku is one of the most invasive companies there is. Their devices take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second and then uploads those images to their servers to be scrutinized so that they can make assumptions about you as a person. If you have a Roku TV they can do that for any non-roku device you're using too…

> Their devices take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second and then uploads those images to their servers to be scrutinized so that they can make assumptions about you as a person.

Source?

Also, do they do it only on Roku TVs, or even Roku devices like their sticks?

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#193

Post by lxgr »

amyjess wrote: post #167
emacsen wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's really not that simple. Google, Tizen, and WebOS are the major TV players, with Roku also somewhere in the mix. All three of these companies do some level of surveillance, and yet they, or another proprietary device, are often required to watch streaming services. You can argue that streaming services are unnecessary, but that means both spending a lot of time and money on physical media, or simply missing out,…

The answer is to buy a computer monitor and just watch on your PC.

That doesn’t quite work for a large screen in a living room, though. Or are there 55 inch computer monitors these days?

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#194

Post by ijidak »

gedy wrote: post #187
smt88 wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because ads don't work on you doesn't mean they don't work. If ads are cheap and margins for your product are high, you don't care if your ad bounces off of 1,000 people as long as it turns 1 into a paying customer.

Then why the "targeted" ads and data harvesting? For all the effort, ads are still mostly totally irrelevant and may as well be random.

Targeted is a relative term.

It may be very targeted compared to traditional television and radio advertising.

Yet it could still be less targeted than ideal.

Let's say my ad was profitable via traditional radio and television advertising.

If only 1% of viewers were in my target audience for traditional television and radio advertising, and Roku can get that number to 2%, they've just doubled my roi.

Targeted doesn't mean perfect, it just means better.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#195

Post by Sebb767 »

amyjess wrote: post #169
MBCook wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And when they all do it, then what? Every single inkjet printer is trash because they all adopted the same tactics. All the TV makers went to selling your advertising data. What makes you think they won’t all do this?

That's what computer monitors are for. Edit: I'm a big fan of the Cooler Master GP27Q and GP27U. They both have eye-bleedingly gorgeous HDR and won't break the bank. You can get the Q for about $550 and the U for under $900; the difference is that the Q is 1440p and the U is 4K. The only criticism I have at all with them is that the firmware is kinda fucky (you will be spending your first few days with it constantly…

But a 27" screen does not really cut it in a large or even medium living room. Moving closer is not that easy if you also want to have a couch. Even if you cut down on your viewing amenities, watching something with more than two people isn't going to be fun.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#196

Post by SanjayMehta »

MBCook wrote: post #161
_3u10 wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just get a TV that isn’t shitty. People act like it’s a clockwork orange and you’re forced to watch ads.

And when they all do it, then what? Every single inkjet printer is trash because they all adopted the same tactics. All the TV makers went to selling your advertising data. What makes you think they won’t all do this?

I’m not sure which ink jet printers you’re referring to: HP and their infamous DRM?

Brother and Epson have ink tank printers which take third party refills.

From personal experience Brother is slightly more expensive upfront but much cheaper to run than HP.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#197

Post by cma »

autoexec wrote: post #176

Anyone who cares at all about their privacy wouldn't have a roku TV to start with. Roku is one of the most invasive companies there is. Their devices take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second and then uploads those images to their servers to be scrutinized so that they can make assumptions about you as a person. If you have a Roku TV they can do that for any non-roku device you're using too…

Samsung was caught sending screenshots of your TV too (if a deaf person was using TV as a monitor and communicating over teletype I'm not sure how this wouldn't violate wiretapping laws).

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/samsung-smart-tvs...

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#198

Post by Solvency »

autoexec wrote: post #176

Anyone who cares at all about their privacy wouldn't have a roku TV to start with. Roku is one of the most invasive companies there is. Their devices take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second and then uploads those images to their servers to be scrutinized so that they can make assumptions about you as a person. If you have a Roku TV they can do that for any non-roku device you're using too…

Why would Roku need to take screenshots of your TV when they're the ones piping you the content on said TV...

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#199

Post by Toutouxc »

koolba wrote: post #168

On this topic, what’s the best hardware and software to connect to a TV (assuming via HDMI) that allows for running apps for all the usual streaming platform suspects? It doesn’t even have to provide a combined search list. Just something to act as the base OS and launcher for each platform. I know what I want to watch and presumably which one provides it. I just want something to attach to my dumb TV that can play t…

Apple TV does not fit this perfectly, but it’s still good enough. There is promoted content, but very little and quite tasteful. I.e. the top of the home screen usually shows suggestions for my content, but sometimes there’s a (static, poster-like) suggestion for some Apple TV movie/series/concert. On the other hand, Apple TV does have combined search, the remote is nice and touch sensitive, there are apps like VLC or the Steam app for streaming games from your PC, there are even some games (with controller support!), and obviously if you have other Apple devices, there are some nice integrations.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#200

Post by wvenable »

Solvency wrote: post #198
autoexec wrote: post #176

Anyone who cares at all about their privacy wouldn't have a roku TV to start with. Roku is one of the most invasive companies there is. Their devices take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second and then uploads those images to their servers to be scrutinized so that they can make assumptions about you as a person. If you have a Roku TV they can do that for any non-roku device you're using too…

Why would Roku need to take screenshots of your TV when they're the ones piping you the content on said TV...

For the HDMI inputs and live TV. Not everyone uses the built in apps on the TV.
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