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> TV: just don't buy an actual TV. Buy a monitor and hook it up to a Linux box with something like Kodi. You can hook up your cable box if you have that or stre

> TV: just don't buy an actual TV. Buy a monitor and hook it up to a Linux box with something like Kodi. You can hook up your cable box if you have that or stream from Netflix and such. Sure, even Netflix makes it hard as you can't get 5.1 surround but I'll take that and 2.0 -> 5.1 upmix over buying a Smart TV any day! I've looked into this, but this option is really not great, either: - Large Monitors are unavailable or (if you use business monitors) a lot more expensive and usually don't have latest panel tech. - You'll loose surround sound and also 4K on most platforms - The integration is usually worse (you'll have to start more devices, if you're lucky CEC decides to work) - Good luck with HDR I personally settled for a SmartTV behind a PiHole-equivalent, but an Apple TV or an Android TV combined with an offline smart TV are good contenders, too. Unfortunately, there's really no silver bullet right now.

weq 5y ago
- Shamii 5y ago
  I'm a software engineer because I love technology. Your opinion is fine don't get me wrong but my 4k 55" OLED tv is really really impressive. It's a marvelous picture. My DSLR images look brilliant on it, games do as well, HDR is surprising ly nice as well. We watch most tv shows still on a 10 year old 720p beamer due to image size. 110" is still more immersive than 55". But I do expect being able to buy 110" 4k in a few years either through a more affordable 4k projector or by microled panels. I can't follow your 4k = full of propaganda Point. Not sure what you mean by it.
  - int_19h 5y ago
    I'm into fractal videos (e.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cgp2WNNKmQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cgp2WNNKmQ), and resolution makes a huge difference there. I got a 4K TV largely for this reason, and seriously considering 8K for the next one.
weq 5y ago
tharkun__ 5y ago
I looked into it too ;) - Large Monitors are unavailable or (if you use business monitors) a lot more expensive and usually don't have latest panel tech. Agree, monitors in regular TV sizes are way more expensive than the largest 'cheap' monitors. But I'd rather make a decision between paying $300 CAD for a 32" monitor that is 'large enough' but not huge or a ~43" monitor that is way larger, has 4k etc. and costs ~$1200 CAD etc. or a $500 50" 4k "generic Smart TV" in "dumb mode" than to use it as an actual Smart TV. - You'll loose surround sound and also 4K on most platforms There you go, no expensive 4k monitor needed if you can't get it anyway. Surround sound I'll give you but see your sibling if you are so inclined to go the potentially unlawful but ethically probably totally OK route. - The integration is usually worse (you'll have to start more devices, if you're lucky CEC decides to work) To be fair it's been a while that I've had cable and had to deal with that and that was in low-def times (so I had a cable card in the mythtv server). I don't fancy setups w/ IR switching cable channels and such but to be honest, I think it's worth it to at least try if you have to keep actual cable for some reason. Nowadays other viable options than having cable do exist if you ask me. - Good luck with HDR I probably just don't know what I am missing and as long as it stays that way it's like staying on 720p and a monitor most people would think is way too small but actually totally adequate than to complain that my huge 4k one looks bad with that source material ;) offline smart TV are good contenders, too Totally agree, if you're looking for a cheap huge "monitor" that can definitely be a good option as long as you stay away from the actual "features" and are fine with the other limitations. Personally I'm on a 32" regular HD IPS panel monitor. Given the size of the living room and how far away the sofa is, this is totally adequate (I upgraded from my >>>10 year old 4:3 "I don't even remember the size of it" monitor when it finally broke!). Surround sound depends on the source. If it's Netflix the upmix is "good enough" for most of what the kids wanna watch and then there's other material too where proper AC3 is available. Most of the times I can't really have the bass turned up anyway so as not to wake the kids :P
- tharkun__ 5y ago
  After a good nights sleep I think I want to revise this (can't edit). I think it's prudent not to even buy a Smart TV and use it in "dumb mode". If we do this, we are not voting with our wallet. I'm not sure how likely we would be to have a large enough effect numbers wise but one can try. If we don't try, we've already lost.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
patrickk 5y ago
I got an LG CX tv and never hooked it up to the internet. It acts as a (very pretty) yet dumb tv like the old days. An Nvidia shield handles all the streaming, kodi handles local files etc, all the media that I could possibly need. 4k is handled by default out of the box. Surround sound is handled by an AV receiver. (Atmos surround is available if I wish to further upgrade the 7.1 speakers). It can be done. Granted, it’s not cheap and installing all these devices can be painful, but still.
- bierjunge 5y ago
  I have bad news for you. Even if the TV is not connected to your WiFi, it could still get into the network over other devices connected via HDMI with HEC [0]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#HEC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#HEC
  - patrickk 5y ago
    Although it could be a general concern, it unlikely to affect me. Since all the HDMI connections are via a (slightly older, non-connected) AV receiver, its almost impossible for this to affect my setup. But it's indeed a sleazy move by those setting the HDMI standards.
  - brokenmachine 5y ago
    Have there been any devices confirmed to use this yet? I'm getting so tired of these constant battles with the devices I paid for.

weq 5y ago

Shamii 5y ago
I'm a software engineer because I love technology. Your opinion is fine don't get me wrong but my 4k 55" OLED tv is really really impressive. It's a marvelous picture. My DSLR images look brilliant on it, games do as well, HDR is surprising ly nice as well. We watch most tv shows still on a 10 year old 720p beamer due to image size. 110" is still more immersive than 55". But I do expect being able to buy 110" 4k in a few years either through a more affordable 4k projector or by microled panels. I can't follow your 4k = full of propaganda Point. Not sure what you mean by it.
- int_19h 5y ago
  I'm into fractal videos (e.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cgp2WNNKmQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cgp2WNNKmQ), and resolution makes a huge difference there. I got a 4K TV largely for this reason, and seriously considering 8K for the next one.

weq 5y ago

tharkun__ 5y ago

I looked into it too ;) - Large Monitors are unavailable or (if you use business monitors) a lot more expensive and usually don't have latest panel tech. Agree, monitors in regular TV sizes are way more expensive than the largest 'cheap' monitors. But I'd rather make a decision between paying $300 CAD for a 32" monitor that is 'large enough' but not huge or a ~43" monitor that is way larger, has 4k etc. and costs ~$1200 CAD etc. or a $500 50" 4k "generic Smart TV" in "dumb mode" than to use it as an actual Smart TV. - You'll loose surround sound and also 4K on most platforms There you go, no expensive 4k monitor needed if you can't get it anyway. Surround sound I'll give you but see your sibling if you are so inclined to go the potentially unlawful but ethically probably totally OK route. - The integration is usually worse (you'll have to start more devices, if you're lucky CEC decides to work) To be fair it's been a while that I've had cable and had to deal with that and that was in low-def times (so I had a cable card in the mythtv server). I don't fancy setups w/ IR switching cable channels and such but to be honest, I think it's worth it to at least try if you have to keep actual cable for some reason. Nowadays other viable options than having cable do exist if you ask me. - Good luck with HDR I probably just don't know what I am missing and as long as it stays that way it's like staying on 720p and a monitor most people would think is way too small but actually totally adequate than to complain that my huge 4k one looks bad with that source material ;) offline smart TV are good contenders, too Totally agree, if you're looking for a cheap huge "monitor" that can definitely be a good option as long as you stay away from the actual "features" and are fine with the other limitations. Personally I'm on a 32" regular HD IPS panel monitor. Given the size of the living room and how far away the sofa is, this is totally adequate (I upgraded from my >>>10 year old 4:3 "I don't even remember the size of it" monitor when it finally broke!). Surround sound depends on the source. If it's Netflix the upmix is "good enough" for most of what the kids wanna watch and then there's other material too where proper AC3 is available. Most of the times I can't really have the bass turned up anyway so as not to wake the kids :P

tharkun__ 5y ago
After a good nights sleep I think I want to revise this (can't edit). I think it's prudent not to even buy a Smart TV and use it in "dumb mode". If we do this, we are not voting with our wallet. I'm not sure how likely we would be to have a large enough effect numbers wise but one can try. If we don't try, we've already lost.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

patrickk 5y ago

I got an LG CX tv and never hooked it up to the internet. It acts as a (very pretty) yet dumb tv like the old days. An Nvidia shield handles all the streaming, kodi handles local files etc, all the media that I could possibly need. 4k is handled by default out of the box. Surround sound is handled by an AV receiver. (Atmos surround is available if I wish to further upgrade the 7.1 speakers). It can be done. Granted, it’s not cheap and installing all these devices can be painful, but still.

bierjunge 5y ago
I have bad news for you. Even if the TV is not connected to your WiFi, it could still get into the network over other devices connected via HDMI with HEC [0]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#HEC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#HEC
- patrickk 5y ago
  Although it could be a general concern, it unlikely to affect me. Since all the HDMI connections are via a (slightly older, non-connected) AV receiver, its almost impossible for this to affect my setup. But it's indeed a sleazy move by those setting the HDMI standards.
- brokenmachine 5y ago
  Have there been any devices confirmed to use this yet? I'm getting so tired of these constant battles with the devices I paid for.