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Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

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Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#341

Post by kitsunesoba »

Koshkin wrote: post #252
kjsthree wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is essentially what I've done. The TV has never been connected to the Internet and my Apple TV drives everything. I would still have payed 2x to support a good dumb TV project and would love to do so in the future.

But isn't a dumb TV + Apple TV pretty much the same as a smart TV? (I know, you avoid dealing with two "smarts," but still...)

The Apple TV’s hardware is wildly more powerful than that bundled in any smart TV. The current ATV 4K is running on the last gen flagship Apple SoC with a big passive heatsink attached while smart TVs use hardware comparable to that of a low-to-midrange Android phone from 2012-2014. Even the first gen ATV 4K from 2017 is several times more powerful than current smart TVs.

That difference in power is felt quite a lot in the user experience.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#342

Post by riceart »

pupdogg wrote: post #336
dogma1138 wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure you are actually playing HDR content? The AppleTV will output 1080 SDR content or even below that too… Do these displays support HDCP? Are they locked at 60 or 30hz refresh rates? There is a reason why computer monitors make really poor display devices for multimedia content.

Majority of our customers use our displays for Digital Signage so I would assume we would've heard of their issues if they couldn't playback their 4k or 8k content. Some of them play this content back on videowalls, as large as 14x8 configuration, without any issues. I will double-check with our firmware designer to be sure. From what I know, I believe HDCP is supported by all versions of HDMI. Older TVs, specificall…

HDCP is separate from HDMI. You can be spec compliant with HDMI at any version and not support HDCP. That said I would be surprised that a display controller in common use would not support HDCP.

4K or 8K content sure, but what about HDR? Especially at sizes less than 40” that’s more important than res for viewing content.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#343

Post by max51 »

pupdogg wrote: post #133

I've designed and built many such TVs for the commercial/industrial vertical. I am currently working on developing such a TV for the consumer market and launching it under the name DUMBO.TV Let me know your thoughts. Reference pix of 70" industrial display using Samsung LCD panel and in-house LCD controller with physical OSD menu buttons along with IR/RS232 control capability: https://imgur.com/a/k6zrH3s

this is the type of monitor I'd buy if the the spec and price was somewhat in range with the rest of the market. I love the idea of single-purpose device in an square metal case that made no compromises for esthetic or to try to fit in a showroom.

It's always frustrating to see manufacturers intentionally make their product worse just to look better in a store. I'm sure I'm not the only one who cares a lot more about image quality, latency, durability, etc. than having a fancy rounded plastic case with a laggy netflix integration.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#345

Post by Zizizizz »

threeseed wrote: post #312
whalesalad wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the pro gamer move. I have a new LG C2 OLED and I love it. It has no idea that the internet exists. I use an Apple TV as well.

I have an LG C2 OLED and had it connected to the internet. It spams me with in-screen notifications at least once a week with either Privacy Policy updates or advertising new apps or TV shows. Great TV but definitely need to leave it unconnected.

If you use nextdns or pihole you can block those. I do so the home screen has no top 2/3 of TV suggestions, just my installed apps at the bottom and the hi Def paintings from the gallery app showing above them.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#346

Post by dogma1138 »

pupdogg wrote: post #336
dogma1138 wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure you are actually playing HDR content? The AppleTV will output 1080 SDR content or even below that too… Do these displays support HDCP? Are they locked at 60 or 30hz refresh rates? There is a reason why computer monitors make really poor display devices for multimedia content.

Majority of our customers use our displays for Digital Signage so I would assume we would've heard of their issues if they couldn't playback their 4k or 8k content. Some of them play this content back on videowalls, as large as 14x8 configuration, without any issues. I will double-check with our firmware designer to be sure. From what I know, I believe HDCP is supported by all versions of HDMI. Older TVs, specificall…

Signage displays do not need to display protected content, they do not need to support standards like DolbyVision and they do not need to support three-two pull-down to display cinematic content without judder.

HDCP isn’t supported on all versions of HDMI it’s not part of the spec it is a standard that is supported on top of w/e display interface you are using.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#347

Post by Zizizizz »

polio wrote: post #263
KerrAvon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this. I bought an LG OLED C2 recently, plugged in an Apple TV, have not connected the TV itself to the internet. Works absolutely fine; bonus is that the apparently annoying voice control option is disabled. You don't need firmware updates unless there's a specific bug that you need fixed, and you can update by USB stick if you do need a fix.

I see a lot of people buying the C2. Is this the undisputed winner for a new 4K television? I am vaguely in the TV market but am mildly intimidated by the variety.

I have one (coming from a 32 inch cheap Samsung 1080p from 8 years ago) and it's pretty insane how good it looks. I have to leave it in Filmmaker mode for movies as it's too good at interpolating frames on shows and colour correcting things to make it look like raw acting footage. But have perfect blacks in games is incredible, the amount of times I stopped to just look at the surroundings in shadow of the tomb raider was too many to count. The refresh rate also supports 120fps for shooters so it's buttery smooth in comparison to what I used to have. Putting nextdns as my DNS resolver blocks the ads on it and having the built in Chromecast support for Netflix and YouTube is pretty handy as well.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#349

Post by newhotelowner »

LG used to had non-smart tv for hospitality/healthcare market. All newer models has apps/calls home if you connect to ethernet (Even their non-smart line up). I was able to launch Youtube from my computer. I am assuming they may call home through HDMI.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#350

Post by atomicfiredoll »

pupdogg wrote: post #133

I've designed and built many such TVs for the commercial/industrial vertical. I am currently working on developing such a TV for the consumer market and launching it under the name DUMBO.TV Let me know your thoughts. Reference pix of 70" industrial display using Samsung LCD panel and in-house LCD controller with physical OSD menu buttons along with IR/RS232 control capability: https://imgur.com/a/k6zrH3s

I would love to keep tabs on this. I'm sure it would interest redditors at r/privacy too.

I've often though about going for something like a Sharp/NEC Display, because I often use my T.V. as a PC monitor and want to be sure it's not phoning home, but the idea of being able to slide in a compute module is also generally interesting. One of the things that always stops me is the quality and responsiveness. It would still be in my living room, so I still want a nice picture and features like variable refresh rate for devices like a PS5.

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