‮r3kcahorter
The year is 2019 and I can’t buy a good majority of consumer technology because we lack privacy legislation and consumer protections. Example: it’s absurd that my TV came with spyware that can’t be turned off or avoided; I had to stop it from phoning home at the network level. It also came with an arbitration clause and a clause waiving the right to a class action lawsuit.
Jan 12, 2019 at 1:27amWeb
Show threadMatter Jan 12, 2019
@retrohacker My parents didn't understand why I was annoyed at them when they bought a "Smart" TV. But then when I looked into it, it's pretty much impossible to get a
TV that doesn't connect to the internet these days. A TV should do one thing, and only that: be a display. If you want smart stuff, glue a raspberry pi to it or some other thing. Trying to do two things at once like a smart TV does is a recipe for disaster
Show threadread-only account (Rain 🚱)Jan 12, 2019
@Matter @retrohacker is it possible to buy a "smart" TV then take its guts out and drive it with an off-the-shelf SoC?
Show threadMatter Jan 12, 2019
@grainloom @retrohacker possible? Yes. But then again, it is possible to do many things, but probably not practical or reasonable :D. It probably depends on the device, some might have the display driver be decoupled from the computer part, which would make it easier to just neuter the computer part. Some might have both on the same board which would make it necessary to make or get (somehow) a display driver for it. Probably easier to just not connect it to any network and ignore the smart part
Show threadnwinJan 12, 2019

@retrohacker
the worst is that people just don't understand the implications.
our organization needed a large display, and bought a smart tv (no other choice at a reasonable cost).

People keep on insisting to connect it via Ethernet, and when I ask why it's "because it can".
then explain what it "can do" then, and they accept but still seem to be annoyed somehow.
Seems like I'm missing some use case..
And these are somewhat technical people

Show thread‮r3kcahorterJan 12, 2019
@norwin I'm excited to see the "TV Landing Page" wars, it's going to be beautifully dystopian. Where HDMI inputs are considered hostile by the TV manufactures because they bypass the manufacturer's spyware.
Show threadnwinJan 12, 2019
@retrohacker
the people I talked about mostly don't use HDMI already, but Chromecast or some similar solution.
but DRM is built into both, so whatever :D:
Show threadChris FriedtJan 12, 2019
@retrohacker under most legislation, it's impossible to contract oneself out of a human or civil right. If your legislation has a right to privacy, then you would still be able to instigate a class-action lawsuit for violation of privacy
Show threadmydogisahuskyJan 12, 2019
@retrohacker
TV's have been a really bad idea for awhile. If you expose anyone you care about to msm programming, you are damaging them.
I go with a great stand alone monitor, and feed it as i see fit.
Show thread‮r3kcahorterJan 12, 2019
@mydogisahusky I use them as a screen for HDMI inputs that go into a RaspberryPi. It's hard to find a 55' 4K HDMI monitor for $350.
Show threadMycroft 🍊​🐰🐰Jan 12, 2019
@retrohacker "Vizeo exec: we'd have to charge a premium on 'dumb' TVs to make up for the money we'll lose by not spying on you" https://boingboing.net/2019/01/11/telescreens-r-us.html
Vizio exec: we'd have to charge a premium on "dumb" TVs to make up for the money we'll lose by not spying on you

At CES, the Verge’s Nilay Patel interviewed Vizio CTO Bill Baxter, who told her that when it comes to the surveillance features of his company’s “smart” TVs, “it’s not…

Boing Boing
Show thread‮r3kcahorterJan 12, 2019
@Mycroft this is exactly it. I couldn't believe I got a 55' 4k TV for $350, and then I plugged it in and realized why. I'm fairly confident this TV is sold below manufacturing cost with the expectation that the spyware will make it profitable.
Show threadCyber InsectJan 12, 2019
@retrohacker not even inner party members can turn off the telescreen #1984
Show threadJack Skywalker, Juggalo JediJan 13, 2019
@retrohacker we live in the Star Trek future we were promised and all it cost us was our privacy.
Show threadAttila KinaliJan 13, 2019
@retrohacker
And US people mock the EU for GDPR....
Show threadSebastianJan 13, 2019

@retrohacker This is a rather open interview with the Vizio CEO about data collection on smart TVs:

https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/7/18172397/airplay-2-homekit-vizio-tv-bill-baxter-interview-vergecast-ces-2019

Taking the smarts out of smart TVs would make them more expensive

How AirPlay 2 works on Vizio TVs