4 ms·

A dumb flat LED panel sounds perfect, but where can I get a 65" one, and how many Tesla Model 3s is it going to cost?

EricE 6y ago
Just don't hook it to the Internet? Seriously - it isn't that hard. I guess I'm old school - I have an AV receiver (it serves as an amp for my speakers too!) and it let's me pick between the few devices I have. Xbox for games/BluRay, Tivo or Apple TV - there aren't very many services that aren't on one of those three. I would NEVER hook a TV up to Internet. Maybe long enough to do a firmware update, but that's it.
- boring_twenties 6y ago
  How can I be sure it won't hook itself to the Internet? For instance, using a nearby Xfinity or AT&T hotspot? Or simply coming with an LTE radio built in?
  - sxates 6y ago
    Connect it to your network but block it's network access. Then it's "connected" but the connections fail. That said, I haven't seen any evidence of smart TV's autonomously connecting to open hot spots without permission.
  - throwaway189262 6y ago
    It's even worse. Some of them can already connect over HDMI to a device that has network access. The selling point for this is "simplify cabling". Yeah right
    - MrMorden 6y ago
      The HDMI Exploit Channel.
  - yencabulator 6y ago
    A big part of the push for 5G was very very cheap low-bandwidth IoT cellular connectivity. Guess what they'll be using that for.
ydant 6y ago
If you have the right situation for it, consider a projector. A decent projector and a much bigger than 65" fixed screen can be less than $1,000 combined. You won't be top of the line (maybe 1080p instead of 4k, and a "decent" quality screen), you need more darkness than a TV would require, you'll have to replace the bulb eventually, and installation is more involved. But, for our needs (a handful of hours a week of focused watching or game playing), it's perfect. I wouldn't want this for casual TV watching or background TV watching, but that's just not how we consume (laptops or phones fill that role). The projector is as dumb as can be, too, meaning nothing to connect to the internet, and nothing to update.
- yencabulator 6y ago
  I had a 100" projector screen earlier. If you mostly settle down to watch movies & more "theatrical" shows later at night, I highly recommend a projector. Also great for FPS gaming, the huge screen activates your peripheral vision in a very different way. If you're looking to catch 20 minutes of a show every now and then, while doing other things, with lights on, or you're trying to fill a void with daytime television, look elsewhere.
- boring_twenties 6y ago
  Good call, I've actually been using projectors since about 2002 :) I will have to change the lamp in mine any day now. It more or less suits me, but my partner still asks for an actual TV occasionally.

Just don't hook it to the Internet? Seriously - it isn't that hard. I guess I'm old school - I have an AV receiver (it serves as an amp for my speakers too!) and it let's me pick between the few devices I have. Xbox for games/BluRay, Tivo or Apple TV - there aren't very many services that aren't on one of those three. I would NEVER hook a TV up to Internet. Maybe long enough to do a firmware update, but that's it.

boring_twenties 6y ago
How can I be sure it won't hook itself to the Internet? For instance, using a nearby Xfinity or AT&T hotspot? Or simply coming with an LTE radio built in?
- sxates 6y ago
  Connect it to your network but block it's network access. Then it's "connected" but the connections fail. That said, I haven't seen any evidence of smart TV's autonomously connecting to open hot spots without permission.
- throwaway189262 6y ago
  It's even worse. Some of them can already connect over HDMI to a device that has network access. The selling point for this is "simplify cabling". Yeah right
  - MrMorden 6y ago
    The HDMI Exploit Channel.
- yencabulator 6y ago
  A big part of the push for 5G was very very cheap low-bandwidth IoT cellular connectivity. Guess what they'll be using that for.

ydant 6y ago

If you have the right situation for it, consider a projector. A decent projector and a much bigger than 65" fixed screen can be less than $1,000 combined. You won't be top of the line (maybe 1080p instead of 4k, and a "decent" quality screen), you need more darkness than a TV would require, you'll have to replace the bulb eventually, and installation is more involved. But, for our needs (a handful of hours a week of focused watching or game playing), it's perfect. I wouldn't want this for casual TV watching or background TV watching, but that's just not how we consume (laptops or phones fill that role). The projector is as dumb as can be, too, meaning nothing to connect to the internet, and nothing to update.

yencabulator 6y ago
I had a 100" projector screen earlier. If you mostly settle down to watch movies & more "theatrical" shows later at night, I highly recommend a projector. Also great for FPS gaming, the huge screen activates your peripheral vision in a very different way. If you're looking to catch 20 minutes of a show every now and then, while doing other things, with lights on, or you're trying to fill a void with daytime television, look elsewhere.
boring_twenties 6y ago
Good call, I've actually been using projectors since about 2002 :) I will have to change the lamp in mine any day now. It more or less suits me, but my partner still asks for an actual TV occasionally.