vidyeshNewly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features
Just use an AppleTV, Roku, etc. and connect it to the HDMI port.
TV is just a screen. That is how I've used mine for the last 5+ years.
It won't be "just a screen" for much longer if people continue paying for TVs that do this bullshit.
Can you even buy 'just a screen'? We have huge (100"+) screens in the office, they cost A LOT. full of spam, apps, ads, popups. It doesnt even swithc to hdmi or what ever you input automatically, you need to select the screen mode orso.
The local electronics chain has 50-100 different TV's. All are 'smart'.
I would be ok with classifying this as a crime against humanity. /s
But honestly, I've just given up. I don't watch tv or movies or stream anymore, because it's all the same bullshit
Sceptre used to sell dumb TVs but they seem to be exiting the marketplace. Computer monitors and digital signage may be your best bet. You'll have to save up for 'em but that was true of TV sets back in the day too.
Sceptre still has a bunch of dumb TVs on their site. I used to be all in on them, but I bought one that had the backlight go out after only two years, and their answer was "lol buy a new one"
I meant, I treat the TV as "just a screen."
Set the input to "HDMI-1" or whatever my Roku is connected to, and that's the last thing I touch on the TV remote.
IDK. People are always going to want to connect game consoles, computers, etc to big screens without a lot of fuss.
I find roku really ad heavy and it sent tons of traffic back to roku.com. Same for firetv.
I've got a Roku on a TV in a spare room because it's the cheapest way to add airplay to a tv - I have it plugged in to a "smart" power bar that only provides power to the roku when the TV is turned on, so at least for the 99% of the time that the TV isn't turned on the roku isn't spamming my network.
I've never noticed ads on mine, but I basically just go immediately to Fubo or ESPN apps and that's all do with it. I don't watch much on TV other than live sports.
Saw this elsewhere:
"It will not let you do anything until you download the app on your phone, make an account, and log in on the TV. You cant just change it to HDMI 1 and use a Firestick. I set it up with a throw away email, then deleted the app, and took the TV off of the WiFi."
Well that sucks, but maybe tolerable for a cheap TV if you only have to do it once.
Do they tell you this up front? When you buy it? I once returned a small bluetooth speaker, because it would not just let me connect to it. It wanted me to download an app, create an account, sign in and then accept a metric ton of crap about how they would collect all kinds of data about (in this case my mom's consumption of content that would be streamed to the speaker).
It was a damn portable bluetooth speaker. Well it was returned within an hour and the competitor was bought online.
At least, the store accepted it - I would have instantly send this as a case to the consumer protection agency, if they hadn't, though. Because they never even hinted (neither on the packaging, nor in the store) towards the necessity of the app and crap.