How I break free from Smart TVs ("smart" for the manufacturer but very dumb for the user).

Buy a cheap smart TV and run it in "store mode".

Brightness and saturation will probably be maxed out but with a cheap TV, it looks more like "normal" on a more expensive model. Hint: The main difference between cheap and expensive in some cases --- the color adjustment range is limited by software on the cheaper models.

Currently using a Hisense 4k model from Costco connected to a small mini PC --- Windows or Linux, your preference. The TV functions as nothing but a dumb display.

Use a small "air mouse" for control. On screen keyboard as needed.

Use a Hauppauge USB tuner for local digital broadcasts.

I use software called DVB Viewer to view local channels and IPTV. A browser with VPN for streaming in some cases.

In every case, I maintain full control of my data and the ability to block ads as I see fit.

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ssl-3 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

> Buy a cheap smart TV and run it in "store mode".

They aren't "cheap," but just last week I unboxed and tested 5 different Samsung S95F televisions of 4 different sizes.

One of the functions that each of them promised to perform when set to "retail mode" was to reset the picture settings every 5 minutes.

That makes retail mode a non-starter for anyone who seeks any resemblance of accuracy in their video system, at least on these particular televisions.

	▲	m463 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		I think costco sells a 100" hisense for $1899 seems on the cheaper side and it might work like he said

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gear54rus 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Buy a cheap smart TV

Why does it have to be cheap? What if I want a killer panel without all the bs?

> Use a small "air mouse" for control

An alternative is something like 'unified remote' on it, then you can even type from your phone without any pain.

> A browser with VPN for streaming in some cases.

There is a missing piece for me here. A magic 'send my PC browser tab to this other PC connected to the TV' button. Not sure if something like this exists. It would be ideal to send all the browser context with cookies etc so that you are logged in too and can just start playing whatever you found on PC.

Any for of cast is not an option, rendering has to happen on the TV PC box.

	▲	jqpabc123 4 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Why does it have to be cheap? It doesn't have to be --- but you may be wasting your money if you run in "store mode". As noted above, "store mode" will usually max out the brightness, saturation and contrast while removing user control. This looks pretty "normal" with cheaper models. More expensive ones can become overbearing. It appears to me that in some cases, the difference between cheap and more expensive is mainly the color adjustments. In order to take advantage of economies of scale, they may use the exact same screen panel on multiple different models but limit the cheaper ones in software so it doesn't look as "bright" and "eye catching" in the store as their more expensive "killer" model.
	▲	koolba 4 days ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		> There is a missing piece for me here. A magic 'send my PC browser tab to this other PC connected to the TV' button. Not sure if something like this exists. Chromecast does exactly this and has existed since ~2010.
	▲	sandbach 4 days ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		> A magic 'send my PC browser tab to this other PC connected to the TV' button You can send a tab to another device on Firefox. It doesn't come with all the browser context, but it's pretty handy.
	▲	StanislavPetrov 4 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		>There is a missing piece for me here. A magic 'send my PC browser tab to this other PC connected to the TV' button. I use an NVIDIA shield on a dumb TV with firefox sideloaded (ad blockers, ect) for 95% of my streaming. You can import your cookies or other preferences or simply browse for content directly.

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silisili 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Brightness and saturation will probably be maxed out but with a cheap TV, it looks more like "normal" on a more expensive model.

That probably mimics Samsung TVs, which are popular for that reason but look like crap.

The actual best TVs, picture wise, are among the LG C series, which are surprisingly dim and unsaturated. That said, mine has held up terribly so I won't buy another. My $200 Onn looks good enough to my eyes and lasted longer.

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sharts 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Where do folks find the best alIPTV options these days?