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Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by a3n on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @09:31AM (#9032992)
I haven't bought a TV for five years (a Samsung, as it happens, plugged into a Roku). Can you even buy a TV that isn't smart these days?
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by rsync on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @12:23PM (#9034102)
Yes. Look for "commercial displays". You know those industrial looking NEC monitors with the tiny bezels that are turned sideways to be departure/arrival boards in airports ?

I use one of those as a TV. Is wonderful. Will probably last 20 years. Prior to that I used a panasonic commercial plasma. Still running after 10 years.

Neither of them have any smarts whatsoever. They're not even that expensive, which makes sense because many installations use 8 or 12 of them at a time as screenwalls.

http://www.necdisplay.com/p/large--screen-displays/p462?type...

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by burger_moon on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @02:02PM (#9034804)
The NEC P462 46" is on Amazon for ~$2k. Plus you still need speakers. That seems like quite a bit to spend on a 46" tv.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by anon4 on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @10:23AM (#9033305)
Yes, it's called a monitor. There are plenty of monitors that have hdmi inputs and a standard audio jack output for connecting to a set of speakers.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by Roboprog on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @10:58AM (#9033552)
Like how you think. I'm not sure what the biggest monitor you can get is, though.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by jpindar on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @11:13AM (#9033659)
The largest monitor I am aware of is the one in the Dallas Cowboy's stadium, which is 72 feet by 160 feet and 1920 x 1080 resolution.

The largest one a normal person can afford is of course a different question.

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by boobsbr on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @12:03PM (#9033954)
It's not even 2k? Ewww.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by nitrogen on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @12:33PM (#9034180)
In consumer land, 1920x1080 is 2K. 4K is 3840x2160. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-high-definition_televisi...
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by qanael on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @02:20PM (#9034992)
Newegg has a "large format display" category for big monitors. 46" seems to be a popular size. There's some pretty cheap 1080p ones in there, but I don't know anything about their image quality.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by tomjen3 on Friday February 13, 2015 @12:40PM (#9045632)
Sysadmin at work as a 40inch 4k monitor. Not sure if it has external speakers though.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by a3n on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @02:12PM (#9034917)
How does the viable viewing angle of a repurposed monitor compare to a TV?
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by rm999 on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @10:41AM (#9033424)
Sort of, but if you want the best quality TV it's hard to avoid "smart" TVs. From wirecutter: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-tv/

>Is there a best TV with no apps (or 3D)?

>Not really. Nearly every TV worth considering is also a Smart TV. There used to be several great midrange “dumb” TVs, but they’re all pretty much gone. You don’t have to use them, and you’re probably still better off getting a media streamer (since they have more content sources). As far as 3D goes, we’re starting to see good TVs that lack 3D

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by wil421 on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @10:00AM (#9033151)
There are plenty of companies that sell budget TVs without Smart features. Visio, Magnavox, and even Samsung's low end TVs dont have Smart features.

If you are looking for a top of the line TV it may be hard to find (but is the display really better than a budget Samsung, are we paying extra for Smart features?).

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by teacup50 on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @10:47AM (#9033453)
TVs meant for commercial installations (hotels, hospitals, digital signage, etc) often either have no smart features, or have fully user-controllable smart features (e.g., think hotel menus).
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by nicwolff on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @12:29PM (#9034149)
I'm still using a 10-year-old 42" Panasonic Commercial Plasma, no tuner, no "smart" features, stellar picture, totally expandable, totally reliable. They stopped making them of course.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by tomjen3 on Friday February 13, 2015 @12:39PM (#9045621)
Yes. I brought one a year or so ago (40 inches I think) and it isn't smart (that is it doesn't have an internet connection option) but it does have the ability to e.g auto tune channel discovery and play music and movies from the attached usb stick (super useful feature btw) so it isn't like a tv of yesterday either.

I imagine the televisions you tend to see ads for or that are displayed most prominently in stores are those that they want to sell (no shit) and thus those tend to be the smart tvs.

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by rodgerd on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @12:59PM (#9034354)
I picked up a Panasonic Viera that is entirely bereft of smart features, not even a network port. About 2/3rds the price of equivalent quality screens with smart functionality, too.

That said, simply not plugging a smart TV into the network will solve most of the problems with it.

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by LordKano on Thursday February 12, 2015 @11:40AM (#9039655)
Even if we get to the point that all of the available/affordable TVs are "Smart", you still have the option of not letting the thing on your network.

Well, at least for now.

I will continue to use my plain old "Dumb" TVs and Roku devices.

Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by rasz_pl on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @11:56AM (#9033907)
Seiki makes cheap dumb 4K TVs.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by a3n on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @02:08PM (#9034882)
Great responses, and from reading them I realized I should have qualified as "a good or high quality display." Which many responders assumed, and there's some good direction to explore here.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by pkfrank on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @09:59AM (#9033148)
Yes. Most big box retailers have an "in house" brand that is no-frills but still fairly quality. IE Insignia from Best Buy.
Re:Samsung's smart TVs are inserting unwanted ads into users... by pjmlp on Wednesday February 11, 2015 @09:40AM (#9033042)
In Europe yes.