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I seem to recall that Vizio was added to my "do not buy" list quite a long time ago, when it turned out they were monitoring your watching habit (https://www.th
by pmags 2y ago
I seem to recall that Vizio was added to my "do not buy" list quite a long time ago, when it turned out they were monitoring your watching habit (https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/7/14527360/vizio-smart-tv-tracking-settlement-disable-settings https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/7/14527360/vizio-smart-tv-tr...).
This seems to be more of the same I guess. Choice text from the link above:
Q: Why did I see an ad in Scenic Mode?
A: After Scenic Mode launches to full screen, you may see ads. We offer free, scenic content by supporting it with ads. These ads allow VIZIO to offer enhanced, built-in Smart TV features, 300+ live channels, and 15,000+ movies and shows at no cost through WatchFree+ while also helping keep the price of our TVs accessible and competitive.
Q: Can I turn Scenic Mode ads off?
A: No, not at this time. These ads allow VIZIO to offer enhanced, built-in Smart TV features, 300+ live channels, and 15,000+ movies and shows at no cost through WatchFree+ while also helping keep the price of our TVs accessible and competitive.
- ninjin 2y agoSure seems like a "wonderful" company. Their Wikipedia page lists the personal data collection lawsuit and them also likely being GPL violators at that with a court date in September this year: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizio#Legal_issues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizio#Legal_issues
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- zahlman 2y agoAll that plus they expect to run JavaScript on my computer to show any of this page content.
- systemswizard 2y agoTo addon to this they are also owned by WalMart
- tester756 2y agoThat's actually normal
- zahlman 2y agoI understand that. I disagree that it should be normal. JavaScript features are supposed to enhance a document that primarily communicates via text. The text should be readable, and not withheld, without it.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- Server6 2y agoThey're owned by Wal-Mart....so yeah. You get what you pay for.
- Apocryphon 2y agoIt’s funny because I always remember the one time Vizio tried to become the Apple of PCs https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4123166 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4123166 (the actual Verge link needs to have mobile. removed or changed to www.)
- nightski 2y agoYou can however turn scenic mode off which I would do immediately. That said, probably would never consider a Vizio tv.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- kulahan 2y agoYeah, looks like all they’re saying is that you can’t use scenic mode without ads. They even promise it won’t turn itself back on after an update, which is a surprising yet refreshing thing to see.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- robocat 2y ago> They even promise it won’t turn itself back on after an update The cynic in me thinks that they've tried that and only after it backfired they created the promise (and they'll silently revoke their promise in the future)
- chrismorgan 2y agoI simply don’t believe such a promise. Maybe that’s their intention now, but such companies subsequently change their minds all the time, and so not seem to feel any obligation to uphold former “promises”. They even have a habit of blatting miscellaneous user preferences in updates by accident just because they’re careless.
- exe34 2y agopromises should come with contracts that they will pay you something like the median salary per year if they change their mind.
- ada1981 2y agoYou could find their ad server and just do a rewrite in your router for that ip address.
- mlinhares 2y agoAll TVs at home are blocked by MAC on the wifi router, so there's definitely a way to turn off this bullshit.
- kulahan 2y agoOut of curiosity, do you simply not use streaming services, or do you get them on the TV some other way?
- Rohansi 2y agoI plug a mini PC into my TVs and use them that way. Works out better because the TV apps run way slower than even the cheapest mini PCs.
- happyopossum 2y agoTV here - have 4 of them now, one for each TV, one for the portable projector, and one for music in the workshop. Fabulous boxes - I’m still running a 4 generation old one and they just work.
- mlinhares 2y agoApple TV.
- koolba 2y agoWhy is it on the network at all if it’s blocked?
- radicality 2y ago
- nomel 2y agoMany Android TVs do this, including Hisense, and they try to mask it with dishonest verbiage about what the feature is doing. It's definitely not just a VIZIO thing.
- kelvinjps10 2y agoThe android ones are just pictures with no ads
- nomel 2y agoI was unclear. I meant monitoring what you watch. Basically all of them do it. Samsung, LG, Sony, etc [1]. [1] https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/how-to-disable-acr-on-your-tv-and-stop-companies-from-spying-on-you/ https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/how...
- 3eb7988a1663 2y agoI believe a Roku does the same kind of TV fingerprinting, and probably so do the other streaming hardware devices. So, not sure there is any relief anywhere? You can run your own linux HPC, but those get locked to 720p quality.
- alemanek 2y agoApple TV is pretty good and not very pricey. It’s a good value
- nozzlegear 2y agoApple TV has to be one of my favorite purchases over the last five years. It just does what it says on the tin and gets the hell out of the way otherwise. I've bought three of them and disconnected all our tvs from wifi in favor of using these devices.
- jt_b 2y agothey are great little devices. Has its own tailscale app too and can be used as an exit node! useful for me as the TV is pretty close to the fiber box on the wall.
- Tempest1981 2y agoI struggle a bit with the remote control and UI in several apps
- nozzlegear 2y agoThe remote control is definitely hit or miss. I don't have any trouble with it, but I swear my wife has ten thumbs when she's using it. She hates that thing.
- barotalomey 2y agoGreat device, if only they could make a decent remote. The older silver one was like a slippery soap in the palm, while the next (black) one was hopeless to figure which side was up or down. My newer 4K controller started acting up recently and I had to ifixit.
- caymanjim 2y agoThere's a reason their TVs are basically free.
- gorjusborg 2y agoI will leave them to those interested in trading their attention in lieu of money.
- jorvi 2y agoTo be honest, this is part of why TVs can be offered for so cheap these days. Same reason really cheap phones are stuffed with bloatware. Luckily with TVs you can freeload: just never connect it to the internet and only apply updates via USB. Stick an Apple TV / Chromecast / console into it for playback. This might even become standard operating procedure considering Samsung is getting into the ad game, and LG and Sony likely to follow.
- SoftTalker 2y agoOr take the back off and remove the WiFi module
- footlose_3815 2y agoOr just don't give it your Wifi password...
- 3np 2y agoI recall reading a few years back about some crapware that opportunistically would attempt connecting through any available AP (e.g. your neighbor) and smuggle data that way.
- wruza 2y agoThe rumor was not only that, but also peering through neighbors devices from the same company.
- 3np 2y agoI recall the same, and that there was evidence. Anyone bother digging up a source?
- footlose_3815 2y agoWhat nearby available AP could possibly have open access in 2025? For real, I haven't seen an "Open" Wifi network that wasn't a Coffee shop or Airport in over 10 years. Yes, it's insidious and evil, but I'd argue the attack surface is almost nonexistent in 2025.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- barotalomey 2y ago> when it turned out they were monitoring your watching habit I think every single smart tv manufacturer does this today. At least I know LG, Samsung, Sony, Amazon, Philips, Sharp and Vizio does. Since your smart TV is on your same domestic IP, there's a market for getting data on your watching habits to combine with your browser habits collected elsewhere. The advertisers know more about you by now than you do. That's why AppleTV is the best option for the moment.
- cma 2y agoAppleTV is full of ads in its app store, is there any streaming device where it doesn't track you and doesn't put ads over your search intent?
- 3np 2y agoSure, one you install your own OS on.
- deutschepost 2y agoComparing full screen ads on systems like smart TVs with the ads you get on Apple TV seems like a long shot. The time you spend installing apps is minuscule compared to using them. And after that it is Netflix or google tracking you. Not Apple.
- kotaKat 2y agoBonus points: users are reporting that the ads it starts playing include political nonsense. "I left the tv idle while I went to the other room to play with my dog. After about a half an hour, I started hearing Kristi Noem praising Trump and telling immigrants to get out of America, over and over. I went in to check, and caught this video looping 3 more times before it went back to the nature clips." https://old.reddit.com/r/ABoringDystopia/comments/1jkwcbx/if_i_leave_my_vizio_tv_idle_it_plays_calming/ https://old.reddit.com/r/ABoringDystopia/comments/1jkwcbx/if...
- bloopernova 2y agoWe need a FairTV, like Fairphone etc.