Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the company says

Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by turbinerneiter on Monday June 17, 2019 @07:23AM (#20201832)

Sadly, no. Which is a big problem, since Smart TVs are the most user-hostile thing _ever_.

Auto-play, ads, pre-installed stuff, non-reprogrammable app-shortcut buttons on the remote, user-tracking. And there is no control, no settings, no opt-out.

I have to figure out if I can get an alternative firmware on my Samsungs TV. In theory, Tizen is Open Source.

It is so frustrating.

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by 2muchcoffeeman on Monday June 17, 2019 @08:09AM (#20202078)

What about buying a commercial display panel?

https://www.mwave.com.au/product/lg-se3kdb-49-full-hd-ips-le...

Some of these things look like they have API and what not, so maybe they allow you to turn off all the things you don't want?

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by datenhorst on Monday June 17, 2019 @10:52AM (#20203565)

The thing is, those don't have DVB-T receiver, which some people out there still require to watch cable TV.

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by ihuman on Monday June 17, 2019 @03:27PM (#20206465)

Are there external DVB-T receivers?

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by ascagnel_ on Monday June 17, 2019 @03:43PM (#20206598)

SiliconDust makes a network-attached DVB-T tuner[0] that works with MythTV & Plex, for DVR + live TV.

[0]: https://www.silicondust.com/product/hdhomerun-connect/

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by 2muchcoffeeman on Monday June 17, 2019 @05:35PM (#20207618)

Is that the same as a digital set top box?

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by maccard on Monday June 17, 2019 @11:09AM (#20203720)

>since Smart TVs are the most user-hostile thing _ever_.

Disagree - smartphones are far worse. At least I can buy a dumb tv and plug a box into it (for now) - my work requires mobile based 2fa, my bank/credit cards have features available in their apps that aren't available on their websites, my broadband provider only offers tech support through their app.

My smartphone OS was built by an advertising company and probably modified by the manafaxturer. The OS tracks everything I do, everywhere I go, everyone I contact, and the OS maker, my carrier, my phone manufacturer uses that information to sell ads to other people and put them in devices that I pay large prices for.

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by turbinerneiter on Monday June 17, 2019 @03:48PM (#20206625)

I think the difference is that the phone at least works well and you have a lot of settings to control the behaviour.

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by benrbray on Monday June 17, 2019 @08:05AM (#20202057)

Half the buttons on my remote are dedicated to services that have been discontinued

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by anchpop on Monday June 17, 2019 @10:48AM (#20203526)

I have a smart TV that has some kind of integration with Roku, and never had any issues with ads, bad UI, etc. It also has a tangibly better UI than other TVs I've used, with features such as showing on the start-up screen what's being fed into all the HDMI inputs so you don't have to guess which one is connected to the cable box and which one is connected to the Wii. You can easily ignore all the other stuff it does and just use it as a dumb TV without much trouble. Not affiliated in any way, just something to look into if you're trying to avoid adware and the like.

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by whymsicalburito on Monday June 17, 2019 @12:24PM (#20204558)

Why can't you just disconnect the TV from the network?

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Re:Samsung TVs should be regularly virus-checked, the compan... by turbinerneiter on Monday June 17, 2019 @03:46PM (#20206618)

I can do that and hook up a box, but I have to pay for that box and I already paid for a TV that is supposed to have the functionality of the box.

There is a bunch of ways I can fix the issues with this TV, but why the hell do I have to fix a brand new TV?

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