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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

#221

Post by eru »

astura wrote: post #203
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…

People here will absolutely hate this because "Google is evil" but I use a Chromecast and I love it and think it's the best option for your use case. You select whatever video you want to play on your phone or computer and "cast" it to the TV and the video then plays on the TV. There's no suggestions, no promoted content, no upsells, and no ads. Beyond that, a big advantage is you don't have to navigate clunky UIs wi…

I also like my Chromecast.

It's ok, I guess, if Google has all your data already anyway.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#222

Post by eru »

MBCook wrote: post #160
walterbell wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's transient: a vendor goes too far, countermeasures follow, then economic consequences.

That only works with real competition. How’s the ink jet printer industry doing these days? Yeah. If everyone does it the only fix is a law. And clearly we don’t pass those anymore.

> How’s the ink jet printer industry doing these days?

There's good competition from cheap laser printers.

> If everyone does it the only fix is a law.

What makes you think so? You could first try opening up the market more. You can lower barriers to market entry. Eg for new upstarts, for established companies in other industries trying to branch out, and for foreign would-be rivals, too.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#223

Post by autoexec »

BeetleB wrote: post #192
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?

> Roughly twice per second, a Roku TV captures video “snapshots” in 4K resolution. These snapshots are scanned through a database of content and ads, which allows the exposure to be matched to what is airing. For example, if a streamer is watching an NFL football game and sees an ad for a hard seltzer, Roku’s ACR will know that the ad has appeared on the TV being watched at that time. In this way, the content on screen is automatically recognized, as the technology’s name indicates. The data then is paired with user profile data to link the account watching with the content they’re watching. (https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/acr-the-future-...)

Note that this isn't documentation of their data collection practices, this is ad copy providing one example intended to convince advertisers to pay them. They mention TV but my guess is that this applies to every type of roku device, exploiting your data is how they make their money after all, although a stick is probably not capturing the screenshots in 4K. I would also assume that this applies to all content viewed on the device regardless of the app being used and including personal content cast to the device.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#224

Post by lstamour »

supernes wrote: post #216
sspiff wrote: post #215

Remind me again, why do people connect their TV to the Internet? I used to work in the space more than a decade ago, and even then the privacy invasions most major brands did were inexcusable.

Convenience and coercion - they don't want to fiddle with external devices just to watch a movie/show, and streaming services deliver content at a higher quality to these locked-down devices. Had this talk with my parents recently, privacy is infinitely less relevant to them compared to the ease of use.

Also, the screens spying on you and showing ads are often very subtle about it. They don't tell you every time they take a screenshot, they don't make a loud "click" sound, they don't advertise it. They're not even legally obligated to do anything other than tell you about it in buried legalese. LG will say you need to agree to new privacy terms so that you can use the "microphone" button on your remote control, for example. I persist in ignoring that one, but I'm sure others wouldn't and haven't. Amazon lately has been blatant with how much advertising is ruining their services and sticks, to the point where I don't go to Amazon to search for products now, they've just ruined it. Not every spying, advertising-laden service provider is as obvious as Amazon about it, though.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#225

Post by eru »

walterbell wrote: post #180
add-sub-mul-div wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't work that way anymore and people need to understand the old rules are gone. We've passed an inflection point where a few companies have dipped their toes into extreme enshittification or excessive price increases and survived, so we're seeing the start of a free for all. Think of Reddit and Twitter doing user hostile shit starting last year, and fast food raising prices beyond the point where it's a discou…

> Fast food raising prices beyond the point where it's a discount relative to better food anymore. A critical mass of consumers is now so passive and docile that they don't change behavior as they're boiled alive. Sad and self-correcting by self-eliminating consumers. But that will take time and smaller markets are a net negative for the survivors.

Are you saying people will day en masse from fast food?

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#226

Post by eru »

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?

> Every single inkjet printer is trash because they all adopted the same tactics.

Buy a laser printer, duh.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#227

Post by eru »

redserk wrote: post #166
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?

Could buy a commercial display or set up a projector. That’s my backup plan at least.

Even cheap projectors can be pretty good these days.

They still need a darker room than a TV, though.

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#228

Post by BeetleB »

avidiax wrote: post #201
BeetleB wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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?

Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), it's called, generically. https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/how-to-t... The TV makers don't need ACR when you are using apps on their OS. Those apps all report the currently playing title to the OS maker. ACR is used for when you watch broadcast TV or anything coming in over HDMI. The margins on TVs are surprisingly small, so being able to show you a few dollars…

From what I'm seeing, Roku's ACR does not "take multiple screenshots of whatever is on your screen every second", as claimed.

Furthermore, I'm not seeing whether they do this on their non-TV devices.

Edit: Seems the question is answered here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39950370

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#229

Post by eru »

kuschku wrote: post #204
lxgr wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Aorus FO48U is a 48" computer monitor with an LG OLED panel. Only downside is that any resolution/frequency changes need 7 seconds to negotiate.

How often does that change happen in practice?

Re: Roku files patent to inject ads via HDMI

#230

Post by k8sToGo »

ehPReth wrote: post #175
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 seems to be the closest thing available. No home-screen/screensaver/random ads, but I only really launch Plex (looking into Jellyfin eventually), and streaming apps like Disney+.

I use infuse with jellyfin
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