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dj2mn

@burgerdrome maybe try free to air? My 10+ year old 27” Samsung Tv still going great and doesn’t spy on me because it can’t.

(Funny story, when the antenna distribution system in our apartment block died recently, we were the only ones to complain. We already knew we were the weird old couple in the building but that proved it decisively 🤪 We tried using The Internet while it was off but the experience was too awful, much as you describe in fact.)

11 Sep 2023 at 8:33 | Wall-to-wall | Open on mastodon.sdf.org
8 comments
unfunk

@dj2mn @burgerdrome watching FTA doesn't stop a smart TV from doing all that bullshit stuff. The only way is to completely block its network access. And then you lose Netflix et al unless you have a set top box of some description...

...which is just as susceptible to enshittification :(

11 Sep 2023 at 10:52 | Open on aus.social
FinnleyDolfin

@unfnknblvbl @dj2mn @burgerdrome Exactly this. I got a Vizio and connected it to WiFi to be able to use the streaming apps. After I did that the “TV” app took me to a list of free and freemium streaming TV services. I no longer had access to my OTA channels. No where in the menus could they be found. I couldn’t enter a channel number directly and the option to perform a channel scan in settings was gone.

It wasn’t until I factory reset and didn’t connect to WiIf did it function like a normal TV. I ended up getting a cheap Roku for the streaming stuff.

@unfnknblvbl @dj2mn @burgerdrome Exactly this. I got a Vizio and connected it to WiFi to be able to use the streaming apps. After I did that the “TV” app took me to a list of free and freemium streaming TV services. I no longer had access to my OTA channels. No where in the menus could they be found. I couldn’t enter a channel number directly and the option to perform a channel scan in settings was gone.

11 Sep 2023 at 11:00 | Open on tech.lgbt
dj2mn

@unfnknblvbl @burgerdrome Fortunately for me there's nothing on Netflix that really appeals so I don't subscribe. I have an old rev2 AppleTV which is slowly becoming more incompatible with everything (something something HDMI something?) but I can still stream from my phone or iPad in an emergency. As mentioned earlier tho the whole experience is pretty awful and I was very glad to get my FTA back and not have to dick around with the tech. One area I'm entirely comfortable being a luddite in :)

11 Sep 2023 at 11:57 | Open on mastodon.sdf.org
unfunk

@dj2mn @burgerdrome I mean, replace Netflix with Plex or YouTube or whatever... I'm honestly surprised the Shield hasn't been killed off by now, to be honest. Eight years and counting!

11 Sep 2023 at 12:47 | Open on aus.social
Hutch

@unfnknblvbl
Takes that long to depreciate that much up-front cost. Too rich for my blood.
@dj2mn @burgerdrome

11 Sep 2023 at 21:01 | Open on mastodon.social
Jane C

@unfnknblvbl @dj2mn @burgerdrome
There's an excellent word.
One person's progress is another's enshitification.

11 Sep 2023 at 13:18 | Open on toot.community
Wowwoweowza

@dj2mn @burgerdrome -- I read OP post with interest because I hate that all consumers are being sold all the time, but like you, my twelve year old Samsung is going strong and I am spared a bunch of bologna. We use an X-Box to access our apps. Sometimes an X-Box 360.

11 Sep 2023 at 14:32 | Open on mastodon.social
Hutch

@Wowwoweowza
My PS3 stopped working for streaming years ago or I'd do the same.
@dj2mn @burgerdrome

11 Sep 2023 at 21:02 | Open on mastodon.social
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