Useless so called Samsung 'smart TV'

[The Natural Philosopher]

Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about half.

That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
the video streams that way.

It's a cheap way to get a computer monitor.
And a raspberry Pi is prolly enough to drive it.

But an interface to anything other than I-player or netflix, it ain't



--
No Apple devices were knowingly used in the preparation of this post.

[Theo]

The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about half.
>
> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
> the video streams that way.

+1. The smart TV will probably be out of support and the apps will stop
working before you need to replace the batteries in the remote.
Meanwhile it'll be a perfectly good display panel for a decade or two.

> It's a cheap way to get a computer monitor.
> And a raspberry Pi is prolly enough to drive it.

Or an Android TV / Chromecast / Roku / Fire Stick / Apple TV box, if that
does what you want.

> But an interface to anything other than I-player or netflix, it ain't

Think of the 'smart' features as a £50 Android phone in the box, because
that's the quality of experience you typically get.

Theo

[Brian]

The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about half.
>
> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
> the video streams that way.
>
> It's a cheap way to get a computer monitor.
> And a raspberry Pi is prolly enough to drive it.
>
> But an interface to anything other than I-player or netflix, it ain't
>
>
>

How old is it?

We have one which must be 8 years old now, I’d say it was one of their
early Smart TVs ( with Sat, 3D etc).

We’ve never really used the Smart functions, it was bought for the large
screen and sat.

I’ve tended to use Android boxes for Smart features, more recently
Firesticks- I’ve bought several when they’ve been on offer for half price
etc. With a central media server I can watch saved videos on most of the
main TVs. I even have a system for the motorhome - useful for UK winter
trips in the evening. The Firestick can run IPlayer, Netflix, Prime of
course, ITV’s version of IPlayer, plus the other ones.

[Bob Eager]

On Sun, 05 Dec 2021 22:01:46 +0000, Theo wrote:

> The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about
>> half.
>>
>> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
>> the video streams that way.
>
> +1. The smart TV will probably be out of support and the apps will stop
> working before you need to replace the batteries in the remote.
> Meanwhile it'll be a perfectly good display panel for a decade or two.

My experience exactly. It's now fed by a hacked Humax HDR FOX-T2. And a
Roku box.

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
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[Ubique]

"Bob Eager" <news...@eager.cx> wrote in message
news:j1543jF...@mid.individual.net...

I drive my smart TCL tv with a Windows computer, it gives me so much more
control over avoiding Google.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Really? It works on Youtube though. Were you trying to use it for shopping?

Depends how old it is. A lot of the browsers are basically developed from
Google Chrome often smart tvs, but recent changes in things like
certificates do not seem to get reflected in browser updates in smart tvs
outside of the streaming systems apparently.
I noticed over the weekend there was a nasty noise sounding like an old
1980s computer loading on the left channel until I moved away from ch10 and
back then about ten minutes later the program guide and currently on voice
started to speak. I'm guessing this was some kind of software update. Did
not notice any changes one still gets the occasional drop in the Wifi
connection on streaming channels and Alexa, a problem not unique to Samsung,
apparently, I will have to buy that cable by the looks of it.
Brian

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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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"The Natural Philosopher" <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:soj9m9$5e6$1...@dont-email.me...

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

I think mine has all the usual subscription channels and youtube. Trouble is
if youpaid for prime, netflix, Disney, Apple discovery plus britbox and the
ad free streaming catch ups you probably could not have afforded to buy the
TV in the first place
However some of the free streaming channels from Pluto TV Sophie TV and
others can be interesting, pity they have no audio description. There does
seem to be a long standing bug on smart TVs that often indicates audio
description where there is none. I'm assuming they interpret a little
graphic and some bright spark changed it so if the channel is capable of AD
it flags that not the fact the content has it.. The only reason I bought
mine was that its a joy to be able to use a TV with voice in both
directions, albeit the terrible Pico voice from Google which sounds like
some strict school maaam of about 70 years with asthma.

Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!

"Theo" <theom...@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote in message
news:cPf*Y2...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...

[David Wade]

On 05/12/2021 21:07, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about half.
>
> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
> the video streams that way.
>
> It's a cheap way to get a computer monitor.
> And a raspberry Pi is prolly enough to drive it.
>
> But an interface to anything other than I-player or netflix, it ain't
>
>
>

My Samsungs are fine. The LG does get more useless every day, but we
don't use it much. Whilst its probably OK(ish) on a new Pi I bought a
Lenovo Mini PC to drive it.

Dave

[RJH]

I've got 2 LG TVs - one is over 5 years old - and they're both working fine
software-wise.

The thing that gets me is the hardware - it's probably something to do with
RAM/processor, but they're both slow. The newer one is better, but put to
shame by my brother's c.10 year old curved screen Samsung (which I think was
2k+ when he bought it).

--
Cheers, Rob

[Bob Eager]

But none over avoiding Windows!

[Sysadmin]

On Mon, 06 Dec 2021 11:10:41 +0000, Bob Eager wrote:

> On Mon, 06 Dec 2021 04:57:04 +0000, Ubique wrote:
>
>> "Bob Eager" <news...@eager.cx> wrote in message
>> news:j1543jF...@mid.individual.net...
>>> On Sun, 05 Dec 2021 22:01:46 +0000, Theo wrote:
>>>
>>>> The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>>>> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about
>>>>> half.
>>>>>
>>>>> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and
>>>>> got the video streams that way.
>>>>
>>>> +1. The smart TV will probably be out of support and the apps will
>>>> stop working before you need to replace the batteries in the remote.
>>>> Meanwhile it'll be a perfectly good display panel for a decade or
>>>> two.
>>>
>>> My experience exactly. It's now fed by a hacked Humax HDR FOX-T2. And
>>> a Roku box.
>>>
>>> --
>>> My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub wish
>>> to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
>>> Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
>>> *lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor
>>
>>
>> I drive my smart TCL tv with a Windows computer, it gives me so much
>> more control over avoiding Google.
>
> But none over avoiding Windows!

No problem with Windows, if you know how to tame it.

[The Natural Philosopher]

On 05/12/2021 22:01, Theo wrote:
> The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about half.
>>
>> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
>> the video streams that way.
>
> +1. The smart TV will probably be out of support and the apps will stop
> working before you need to replace the batteries in the remote.
> Meanwhile it'll be a perfectly good display panel for a decade or two.
>
>> It's a cheap way to get a computer monitor.
>> And a raspberry Pi is prolly enough to drive it.
>
> Or an Android TV / Chromecast / Roku / Fire Stick / Apple TV box, if that
> does what you want.
>

They don't. My media is based round a server, that can run DLNA which
the TVS CAN use but I have a better web interface to stream audio and
video that needs a competent browser in the TV to access it.

TVs don't have competent browsers. And all the boxes above are simply (
like mobile phones) access to someone else's advertising.

Even the on-air TV can be handled by TVheadend server...driving my
custom media app.

So really at some point I decided no more TVs with tuners - they willl
gradually become display monitors with sound.

>> But an interface to anything other than I-player or netflix, it ain't
>
> Think of the 'smart' features as a £50 Android phone in the box, because
> that's the quality of experience you typically get.
>

No, its not even that good.

My mobile phone can access any web site, the TV randomly cannot.

> Theo
>


--
The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to
rule.
– H. L. Mencken, American journalist, 1880-1956

[The Natural Philosopher]

On 06/12/2021 04:57, Ubique wrote:
> drive my smart TCL tv with a Windows computer, it gives me so much more
> control over avoiding Google.

But sadly not Microsoft...

I think I will drive mine with scrap PCs or Pis running linux. depends
if the PI is fast enough to drive full screen HD video


--
"First, find out who are the people you can not criticise. They are your
oppressors."
- George Orwell

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <sokmju$39o$1...@dont-email.me>,

You're lucky a large screen Samsung is still working. Mine died just out
of warranty. A new PS board from Samsung simply uneconomic. Got a used one
from Ebay, and flogged the set. Which didn't have the best picture anyway.

--
*TEAMWORK...means never having to take all the blame yourself *

Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[Michael Chare]

On 05/12/2021 21:07, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Tried to get it to connect to several sites. Couldn't 'find' about half.
>
> That's it. No more smart TVs. plugged the laptop into the HDMI and got
> the video streams that way.
>
> It's a cheap way to get a computer monitor.
> And a raspberry Pi is prolly enough to drive it.
>
> But an interface to anything other than I-player or netflix, it ain't
>

If you still have Netflix that is better than mine.

I tried to update the app but the TV decided to delete it. According to
google, Netflix changed the way the app works a few years ago.

[David Wade]

NetFlix still works on both my LG and my Samsung.....
.... but note some old BT and TalkTalk freeview boxes top boxes will
lose the ITV hub in the new year...

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/11/old-youview-tv-and-broadband-isp-boxes-lose-access-to-itv-hub.html

or short version of URL

https://tinyurl.com/yc3kwxbv

Dave

[Martin Brown]

The problem with all of these smart devices is that broadcasters do
things to "improve the service" (usually increase compression or
decrease the bit rate) that muck up the built in smart apps and after a
while the installed apps for a given older unit are no longer updated so
you are stuck with something that doesn't work properly or at all.

Browsers that can't handle modern embedded media for example.

> or short version of URL
>
> https://tinyurl.com/yc3kwxbv
>
> Dave

Probably best off with one of the USB powered devices that pretends to
be a PC or Linux system according to taste. Apple TV isn't bad either
but again is expensive and a bit of a closed eco system but easier to
use than some of the alternatives for a non-techie.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

[pinnerite]

On Sun, 5 Dec 2021 21:07:20 +0000

The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

Since moving home nine months ago my Samsung 55 inch smart TV has remained protection wrapped in what is an unheated conservatory.

I should able to hoist it ont its baracket tomorrow. I will let it adjust to room temerature for a few hours before "lighting the blue touchpaper."

Previously it was receiving either broadcast signals from a COAX feed, wifi for Netflix or a dedicated computer for MythTV.

The computer cannot be deployed yet but the Wifi has been replaced with a wired ethernet lead to a Netgear switch.

I didn't have the TV for long before the ITV Hub became unavailable. I am hoping Netflix and iPlayer will still be there.


--
Mint 20.2, kernel 5.4.0-88-generic, Cinnamon 5.0.5
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

[Andrew]

It will probably have a hissy fit in sympathy with the polo keys