Buy an Nvidia shield and never look back
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
#32Kinda a wild idea I had never really considered, but absolutely a possibility: using a TV as a loss leader to sell ads. Not sure if that's they're intent here, but I could easily see that becoming a thing (if it isn't already). And what better way to collect useful ad data on people than forcing them to create an account and then tracking their usage of the device.
TV has always been a loss leader for propaganda, so why not?
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Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#33Kinda a wild idea I had never really considered, but absolutely a possibility: using a TV as a loss leader to sell ads. Not sure if that's they're intent here, but I could easily see that becoming a thing (if it isn't already). And what better way to collect useful ad data on people than forcing them to create an account and then tracking their usage of the device.
This has been a thing for years, and so much so, that there's an entire TV with a dedicated second screen that shows you ads underneath your main screen: https://www.telly.com
Wow. I guess I'm surprised it took this long for banner ads to reach TVs.
I think I have my next startup idea: a physical ad blocker for this thing. We could even have multiple styles: yellow sticky note, duct tape, painters tape.
And if you want cheaper ones, we can print our own ads on your ad blocker!
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#34Is there any kind of “hook up” on wholesale large dumb displays? I know I’m preaching to the choir, but I just want a giant dumb display from my Apple TV. I vaguely remember someone posting a link to tvs restaurants use but I don’t remember exactly what or if it was what I’m looking for. (Sorry, being lazy here)
Look for used 'Digital Signage' or 'Commercial' displays. They usually have dumb firmware and the same panels as retail models.
Most are also larger, heavier, with higher power consumption, and sometimes uncomfortably high minimum brightness. They rarely use the same panels as retail models because they have to support different operating conditions like extreme temperatures and 24/7 operation.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#35Just use an AppleTV, Roku, etc. and connect it to the HDMI port.
TV is just a screen. That is how I've used mine for the last 5+ years.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#36A lot of people do their grocery shopping at Walmart (even if you don't). This positions Walmart as being able to offer discounts for food and other daily necessities to people right on their TV. People are going to like this-especially the cohort that would buy a cheap TV at Walmart. They're going to really like saving a few dollars on groceries or gas. Not to mention Walmart can now offer perks through the TV to it…
Get an actual projector screen and mount it on your wall, you'll get a much brighter picture than just projecting on a painted wall.
Brighter picture perhaps, but good luck being able to have anything resembling "actual black", best you'll get is dark gray.
Alternative solution that doesn't require worse picture quality, never hook up the TV to the internet. State of the art quality, none of the data collection.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Look for used 'Digital Signage' or 'Commercial' displays. They usually have dumb firmware and the same panels as retail models.
Most are also larger, heavier, with higher power consumption, and sometimes uncomfortably high minimum brightness. They rarely use the same panels as retail models because they have to support different operating conditions like extreme temperatures and 24/7 operation.
And the worst part, usually way more expensive too, seen some panels where the cost was double because the target market is "ad agencies" or whatever.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#38Is there any kind of “hook up” on wholesale large dumb displays? I know I’m preaching to the choir, but I just want a giant dumb display from my Apple TV. I vaguely remember someone posting a link to tvs restaurants use but I don’t remember exactly what or if it was what I’m looking for. (Sorry, being lazy here)
Just use any TV but don't log into your WiFi or connect an Ethernet cable. It sounds like that won't work with these Vizio TVs, but they're likely junk anyway. This is what I do with my Sony and LG TVs in my house and they work fine as dumb displays attached to my AppleTV box.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
This presumes that, now or later, there won't be an on-screen message that can't be dismissed saying "Sign in to a Walmart account to enable all TV features." There's plenty of ways they can interfere with attempts to use the TV in "dumb" mode. Heck it could refuse to show any video at all til you've signed in.
Yep. I bought a Samsung TV that I never even put online. It pops up with a half-screen display that lasts for 2 minutes every time I turn it on . Never again.
What is the half-screen display? On my Samsung S90D (new within the last year or so), I can set it to skip the "home" screen and go directly to the last input on power on. It works well.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#40Is there any kind of “hook up” on wholesale large dumb displays? I know I’m preaching to the choir, but I just want a giant dumb display from my Apple TV. I vaguely remember someone posting a link to tvs restaurants use but I don’t remember exactly what or if it was what I’m looking for. (Sorry, being lazy here)
I’ve been using my TCL Roku disconnected from the internet for 6 years