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Comment by sgustard | Hacker News Reader

I'll contrast this with my TV. I want a TV that works and displays pictures & sound. Instead my TV is an Android hub with dozens of random apps installed. What it doesn't do half the time is work. Sure, I have "control" but I'd rather have "functional devices!"

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I'm not sure you do have "control" if your complaint is that there are dozens of random apps installed.

If you're able to uninstall those apps then, yes, you have (some amount of) control.

I'm dreading the day my 4K "dumb" LCD TV dies. It's now basically impossible to replace.

Eh. Get an Apple TV. HDMI CEC means you never have to interact with the default UI.

I have one! That’s the plan currently. But you can’t avoid it entirely, it’s why TVs are so slow to turn on, they still try to collect data and so on.

Odd. I have two TVs. Neither of them have this issue.

don't some TVs actually listen in on what you're watching to figure out your viewing habits regardless?

You can replace it with a monitor + a pair of stereo speakers.

I like this option, though I have noticed that monitors seem to be more expensive and are not always available in the TV size you might want.

I recommend this as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33813255

You’re right though. My 44” monitor for my living room was $550, but that only seems expensive compared to the ad-subsidized smart TVs.

I replaced my TV with a large monitor and a mac mini. My remote is a wireless apple mouse and keyboard which we leave on a cutting board on the couch.

The benefit of streaming shows in a browser is that I can slow down all shows for my kids to 85% so they are slightly less stimulating and i NEVER get ads.

The computer also serves as a hub for music, it’s connected to some wireless speakers we can move to another room when playing music.

LG TVs have WebOS, it's pretty good at staying away. But the trick is to never use the actual TV software for anything, get an Apple TV / Fire Stick / Google TV / Nvidia Shield and use that for everything.

We should have the option of buying 50"++ TVs with no software or speakers, just a power button and a bunch of HDMI connections.

You obviously bought a device incompatible with your requirements and preferences. You say so yourself: "Instead my TV is an Android hub....".

This 100x.

End of the day, there are two markets for two different needs.

Nothing stops you from hooking an Apple TV up to it.

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