Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I’m Terrified of My New TV

brennancenter.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 346 posts

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#91

Post by spiritplumber »

tempestn wrote: post #64
EpicEng wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what I was going to say. Do you guys really find the "smart" features on your television to be useful? I just, you know... use it as a television.

I find Netflix and YouTube built into the TV extremely useful. Also the fact that it has a half-decent DLNA client (which I connect to Plex on my home server), and can accept screencasting from my phone. I considered building a HTPC, but realized these features cover 99% of what I would use it for, and for the rest I can just use a laptop.

I've had all these features for years thanks to a netbook with a busted battery and a projector I got off some business or other closing up shop. The netbook runs linux mint and runs what I wants it to, and no more.

This stuff doesn't need a butlerian jihad, it needs a DIY surge.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#92

Post by authatheist »

ElDiablo666 wrote: post #75
tedks wrote: post #47

We need a Butlerian Jihad against surveillance. You know what will never stop this? Posts on hacker news. Letters to your congressman (LG can donate a fuqton more to his re-election campaign than you can). Voting with your dollar (people who know what a privacy policy is are few and far between). You know what will? Taking these TVs into the street, smashing and burning them. Mobs storming Best Buy and smashing the s…

I'm totally fine with your exciting-as-fuck politics but it will be difficult to get people to that point any time soon, me thinks. I think the problem is that when you say things like "these things don't work" you're glossing over the key to why they don't work: people aren't organized. That's it. It may not be glamorous or fun like tossing over the pigmobile but it's proven to work every single time throughout hist…

He already pointed out that voting or writing to "your" representatives doesn't work, but ypu're still calling for some sort of democratic solution. Please stop.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#93

Post by Omniusaspirer »

0x0 wrote: post #16

Sounds like there would be a market for an openWRT-like firmware hack for these TVs!

A quick search brings up SamyGO, which is apparently a custom firmware for Samsung TVs. Not sure I'm a fan of it not being fully open source but it at least shows that people are working on it.

http://www.samygo.tv/

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#94

Post by diminoten »

tedks wrote: post #47

We need a Butlerian Jihad against surveillance. You know what will never stop this? Posts on hacker news. Letters to your congressman (LG can donate a fuqton more to his re-election campaign than you can). Voting with your dollar (people who know what a privacy policy is are few and far between). You know what will? Taking these TVs into the street, smashing and burning them. Mobs storming Best Buy and smashing the s…

I just don't understand why I'm not allowed to give away my privacy for convenience, in your eyes.

I think you'd be surprised at a) how many people realize they're having their data collected and b) how few people care. Is it a risk? Yes. So is driving a car, but I'm not willing to put up with the inconvenience of not being able to drive somewhere.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#95

Post by authatheist »

rtpg wrote: post #77
tedks wrote: post #47

We need a Butlerian Jihad against surveillance. You know what will never stop this? Posts on hacker news. Letters to your congressman (LG can donate a fuqton more to his re-election campaign than you can). Voting with your dollar (people who know what a privacy policy is are few and far between). You know what will? Taking these TVs into the street, smashing and burning them. Mobs storming Best Buy and smashing the s…

The thing that's missing in this is not that people don't care , it's that a lot of these things are attached to _useful things_. I like my webcam. I can have a skype video chat with someone halfway across the world. Sure, the NSA might watch me in my sleep, and that sucks (I do think rule of law works), but hey. I like that google is data mining my emails. Google Now is amazing, reminds me of things like my flights…

It's absolutely ludicrous to claim that the Rule of Law™ works when, as a random example, highway patrol officers are routinely stopping drivers for the express purpose of confiscating any money they find.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#96

Post by kimburgess »

For those looking for a modern TV that doesn't have the 'smart' feature set have a look into into commercial grade panels. They are manufactured for digital signage and usage in meeting room / corporate environments. Generally they will not come with a on-board tuner but for those who can stand free to air programming this can be added with an external tuner for < $100.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#97

Post by TheTaO »

TV watching is only one way to consume video. What about YouTube, Netflix, Hulu? They log all of what the author is talking about. That hasn't deterred people from spending millions of hours on it each day.

You just don't expect a device like TV to track your viewing habits where as you are not surprised that various websites and apps will do it. I'm sure you can disable tracking on TV if you have concerns.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#98

Post by emerongi »

spiritplumber wrote: post #91
tempestn wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find Netflix and YouTube built into the TV extremely useful. Also the fact that it has a half-decent DLNA client (which I connect to Plex on my home server), and can accept screencasting from my phone. I considered building a HTPC, but realized these features cover 99% of what I would use it for, and for the rest I can just use a laptop.

I've had all these features for years thanks to a netbook with a busted battery and a projector I got off some business or other closing up shop. The netbook runs linux mint and runs what I wants it to, and no more. This stuff doesn't need a butlerian jihad, it needs a DIY surge.

I bought a Raspberry Pi for 40$, configured it for my needs and never use the features of my Smart TV.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#99

Post by authatheist »

jsaxton86 wrote: post #74
tedks wrote: post #47

We need a Butlerian Jihad against surveillance. You know what will never stop this? Posts on hacker news. Letters to your congressman (LG can donate a fuqton more to his re-election campaign than you can). Voting with your dollar (people who know what a privacy policy is are few and far between). You know what will? Taking these TVs into the street, smashing and burning them. Mobs storming Best Buy and smashing the s…

Do you think destroying technology and flipping cop cars is going to end the surveillance state? While an interesting thought experiment, it seems unlikely. If anything, it would give the pro-surveillance lobby enough political capital to further reduce whatever legal privacy protection we already have.

There is no "privacy protection". The organization that supposedly protects our privacy is the exact same one we need protection from. It's like a bunch of sheep trusting that wolves will protect them from getting eaten by wolves.

Re: I’m Terrified of My New TV

#100

Post by stock_toaster »

tlrobinson wrote: post #39

If you're looking for a "dumb" TV, projectors may be one of your last options. I just got a great Sony projector and 92" screen for less than an equivalent quality large TV would cost. The only other consideration is the size of the room and ability to limit ambient light entering the room.

Computer monitors are getting pretty darn big these days too., and hooking one up to an htpc+stereo would almost be easier than some TVs!
Post reply on HN