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So why do new TVs have to be so complicated?

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December 31, 2021, 01:08 PM
ensigmatic
So why do new TVs have to be so complicated?
quote:
Originally posted by monoblok:
Try as I might the new set will not recognize the signal from the over-air antenna.

Then You're Doing Something Wrong or your OTA antenna sucks.

We bought a 55 in. LG TV a year or so ago. Told it to scan for channels. It did. Done. No problem. When one of the stations went NextGen TV and moved its ATSC 1 transmission to another tower and frequency we had to re-scan to get it back. Did so. Again: No problem.

quote:
Originally posted by monoblok:
As for streaming stuff which we never had on the old set: our internet service level apparently is now too slow for the needs of such said streaming, or we're lacking bandwidth or just plain both, based on the amount of buffering that we've been experiencing in this Brave New World.

What do you have for Internet service? (I.e.: Provider, type of connection, promised bandwidth?)

quote:
Originally posted by monoblok:
Another new experience for our TV use: trying to launch downloaded video apps has been a painfully annoying nightmare

Can't speak to that. I never tried that with our LG TV. Instead we just put separate streaming devices (mostly Apple TVs) on every TV. Not only does that mean the same streaming interface on every TV, regardless of manufacturer (LG, three Samsungs [two not smart], and a Vizio), but it also means the same apps with the same home screen layout on every Apple TV.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
December 31, 2021, 05:06 PM
Oz_Shadow
I don’t let the tv on the network. The Samsung always had an update. The Xbox seems to keep itself taken care of and is ready to stream shows when I want.
December 31, 2021, 05:13 PM
ZSMICHAEL
It would be fun to suddenly have all devices, cars, televisions, pencil sharpeners operate like it was 1955. The kids would be struggling to call you on the rotary phone to get assistance.
December 31, 2021, 05:18 PM
ensigmatic
quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I don’t let the tv on the network.

Same here.

I briefly considered putting the LG on our network. Then, as I always do, I actually read the Terms of Service and the non-privacy policies to which I'd have to agree to enable that. As with the Samsung BD player I returned to the store: It essentially said "We're going to log everything you do and watch with the TV, and share the results with whomever we want."

Nope.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
January 01, 2022, 01:23 PM
Lefty Sig
quote:
Originally posted by Prefontaine:
For any streaming content you need a stick, or AppleTV, IE stand alone box and quit using the TV based apps as they suck compared to a stand alone box. I wish they sold “dumb” panels as I don’t need anything “connected” on it sans basic level OS updates. Stand alone devices are inexpensive, relatively, and they should just make panels dumb as they would be much cheaper and much less complicated.


All my HT stuff goes into an AV Receiver which then outputs to the TV. Cable Box, 4K player, an older region free DVD/SACD/DVD-A player, PS3 (still works), and Apple TV 4K.

My Sony A1-E's have the Google Android TV interface and it sucks. Buggy and slow. So everything has an Apple TV for streaming apps. Only the bedroom TV does input switching.

All I really need is a big monitor with an HDMI input. Suffering with crappy built-in TV features vs. spending $100-$200 on a much better outboard device is a no brainer IMO.
January 03, 2022, 12:01 AM
sjtill
I use a TIVO 'cause it's simple, the Vizio TV only serves as a monitor. It has lots of features, never use them.


_________________________
“ What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.”— Lord Melbourne
January 03, 2022, 09:00 AM
V-Tail
quote:
Originally posted by sjtill:

I use a TIVO 'cause it's simple, the Vizio TV only serves as a monitor. It has lots of features, never use them.
I do not watch TV any more, it's too frustrating when I can't hear / understand dialog (hearing aids).

My wife does watch, and we use TiVo for cable and OTA channels, and the built-in apps on the LG TV for all of the streaming stuff.

The discontinued (but still out there on the refurbished market) TiVo Premiere model is the one that we have. It has two coax inputs, so it will handle both cable and OTA sources.



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
January 04, 2022, 09:43 AM
flesheatingvirus
quote:
Originally posted by PASig:
I have a TCL Roku TV and it's actually VERY intuitive to use and tweak, I love it. It's pretty obvious they took some cues from Apple with it.

Good example is doing a reboot or checking for software updates, it's like 2 clicks on the remote. Older TV's were like 18 clicks, stand on one leg while holding your breath during a full moon.


I only have internet TV through Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Disney+, etc. While I could access all of those through my smart TV, I've found it to be MUCH easier to just use the damn Roku box. It is TONS more streamlined.


________________________________________

-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
January 05, 2022, 09:27 AM
Tn226
This may be unnecessarily complex but it works for us.

Our local provider switched their “cable” to steaming everything for TV service. They required a Firestick 4K. It worked fine. We dropped their service and now just use Hulu and a couple others we got via free programs of various sorts.

While we have “smart” televisions, we just kept using the Firesticks. All the sets work the same and work well. We bought a new Vizio for the den, moved the Firestick over, and went on. It doesn’t matter what brand of TV, they all work the same way. We’re happy. Simple things for simple minds.
January 10, 2022, 07:35 PM
Sunset_Va
quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
I have a 27" SONY with the old Trinitron CRT tube.

It works just fine.

Couldn't get rid of it even if I wanted to, it's way too heavy for me to move.



They are damn heavy. Had the 27 " and 32"? Trinitron.

But in the day, they were good, with some loud high quality speakers.


.


美しい犬