This is why you never connected a "smart TV" to the internet.
If you disagree, do it and then run a Wireshark analysis.
The best option I have found, after trying them all is Apple TV.
Least about of telemetry, best picture quality, and very secure.
Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
71–80 of 190 posts
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
A manufacturer can target multiple markets and make different choices for different markets.
The Samsung S90D (a 65" 4K model) you bought appears to sell for about $1000. Looking at Best Buy's site, you can also buy a Samsung 65" 4K TV for as little as $180 (model DU6900).
Yes, there's other differences. LED vs OLED etc. But at a glance they seem equivalent to a consumer...and one costs 5x more. The $1000 TV is targeting a market that expects more from their purchase and would potentially grate at a persistent sign-in notification. The There's definitely a chance that on some models Samsung would be more aggressive about enabling smart features, because those models are expected to be subsidized by ads.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#73Is 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 wonder if a "woot" style service could work. If 10K like-minded consumers made a group-buy every 2-3 years, a high-end panel vendor might be willing to provision a new SKU with a few firmware tweaks.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#74Is 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)
Somehow these dumb displays always seem to be cheaper than the smart ones. For some mysterious reason all the chips and stuff to needed run an OS have a negative cost.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#75Buy an Nvidia shield and never look back
Have they finally fixed the frame rate matching issues?
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#76I never connect my smart TVs to the network, I just plug in my Apple TV and move on. It's frustrating because it takes longer to turn these devices on than it should because of all the additional overhead I don't want or need. I wish someone would make a painless gadget to flash the software with dumber software that loads instantly.
Same here! none of my home Tvs, most LG and Samsung, have ever seen w Wifi password. Always putting firestick on it and call it a day. At least firestick I can unplug throw away, God only knows what updates TV does that I obviously cannot revert.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#77[dead]
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#78at this point the TVs should be sold in ad and non-ad supported versions
Wouldn't be at all surprising for Amazon to do that with Fire TVs, it does with Kindles.
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#79"A Walmart spokesperson confirmed to Ars Technica that Walmart accounts will be mandatory on “select new Vizio OS TVs” for owners to complete onboarding and to use smart TV features."
------
Some questions prospective buyers should ask:
1. Is "onboarding" necessary for this "Smart TV" to function as a "dumb screen"? i.e. Would a user need to get a Walmart account just to access video settings?
2. Does it inject ads or phone home to share screen captures from HDMI input?
3. Is not giving it access to WiFi sufficient, or does this thing have alternative ways of getting "updates"?
Re: Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
Google and Amazon make smart TVs?
TV/streaming devices. Amazon's launched in 2014 and GoogleTV in 2010 according to wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_TV_(2010%E2%80%932014)
Amazon has Fire TVs as well as the 'Fire stick' you're talking about.