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#1 |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Does anyone support their "Smart TV" offerings beyond the first year or so? I.e., how often are software releases issued? IME, it seems like there may be ONE update released -- likely just to fix the things that blatantly weren't right in the initial RTM version.
Said another way, it seems the wisest move is to just use a "computer" (or, an STB -- hoping the STB manufacturer has a greater incentive to keep supporting their product) to provide the "Smart" features and just use the TV as a giant "monitor". This (computer-based) approach also gives you a lot more control over what the set can do and how it does it! |
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#2 |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2014
City & State: Blighty
My Country: UK
I'm a: Forum Junkie
Posts: 1,365
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![]() I use a formuler z7+ stb. Couldn't care less what's on or isnt on a smart TV. The processor and ram in a smart TV is generally hopeless.
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#3 |
New Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
City & State: Charles City, IA
My Country: USA
I'm a: Knowledge Seeker
Posts: 8
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![]() Mine stopped updating a long time ago. I built a Linux box to server as a multimedia system, and for those items that don't work in Linux, I hook up my laptop.
Another option is just a smart DVD/Bluray player, Roku box, or similar. |
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#4 |
ivtec
Join Date: Dec 2008
City & State: Fall River, Mas,
My Country: USA
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I'm a: Hobbyist Tech
Posts: 1,470
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![]() I use these 2 no smarttv. I use these 2 even laying in bad, i do everything with great power as i do in my laptop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHA7LczlPY&t=59s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycRNwsiDNbA Last edited by ivtec; 10-05-2019 at 01:47 PM.. |
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#5 | |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Quote:
But, their CODECs aren't updated to remain current with changes in container formats, etc. And, the network interface often RELIES on a connection to the outside world -- even if serving video from a media tank. So, you need an STB (or equivalent) at the TV in order to get an uncrippled network interface. And, then you're stuck cabling in via HDMI/Composite/Component/VGA/whatever. This is just silly when the TV has everything it needs to process the video from the network (WITHOUT having to "phone home" to do so!) |
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#6 | |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Quote:
I recently rescued a couple of Roku boxes thinking they would have more intuitive interfaces. But, a cursory examination seems to indicate that they need to "phone home" to obtain the ability to operate on a private network (even if that is just to fetch some firmware -- "channel" -- to allow them to do so). |
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#7 |
Leaking Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
City & State: Atlantic Canada
My Country: Canada
Line Voltage: Ground, 0Hz
I'm a: Hobbyist Tech
Posts: 4,635
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![]() got an samsung 40MUxxxx I got updates for 2 1/2 years. I use a Intel NUC with an i5, SSD, 16gb ram, running linux as my TV box.
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#8 | |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Quote:
I think the best solution may be to throw together a USFF box that does exactly what I want without the "marketing tie-in" that STB manufacturers seem to want to impose (sell cheap box; make money selling the USER to advertisers!) |
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#9 | |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Quote:
I.e., did you feel ike the TV was "current" 2.5 years later, when compared to other sets that were on the market at that time? Is your "TV box" just acting as a media tank? Or, is it making up for current inadequacies in the TV's implementation? |
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#10 | |
Leaking Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
City & State: Atlantic Canada
My Country: Canada
Line Voltage: Ground, 0Hz
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Posts: 4,635
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![]() Quote:
As for the second, it's both. I've also had my run in's with the little android boxes (do a search for Dreamlink T1 plus). I've had other android boxes too, but I never liked them. Got this Intel NUC running Linux and couldn't be any happier. It's not cheap, but worth every cent compared to that android, tizen, etc. jazz. |
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#11 | |||
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Quote:
In our case, the "TV" will never talk to the outside world. So, we're more interested in how up-to-date its CODECs are and how unencumbered the network interface to the set would be (i.e., I shouldn't need to connect to "something" at Sony/Sharp/Visio/.com just to access my own media tank). Nor should I need any outside resources to command the set (e.g., voice/gesture recognition done at some remote server). OTOH, if the CODECs aren't kept up to date (even if I have to manually download updates and install via USB), then I'd have to transcode all the content destined for the set. If that's the case, then why not just put a "computer" at the set and "fix" the shortcomings of the set's firmware?! Quote:
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I will have to see what sorts of tiny boxes I can find. An advantage to something "open" is that I can turn it into a real computer, when needed. Then, switch it back into a media terminal when the need arises. [I'm looking to discard this machine -- too many frigging screens around here -- and fold it's features into a "TV" located in the eating area. So, when not watching TV/movies, can use it as a "PC" to check mail, etc. I.e., the sorts of things a SmartTV should be able to do!] |
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#12 |
Leaking Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
City & State: Atlantic Canada
My Country: Canada
Line Voltage: Ground, 0Hz
I'm a: Hobbyist Tech
Posts: 4,635
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![]() O.k. Codecs in firmware updates, that is not happening. For example you have a 40JUxxxx 1080p. It has x264 codec but not the x265 codec that the 40MUxxxx 4k has. They will not update codecs as such. This is actually one of my biggest reasons running the Intel NUC.
Depending on how many files you want to store in the library, $$$ will tell you if you want to go the PC route or a NAS route. You need processing power and there isn't much happening under an Intel I5 when you get into the higher resolution and futureproof stuff. Unfortunately these NAS's are not cheap at all... Look at QNAP or Synology. Don't go for the WD MyClould etc. Reason here is, because QNAP and the Synology are the only ones that actually can check the HDD's for errors periodically from A to Z. Look what happened to me a few months ago (thought I had performance issues in the NUC or the network, turned out to be bad HDD's in the NAS!), had 2 HDD's in my RAID 5 fail at the same time. Sucks. The Intel NUC has no performance or any issues at all. It just runs like a champ. Reliability is very good, even if something fails, you can swap it (besides the CPU that is soldered on the board). Usability, I guess that depends on what OS you want to run on it, Winblows, Linux, whatever you like, as it is a mini PC with real laptop RAM, SSD, laptop CPU, etc. I use it also to watch a show I like on YouTube, check emails, browse on the internet, look something up... I did put an "air mouse" to my NUC. That is kind of a must. I didn't like the wireless keyboard all the time. All in a nutshell, I think you want more than a "Smart TV" per se can offer you. My advise is a 4k TV and put the smarts in yourself and set it up as you like. Once you have it set up like I do, there is no going back to the Smart TV OS's, as these look and work "half assed". O.k., a given is that I still have a little box besides the TV, but: I don't have to frigg around with EMMC's when they go bad, replace the android box at least once every 2 years, have freedom on whatever OS I choose, have more processing power than these android boxes, can run VLC player (that eats just about any codec and can be set up for IPTV) and what ever else. I guess it is up to you now to decide how much $$$ you want to spend and what kind of BANG you get! For me, I just got tired of the Android, Tizen and what ever crap. Last edited by CapLeaker; 10-06-2019 at 05:59 AM.. |
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#13 |
New Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
City & State: Charles City, IA
My Country: USA
I'm a: Knowledge Seeker
Posts: 8
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![]() Since my primary job is PC repair, I've been perfectly happy to simply take my formerly smart TV and hook up a computer cobbled together with leftover parts.
Hook up a UPS to it, install whatever OS (Linux works great on an older system with limited RAM), and run it. Tweak everything to your liking, and go for it. As an added bonus, I just acquired a rather nice laptop that had a shorted keyboard and bad hard drive. User decided to replace the system, I pulled his data for him, and then swapped for a known good drive and a wireless keyboard/mouse setup. Now I've got a system that runs some of the stuff that *nix may not, and I can even game on it while it's hooked to my 55" TV. |
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#14 |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2013
City & State: SA
My Country: Germany
I'm a: Professional Tech
Posts: 2,147
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![]() Smart TV for me as agent TV since I don't have root permission on them. this why my TVs at home always blocked from external Internet connection.. so i use (Mecool KI Pro )box STB / S2/T2/C Tuner with widevine level 1 Key can run from internal emmc ( android ) and SD/USB (Linux), both have root access with much fun to watch any scramble channel beside Kodi and others smart stuff
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#15 | |||||
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,302
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![]() Quote:
My other half would simply throw up her hands, in that case (so, I make sure all of the content that she regularly accesses is "playable"). But, she also frets over the complexity of the interface... figuring out how to GET what she wants using a clumsy remote. Quote:
[performance, usability, reliability...] Sorry, I meant this with respect to the "little android boxes". I.e., what was the nature of your "run in's" with them? Quote:
In the eating area, I will install a variant of this: ![]() The TV that is there, currently, is already mounted on that swing-arm but directly to the wall. I'll replace the TV with a monitor and add the keyboard swing-arm, folding it away when not needed. (I won't use the shelf for the SFF shown in the photo as it would be an eyesore. [The TV on swing-arm is already there as it allows us to swing the TV around to watch it while preparing food in the kitchen; then swing it back "around the corner" to watch from the eating area.] Quote:
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It would be nice to just run CAT5e to these devices... |
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#16 | |
CertifiedAxhole
Join Date: Aug 2016
City & State: Constanta
My Country: Romania
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![]() Sorry for jumping on this thread, but it just so happens I just purchased a new Samsung telly yesterday and ended up being rather disappointed with the set of features it offers and this discussion comes pretty close. The model is ue58ru7172, though I think it's a "regional" model, built for East Europe, since I can't find anything about this model anywhere else. The RU in the model might actually stand for Russia. It's a Tizen nonetheless...
Anyway, we chose it mainly based on its size and decent price, since that's pretty much the only thing it's got going for it. Yeah, ok, it's 4k and claims it's a "Smart" TV but what isn't nowadays ?! It's got a standard web browser and other apps which you never use, like Netflix, YT and god knows what, but that's about it ! For comparison, our previous one, despite being a dinky 32 incher, was packed with features when we got it like 5-6 years ago: plenty of inputs (which is something I kinda miss), a "smart remote", DLNA, an IR blaster, bluetooth support... My folks chose it because they thought they never use those features anyway, but it's disappointing to think you just bought something that's brand new but kinda sucks compared to the original.....I thought I could maybe hack into it to enable those features, but I doubt it's possible. For instance, the smart remote: the TV itself DOES have bluetooth, ironically enough, because my phone detects it, but it has no way to actually scan for devices, so I can't put the TV into "discovery" mode to try and pair my old smart remote with this new telly ! I must've mulled this over for at least a couple of hours, until I realised that it's probably easier to just screw the TV and just do this: Quote:
__________________
Wattevah... |
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#17 |
Badcaps Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2013
City & State: midwest
My Country: U.S.
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![]() Anything less than a pc hooked up to the tv is like wearing handcuffs...life is way too short to constantly be fooling around with compatibility etc. etc. hate them damn android boxes.
Last edited by nomoresonys; 11-24-2019 at 06:23 PM.. |
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#18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
City & State: Katy, Texas
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Posts: 165
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![]() Shame on SONY. Early on I got an external Sony smart box and 5 years ago, bought a high end Sony 50" led, only to be informed this month that neither will support Netflix starting in 2020. I will never buy Sony again, vote with your money. At least an Android box can updates it apps
![]() Last edited by captainKKK; 11-24-2019 at 09:39 PM.. |
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#19 | |
Computer Geek
Join Date: Jan 2015
City & State: Nowhereland, Texas
My Country: USA
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Posts: 1,693
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![]() Quote:
1) Never trust the stuff on smart TVs. Use your own equipment and plug it into the TV.
__________________
Don't buy those $10 PSU "specials". They fail, and they have taken whole computers with them. ![]() For computer parts, go to Newegg OR Amazon. For electrical stuff(pushbuttons, capacitors, etc), use Digikey OR Mouser. My computer doubles as a space heater. Windows 10? Only if you like forced, buggy updates and 24/7 telemetry. Samsung = Seagate = Seatrash = Trashgate Don't buy Seagate drives. Don't use Seagate drives. If you have any in service right now, make plans to replace them ASAP. SMR = Slow Magnetic Recording Avoid SMR, buy CMR drives instead. SMR is easily a 15+ year step BACKWARDS in HDD speed. |
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#20 |
CertifiedAxhole
Join Date: Aug 2016
City & State: Constanta
My Country: Romania
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I'm a: Hardcore Geek
Posts: 3,013
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![]() Yeah, I hate Sonys too
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