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Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

arstechnica.com

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Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#191

Post by asdff »

joombaga wrote: post #156
PaulHoule wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it costs less too, whereas a new or used PS5 costs more but doesn't add a lot of value -- there are roughly 15 exclusive games for the PS5 so it's not compelling if you have a gaming PC, but it is a nice package to sit next to your TV that does a lot and can stream games from the gaming PC. Personally I like a PS4 controller better than the Apple TV thing.

The PS5 unfortunately doesn't do DVDs or CDs though.

The launch edition doesn’t? I’m surprised vendors even sell a bluray drive that doesn’t have that capability. I guess sony wanted to cut every cent off they could…

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#193

Post by energy123 »

ProllyInfamous wrote: post #102
tormeh wrote: post #80

What I'd really like is a TV with DisplayPort. How is this not a thing? IIRC you cannot buy a display with DP that's larger than 45 inches, give or take - they just don't exist. I think this is really weird. Like, I'd pay an extra $100 for that port, but I'm just not allowed to have it.

I absolutely love my Aorus 48" OLED-type display (w/ DisplayPort). I tried a 48" TFT-type television (attempting use as a computer display) and the refresh rate just wasn't there, along with typical backlight splotching (but it cost a fifth as much, so...). My only caution is OLED can experience burn-in (unlike the smaller Aorus 45" using a VA-type panel), but it is otherwise a much better experience

> My only caution is OLED can experience burn-in

The other limitation is lower brightness than miniLED monitors, around 30-60% of the nits in SDR. Whether that matters obviously depends on the ambient light or reflective surfaces near you.

For me, because I'm next to a big window and already squinting at my 400 nits IPS monitor, a This limitation should be temporary however because there are some high nit OLED TVs coming on the market in 2025 so bright OLED 27-43" monitors will likely follow.

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#194

Post by energy123 »

drnick1 wrote: post #159
lostlogin wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried to buy a good 32 inch tv. This is also hard. I need up going a little matter and even then, the utterly trash built in speakers frustrate the hell out of me.

32" is squarely "PC monitor" territory and there are now many good options even w/ OLED. No built-in speakers.

A 32" 4k 240hz OLED computer monitor + smart TV HDMI dongle + external speakers should work fine. Only point I would check is if the remote that comes with the dongle can turn on the monitor.

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#195

Post by Acrobatic_Road »

anonym29 wrote: post #41
amelius wrote: post #34

Unfortunately cars are becoming like smart TVs in this respect.

It's not feasible for everyone, but between grocery delivery services, telehealth, etc - if you work remotely anyway, it may be surprisingly feasible to get rid of your car altogether and only Uber/Lyft as needed, at least until robotaxis expand into your area at a fraction of the price of traditional ride-hailing apps.

Then you have to carry a phone, which is even worse.

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#196

Post by asdff »

athrun wrote: post #172
mastazi wrote: post #149

I have the exact setup shown towards the end of the article - HTPC and K400 keyboard/touchpad. I have tried all "smart" platforms in the past, and this setup is an order of magnitude better in everything. I used to have issues where a specific content provider doesn't have an app for my type of smart TV[1], this is no longer an issue because I just use a browser to access anything. And I can browse the web when I'm n…

the big issue with this setup is that most streaming platforms won’t give you multi-channel audio via the browser on Linux systems. Some might also limit the video quality. On Windows, it used to be different, but lately I’ve observed the same—ex: Netflix seems to limit the streaming quality even with Edge.

If you really care about fidelity you’d skip the streaming and either have a collection of new and used blurays, rip blu rays from the library, or pirate bluray rips from other people.

No one offers actual fidelity on the streaming platforms. They consider cost to them to serve content and assume you don’t care enough to seek alternatives.

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#197

Post by asdff »

somat wrote: post #165
JayGuerette wrote: post #96

I'm confused. Every TV is a dumb TV if you don't give it your Wifi password.

I think they, or at least samsungs. will happily use open wifi if they can find it. Source, my open test network and a neighbors tv that keeps trying to phone home with it.

The TV can happily connect to my neighbors printer WLAN. That is the only open wifi around. It isn’t 2008 anymore.

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#198

Post by saint_yossarian »

class3shock wrote: post #174

I'm less bothered by the ever present smart tv and more bothered that there is no way to just turn on the tv and go straight to input from a certain port. Would love to know TV's that just do that. My old Samsung constantly forces me to click through sources and out of smart features to get to the hdmi from my computer everytime I turn it on.

My Samsung QN90B does that just fine, it's only a few years old. IIRC there's a setting somewhere in the menu to not boot to the home screen. It also doesn't nag me about anything, although I only enable wifi when I want to update.

Re: Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options

#199

Post by asdff »

zeroonetwothree wrote: post #129
00N8 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll never buy a car manufactured after about 2014 for this reason. I'm planning to just keep getting repairs & upgrades done on my model year 2006 for at least the next 10-20 years. By then perhaps I will want to switch to electric, but I'll do it by electrifying something older. Cars from around 1998-2014 usually have side curtain airbags & adequate rollover durability. The only improvements since then that I'd eve…

ESC is pretty good for safety. I would not want a car without that. Cars from 2014 do have it of course but not those much older. FWIW I have two 2018 models with zero “smart” features.

No thank you. I will take predictable handling and a steering wheel that responds to my inputs. Loss of traction situations are exactly where I don’t want any systems helping. I need to countersteer and feel the car. Speaking as someone who was raised in winter driving and encouraged to find the limits of handling in snow and ice covered parking lots.

Of course if you are one of those drivers who removes their hands from the wheel in a stressful situation (there are many), these systems will help somewhat.

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