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Comment by cesarb | Hacker News Reader

> It exists to displays pixels from a Linux box,

If you're not using the defining feature of a TV (the OTA tuner), why not buy a monitor instead of a TV?

(Next time I have to replace our house's TV, I'm seriously considering buying a separate SBTVD tuner and a monitor instead of a TV, if ignoring the "smart" features of these TVs by not connecting them to a network starts getting too difficult.)

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Modern TVs are designed to work with PCs and consoles, they just also happen to have tuners. "Smart" features are mostly a distraction from actual panel capabilities.

Monitor choices also tend charge a premium for equivalent size and quality while lacking some of the features, or introducing other issues. See LG gaming monitors silently installing adware on connection:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48956688

My LG OLED C2 also has a great utility to manage deep service-level configurations. Makes it easy to professionally customize without having to fuss with the menus.

You're a bit late on that, monitors without all the same features are going the way of the dodo. Smart features are even starting to crop up in the commercial display market. Your last vestige will be buying a panel without a controller board and turning it into a display yourself.

The “without WiFi” panels indeed looking rare. Found one line and it’s out-of-stock for 2-4wks:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1828914-REG/samsung_q...

Looks like $400 for a 55” 4K TV, $500 for a commercial one, and $1000 to get a commercial one without WiFi. Selling point includes:

  “the QB55C-N model is free of wireless connectivity and TAA compliant for use in secure facilities.”

TAA: they made it in Mexico (not China, Russia, etc.) to comply with some Trade Agreements Act. Their marketing brochure shows military usage:

https://partnerzon.specialelektronik.se/storage/files/produc...

But we just don’t want creepy executives spying on us for bigger bonuses. Hope “secure facilities” keep buying displays that promise not to do gross things so we have something safe for our homes.

I was strongly considering something like that, but the actual screen technology in them is not that great. The new OLED panels look stunning in comparison, because generally those commercial sets are older LCD technology.

I could probably handle 1080p all day (maybe not at such a large size, not sure) so I’d probably be okay with it…

until I hung out on your couch and went back home and turned something on, going “oh no it’s a blur now!” :)

Maybe they’ll eventually have exquisite WiFi/BT-free displays! That even newer tech has trouble of obsoleting (except they could still release a super low power consumption display or something).

Now imagining something very silly: an honor-system subscription from a manufacturer who sells spyware-free displays at a fair price but still wants to satisfy investors (heh), not that I’d chomp at that bit.

If you don't care much for display quality (or are willing to pay significantly more than what you'd be paying for a TV) that's doable.

I've tried finding a monitor big enough and with a decent panel for anywhere near the price of a TV... it's nearly impossible.

Then I tried finding 'dumb TVs' with at least somewhat decent panels... also almost impossible.

In the end I just bought a decent Philips TV with a good panel and 'Android TV' and chose to never connect it to WiFi and activate that (run it in dumb mode.)

It had enough HDMI ports to hook up everything I want and was the best option available. Would I have preferred a 'dumb screen' with a bunch of HDMI ports and no TV tuner at all? Yes.

Many 75" monitors on the market?

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