5 ms·

Disagree. My 75 yo parents still have a dumb tv. They have different remotes for cable, sound, blue ray player ( some smart apps), fire tv, and apple tv. Their

Disagree. My 75 yo parents still have a dumb tv. They have different remotes for cable, sound, blue ray player ( some smart apps), fire tv, and apple tv. Their life is not easier because of this, they don't watch what they want when they want because it takes minutes to get to a different source. I know what I'm getting them for Christmas

throwaway09223 6y ago
The right way to fix this is one single smart device, which is the only device connected to the dumb TV. The best of these types don't have a remote. They're controlled by a phone. If the intelligence is built into the TV then it cannot be updated or replaced -- so either there will again be multiple devices, or the TV will need to be replaced on a frequent basis. A smart TV makes the problem you describe even worse
- icedchai 6y ago
  My smart TV's built in apps (Netflix, mainly) are incredibly unstable. About 5 years back I started to use a Firestick instead. The TV is best as just a TV.
- thebean11 6y ago
  Completely disagree on the lack of remote. Hitting a button on a remote is better UI than needing to unlock a phone and hope that it's actually connected to the streaming device (not always the case). I think the new Chromecast is an admission from Google that the average person still wants a remote.
  - throwaway09223 6y ago
    Perhaps I should say that the best of this type offer the option of using a phone. I personally prefer a phone but I also understand the preference of a remote. With a separate smart device these types of preferences can be accommodated over time, unlike with a one size fits all smart TV.
  - smileysteve 6y ago
    I agree with this. And in this context; in my 30s and I don't always know where my phone is; My parents, don't always have their phones accessible or know where they are without looking. Also, it's less tactile in the dark.
- sneak 6y ago
  > If the intelligence is built into the TV then it cannot be updated or replaced Wait until a decade from now, when all computers are like this, too.
- pishpash 6y ago
  Planned obsolescence is a feature. Not an accident.
scrollaway 6y ago
Get them an nvidia shield to attach to the dumb tv. Best of both worlds.
- cmroanirgo 6y ago
  > Google Assistant built in https://www.nvidia.com/en-au/shield/ https://www.nvidia.com/en-au/shield/ Being internet connected is one thing (which it looks good for), but having an active mic in the room is a whole other level of "no thanks" from me.
  - scrollaway 6y ago
    So disable/don't use it? It doesn't even actively listen for "ok google", it only listens if you hit the assistant key. If you ever have an android phone in your home, it's exactly the same thing (except the phone actively listens by default). Edit: Also, for fucks sake, context. The person I'm replying to is talking about getting his parents a SmartTV (way worse privacy-wise than Google), for the convenience factor.
    - canofbars 6y ago
      And then they forget to update it or nvidia discontinues it and someone hacks in to it and your room mic gets posted on one of those open ip camera lists. This is not some tin foil hat idea. You can go on reddit and browse peoples personal spaces being broadcast for everyone to see.
      - scrollaway 6y ago
        … how does a mic that is embedded in a remote control turn into a camera?
        canofbars 6y ago
        I don't mean that it will become a camera, but that it will be listed along side them. "Listen to this random persons living room / bedroom" makes for some entertainment for others.
bserge 6y ago
> I know what I'm getting them for Christmas A TV with a good panel and a separate smart stick? :D Really, that's the best choice. Always has been. My neighbour called me because his Google apps (particularly, Youtube) stopped working on his smart TV. It's a cheap HiSense or something. Still on warranty, but the store won't do anything as the hardware is fine, and they say the manufacturer is responsible for software updates. Which have stopped coming. I'm pretty sure he didn't quite understand my "apps are Google property and they need to be updated every few months but this company stopped doing that" explanation, but anyway, he now has a dumb TV in the kitchen, and he specifically bought it so the wife could find recipes online, log in to Facebook and watch Youtube. I told him to just get an Android computer stick, which will work just as well and last way longer. At the very least, it can be manually updated, unlike the built-in software.
VHRanger 6y ago
You're getting them a chromecast? Because that's what you should.
- smileysteve 6y ago
  Tried it. It takes 2 remotes to get the sound and hdmi to the right input. They are also confused about what apps it works with, or how to get to them (on the phone), and even though they have a Google Home, it only works with a few providers for voice control.
octoberfranklin 6y ago
> I know what I'm getting them for Christmas A grandchild who cares about oligopolistic abuse? Because they don't have one of those.
Too 6y ago
My single Apple TV remote with only 7 buttons and a trackpad controls everything. The AppleTV itself wirelessly, the TV power on/off and source via HDMI-CEC, and finally the external amplifier volume via IR, which powers on/off itself when sound is received or idle. The TV automatically switches source to the game console when it's turned on and vice versa. Couldn't be easier. I haven't done any fancy hacking or special hw to get this working, just basic Samsung, Apple, a decent amp and a few minutes adjusting the settings of each.

throwaway09223 6y ago

The right way to fix this is one single smart device, which is the only device connected to the dumb TV. The best of these types don't have a remote. They're controlled by a phone. If the intelligence is built into the TV then it cannot be updated or replaced -- so either there will again be multiple devices, or the TV will need to be replaced on a frequent basis. A smart TV makes the problem you describe even worse

icedchai 6y ago
My smart TV's built in apps (Netflix, mainly) are incredibly unstable. About 5 years back I started to use a Firestick instead. The TV is best as just a TV.
thebean11 6y ago
Completely disagree on the lack of remote. Hitting a button on a remote is better UI than needing to unlock a phone and hope that it's actually connected to the streaming device (not always the case). I think the new Chromecast is an admission from Google that the average person still wants a remote.
- throwaway09223 6y ago
  Perhaps I should say that the best of this type offer the option of using a phone. I personally prefer a phone but I also understand the preference of a remote. With a separate smart device these types of preferences can be accommodated over time, unlike with a one size fits all smart TV.
- smileysteve 6y ago
  I agree with this. And in this context; in my 30s and I don't always know where my phone is; My parents, don't always have their phones accessible or know where they are without looking. Also, it's less tactile in the dark.
sneak 6y ago
> If the intelligence is built into the TV then it cannot be updated or replaced Wait until a decade from now, when all computers are like this, too.
pishpash 6y ago
Planned obsolescence is a feature. Not an accident.

scrollaway 6y ago

Get them an nvidia shield to attach to the dumb tv. Best of both worlds.

cmroanirgo 6y ago
> Google Assistant built in https://www.nvidia.com/en-au/shield/ https://www.nvidia.com/en-au/shield/ Being internet connected is one thing (which it looks good for), but having an active mic in the room is a whole other level of "no thanks" from me.
- scrollaway 6y ago
  So disable/don't use it? It doesn't even actively listen for "ok google", it only listens if you hit the assistant key. If you ever have an android phone in your home, it's exactly the same thing (except the phone actively listens by default). Edit: Also, for fucks sake, context. The person I'm replying to is talking about getting his parents a SmartTV (way worse privacy-wise than Google), for the convenience factor.
  - canofbars 6y ago
    And then they forget to update it or nvidia discontinues it and someone hacks in to it and your room mic gets posted on one of those open ip camera lists. This is not some tin foil hat idea. You can go on reddit and browse peoples personal spaces being broadcast for everyone to see.
    - scrollaway 6y ago
      … how does a mic that is embedded in a remote control turn into a camera?
      - canofbars 6y ago
        I don't mean that it will become a camera, but that it will be listed along side them. "Listen to this random persons living room / bedroom" makes for some entertainment for others.

bserge 6y ago

> I know what I'm getting them for Christmas A TV with a good panel and a separate smart stick? :D Really, that's the best choice. Always has been. My neighbour called me because his Google apps (particularly, Youtube) stopped working on his smart TV. It's a cheap HiSense or something. Still on warranty, but the store won't do anything as the hardware is fine, and they say the manufacturer is responsible for software updates. Which have stopped coming. I'm pretty sure he didn't quite understand my "apps are Google property and they need to be updated every few months but this company stopped doing that" explanation, but anyway, he now has a dumb TV in the kitchen, and he specifically bought it so the wife could find recipes online, log in to Facebook and watch Youtube. I told him to just get an Android computer stick, which will work just as well and last way longer. At the very least, it can be manually updated, unlike the built-in software.

VHRanger 6y ago

You're getting them a chromecast? Because that's what you should.

smileysteve 6y ago
Tried it. It takes 2 remotes to get the sound and hdmi to the right input. They are also confused about what apps it works with, or how to get to them (on the phone), and even though they have a Google Home, it only works with a few providers for voice control.

octoberfranklin 6y ago

> I know what I'm getting them for Christmas A grandchild who cares about oligopolistic abuse? Because they don't have one of those.

Too 6y ago

My single Apple TV remote with only 7 buttons and a trackpad controls everything. The AppleTV itself wirelessly, the TV power on/off and source via HDMI-CEC, and finally the external amplifier volume via IR, which powers on/off itself when sound is received or idle. The TV automatically switches source to the game console when it's turned on and vice versa. Couldn't be easier. I haven't done any fancy hacking or special hw to get this working, just basic Samsung, Apple, a decent amp and a few minutes adjusting the settings of each.