3 ms·

Oh, joy. Another "TV OS" from an ad company. How about a "TV OS" that isn't from an advertising company? People might pay for that.

fragmede 2y ago
Would they? People don't pay for shit.
- Animats 2y ago
  It would be a feature on the TV, probably.
  - fragmede 2y ago
    The long tail of the Internet theory says there's a market for it, but there are just so many sizes and the initial outlay is so expensive. I don't feel there's a big enough market for me to buy a bunch of TVs, reflashed them to not have adware, and then resell them.
    - kgdiem 2y ago
      What about an Apple TV-like set top box? Maybe an ASOP based replacement for Android TV ala graphine.
      - izacus 2y ago
        You mean like taking a Chromecast and putting it into "Apps only mode"? :) It's a setting right there.
jeroenhd 2y ago
Putting Android TV into "basic TV" mode pretty much does that. Disable the internet connection for sure, but that's a cheaper option than going for those business display models that will charge you through the nose. Android TV itself is open source, and I've seen a few people running LineageOS on their TVs. Anyone can make a TV OS based on it and it comes with an SDK already, but nobody is incentivised to do it.
- rpgwaiter 2y ago
  You don’t even need to take Android TV offline. Just replace the ad-ridden launcher with ATV launcher, and remove the default one with adb. Also replace the youtube app with SmartTube. Very happy with this setup.
  - ewoodrich 2y ago
    I didn't even bother using ADB with Projectify launcher from the Play Store (it just has a couple settings I needed to enable to take over the home button) and I haven't seen the default launcher once. I am using an Onn Pro 4k on my main TV (for Ethernet) and CCwGTV on the others. Incredibly snappy setup with detailed customization options, I switched all my TVs over to use it. I also recommend Button Remapper to customize the remote app buttons to your liking.
teekert 2y ago
For a short time I was thinking perhaps Ubuntu Core [0] could be such a thing. But the focus is different now (TVs perhaps never were). Still, Nvidia really mascaraed their shield line with (inappropriate at times) ads on its home screen, and they aren't even an ad company... [0] https://ubuntu.com/internet-of-things https://ubuntu.com/internet-of-things
- happymellon 2y ago
  Ubuntu TV was such a shame that it basically was a tech demo, and died there.
  - teekert 2y ago
    TIL it's actually a thing [0]. It's not official (as in Canonical sanctioned) though, and relies on Unity (the old DE). [0]
rchaud 2y ago
The customers for this would be TV companies looking for a revenue share agreement.
reginald78 2y ago
> How about a "TV OS" that isn't from an advertising company? People might pay for that. Then after the suckers buy it, boom! We update it to have ads.
- mmanfrin 2y ago
  Like the nVidia Shield.

fragmede 2y ago

Would they? People don't pay for shit.

Animats 2y ago
It would be a feature on the TV, probably.
- fragmede 2y ago
  The long tail of the Internet theory says there's a market for it, but there are just so many sizes and the initial outlay is so expensive. I don't feel there's a big enough market for me to buy a bunch of TVs, reflashed them to not have adware, and then resell them.
  - kgdiem 2y ago
    What about an Apple TV-like set top box? Maybe an ASOP based replacement for Android TV ala graphine.
    - izacus 2y ago
      You mean like taking a Chromecast and putting it into "Apps only mode"? :) It's a setting right there.

jeroenhd 2y ago

Putting Android TV into "basic TV" mode pretty much does that. Disable the internet connection for sure, but that's a cheaper option than going for those business display models that will charge you through the nose. Android TV itself is open source, and I've seen a few people running LineageOS on their TVs. Anyone can make a TV OS based on it and it comes with an SDK already, but nobody is incentivised to do it.

rpgwaiter 2y ago
You don’t even need to take Android TV offline. Just replace the ad-ridden launcher with ATV launcher, and remove the default one with adb. Also replace the youtube app with SmartTube. Very happy with this setup.
- ewoodrich 2y ago
  I didn't even bother using ADB with Projectify launcher from the Play Store (it just has a couple settings I needed to enable to take over the home button) and I haven't seen the default launcher once. I am using an Onn Pro 4k on my main TV (for Ethernet) and CCwGTV on the others. Incredibly snappy setup with detailed customization options, I switched all my TVs over to use it. I also recommend Button Remapper to customize the remote app buttons to your liking.

teekert 2y ago

For a short time I was thinking perhaps Ubuntu Core [0] could be such a thing. But the focus is different now (TVs perhaps never were). Still, Nvidia really mascaraed their shield line with (inappropriate at times) ads on its home screen, and they aren't even an ad company... [0] https://ubuntu.com/internet-of-things https://ubuntu.com/internet-of-things

happymellon 2y ago
Ubuntu TV was such a shame that it basically was a tech demo, and died there.
- teekert 2y ago
  TIL it's actually a thing [0]. It's not official (as in Canonical sanctioned) though, and relies on Unity (the old DE). [0]

rchaud 2y ago

The customers for this would be TV companies looking for a revenue share agreement.

reginald78 2y ago

> How about a "TV OS" that isn't from an advertising company? People might pay for that. Then after the suckers buy it, boom! We update it to have ads.

mmanfrin 2y ago
Like the nVidia Shield.