Imperfect Linux-powered DIY smart TV is the embodiment of ad fatigue
arstechnica.com
DIYer picks a "little insane"-looking setup for less tracking, more control.

DIYer picks a “little insane”-looking setup for less tracking, more control.

  • randompasta@lemmy.todayEnglish
    9·
    2 months ago

    I’d love to see Linux folks figure out easy ways for consumers to replace the on board OS’s for any TV out there. Can that be done?

    • BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      2 months ago

      The issue usually is proprietary streaming services, not a lot of interest from them on Linux/etc support and the unofficial options are usually kind of janky. That does make total sense but also kills it’s chances of getting wide support / adoption which limits the growth of the projects.

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      It usually uses strong cryptographic verification with very specific proprietary firmware.

      In short very hard. It is easier to get a separate device

  • Im_old@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    2 months ago

    hum, why go the whole custom interface way when he could use kodi? I have a dumb HD (not gull HD, just HD, that’s how old it is) connected to a rPi with Kodi. Kodi has the jellyfin plugin to connect to my jellyfin server. I even had the DVB-T adapter so I can watch regular TV. When I’ll eventually buy a new TV I’ll just connect the rPi to the new one.

  • Dyskolos@lemmy.zipEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Hm. I install emby on my “smart”-tv and done. No ads ever, no nothing. Just everything i ever want to see. Type a name, wait a minute, watch.

    • Laser@feddit.orgEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      All my Android TV devices boot into the Android TV home screen which does have ads. How do you avoid this?

      • Dyskolos@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        Maybe a regional thing? They do the maximum they’re allowed by law.

        Also i use another launcher to replace the google one. Also i have a google-tv not android-tv. Though it wasn’t different on my shield or other tvs.

        Also i use pihole. So even if there might’ve been an ad someplace, i wouldn’t have seen it anyway 😁

        If there was one single ad anywhere i would return this shit and indeed built my own. With blackjack and hookers. And linux.

        • Laser@feddit.orgEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          I don’t know what you consider an ad. The Android (or Google?) TV launcher looks like this:

          Discover tab is an ad. IIRC, “Apps” also contains ads for applications to spend money on one way or another. The whole area below is an ad. Under your application-specific entries, there’s more ads (something called “popular movies” or so). And no, you can’t change the launcher to start by default as you can with phones. This is on a device sold in the EU.

          • Dyskolos@lemmy.zipEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            Can’t tell for android-tv, my last one was the nvidia shield and i don’t recall any stupid “discover” tab there. Just the apps i want. Or maybe by default and i disabled them… Would be totally pissed if I had to live with them. Especially because i only need one app on a tv.

            On google-tv (android-tv is dead) i can change the launcher and hence those forced tabs aren’t an issue. That’s why i sorted the tvs by OS. Wouldn’t touch samsung & co.

            If there was no other way, I’d attach a shield to it and forget about the “smart” of my tv. Maybe even a chromecast-shitstick.

            • Laser@feddit.orgEnglish
              1·
              2 months ago

              This is both on the TV itself and on an added Android TV box that I have; neither allow removing the ads fully or changing the default launcher. Same problem but different ecosystem with the fire sticks.

              If there was no other way, I’d attach a shield to it and forget about the “smart” of my tv

              I bought the Android TV box for AV1 support, does the shield feature that?

              • Dyskolos@lemmy.zipEnglish
                1·
                2 months ago

                Weird, considering you’re also europe. Though with firesticks i would really expect that.

                Av1 means your tv’s 1st external input? If it’s hdmi then yes. There are cheaper boxes out there, but if you stream legally those might be troublesome (netflix), the shield ain’t.

                But overall: “smart” - tvs suck big hairy, sweaty monkey-balls. The digital future ain’t a bright one for the critical thinkers and simple ad-haters