this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2024

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Your TV set has become a digital billboard. And it’s only getting worse. (arstechnica.com)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

I reset my Android TV to stock before the ads, block all updates, and just run Plex and Netflix when I choose.

Probably going to take it further in the future and just use a little android media stick and nuke the SmartTV is entirely because of how badly it lags.

Absolutely insane how badly AndroidTVs perform after a year or so of ownership. If I could revert the core software updates I would.

Also, wifi causes the entire TV to become a laggy unusable mess. Has to be plugged in over ethernet. Absolutely unbelievable.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Nah, my TV is not Internet connected. My router is as blocking. My dns is as blocking. My web browser and phone browser are web blocking. I use the YouTube website on my phone. If someone bypasses all that and pushes adds I just back out of that site.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (8 children)

Pi-hole, nvidia shield, custom launcher = less ads for the whole family

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago

My TVs are pre-smart TV and only 1080p and I have yet to feel that I was missing anything important.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 months ago

Jokes on them, my TV can't connect to the internet anymore because of the the bloat added by Roku in automatic updates.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 4 months ago

People let their TV's onto the internet? I thought we already had this discussion and nobody does this anymore.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I am so genuinely surprised that there isnt a bigger movement to hack TVs to replace the OS's on them with non-invasive open software alternatives.

Especially with shit like this.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Because it’s not actually necessary; leave the TV isolated from the internet and use a set-top box (Apple TV, Shield, game console) as the media player.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 4 months ago (7 children)

While I agree, I think this solution is some nonsense. I bought a "TV" and paid for all the hardware and software that went into it, but I essentially have to use it as a monitor with my own hardware to escape the enshittification.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I also agree, but I view it more as ‘I bought a TV, and that’s all I want it to be’.

I don’t care about the built in software features foisted on me because I wanted an OLED panel; simply because they are going to be abandoned within 1-2 years, are powered by some anaemic chipset that is already multiple generations behind what is already available in my TV stand; and will likely end up as an attack vector to my network some period down the road.

The article mentions that TV manufacturers make ~$5 a quarter from selling your data. So those ‘features’ aren’t even free, they come at the expense of your personal information, privacy and likely security as a result.

So to quote a famous Dave Chapelle skit: “fuck ‘em, that’s why!”

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

simply because they are going to be abandoned within 1-2 years, are powered by some anaemic chipset that is already multiple generations behind what is already available in my TV stand; and will likely end up as an attack vector to my network some period down the road.

You do realize all of that would probably cease being a problem if people were able to hack their TVs to install custom OS's.

all the spyware bullshit would also be gone with a custom OS.

Literally every one of your gripes would be addressed and fixed by being able to hack your TV

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Custom OS isn’t going to address the anaemic hardware, nor do I think relying on open-source custom ROMs for a niche item is the best way to ensure any hardware-level vulnerabilities are covered.

If you already have an Internet-connected device hooked up to your TV (eg. PlayStation); there is no need to connect another, especially when it provides an overall worse experience.

Shit, a basic HTPC is infinitely better - using a Linux-based distribution (which will have a lot more support vs. a niche TV ROM), and it’ll be supported well beyond what the hardware could handle.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (4 children)

Custom OS isn’t going to address the anaemic hardware, nor do I think relying on open-source custom ROMs for a niche item is the best way to ensure any hardware-level vulnerabilities are covered.

Not only would it give "anemic" hardware new life, I can point at how its already been done at another in home device. Routers. DDWRT/OpenWRT/Tomato do exactly that for old, otherwise useless routers.

Literally every single argument you make can make against it has been proven wrong, and has in other devices, be addressed with a custom OS/Firmware that is designed for purpose without all the bloat and other BS.

You can adamantly say "Nuh uh!" all you want, but it doesnt change the facts.

You can buy PS5s for every TV in your house if you want to, Not everyone has that money, luxury, or stubborn desire.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

My tv hasn't seen an ad since i plugged it in.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You sure you pay the electric bill?

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

As opposed to the old days when it was an analog billboard

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Was this something called ceefax or teletext? I vaguely remember hearing of someone using it to book a holiday when I was growing up

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There were no ads in the UI of the TV though.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

My TV burned out a few months ago and we got a cheap vizio. We stream everything from another device so maybe that's the solution, but I haven't seen any of these ads.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Start buying commercial displays. Cost more but will be about as close to a dumb tv. You will have to provide your own smart device for apps ...

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Commercial displays are not tvs. Quite often the refresh rate is terrible and you cannot watch action movies on it, because it was designed to show static billboard ads.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

This is what I did. Works fine for my needs. My older relatives hate it but they rarely come over.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Or hear me out... Just don't give it an internet connection.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Some TVs listen for open networks and use those, so if there is one near you your TV could sneak out either way.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 4 months ago (3 children)

If it doesn't have the passphrase for wifi, how is it going to connect? I rarely see unsecured wifis around neighborhoods anymore. For copper/fiber, you're not going to hook it up to keep it disocnnected.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

open the back of the TV, locate the arial on the board and scratch away the traces leading to it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Cheaper TV's sometimes won't function without one.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Hospitality TV

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