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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?

#651

Post by [deleted] »

imglorp wrote: post #443
delecti wrote: post #405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A smart-but-disconnected TV can meet all of those functional requirements, and your nonfunctional requirements (low processing power) frankly don't matter to most people. My smart-but-disconnected TV turns on just as quickly as my PC monitors can return from sleep (a second or two); changing inputs is just as quick (input button on remote, left/right to select, okay to confirm), and the automatic input selection when…

Ads are really the least of our worries. Data about attention (viewing habits) is so immensely valuable, who knows what the next generation will do to obtain it? Years ago, the TV execs told us not to have a private conversation in the TV room. We all know how very easy it would -- if they wanted -- to exfiltrate your data in a variety of ways: Kismet, group Xfinity/Fios wifi passwords, or even ultrasonic beacons bet…

[deleted]

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

#652

Post by aetherspawn »

You could just buy an LG TV (which isn’t user hostile and doesn’t show Ads) and not connect it to the internet. I don’t understand the whole point of this.

Are you wanting to go back to the days of being unable to watch Netflix without a computer and a HDMI cable, and not being able to play music or look at photos using just your TV?

People who request these kinds of products are just making noise and tyre kicking, when in fact I really doubt they want a probably needlessly useless TV.

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

#654

Post by photonbeam »

tmm wrote: post #613
pupdogg wrote: post #568

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a very good and comprehensive list. Thank you! Our industrial displays already have most of your "must-haves," except for three: 1. Professional color calibration - this is doable, but it adds significant cost. When referring to color calibration, it is not the typical marketing gimmick used for consumer displays, but instead something equivalent to what you would get with Sony's BVM-HX310 reference monitor.…

Color calibration - I'm not entirely sure what would be involved here, TBH. "Professional" in this context would be what a pro home AV installer[1] would look for, not what a Hollywood color grader would need. TV Tuner - Yes. An ATSC tuner with a COAX antenna input that can auto-scan for receivable channels. If this isn't feasible anymore, then I guess the HDMI input doesn't need ARC. Connectors - looking at your pho…

For the AppleTV crowd, a rf coax tuner isn't necessary, just want a big dumb panel

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

#655

Post by TechBro8615 »

josephcsible wrote: post #646
TechBro8615 wrote: post #642

Why not just buy a monitor? It's got an HDMI port.

Monitors tend to be way smaller than TVs and can't be controlled with a remote.

What do you use your TV remote for? At my parents' house we have a TV and a cable box, each with its own remote. The only reason to use the TV remote is to turn the power on and off. All the other functionality is in the cable box remote.

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

#656

Post by drewmol »

actually_a_dog wrote: post #508
bj-rn wrote: post #501

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't mind voiding your warranty, physically disconnect the BT module. There are "how to" videos on yt. Had to disconnect the WIFI module on mine (also Samsung) to make the remote work again...

When this happened to me, I just renamed my tv to "STOP TRYING TO PAIR WITH THIS FUCKING TV"

Very tangential, but this reminded me of a much more obscene [0] Wi-Fi name controversy.

https://gothamist.com/news/park-slope-childrens-salon-trolle...

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

#657

Post by Godel_unicode »

doubleg72 wrote: post #628
1101010010 wrote: post #584

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any guides or recommendations on accomplishing this on LG equipment?

Open the thing up and figure it out!

Great advice for breaking a $1000 piece of kit.

A convenient rule of thumb for this advice is that anyone who should follow it doesn’t need it. Everyone else should be redirected to a teardown video.

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

#658

Post by numpad0 »

dreamcompiler wrote: post #636
p5a0u9l wrote: post #631

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Children are complaining, but this is exactly right. Yes, I can work around the device connecting me to the internet. What I’d really prefer though is to exchange whatever cost went into the shit add ons, the Bluetooth, the speakers, the wifi, the usb, and put that into a better display. Done. I’m sure there’s a good business reason why this simple, obvious project is not what’s in the market.

The good business reason is that Bluetooth etc cost essentially nothing compared to the $$$ they make selling your privacy.

I doubt it's actual nothing, rather I think the added cost in absolute value is used to improve operating margins in ratio. This would also drive internal incentives, and it's rendering the cost to the manufacturer irrelevant so long that the capitals at hand and market demand can absorb it.

e.g. $150 TV + $75 chips - $100 rebates = $125 -> negative cost and +10% margin to add chips!

And the problem is that we as customers are still charged the full $225, not the essentially nothing.

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

#659

Post by lesuorac »

singron wrote: post #645
delecti wrote: post #405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A smart-but-disconnected TV can meet all of those functional requirements, and your nonfunctional requirements (low processing power) frankly don't matter to most people. My smart-but-disconnected TV turns on just as quickly as my PC monitors can return from sleep (a second or two); changing inputs is just as quick (input button on remote, left/right to select, okay to confirm), and the automatic input selection when…

You have to be careful. My Samsung smart tv throws up a splash screen whenever any HDMI input is plugged in or wakes up, which can only be dismissed by using the remote. Sometimes it even shows a few frames of the HDMI input before switching to the splash screen. Infuriating!

This kills me about the Apple TV.

It didn't used to display an ad for Apple's channels but now it does and it requires the remote to dismiss... Previously you could just blindly airplay something but now you have to airplay + dismiss the ad with the remote.

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

#660

Post by [deleted] »

imglorp wrote: post #443
delecti wrote: post #405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A smart-but-disconnected TV can meet all of those functional requirements, and your nonfunctional requirements (low processing power) frankly don't matter to most people. My smart-but-disconnected TV turns on just as quickly as my PC monitors can return from sleep (a second or two); changing inputs is just as quick (input button on remote, left/right to select, okay to confirm), and the automatic input selection when…

Ads are really the least of our worries. Data about attention (viewing habits) is so immensely valuable, who knows what the next generation will do to obtain it? Years ago, the TV execs told us not to have a private conversation in the TV room. We all know how very easy it would -- if they wanted -- to exfiltrate your data in a variety of ways: Kismet, group Xfinity/Fios wifi passwords, or even ultrasonic beacons bet…

[deleted]
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