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Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

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Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#361

Post by azinman2 »

duderific wrote: post #348
Volundr wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's sadly not really true. I have an LG that I (thought) I was using this way until one day in the middle of watching some TV I get a prompt about a OnePlus phone trying to control my TV, do I want to accept? Needless to say and didn't, but I was baffled by what happened. Turns out that the stupid TV is controllable via an app over bluetooth, and there is no way to turn bluetooth off. I'm just stuck with my TV con…

My LG tv started having an annoying popup message every few seconds, "Unknown device is disconnected", which was caused by a faulty WiFi module, documented here: https://www.theraffon.net/spookcentral/tcp/2019/07/10/lg-sma... Since I use a Roku stick for streaming, I have no need for the WiFi module in the TV. I was able to follow the instructions in that post, which involve removing the back of the TV and physically…

Be aware that Roku is one of the worst offenders in selling your watching habits.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#362

Post by fartcannon »

droopyEyelids wrote: post #11
fartcannon wrote: post #3

Last year I bought a Proscan 55" 4k dumb TV. Maybe you can find one of them? My review: it's fine.

What is the "startup time" like? Meaning how long it takes to go from poweroff/standby to displaying the signal.

A couple second I guess? There's a blue PROSCAN screen that turns on first. Is that something people worry about? I guess if I was going to watch 30 seconds of TV, waiting 10 seconds would be something I'd consider important.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#363

Post by rosseloh »

thih9 wrote: post #322
foobarian wrote: post #311

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> and there is no way to turn bluetooth off Challenge accepted!

Warranty voided?

Most electronics warranties on stuff I've bought have been a year, max. Out of that period? Antenna snipping time!

...if there is one to snip, of course.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#364

Post by sys_64738 »

Benjammer wrote: post #223
cronix wrote: post #173

All TV's are dumb tv's if you only use them as an external display/monitor and don't connect them to the net. I have a dedicated computer for a media center and just use HDMI1 input on the TV. Never enter menus. Never update the OS. Never agree to anything. Never let the TV "phone home." Never set up wifi. Never connect a CAT5 to it. Set the input using the remote and forget it. Treat it as a dumb monitor. Computer i…

I have seen stories of smart TVs doing active scans for any unsecured wifi network in range, then connecting and phoning home without ever informing the user or showing anything in the menus. Is that a real thing?

This sounds crazily like science fiction. The TV wants to live so will do anything to stay alive. Isn't this what HAL did to the guy Dave in the end?

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#365

Post by vineyardmike »

femto113 wrote: post #294
haunter wrote: post #32

4K monitors. You need a soundbar though or some kind of audio setup + remote. Also no built-in tuner or such but I assume you get a set top box from your service provider or use a streaming device (Apple TV, Fire stick etc.) 4K OLED https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P=7 4K IPS https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P=2 4K VA https://pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=384002160&P…

Another approach is to look not for things advertised as "monitors" but instead look for "digital signage"[1]. Nowadays most of these contain some networking features but they'll be oriented at local control (i.e. by you via something on your LAN), not some third-party control center accessed via the internet. Anecdotally this is the approach I took ~20 years ago when buying a (then slightly exotic) plasma flatscreen…

But does digital signage have good panels like "real" TVs? Eg. the high end oleds with deep blacks and stuff?

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#366

Post by kazinator »

cronix wrote: post #173

All TV's are dumb tv's if you only use them as an external display/monitor and don't connect them to the net. I have a dedicated computer for a media center and just use HDMI1 input on the TV. Never enter menus. Never update the OS. Never agree to anything. Never let the TV "phone home." Never set up wifi. Never connect a CAT5 to it. Set the input using the remote and forget it. Treat it as a dumb monitor. Computer i…

How about the remote control?

My dumb TV's remote is so simple, it has room for a dedicated button for each HDMI input. I don't have to go through any on-screen widget to pick an input: just hit a physical button on the remote dedicated to going to that HDMI input.

Cycling through picture modes is just a button also.

Never enter menus? What if you'd like to adjust something related to the display; sharpness or something.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#367

Post by yholio »

spurgu wrote: post #337
tomnipotent wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Updates include more than just security fixes.

Yes but to nitpick he already mentioned bugfixes and file format support alongside security fixes (which he wouldn't/shouldn't need). :)

I disagree. You can have security bugs in non-connected devices, for example crafted file formats or metadata that can carry executable payload, worms that force their way in though some insecure Bluetooth receiver, or even by infecting the myriad data channels embedded in modern broadcasting; access to such a broadcast stream might be very lucrative since it will give you access to tens of thousands to tens of millions of devices.

I agree that the target is low value and that the attacker will most likely not bother infecting Android TVs; he would need to force them to connect to WiFi to exfiltrate any data, a very complex and unlikely attack if your TV is not used to monitor uranium centrifuge data.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#368

Post by 1vuio0pswjnm7 »

Volundr wrote: post #252
cronix wrote: post #173

All TV's are dumb tv's if you only use them as an external display/monitor and don't connect them to the net. I have a dedicated computer for a media center and just use HDMI1 input on the TV. Never enter menus. Never update the OS. Never agree to anything. Never let the TV "phone home." Never set up wifi. Never connect a CAT5 to it. Set the input using the remote and forget it. Treat it as a dumb monitor. Computer i…

That's sadly not really true. I have an LG that I (thought) I was using this way until one day in the middle of watching some TV I get a prompt about a OnePlus phone trying to control my TV, do I want to accept? Needless to say and didn't, but I was baffled by what happened. Turns out that the stupid TV is controllable via an app over bluetooth, and there is no way to turn bluetooth off. I'm just stuck with my TV con…

Bluetooth on a phone can be disabled.

I only turn on bluetooth when it is needed.

Wired headsets and wired keyboards will work with some of today's phones.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any 4K “dumb” televisions?

#369

Post by kazinator »

m00x wrote: post #299
snerbles wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IR is line-of-sight, and the receiver can be blocked with a small piece of electrical tape.

Same for bluetooth, just build a faraday cage around your TV and you're good! /s

Only if it's grounded, so that's a step up from the tape.
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