8 ms·

A Dumb TV for Consumers

52 points by jordanbeiber 7y ago

troydavis 7y ago
Nice to see someone try to solve this problem! Wishes: HDR. A much larger size, like 85” class or whatever size is currently practical to manufacture. An open standard for the app/control protocol in case the company goes under.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  Agree. I was just happy to finally see someone trying to create a simple screen, without the smart crap. Perhaps doing a cheaper entry screen first is a resonable start, but I’d also like to see something bigger.
AlleyTrotter 7y ago
Eliminate all the bells and whistles and then pay extra to put them back in.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  Isn’t it a great idea! I use my hdmi switch in my AVP, so why would I want a bunch of unused ports? I use my powered monitors for audio, why would I want crappy built-in speakers? I absolutely do not want crappy “smart” functions in my screens firmware that already have superior apple-tv counterparts. Etc. Smart tv’s are cheaper for a reason. In short - I just want a big monitor. Where can I get a 50”+ monitor for at least a reasonable price?
- corodra 7y ago
  Don't forget it costs extra to have those bells and whistles removed. Looking at a samsung 55" 4k with hdr normal tv at $429 right now, that I can pick up at a local store right now. Yet they want $599 for a kickstarter tv.
  - RandomBacon 7y ago
    > samsung 55" 4k with hdr normal tv at $429 Link please?
    - phkahler 7y ago
      Drive to your local Walmart.
      - RandomBacon 7y ago
        I looked at Walmart's website and didn't see it.
    - corodra 7y ago
      Looked at my local best buy's ads on the site.
      - RandomBacon 7y ago
        I looked at Best Buy's website and didn't see it.
nickphx 7y ago
No remote and required installation of a mobile app to control tv? That IS dumb.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  I have personally not used a remote for my TV in many years. These days I use the apple tv remote and CEC let me control volume in my AV-processor as well as power on/off. The remote for my projectors and TV’s for the last 15 years never left their packaging.
- wodenokoto 7y ago
  I don't think the app is required if you hook up an Apple TV or similar.
  - lonelappde 7y ago
    Does Apple TV control brightness and Cable TV?
    - jordanbeiber 7y ago
      I use plex, which can be hooked up to cable prividers. But, I’m probably a target for this product as I have not had or used linear TV for 20 years.
- foobiekr 7y ago
  The app is there to provide obsolescence.
- pekim 7y ago
  I agree. I don't have a mobile telephone, so this television would not be an option for me.
atrilumen 7y ago
Brilliant. I want one.
lonelappde 7y ago
How is this better than any TV with Chromecast or Apple TV or whatever? What's the giant metal rectangle underneath for? What's the point, besides hipsterism?
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  No “smart”, no built-in speaker, no unnecessary ports. This TV caters to someone who has an apple tv, some gaming consoles etc hooked up to an AVP/AV-receiver. It’s a user that have no proper TV alternatives, besides projectors, these days. Other than reeeally expensive commercial screens.
  - nixpulvis 7y ago
    Isn't an app that requires my "smart"phone smarter than it would be with a silly little remote? Ironically smarter => stupider
    - jordanbeiber 7y ago
      Exactly. Smarter by not doing things I don’t want it to do. Having remote functionality in an app is way better than an additional remote that will be lost as it is so rarely used. I have my apple remote, don’t want nothing else.
- Youden 7y ago
  As someone who would buy this TV: the point is that it's not a TV, it's just a display. I have external speakers, I never use the speakers in my TV. I have a streaming device, I never use the streaming features built into my TV. My streaming devices have their own remote controllers which interact with the TV using HDMI-CEC, I don't use my TV's remote controller. All the "features" built into my TV are obstacles that I'm happy to pay to have removed. Due to the speakers being built in, the TV likes to randomly switch to those instead of my external ones. The streaming apps lead to the TV having an entire operating system of its own which causes it to take longer to power on, longer for me to get to the things I want and more complex to interact with and configure. I essentially just want a really big PC monitor. Just give me something that takes a digital signal in and beams corresponding coloured lights into my eyeballs.
gandalfian 7y ago
How about a tv where pressing a number button takes you to that television channel no matter what state the tv is in. No switching sources or pressing exit buttons to reach the correct state. Just press a channel button and you get to tv. Just in case, god forbid, someone actually wants to use one to watch television on. (Really iron back? Welded? That sounds incredibly heavy and just why??)
- corodra 7y ago
  I'm thinking they really don't know what the word "iron" means. Or it's some new hipster phrase that refers to old stuff. I don't know. Because who the hell thinks a tv made of iron is necessary? The 90s called, they said you're an idiot because they tried that and are sorry for it.
RenRav 7y ago
>We removed everything that doesn't add to a simple experience; making it ultra-slim, pure and compatible with your other gadgets. >The menu and remote has been replaced with the Iron Cast App, where your can create profiles and settings for any mood and atmosphere. You can choose between our carefully constructed profiles or simply create your own. These two things seem at odds, the first thing everyone does is shovel in their own app. It's also hard to consider dumb when it requires a smartphone to even use.
- corodra 7y ago
  >It's also hard to consider dumb when it requires a smartphone to even use. RIGHT?!? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  Yes, a monitor - a product that at 45”+ is missing for consumers and your only option is commercial screens. Remotes - I find that I want one simple remote for 90% of the time. Having vendor specific remote apps in my phone is vastly better than having three of four separates on the rare occasions I need to tweak something. I prefer the apple remote to harmonys et al.
  - noja 7y ago
    > vastly better Until three years later when the app isn't being updated anymore, or the vendor removed all the functionality you used (hello Sonos)
    - jordanbeiber 7y ago
      Well, if you look at the features this specific remote app is designed to control, what you describe is "vendor out of business". Sure, that is a risk, as always. Ideally vendors would open source code like this. Not sure why they so seldom do. Some cultural corporate thing I guess. This is something we as consumers are always vulnerable to, the more "smarts" are built in to products.
igetspam 7y ago
Neat but I think they went too minimal and a little too modern. More HDMI and no heavy metal back and I'd be interested. I know that creates an input switching problem but if they can make an auto switching HDMI hub, they could put it in the TV. (I've had mixed results here though.)
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  I guess that’s why the have the hdmi hub as some might want more ports. I only use the one hdmi with ARC, and have no need for more as I have my additional ports in my AVP.
- m463 7y ago
  I only ever use one input. I love the idea of this TV.
corodra 7y ago
>Welded by danish design principles. Looked that little gem up: "Scandinavian design represents a design philosophy that's characterized by functionality, simplicity, and clean lines." Functionality and simplicity... that's already what a weld is... it's extremely functional and simple, melted metal to join metal. Clean lines? As in a welder who can do their job? I mean... duh? Really feels like someone saying "atm machine" and trying to make it seem like they art holy than thou. I really hope they don't understand what "iron" means. Because an iron back tv... god have mercy on your spine when carrying that shit. Tvs don't have to double as barricades in case of a shoot out with the cops at your house. Tvs don't have to be sturdy. They're not gym equipment. You put them somewhere and they stay there like a glass vase. You look at it, not fondle it. Now, if it was really a Scandinavian inspired device... made of viking axes that have tasted blood... or get enough of these and they snap together to make a long boat. That's Scandinavian. Not "simple and functional clean lines". Bauhaus pre-dates that and whatever the Japanese call their style of design pre-dates that even more. Chill, ya' ain't the first. Stop making up silly names to feel special about your snowflake selves. No remote... that's the problem with newer tvs that it's "solving"... by making the same mistake? The fucking remotes are useless and do the "handy little mobile app" which is always trash. Tactile people. Tactile. Smooth surfaces suck when it comes to remotes. One HDMI... and they feel high and mighty for it... fuck you and your Apple design principles. Along with anything else they stand for. I bet they'll release a tv stand that costs a grand as well. Why? Why are people doing this? This is crazy. It's crap like this where I go "Don't fix global warming, let's burn more coal! Humans need to learn the hard way of their mistakes." It's the morning and I already need a drink... A true dumb tv: no boot time because all it does is take a signal and spit it out. 3 HDMI ports minimum. Blueray player, a streaming device and game console. A real fucking remote that fits in my hand comfortably and the buttons stick out of the plastic so I can feel them and never have to look down. Extra points if they make one with Cherry MX keys. That'd be cool. Don't know if it's practical, but I'd definitely give it a try. And the inputs have separate buttons. None of this cycling crap with just a single "input/source" key.
- m463 7y ago
  I have to say that lots of TVs are only ever hooked to one input. Also, having more than one input means you have to provide an interface to select between sources, which in my experience leads to "grandma, find the INPUT button" "..er the SOURCE button" "It must be somewhere on the back of the TV or on the remote"
frankydp 7y ago
I was certain this was a parody site, but after reading the hilarious comments on HN I am no longer confident.
- corodra 7y ago
  I'm really hoping so. Maybe it's an accidental early April fool's joke. Testing the site and someone posted it without thinking? If not, bring on global warming, we humans are never going to learn about useful technology. Just speed it up and let's get it over with. Normally when you strip things away, you make things cheaper than the competition... not hike the price up by an extra $150 from the leading brand name. If this tv was dirt cheap, I'd have no issues with it. It makes sense. As is... no and their air of superiority they have is the real thing everyone is angry about.
  - jordanbeiber 7y ago
    This is where you are kind of off - as a consumer all you can buy today is smart TV’s. Smarts that is there to track your viewing habits and besides that gives you bloated firmwares with buggy apps and crap you’ll never use. The only alternatives to this would be commercial screens, and they cost a tonne! For some reason, selling a non-smart TV is more expense... so - somewhere in all that smarts, you’re the product, I guess.
  - jen_h 7y ago
    I would absolutely pay extra for a television without an onboard camera and stealth network connection, yes. It's sad that we should expect to pay extra for our televisions not to spy on us, but here we are. We bought one of the last "non-smart" TVs available in the store just a few years ago and one of my great (arguably ridiculous) regrets is that when we went on the road this last time, we sold our place furnished, giving up that beautiful, giant, "dumb" TV to buyers who I'm sure don't appreciate its value.
    - corodra 7y ago
      I agree only if you're not buying a streaming device that has a built in mic that tracks and sends your info anyways. Look, I'm against the tracking culture we're in. I refuse to get IoT anything and I don't do the whole home automation crap. But I find it dumb when someone says "I don't want a TV that has a mic in it and sends my data... Alexa, turn on my Apple TV and stream Stranger Things from Netflix." Seriously... A lot of the same people have an Alexa/Google home/whatever. IoT devices throughout their home. Streaming boxes that only use voice commands. Yet they complain about smart tvs sending their data... Almost as bad as making a movie about aliens that die from touching water and they decide to invade a planet that's 70% covered in water and regularly has water fall from the sky.
kipchak 7y ago
I like the idea, but I don't think there's any cost savings here compared to a smart TV due to the lower volume and a relatively low incremental cost of adding in "smart" hardware and ports and speakers to every tv. It's tough to say without knowing the exact panel, but looking at the specs (55", 4k, TFT) something comparable would be around $300-400.
- didgeoridoo 7y ago
  Adding “smart” hardware & software into a TV is negative incremental cost, because they make a profit selling your viewing information. Source: I designed a product that helped networks package up and sell ad space based on this data. I am so not proud of this.
  - cptskippy 7y ago
    > Source: I designed a product that helped networks package up and sell ad space based on this data. I am so not proud of this. I wonder how many people have knowledge of shady crap like this but don't speak out because of shame or fear.
  - basch 7y ago
    They track your viewing information from an hdmi source? I would hope most budget tvs decoding and analyzing the video to determine whats playing.
    - c256 7y ago
      Yes, they can. The most pernicious version literally sends compressed screenshots to their data-harvesting services. Compression can be pretty aggressive, since they only really want to figure out what you’re watching, and they have a full database. This process is essentially a hash-table of screen content; they can use compression on screenshots because that hardware codec is heavily optimized and quite cheap (witness mobile streaming video usage). I have no idea which vendors/models currently do this, but several have been caught doing it in the wild; it’s not just theoretical. Things like pi-holes and avoiding ever ‘activating’ your smart tv can help stop it, but if you want to use the built-in Netflix (etc) app, or look for firmware updates, or use a built in Roku or similar, then you’re usually either doing something complicated (routing rules, pi-hole, etc) or giving in to your tv collecting data on you.
PopeDotNinja 7y ago
Saying there's no remote is a marketing gimmick. There's a remote, your phone plus the app.
stuaxo 7y ago
Having to use my distracting phone (and make sure it is charged) just to change channels is weak.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  No channels, only color profiles and brightness. There’s no tuner or apps in the TV which is why it’s “dumb”. It’s a monitor basically. You hook up your AV-processor to it and use an apple tv remote or harmony or whatever. It’s what I do, and why I’ll consider buying this as my 11 year old “dumb” plasma is starting to experience intermittent issues.
givinguflac 7y ago
They say the best speakers are the ones you add but it doesn’t have ARC or optical... seems like this is only good for people with AV receivers. But those people obviously don’t prioritize simplicity so I don’t think this makes sense.
tyingq 7y ago
If it's not less expensive than a smart TV, I'll continue buying smart TVs and just not configuring them. A smart TV makes a perfectly good dumb one. Just plug my Roku into the HDMI port. Newer Rokus come with tv power/volume buttons, so I don't touch the TV remote again.
- peatmoss 7y ago
  Is there a substantive difference between something like the cheapo TCL with integrated Roku and a dumb / unconfigured smart TV with an external Roku? Genuine question—I mean, is TCL+Roku likely to share different telemetry due to manufacturer requirements or pricing constraints?
  - tyingq 7y ago
    It's probably fine, but then you have to trust both TCL and Roku. I'd rather just trust Roku. And not just for privacy, but for timely software updates, spare remotes, etc.
- basch 7y ago
  This was my position, but now I like having a TCL Roku TV. The HDMI inputs are channels on the app screen, but all my tv settings are in the roku interface. It eliminates having that additional layer of settings between the two devices like frame rate and passthrough/bitstream audio. It eliminates having two user interface layers (the tv and the box) to change settings on. I have way more sound problems passing arc from a streaming box to a soundbar, through a tv intermediate, than I do from a smart tv to a soundbar. (FireCube+Vizio M Series is a disaster. The audio cuts out every 3rd time alexa triggers or you pause.) I can still have an apple tv and fire stick plugged in, but TCL and Roku have done a great job of treating the tvs as first class Roku citizens. It's nothing like Android and the OEM getting in the way of updates. They also arent underpowering the internal roku, its an ultra not a budget roku.
- Corrado 7y ago
  I still don't like Smart TVs and it's not because it has a built-in Roku or whatever. We purchased a Roku TV that I really liked initially, however over the past couple of months I've noticed that the volume takes forever to change. Like it lags a couple of seconds after I've last pressed the button and sometimes I have to compensate because I've over corrected. sigh In the past week I've noticed that I can't fast-forward through Netflix or YouTube videos any more. I hold down the button and the light flashes on the the TV but nothing happens. Ultimately, I want a dumb TV that does nothing but turn on and adjust the volume. This TV looks pretty good for me but I think it might be a bit too simple. I don't really want to hang it on the wall and it would be nice to have speakers built-in, at least so I can listen to videos before I splurge on an external speaker box.
peatmoss 7y ago
I see so many big, cheap smart TVs on the market, and I feel like there should be some way to lobotomize the smart features away. Maybe there is some underground community of smart TV hackers that has just eluded my web searches.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
collsni 7y ago
How is it a dumb tv when it requires a App to function?
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  It's dumb as in no "smart" tracking features or apps built in. It's essentially a "monitor" or "just a screen".
  - zormino 7y ago
    Then why does it need an app?
    - jordanbeiber 7y ago
      The app is there so you won’t need an additional remote you’ll never use. It’s used for color calibration, that’s it. How often do you calibrate your display?
  - rasz 7y ago
    except for the trackers embedded in the app
    - m463 7y ago
      it says "open-source"
yumraj 7y ago
This is the opposite of a dumb tv. A dumb tv has a remote and no app. This TV has no remote but has an app.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  It is not a "smart tv", it has no built in tracking features or apps, as pretty much all other TV's comes bundled with. The remote app is used to control color profiles and brightness (something one rarely do, after initial calibration), and there is nothing else to actually control as it is indeed a plain old monitor.
  - yumraj 7y ago
    Ok. Then why not just add a simple remote to do that. What advantage does an app have for that feature over a simple remote driven UI.
    - jordanbeiber 7y ago
      I always have two things on the table: apple remote and my phone. Should I need to calibrate i have the app handy as opposed to a long gone remote, that when I find it have no batteries. This would be the only benefit.
      - ThrowawayR2 7y ago
        Unless the app goes out of date and no longer works on current smartphones/tablets, which does happen. I'd rather have the remote; batteries are cheap.
        yumraj 7y ago
        Also, most TV remotes seem to follow a standard, and as long as I can get into the TV UI, I can change settings. So, even if the TV remote stops working, any kind of universal remote can help.
        7y ago
madengr 7y ago
This thing has so many bad points. Ditch the app and have a simple remote control, one that can be replaced when it is lost. This thing will be obsolete as soon as the app is not updated. In fact, it should ship with 3 remotes. Two HDMI inputs that are auto switching, and the TV should auto power on and off, like a monitor. One for the “sanctioned” streaming box (Apple TV, Amazon Fire), and another for Kodi based hardware. Buttons on the side to access all functions when the remote is lost. Might as well be 4K OLED too.
rkagerer 7y ago
Like the idea of a dumb TV without a web browser, etc. But this implementation doesn't appeal to me. Sorry.
drdeadringer 7y ago
I am very happy with my media-dedicated computer and my black-and-white Videosphere TV [jacked into the free digital signal channels with remote control]. I like to think myself unique, even if I'm not to a degree of a few thousand or so. When I get a smartphone, I won't be using it to tune into The Late Night Show.
rasz 7y ago
>The menu and remote has been replaced with the Iron Cast App dumb indeed, the consumers that is
mark_l_watson 7y ago
I don’t know about needed a phone app. Really, what we cable cutters really need is just a large computer monitor with HDMI and USB-C interfaces. The plug in a Fire, Apple TV, etc.
- m463 7y ago
  They could be just giving you a way into settings that HDMI-CEC doesn't define (does it?)
sunstone 7y ago
Smart TV's cost a lot less than they would if Sony/Phillips/Samsung didn't resell your personal data they gather when the TV is plugged into the net. So buy one of these good deals but don't plug it into the the net. Just get a NUC that you control and use that with one of the 3 or 4 HDMI ports you have. You get a good deal on the TV, no one is listening to everything that's said in your living room and with a long range (eg Marathon) mouse you have all the remote control you need.
jkoberg 7y ago
So, a monitor?
herpes 7y ago
It's a monitor?
kup0 7y ago
This doesn't seem like a "dumb tv", but instead the next level of "smart tv" - needs an app and other bs- and then only has ONE video input. How is any of this a good thing?
jordanbeiber 7y ago
They seem to have listened to feedback: - We embedded the Iron Cast Hub inside the TV, giving the Iron Cast TV 3 HDMI ports. - We updated the specs to reflect HDR, VESA and Embedded Wall Mount. - We changed the audio from analog to digital in both TV and Soundbar. - Finally, the biggest change, we added our Iron Cast Orb, for our dear fans of analog control. I might have to get one just to support this venture.

52 points by jordanbeiber 7y ago

Nice to see someone try to solve this problem! Wishes: HDR. A much larger size, like 85” class or whatever size is currently practical to manufacture. An open standard for the app/control protocol in case the company goes under.

jordanbeiber 7y ago
Agree. I was just happy to finally see someone trying to create a simple screen, without the smart crap. Perhaps doing a cheaper entry screen first is a resonable start, but I’d also like to see something bigger.

AlleyTrotter 7y ago

Eliminate all the bells and whistles and then pay extra to put them back in.

jordanbeiber 7y ago
Isn’t it a great idea! I use my hdmi switch in my AVP, so why would I want a bunch of unused ports? I use my powered monitors for audio, why would I want crappy built-in speakers? I absolutely do not want crappy “smart” functions in my screens firmware that already have superior apple-tv counterparts. Etc. Smart tv’s are cheaper for a reason. In short - I just want a big monitor. Where can I get a 50”+ monitor for at least a reasonable price?
corodra 7y ago
Don't forget it costs extra to have those bells and whistles removed. Looking at a samsung 55" 4k with hdr normal tv at $429 right now, that I can pick up at a local store right now. Yet they want $599 for a kickstarter tv.
- RandomBacon 7y ago
  > samsung 55" 4k with hdr normal tv at $429 Link please?
  - phkahler 7y ago
    Drive to your local Walmart.
    - RandomBacon 7y ago
      I looked at Walmart's website and didn't see it.
  - corodra 7y ago
    Looked at my local best buy's ads on the site.
    - RandomBacon 7y ago
      I looked at Best Buy's website and didn't see it.

nickphx 7y ago

No remote and required installation of a mobile app to control tv? That IS dumb.

jordanbeiber 7y ago
I have personally not used a remote for my TV in many years. These days I use the apple tv remote and CEC let me control volume in my AV-processor as well as power on/off. The remote for my projectors and TV’s for the last 15 years never left their packaging.
wodenokoto 7y ago
I don't think the app is required if you hook up an Apple TV or similar.
- lonelappde 7y ago
  Does Apple TV control brightness and Cable TV?
  - jordanbeiber 7y ago
    I use plex, which can be hooked up to cable prividers. But, I’m probably a target for this product as I have not had or used linear TV for 20 years.
foobiekr 7y ago
The app is there to provide obsolescence.
pekim 7y ago
I agree. I don't have a mobile telephone, so this television would not be an option for me.

atrilumen 7y ago

Brilliant. I want one.

lonelappde 7y ago

How is this better than any TV with Chromecast or Apple TV or whatever? What's the giant metal rectangle underneath for? What's the point, besides hipsterism?

jordanbeiber 7y ago
No “smart”, no built-in speaker, no unnecessary ports. This TV caters to someone who has an apple tv, some gaming consoles etc hooked up to an AVP/AV-receiver. It’s a user that have no proper TV alternatives, besides projectors, these days. Other than reeeally expensive commercial screens.
- nixpulvis 7y ago
  Isn't an app that requires my "smart"phone smarter than it would be with a silly little remote? Ironically smarter => stupider
  - jordanbeiber 7y ago
    Exactly. Smarter by not doing things I don’t want it to do. Having remote functionality in an app is way better than an additional remote that will be lost as it is so rarely used. I have my apple remote, don’t want nothing else.
Youden 7y ago
As someone who would buy this TV: the point is that it's not a TV, it's just a display. I have external speakers, I never use the speakers in my TV. I have a streaming device, I never use the streaming features built into my TV. My streaming devices have their own remote controllers which interact with the TV using HDMI-CEC, I don't use my TV's remote controller. All the "features" built into my TV are obstacles that I'm happy to pay to have removed. Due to the speakers being built in, the TV likes to randomly switch to those instead of my external ones. The streaming apps lead to the TV having an entire operating system of its own which causes it to take longer to power on, longer for me to get to the things I want and more complex to interact with and configure. I essentially just want a really big PC monitor. Just give me something that takes a digital signal in and beams corresponding coloured lights into my eyeballs.

gandalfian 7y ago

How about a tv where pressing a number button takes you to that television channel no matter what state the tv is in. No switching sources or pressing exit buttons to reach the correct state. Just press a channel button and you get to tv. Just in case, god forbid, someone actually wants to use one to watch television on. (Really iron back? Welded? That sounds incredibly heavy and just why??)

corodra 7y ago
I'm thinking they really don't know what the word "iron" means. Or it's some new hipster phrase that refers to old stuff. I don't know. Because who the hell thinks a tv made of iron is necessary? The 90s called, they said you're an idiot because they tried that and are sorry for it.

RenRav 7y ago

>We removed everything that doesn't add to a simple experience; making it ultra-slim, pure and compatible with your other gadgets. >The menu and remote has been replaced with the Iron Cast App, where your can create profiles and settings for any mood and atmosphere. You can choose between our carefully constructed profiles or simply create your own. These two things seem at odds, the first thing everyone does is shovel in their own app. It's also hard to consider dumb when it requires a smartphone to even use.

corodra 7y ago
>It's also hard to consider dumb when it requires a smartphone to even use. RIGHT?!? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
jordanbeiber 7y ago
Yes, a monitor - a product that at 45”+ is missing for consumers and your only option is commercial screens. Remotes - I find that I want one simple remote for 90% of the time. Having vendor specific remote apps in my phone is vastly better than having three of four separates on the rare occasions I need to tweak something. I prefer the apple remote to harmonys et al.
- noja 7y ago
  > vastly better Until three years later when the app isn't being updated anymore, or the vendor removed all the functionality you used (hello Sonos)
  - jordanbeiber 7y ago
    Well, if you look at the features this specific remote app is designed to control, what you describe is "vendor out of business". Sure, that is a risk, as always. Ideally vendors would open source code like this. Not sure why they so seldom do. Some cultural corporate thing I guess. This is something we as consumers are always vulnerable to, the more "smarts" are built in to products.

igetspam 7y ago

Neat but I think they went too minimal and a little too modern. More HDMI and no heavy metal back and I'd be interested. I know that creates an input switching problem but if they can make an auto switching HDMI hub, they could put it in the TV. (I've had mixed results here though.)

jordanbeiber 7y ago
I guess that’s why the have the hdmi hub as some might want more ports. I only use the one hdmi with ARC, and have no need for more as I have my additional ports in my AVP.
m463 7y ago
I only ever use one input. I love the idea of this TV.

corodra 7y ago

>Welded by danish design principles. Looked that little gem up: "Scandinavian design represents a design philosophy that's characterized by functionality, simplicity, and clean lines." Functionality and simplicity... that's already what a weld is... it's extremely functional and simple, melted metal to join metal. Clean lines? As in a welder who can do their job? I mean... duh? Really feels like someone saying "atm machine" and trying to make it seem like they art holy than thou. I really hope they don't understand what "iron" means. Because an iron back tv... god have mercy on your spine when carrying that shit. Tvs don't have to double as barricades in case of a shoot out with the cops at your house. Tvs don't have to be sturdy. They're not gym equipment. You put them somewhere and they stay there like a glass vase. You look at it, not fondle it. Now, if it was really a Scandinavian inspired device... made of viking axes that have tasted blood... or get enough of these and they snap together to make a long boat. That's Scandinavian. Not "simple and functional clean lines". Bauhaus pre-dates that and whatever the Japanese call their style of design pre-dates that even more. Chill, ya' ain't the first. Stop making up silly names to feel special about your snowflake selves. No remote... that's the problem with newer tvs that it's "solving"... by making the same mistake? The fucking remotes are useless and do the "handy little mobile app" which is always trash. Tactile people. Tactile. Smooth surfaces suck when it comes to remotes. One HDMI... and they feel high and mighty for it... fuck you and your Apple design principles. Along with anything else they stand for. I bet they'll release a tv stand that costs a grand as well. Why? Why are people doing this? This is crazy. It's crap like this where I go "Don't fix global warming, let's burn more coal! Humans need to learn the hard way of their mistakes." It's the morning and I already need a drink... A true dumb tv: no boot time because all it does is take a signal and spit it out. 3 HDMI ports minimum. Blueray player, a streaming device and game console. A real fucking remote that fits in my hand comfortably and the buttons stick out of the plastic so I can feel them and never have to look down. Extra points if they make one with Cherry MX keys. That'd be cool. Don't know if it's practical, but I'd definitely give it a try. And the inputs have separate buttons. None of this cycling crap with just a single "input/source" key.

m463 7y ago
I have to say that lots of TVs are only ever hooked to one input. Also, having more than one input means you have to provide an interface to select between sources, which in my experience leads to "grandma, find the INPUT button" "..er the SOURCE button" "It must be somewhere on the back of the TV or on the remote"

frankydp 7y ago

I was certain this was a parody site, but after reading the hilarious comments on HN I am no longer confident.

corodra 7y ago
I'm really hoping so. Maybe it's an accidental early April fool's joke. Testing the site and someone posted it without thinking? If not, bring on global warming, we humans are never going to learn about useful technology. Just speed it up and let's get it over with. Normally when you strip things away, you make things cheaper than the competition... not hike the price up by an extra $150 from the leading brand name. If this tv was dirt cheap, I'd have no issues with it. It makes sense. As is... no and their air of superiority they have is the real thing everyone is angry about.
- jordanbeiber 7y ago
  This is where you are kind of off - as a consumer all you can buy today is smart TV’s. Smarts that is there to track your viewing habits and besides that gives you bloated firmwares with buggy apps and crap you’ll never use. The only alternatives to this would be commercial screens, and they cost a tonne! For some reason, selling a non-smart TV is more expense... so - somewhere in all that smarts, you’re the product, I guess.
- jen_h 7y ago
  I would absolutely pay extra for a television without an onboard camera and stealth network connection, yes. It's sad that we should expect to pay extra for our televisions not to spy on us, but here we are. We bought one of the last "non-smart" TVs available in the store just a few years ago and one of my great (arguably ridiculous) regrets is that when we went on the road this last time, we sold our place furnished, giving up that beautiful, giant, "dumb" TV to buyers who I'm sure don't appreciate its value.
  - corodra 7y ago
    I agree only if you're not buying a streaming device that has a built in mic that tracks and sends your info anyways. Look, I'm against the tracking culture we're in. I refuse to get IoT anything and I don't do the whole home automation crap. But I find it dumb when someone says "I don't want a TV that has a mic in it and sends my data... Alexa, turn on my Apple TV and stream Stranger Things from Netflix." Seriously... A lot of the same people have an Alexa/Google home/whatever. IoT devices throughout their home. Streaming boxes that only use voice commands. Yet they complain about smart tvs sending their data... Almost as bad as making a movie about aliens that die from touching water and they decide to invade a planet that's 70% covered in water and regularly has water fall from the sky.

kipchak 7y ago

I like the idea, but I don't think there's any cost savings here compared to a smart TV due to the lower volume and a relatively low incremental cost of adding in "smart" hardware and ports and speakers to every tv. It's tough to say without knowing the exact panel, but looking at the specs (55", 4k, TFT) something comparable would be around $300-400.

didgeoridoo 7y ago
Adding “smart” hardware & software into a TV is negative incremental cost, because they make a profit selling your viewing information. Source: I designed a product that helped networks package up and sell ad space based on this data. I am so not proud of this.
- cptskippy 7y ago
  > Source: I designed a product that helped networks package up and sell ad space based on this data. I am so not proud of this. I wonder how many people have knowledge of shady crap like this but don't speak out because of shame or fear.
- basch 7y ago
  They track your viewing information from an hdmi source? I would hope most budget tvs decoding and analyzing the video to determine whats playing.
  - c256 7y ago
    Yes, they can. The most pernicious version literally sends compressed screenshots to their data-harvesting services. Compression can be pretty aggressive, since they only really want to figure out what you’re watching, and they have a full database. This process is essentially a hash-table of screen content; they can use compression on screenshots because that hardware codec is heavily optimized and quite cheap (witness mobile streaming video usage). I have no idea which vendors/models currently do this, but several have been caught doing it in the wild; it’s not just theoretical. Things like pi-holes and avoiding ever ‘activating’ your smart tv can help stop it, but if you want to use the built-in Netflix (etc) app, or look for firmware updates, or use a built in Roku or similar, then you’re usually either doing something complicated (routing rules, pi-hole, etc) or giving in to your tv collecting data on you.

PopeDotNinja 7y ago

Saying there's no remote is a marketing gimmick. There's a remote, your phone plus the app.

stuaxo 7y ago

Having to use my distracting phone (and make sure it is charged) just to change channels is weak.

jordanbeiber 7y ago
No channels, only color profiles and brightness. There’s no tuner or apps in the TV which is why it’s “dumb”. It’s a monitor basically. You hook up your AV-processor to it and use an apple tv remote or harmony or whatever. It’s what I do, and why I’ll consider buying this as my 11 year old “dumb” plasma is starting to experience intermittent issues.

givinguflac 7y ago

They say the best speakers are the ones you add but it doesn’t have ARC or optical... seems like this is only good for people with AV receivers. But those people obviously don’t prioritize simplicity so I don’t think this makes sense.

tyingq 7y ago

If it's not less expensive than a smart TV, I'll continue buying smart TVs and just not configuring them. A smart TV makes a perfectly good dumb one. Just plug my Roku into the HDMI port. Newer Rokus come with tv power/volume buttons, so I don't touch the TV remote again.

peatmoss 7y ago
Is there a substantive difference between something like the cheapo TCL with integrated Roku and a dumb / unconfigured smart TV with an external Roku? Genuine question—I mean, is TCL+Roku likely to share different telemetry due to manufacturer requirements or pricing constraints?
- tyingq 7y ago
  It's probably fine, but then you have to trust both TCL and Roku. I'd rather just trust Roku. And not just for privacy, but for timely software updates, spare remotes, etc.
basch 7y ago
This was my position, but now I like having a TCL Roku TV. The HDMI inputs are channels on the app screen, but all my tv settings are in the roku interface. It eliminates having that additional layer of settings between the two devices like frame rate and passthrough/bitstream audio. It eliminates having two user interface layers (the tv and the box) to change settings on. I have way more sound problems passing arc from a streaming box to a soundbar, through a tv intermediate, than I do from a smart tv to a soundbar. (FireCube+Vizio M Series is a disaster. The audio cuts out every 3rd time alexa triggers or you pause.) I can still have an apple tv and fire stick plugged in, but TCL and Roku have done a great job of treating the tvs as first class Roku citizens. It's nothing like Android and the OEM getting in the way of updates. They also arent underpowering the internal roku, its an ultra not a budget roku.
Corrado 7y ago
I still don't like Smart TVs and it's not because it has a built-in Roku or whatever. We purchased a Roku TV that I really liked initially, however over the past couple of months I've noticed that the volume takes forever to change. Like it lags a couple of seconds after I've last pressed the button and sometimes I have to compensate because I've over corrected. sigh In the past week I've noticed that I can't fast-forward through Netflix or YouTube videos any more. I hold down the button and the light flashes on the the TV but nothing happens. Ultimately, I want a dumb TV that does nothing but turn on and adjust the volume. This TV looks pretty good for me but I think it might be a bit too simple. I don't really want to hang it on the wall and it would be nice to have speakers built-in, at least so I can listen to videos before I splurge on an external speaker box.

peatmoss 7y ago

I see so many big, cheap smart TVs on the market, and I feel like there should be some way to lobotomize the smart features away. Maybe there is some underground community of smart TV hackers that has just eluded my web searches.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

collsni 7y ago

How is it a dumb tv when it requires a App to function?

jordanbeiber 7y ago
It's dumb as in no "smart" tracking features or apps built in. It's essentially a "monitor" or "just a screen".
- zormino 7y ago
  Then why does it need an app?
  - jordanbeiber 7y ago
    The app is there so you won’t need an additional remote you’ll never use. It’s used for color calibration, that’s it. How often do you calibrate your display?
- rasz 7y ago
  except for the trackers embedded in the app
  - m463 7y ago
    it says "open-source"

yumraj 7y ago

This is the opposite of a dumb tv. A dumb tv has a remote and no app. This TV has no remote but has an app.

jordanbeiber 7y ago
It is not a "smart tv", it has no built in tracking features or apps, as pretty much all other TV's comes bundled with. The remote app is used to control color profiles and brightness (something one rarely do, after initial calibration), and there is nothing else to actually control as it is indeed a plain old monitor.
- yumraj 7y ago
  Ok. Then why not just add a simple remote to do that. What advantage does an app have for that feature over a simple remote driven UI.
  - jordanbeiber 7y ago
    I always have two things on the table: apple remote and my phone. Should I need to calibrate i have the app handy as opposed to a long gone remote, that when I find it have no batteries. This would be the only benefit.
    - ThrowawayR2 7y ago
      Unless the app goes out of date and no longer works on current smartphones/tablets, which does happen. I'd rather have the remote; batteries are cheap.
      - yumraj 7y ago
        Also, most TV remotes seem to follow a standard, and as long as I can get into the TV UI, I can change settings. So, even if the TV remote stops working, any kind of universal remote can help.
      - 7y ago

madengr 7y ago

This thing has so many bad points. Ditch the app and have a simple remote control, one that can be replaced when it is lost. This thing will be obsolete as soon as the app is not updated. In fact, it should ship with 3 remotes. Two HDMI inputs that are auto switching, and the TV should auto power on and off, like a monitor. One for the “sanctioned” streaming box (Apple TV, Amazon Fire), and another for Kodi based hardware. Buttons on the side to access all functions when the remote is lost. Might as well be 4K OLED too.

rkagerer 7y ago

Like the idea of a dumb TV without a web browser, etc. But this implementation doesn't appeal to me. Sorry.

drdeadringer 7y ago

I am very happy with my media-dedicated computer and my black-and-white Videosphere TV [jacked into the free digital signal channels with remote control]. I like to think myself unique, even if I'm not to a degree of a few thousand or so. When I get a smartphone, I won't be using it to tune into The Late Night Show.

rasz 7y ago

>The menu and remote has been replaced with the Iron Cast App dumb indeed, the consumers that is

mark_l_watson 7y ago

I don’t know about needed a phone app. Really, what we cable cutters really need is just a large computer monitor with HDMI and USB-C interfaces. The plug in a Fire, Apple TV, etc.

m463 7y ago
They could be just giving you a way into settings that HDMI-CEC doesn't define (does it?)

sunstone 7y ago

Smart TV's cost a lot less than they would if Sony/Phillips/Samsung didn't resell your personal data they gather when the TV is plugged into the net. So buy one of these good deals but don't plug it into the the net. Just get a NUC that you control and use that with one of the 3 or 4 HDMI ports you have. You get a good deal on the TV, no one is listening to everything that's said in your living room and with a long range (eg Marathon) mouse you have all the remote control you need.

jkoberg 7y ago

So, a monitor?

herpes 7y ago

It's a monitor?

kup0 7y ago

This doesn't seem like a "dumb tv", but instead the next level of "smart tv" - needs an app and other bs- and then only has ONE video input. How is any of this a good thing?

jordanbeiber 7y ago

They seem to have listened to feedback: - We embedded the Iron Cast Hub inside the TV, giving the Iron Cast TV 3 HDMI ports. - We updated the specs to reflect HDR, VESA and Embedded Wall Mount. - We changed the audio from analog to digital in both TV and Soundbar. - Finally, the biggest change, we added our Iron Cast Orb, for our dear fans of analog control. I might have to get one just to support this venture.