5 ms·

If you want a TV, is there any alternative? We got a new TV last year and I (joe shmoe average user) didn't see any that weren't smart.

chime 7y ago
Buy the best TV that fits your needs. Do not configure the Smart TV features at all. If it requires Internet access for initial configuration, setup your phone as a hotspot with a temporary password. Once configured, change your phone hotspot password and disable it. I have many Smart TVs, all working great as dumb monitors for my AppleTVs. I wouldn’t change a thing.
- r3vrse 7y ago
  Anecdotal: was setting up some Hisense TVs at work the other day and the unit came up with a message that "all Network features" would be disabled if you declined the EULA. Immediately thought "works for me". I wonder if any other manufacturer offers that choice. Edit: commercial signage panels are about as close as you get to dumb TVs these days. Rarely include any smart features, can get in quite large sizes. Not OLED or anything but if you just want a decent display...
  - SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
    FWIW - I discovered recently that Hisense is actually owned by the Chinese state government, if that kind of thing matters to you.
swader999 7y ago
I might have to get a projector
Smoosh 7y ago
There are some still out there (in Australia - YMMV). I just bought this on Wednesday: http://www.bauhn.com.au/product-listing/58-4k-ultra-hd-tv-ATV58UHD-1119 http://www.bauhn.com.au/product-listing/58-4k-ultra-hd-tv-AT...
- Sendotsh 7y ago
  Aldi has very very questionable quality though. I've had multiple DOAs, and multiple of their things die within months. They're good with warranty returns, but usually can't give you a replacement product due to how they do batch/bulk sales and don't keep recurring stock, so you generally end up with a refund and have to start shopping around again for an equivalent product.
Springtime 7y ago
NEC sell 4K resolution large displays on their store [1] (not affiliated but someone in a HN topic noted them). Should be said that while they appear to not feature smart TV capabilities (they're intended more for retail/enterprise use) they lack HDR local dimming which is something to consider. As for not connecting smart TVs to Wi-Fi I read in a recent HN comment [2] that theirs connected without consent automatically to the first available unsecured Wi-Fi it found, sometime later. Seems some TVs are being extra sneaky with this. [1] https://www.necdisplay.com/category?category=displays https://www.necdisplay.com/category?category=displays [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21010777 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21010777
bjelkeman-again 7y ago
In Europe I buy dumb panels from https://www.swedx.se/index.php?cPath=133 https://www.swedx.se/index.php?cPath=133 They are mainly aimed corporate buyers, I have one 42 inch TV and one small video wall (4x42 inch) from them.
buckminster 7y ago
I bought a cheap TV from Argos, a UK catalogue store. No smart features. Still working well after a year.
nicwolff 7y ago
There is, but since they're not able to sell your data they cost a lot. I bought a 55" LG OLED 1080p commercial signage display for $5000. The power and control hardware is in a separate box so the display panel is just 6 mm thick, and it has no "smart TV" features at all, just basic firmware for configuration. https://www.lg.com/us/business/oled-displays/lg-55EJ5E https://www.lg.com/us/business/oled-displays/lg-55EJ5E

chime 7y ago

Buy the best TV that fits your needs. Do not configure the Smart TV features at all. If it requires Internet access for initial configuration, setup your phone as a hotspot with a temporary password. Once configured, change your phone hotspot password and disable it. I have many Smart TVs, all working great as dumb monitors for my AppleTVs. I wouldn’t change a thing.

r3vrse 7y ago
Anecdotal: was setting up some Hisense TVs at work the other day and the unit came up with a message that "all Network features" would be disabled if you declined the EULA. Immediately thought "works for me". I wonder if any other manufacturer offers that choice. Edit: commercial signage panels are about as close as you get to dumb TVs these days. Rarely include any smart features, can get in quite large sizes. Not OLED or anything but if you just want a decent display...
- SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
  FWIW - I discovered recently that Hisense is actually owned by the Chinese state government, if that kind of thing matters to you.

swader999 7y ago

I might have to get a projector

Smoosh 7y ago

There are some still out there (in Australia - YMMV). I just bought this on Wednesday: http://www.bauhn.com.au/product-listing/58-4k-ultra-hd-tv-ATV58UHD-1119 http://www.bauhn.com.au/product-listing/58-4k-ultra-hd-tv-AT...

Sendotsh 7y ago
Aldi has very very questionable quality though. I've had multiple DOAs, and multiple of their things die within months. They're good with warranty returns, but usually can't give you a replacement product due to how they do batch/bulk sales and don't keep recurring stock, so you generally end up with a refund and have to start shopping around again for an equivalent product.

Springtime 7y ago

NEC sell 4K resolution large displays on their store [1] (not affiliated but someone in a HN topic noted them). Should be said that while they appear to not feature smart TV capabilities (they're intended more for retail/enterprise use) they lack HDR local dimming which is something to consider. As for not connecting smart TVs to Wi-Fi I read in a recent HN comment [2] that theirs connected without consent automatically to the first available unsecured Wi-Fi it found, sometime later. Seems some TVs are being extra sneaky with this. [1] https://www.necdisplay.com/category?category=displays https://www.necdisplay.com/category?category=displays [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21010777 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21010777

bjelkeman-again 7y ago

In Europe I buy dumb panels from https://www.swedx.se/index.php?cPath=133 https://www.swedx.se/index.php?cPath=133 They are mainly aimed corporate buyers, I have one 42 inch TV and one small video wall (4x42 inch) from them.

buckminster 7y ago

I bought a cheap TV from Argos, a UK catalogue store. No smart features. Still working well after a year.

nicwolff 7y ago

There is, but since they're not able to sell your data they cost a lot. I bought a 55" LG OLED 1080p commercial signage display for $5000. The power and control hardware is in a separate box so the display panel is just 6 mm thick, and it has no "smart TV" features at all, just basic firmware for configuration. https://www.lg.com/us/business/oled-displays/lg-55EJ5E https://www.lg.com/us/business/oled-displays/lg-55EJ5E