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0 pointscmckn5y ago0 comments

Totally agree, my Bravia was worth every (numerous) penny. I do update to get features like Airplay, but have never seen an ad. The $400 Samsung in my bedroom, however, starts streaming an ad-laden TV Guide equivalent automatically when I turn it on. Beyond awful.

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boudin5y ago

I have a Sony Android TV from the 2015 generation. It always had a row to advertise random app I don't use (Netflix, Playstation Video, Disney something etc...) It also always advertise content from those platform, you have to disable "recommendations" from apps one after one as you can only disable recommendations for an app that pushed its crap at least once.

The last update also broke hardware video decoding for a whole range of h264 videos as well as pushing some kind of weird 3rd party that seems to be something that basically monitor everything you do with your TV. It was advertised as a feature to access the TV guide.

My next TV will not be a so-called "smart" TV and not certainly not a Sony.

cmcknOP5y ago

What TV’s fall into the “dumb” category these days? I can’t go back from OLED and I don’t think anything at that price point will lack the “smart” features, unless it’s a commercial offering.

WrtCdEvrydy5y ago

TCL Roku is pretty "dumbish".

You can install it without an account, plug in an antenna and go to town. You can even connect it to wifi then use Youtube or Netflix. Haven't seen any funky ads.

My only peeve is that the controller doesn't have a full number pad which makes it a little derpy for the older generation.

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RandomBacon5y ago

Sceptre TVs are dumb and have 4K.

tannhaeuser5y ago

Worth noting that Sony also produces Android TVs AFAIK which I guess have the same prob. My older Bravia doesn't, but then isn't all that smart ;) and the lcd technology is outdated.

cmcknOP5y ago

Mine is an Android OLED model from 2019 — I guess it’s more correct to say I haven’t _noticed_ an ad. I use my Apple TV exclusively for “smart” functions, and the TV wakes up and goes to the correct input whenever a connected device wakes. I never see the Android TV home. It’s still a far cry from the Samsung.

criddell5y ago

> I use my Apple TV exclusively for “smart” functions

That's the difference then. I have a Bravia and use the Android TV functionality. It started showing ads on the home screen earlier this year and I can't figure out a way to disable them and still be able to use the apps I actually want to use. If the ads had been there on day one, I would have been tempted to return the TV.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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boudin5y ago

My next TV will not be a so-called "smart" TV and not certainly not a Sony.

cmcknOP5y ago

WrtCdEvrydy5y ago

TCL Roku is pretty "dumbish".

You can install it without an account, plug in an antenna and go to town. You can even connect it to wifi then use Youtube or Netflix. Haven't seen any funky ads.

My only peeve is that the controller doesn't have a full number pad which makes it a little derpy for the older generation.

2 more replies

RandomBacon5y ago

Sceptre TVs are dumb and have 4K.

tannhaeuser5y ago

Worth noting that Sony also produces Android TVs AFAIK which I guess have the same prob. My older Bravia doesn't, but then isn't all that smart ;) and the lcd technology is outdated.

cmcknOP5y ago

criddell5y ago

> I use my Apple TV exclusively for “smart” functions

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse