Published On: February 18, 2019

I Just Want a Dumb TV

Published On: February 18, 2019
Last Updated on: October 31, 2020
We May Earn From Purchases Via Links

I Just Want a Dumb TV

Smart TVs are stupid, says Dennis Burger. But as he shops for a new high-performance display, it seems he has no choice but to buy another one.

I Just Want a Dumb TV

By Author: Dennis Burger

Dennis Burger is a native Alabamian whose passion for AV began sometime before the age of seven, when he dismantled his parents' brand new 25-inch solid-state Zenith console TV and exclaimed--to the amusement of no one except the delivery guy--that it was missing all of its vacuum tubes. He has since contributed to Home Theater Magazine, Wirecutter, Cineluxe, Electronic House, and more. His specialties include high-end audio, home theater receivers, advanced home automation, and video codecs.

It's time once again for me to get a new UHD TV, a thing I have to do a bit more frequently than many of you, because keeping up with all of the latest video formats isn't just a compulsion for me; it's downright compulsory. And my old TV, while perfectly fine from a performance standpoint, is of the 2015 vintage and doesn't support Dolby Vision.

My list of must-haves is pretty standard stuff. In addition to the aforementioned format support, I need good calibration tools (which are becoming more common), good light output (although not as much as you might think), great contrast, and of course an extra HDMI input or three. IP control capabilities would also be a plus.

You know what I don't need, though? Another goddamned source of Netflix. Or Amazon Instant. Or whatever half-assed collection of barely controllable games seem to come crammed into most TVs these days. What I really want, more than anything in the world, is a 75-inch UHD display with Dolby Vision, HDR10 (HDR10+ if beggars are being choosey), HLG (just for future-proofing at this point), good video scaling, and all the intelligence of a damp rock.

Yeah, I want a dumb TV.

I literally have no idea why, but this fact seems to alternately piss off enthusiasts or leave them completely baffled. "Just don't connect it to your network" I often hear. That misses the point. I want my UHD TV on my network because, as I said above, I want my Control4 system to communicate with it via IP for the enhanced reliability and simplicity that network communications bring to the control front. And performance-oriented firmware updates are always welcomed. But that's where I want the network connectivity to begin and end.

"Just get a projector," I also often hear.

Uh, no. I live in the armpit of Alabama, where ceiling fans are an absolute necessity from the standpoint of surviving the hottest nine months of the year. So, I can't ceiling-mount a projector. And I have a playful 75-pound AmStaff who makes cabinet placement on the floor a non-starter. Plus, 75 inches is almost too much screen for my main media room. And I've yet to see a projector/screen combo that can compete with the contrasts and black levels, much less the value proposition, of a halfway decent TV.

"Buy an [insert name of bargain basement off-brand here]."

While it's true that there are still some dumb TVs on the market, we're talking bottom-of-the-barrel stuff for the most part. Make no mistake about it: I still want--nay need--a high-performance display; I simply want it to be as vapid as it is gorgeous.

"Just don't use the apps!"


That's the recommendation I get the most... and it seems kind of obvious. Why would I use the apps built into any TV? I have a Roku Ultra that includes pretty much every video app I could ever hope to watch (except for perhaps an official Twitch app, but there are third-party alternatives). The Roku Ultra is quicker and more responsive than any smart TV app I've ever used. Its latency is lower. Its user interface is better. And when it eventually becomes outdated (as older Rokus of mine have), I'll replace it for $99 (or less) and have a fresh, new streaming experience with all the bells and whistles. Try doing that with your stupid smart TV app platform once it reaches the end of its natural lifecycle (i.e., next year).

What's more, if I were to use the apps built into my TV and wanted to get the most out of them (in other words, if I wanted to output their sound to my surround sound system), that would mean turning on HDMI-CEC in order to enable Audio Return Channel. And CEC is legitimately the devil for those of us with advanced control systems.

Actually, strike that last conditional. CEC is legitimately the devil. Full stop.

Roku also has one another advantage over smart TVs (and you can substitute your choice of Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, Amazon Fire, or whatever other standalone streamer floats your boat): the company hasn't betrayed my trust. At least not yet. How many TV manufacturers have been busted thus far for doing shady shit with their smart TV platforms? I've lost count at this point, but "one" would be too many. I don't mean to sound like a paranoid nutcase here, but it's not exactly paranoia if they're really out to spy on you, is it?

The biggest point that this advice misses? Even if I don't use those apps, I'm still paying for them. I'm paying for the R&D that went into them. I'm paying to have them updated, at least for the next year. I'm paying for something I didn't want to begin with, even though there are plenty of options out there for folks who don't want to pay for performance enhancements like quantum dot and OLED.

So, any TV manufacturer that takes their flagship offering, knocks out all of the clutter, marks $100 off the MSRP, and perhaps affixes an extra "D" to the end of the model number will almost certainly the manufacturer I turn to for the TV I buy after this next one.

But I've resigned myself to the fact that, at least this time around, I'll be paying however much extra for an app platoform I'll never use, that I don't trust, and that will likely, in some way, complicate the operation of my AV system. But I can't be alone in my hope that this is the last time. There simply has to be a market for upper-tier TVs with all of the video processing bells and whistles, all of the format support, and all of the connectivity, but none of the stupid "smart" features that I'll never in a million years use.

And look, I'm not saying you're wrong if you dig your smart TV. Of course I'm not. I'm simply saying that those of us who hate cluttered UIs, fettered navigation, and lackluster streaming performance shouldn't be forced to pay extra for features we'll never use, just to get a high-performance flat-panel display.

Additional Resources

Wishful Thinking: Products That AV Companies Should Make (But Don't) at HomeTheaterReview.com.
HomeTheaterReview's 4K/Ultra HD TV Buyer's Guide at HomeTheaterReview.com.

  • Anonymous
    2022-01-02 23:15:12

    I have been forced to buy 5 streaming products for a home without internet.

  • Anonymous
    2021-11-27 13:22:23

    LG 65ep5g

  • Benjamin QwkSilver
    2021-03-30 18:24:44

    Honestly at this point the extra cost is probably a chip, maybe a dollar or two person, and some software. However, i would like responsible menus that would let us choose our privacy level, no apps. cameras off, and mics off, and leave me with only display (possible sound) essentials. I really just want to plug it in and go straight to ON and HDMI 1. that way i can switch it with my power controller unit, and honestly most of my tv's are just big fancy monitors. a not gloss finish for bright rooms would be a nice touch too. matte like a monitor. and a 43 or 49" tv is about 250$ and a 43" monitor is about 1200$ so you can't even say that the apps are adding cost, we just bloody don't want them folks, imagine adding 950$ to get a matte finish and no speakers or bs? paying to loose functionality that we should just be able to turn off. 43" 4k tv is like having 4 regular 21.5" 1080 monitors in a box configuration, and less money these days to boot.

  • CometJo
    2021-03-17 04:40:10

    Yeah you are TOTALLY on my wavelength friend!!!

  • Double Cherry
    2021-02-12 02:33:23

    Since you left me alone ill help you: you only need to update the video drivers on your pc for the Visio. I found this: https://support.vizio.com/s/firmware-search?language=en_US You will need the serial number off back of your screen.

  • Hockmed
    2021-02-12 01:41:17

    I have a Dell Precision 3630 desktop and a several-year-old Visio model VW32L dumb TV that works fine, but I can't seem to get the computer to send video signals properly to the Visio. It sends a signal that's too large and most of the video is off screen, so you only see a small part of it. Any ideas? Thanks

  • tomcat
    2021-01-26 00:24:33

    I love my 2004 46" Sharp. It sat by jalousie windows in Hawaii for 5 years and I thought it wouldn't last 6. Moved it to the mainland and it's still alive. Heavy monster that just won't die.

  • JoeStellar
    2021-01-17 15:56:40

    I bought one of the early samsung smart tvs. Several issues. It got really slow. The whole interface, app load times, it all became incredibly slow. Updating apps was no problem but eventually I had to do firmware updates in order to update apps. Eventually "my model no longer supported" issues started occurring. I can't update my firmware anymore therefor I can't update the apps and the apps won't work because I get messages saying I need to update. Still works with HDMI inputs but it didn't change the fact that I hated it. The smart tv remote was a constant reminder of how bad the tv was. I gave the TV away. It was a bit like having a cracked phone screen, it's just embracing to have a smart TV that "I won't use any foul language so I'll just say didn't work as it should. If it were a plain old dumb tv it wouldn't be an embracement. Now I want a 70 or 75 inch 4k or 8k tv but can't get one that isn't smart. I'm not buying a replacement for the one I gave away. I rather look at the TV mount on the wall then buy another smart tv that will be outdated in 7 or 8 years.

  • Potato Head
    2021-01-13 13:53:44

    You don't have to turn it off. The 100 inch 4k monitor on the wall goes to sleep when there is no signal just like the 20 incher on your desk.

  • Hoosier 67
    2020-12-03 18:57:31

    And schools where wifi is so highly controlled.

  • Hoosier 67
    2020-12-03 18:56:08

    I want a dumb TV, too, for my video prodcution classroom. Our wireless restrictions are stringent (rightly so), and trying to connect a non corporate device to wifi is a fool's errand. I need a dumb TV to act as a big studio monitor. "Buy a big monitor, then -- duh!" Classroom = few dollars to work with. Projector? Nope; need portability.

  • KidRed
    2020-11-25 14:22:55

    I have the C9, and will NOT be enabling Alexa.

  • KidRed
    2020-11-25 14:20:27

    I loved my Kuro but lost it to a lightning strike that hit my satellite dish and came in over the coaxial. I'm loving my LG C9 though. Now I'm looking for a bedroom option where burn-in isn't a concern as my wife watches some news content with static graphics.

  • Tony Nesta
    2020-10-20 01:40:11

    How do you turn off a stand alone monitor (without the computer) without a remote control? That's the problem, otherwise sure, I will just buy a 4k monitor.

  • Tony Nesta
    2020-10-20 01:37:27

    A book to read, a 228 page User Manual?? Samsung and others please bring back the Non-Smart TV "dumb TV" with a remote control with the numbers on it and I'll buy it.

  • akovia Voka
    2020-09-25 00:03:09

    I almost couldn't have said it better, but @woofy98102:disqus nailed it on the head. The smart features in a TV are the exact reason they are cheaper than they should be. If they weren't subsidizing the cost with the money they make off of selling our data, TVs would be a good deal more expensive across the board. I'm certain that they realize there is a not insignificant market share that would be willing to pay a premium price to NOT have those "Smart" features, but then they would have to actually admit why it's actually more expensive to not have all these wonderful features that are going to make your life sooo much better. I'm also sure they have done the market research to bear out these facts which is why I don't think you'll ever see one of the big manufacturers go back to dumb TVs. There's just too much money to be had. I think our only real hope is a company to source panels and boards to build and integrate them into their own product, aimed directly at this market. The cost to do this would be prohibitive, which is my guess why it hasn't happened yet. Maybe there will be an organized effort by a hacker group to load different firmware/software for some TVs brands to cut out all the cruft, and maybe even improve the GUIs. I'm certain if there was a brand that was easy to hack and replace their "Smart" software, they would sell lots more TVs inadvertently once the word got out. I'd by one in a heartbeat! Sell a Dumb TV, and the only profit they see is is a one time sale. Sell a Smart TV, and they can profit for as long as you are connected into the matrix. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

  • James
    2020-09-03 09:23:46

    I agree with you 100%. If I could agree with you more than 100% I would. I have the same energy when it comes to this and reading your article made my blood boil.

  • Bruce Lee
    2020-07-13 18:02:28

    I too am looking for a “dumb” tv. I use a tv the way it was designed- with an antenna on the roof, and not connected to anything else. Try and find a high quality unit with all the latest gizmos that isn’t loaded with half-assed apps. It doesn’t exist, at least for now.

  • Warren Chang
    2020-05-29 15:59:22

    Nobody seems to have replied to you, but yes: using the SPDIF optical audio connection to your receiver means you are going to lose DD+ (Dolby Digital Plus) surround sound, which only works over HDMI. And guess what, that is the one and only 5.1 surround sound format that Netflix supplies! I discovered this recently with my Roku Ultra - I was using the SPDIF output as well and was wondering why I never seemed to get anything but stereo sound from Netflix...

  • Galtha58
    2020-05-10 18:23:28

    Agree Completely. I would pay the same or even a little more for a TV without all the extra "Smart" features that I don't want or need. My Roku does everything I need for internet services. Why would I want a TV with a lot of extra bloatware that has the potential to make my TV viewing experience more difficult, complicated and open up another potential digital entrance into my home?

  • gregge
    2020-04-28 23:38:19

    Circa 2013~2014 Samsung introduced "future proof" TV models with replaceable hardware modules and said they were going to produce new modules for at least 5 years. That lasted 2 years before being abandoned, right around when HEVC video hit the scene. Samsung changed their "future proof" focus to software updates. I have a 40 inch Samsung from 2015 and a 50 inch from 2017. Both haven't had a software update in quite a while. New releases quit around 2 to 3 years. Samsung never added anything with updates but they took apps away. Out of the box on the 40, the first update deleted Skype. Not that I'd ever use Skype. These TVs have DVR capability but it's disabled for North America. I've heard of people flashing EU firmware but then they can't watch ATSC broadcast TV, unless someone has hacked a hybrid firmware to implant the EU DVR part into the NA firmware.

  • gregge
    2020-04-28 23:26:52

    Been to a fast food joint lately? They're replacing menu boards with LCDs. They're pretty thin with very narrow bezels.

  • gregge
    2020-04-28 23:24:03

    Get a monitor instead of a TV. But then you'll most likely have to get an external digital TV tuner box.

  • Claude
    2020-03-31 19:33:10

    very promising, and nearly every single review a 5 star one, mainly for the price and for the lack of smart tv feature, 300$ for 55" 4k uhd tv???? u mad bro??? deffo a steal this. who said dumb tv's can't be cheap? if only they would build oled ones, or the soon to be announced micro oled tech in a dumb tv. then that would be something to consider this company buying tech from

  • Kenneth Cook
    2020-03-07 20:08:57

    In all my rage I found fellow consumers who want a t.v. Not a computer, not a streaming device, and certainly not a device that every damn time the power flickers prompts me to answer a multitude of questions after not acquiring internet signals. And the damned instructions are not a little booklet u read but on the internet too!

  • corbett coburn
    2020-03-02 00:08:17

    My parents have a "smart TV" from Samsung. Every time the power blinks, ALL of their settings are out the window. And it takes hours for them to get it reset -- especially with that lousy "sleek" remote that Samsung supplies with their TVs. Some functions of the TV are unusable because they simply cannot figure out how to make the damned TV work. They just want a good quality TV that allows them to turn it own and have it show the channels they like to watch. Apparently, that's too much to ask these days.

  • ShutUpImThinking
    2020-02-28 05:49:11

    This is what you are looking for: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iron-cast-tv/your-next-tv-without-the-tv?ref=profile_saved_projects_ended

  • Fr0ntSight
    2020-02-17 00:35:48

    I hear you can't even buy a samsung tv without having to create an account and give them all your information.

  • boone
    2020-02-16 22:43:25

    Here is a DUMB television manufacturer. I want a "dumb" television too. I am looking at one of these. Check them out and let me know what you think......... https://www.sceptre.com/TV/4K-UHD-TV-category1category73.html?filter=4&page=1

  • ThirtyThree
    2020-02-03 23:14:55

    That's why I still have my 60" Kuro Elite. I'd buy a LG C9 monitor, but not the 'smart' TV that now comes with camera, microphone, alexa and google snooping "services".

  • Tele Caster
    2020-01-23 02:56:31

    oh my god, WHERE ARE ALL THE OTHERS!! YOU ARE EXPRESSING SOMETHINGI'VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. IF ONLY WE HAD A UNION, LOL, OR OTHER CENTRAL PLATFORM TO FINALLY FORCE THE INDUSTRY TO STOP FORCING US!!. bOTTOM LINE IS THE INDUSTRY ,,, ANY INDUSTRY, NO LONGER HAS TO PROVIDE THE CONSUMER WITH OPTIONS . THEY MAKE WHAT THEY MAKE AND THEY KNOW WE THEN HAVE NO OPTION, SO THERE IS NO REASON TO CATER TO AN AUDIENCE THAT DOESNT WANT SMART PRODUCTS. ULTIMATLEY, IF YOU NEED IT, YOU'LL HAVE TO BUY THE SMART PRODUCT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. wE ARE ALL BEING HERDED INTO ONE BIG CLOUD CORAL THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE OUR DOWNFALL. oK, SO THATS' THE PARANOID FATILIST VIEW....BUT LIKE dENNIS, there ARE MANY OF US WHO SIMPLY WANT A DUMB TV AND DON'T WANT THE CONFUSION AND CROSS CHATTER CREATED BY ANYTHING MORE THAN A MONITOR THAT I CAN USE TO CONNECT TO MY SYSTEM THAT MOST LIKELY ALREADY HAS AT LEAST ONE POINT OF CONNECTION THAT IS ALREADY AS SMART AS I NEED IT TO BE. OR hOW ABOUT A DUMB WASHER/DRYER, REFRIGERATOR OR OR lIGHT bULB, FOR THAT MATTER, LOL!!! EVENTUALLY "DUMB" WILL NOT BE AN oPTION IN ANY PRODUCT THAT WE BUY THAT HAS AN ON-OFF SWITCH!! IT IS ALMOST THE CASE NOW. YES, ALL THOSE WHO JUST WANT THE IMPORTANT FEATURES FOR A QUALITY PICTURE PLEASE SPEAK UP. THE INDUSTRY ISNT GOING TO CATER TO THAT AUDIENCE JUST SO THEY WILL HAVE THE OPTION, WHEN THEY KNOW THEY DONT HAVE TO PROVIDE THE OPTION. BUT ONE MANUFACTURER OUT THERE MIGHT FINALLY REALIZE THAT THERE IS STILL A BIG MARKET OUT HERE FOR "DUMB" TVs AND OTHER PRODUCTS, AND MAY REALIZE THAT THEY CAN THUS DIRECT A LOT OF TRAFFIC TO THEIR BRAND. NOT TO MENTION THAT THERE MAY ACTUALLY BE MORE MARKET THAN THEY THINK WITH PEOPLE SITTING ON THE SIDELINES REFUSING TO UPDATE THEIR LAST DUMB TV BECASUE THERE IS NO ACCEPTABLE DUMB ALTERNATIVE. YES, WE MAY NOT HAVE CHOICE WHEN ULTIMATELY FORCED WITH THE NEED TO BUY NEW, BUT IF THERE WAS A CHOICE, JUST ONE TOP-LINE MANUFACTURER THAT DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE BASIC FEATURES OF A HIGH QUALITY TV AS OPPOSED TO COMPUTER, APP PLAYER OR INTERNET RECEIVER, THEY WOULD SURELY HAVE A MEANINGFUL PART OF THE MARKET CAPTURED. NOW IF THEY WOULD JUST CREATE A FEATURE IN THE SPELLING SECTION OF MY PC THAT WOULD FLIP UPPER CASE AND LOWER CASE AFTER YOU REALIZE YOU'VE BEEN TYPING WITH CAPS LOCK WAY TOO FAR IN!!!!!

  • Will Gruber
    2020-01-07 05:05:26

    I was looking at the "NEC C551" But it is a Comercial Dysplay, it is only a 1080P resolution as I dont need any higher, but it is out of my price range, it doesn't have a Tuner in it for local stations but all my local stations are streaming online throu IPTV systems so no problem for me there, but still out of my price range.

  • Erich
    2020-01-06 15:59:00

    Block all internet access from the tv in your firewall

  • 🌾dancy7🌾
    2019-12-31 06:27:15

    Goddamn it. Vain.

  • Matthew Arsenal
    2019-12-22 16:44:01

    def. not alone on this...I'm TV shopping right now and kind of pissed off at this tbh. I use a roku and I have a fire stick I use as well....no need or want for smart tv, don't want a tv with a camera like my lap top etc.

  • Concerned
    2019-12-19 10:48:30

    I don't understand why you must take the Lord's name in vane when writing a tv review. Really? Very offensive. So sad that your site seems to have such good information but I won't be returning to it again.

  • John T
    2019-12-12 15:50:02

    The only 'dumb' TV I've found is made by Sceptre, link to the 65" below at walmart. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-65-Class-4K-Ultra-HD-2160P-HDR-LED-TV-U650CV-U/48874705?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227055419933&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=156834025145&wl4=aud-430887228898:pla-266041551750&wl5=9015412&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=48874705&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAiA58fvBRAzEiwAQW-hzZYq0obT-nnO8q3eqoe4zD_vUahBCkgWeP5uWDgmuAb_GSr42pgOnBoCpZ4QAvD_BwE

  • sc3pilot
    2019-12-10 12:54:47

    I want a dumb TV because I don't want to be spied upon in my own home.

  • The_Dude
    2019-12-07 18:08:40

    You are a person to my heart. I still use my Kuro, plus an old samsung and a Hanspree. No apps thank you. I get those through my PS4, amzon and apple tv boxes. Enough app spam. Enough nonsense. Give me precise, clear, smooth images. That's all I ask. That's all I want. That's all I will buy.

  • Allen Welch
    2019-12-03 02:42:01

    Well if you have an AV unit and don't need speakers. . .https://na.panasonic.com/us/audio-video-solutions/professional-displays/4k-uhd-lcd-displays/th-75eq1w-75-class-entry-level-4k In 2002 I bought a panasonic 50" plasma monitor because I didn't need speakers due to my surround sound system- still my main TV today

  • LeJean
    2019-11-28 14:06:00

    I agree! I want a dumb TV and can not find one anywhere, it is very frustrating! You know there is a warehouse or several out there somewhere packed with them. Put them on the market and sell them.

  • Eric Marshall
    2019-11-26 20:07:24

    Any TV manufactures following this? I'm in the market for about $30,000 worth of dumb TV's, and I assure you, there's are thousands of DoD contractors and Hospitals and other places of business who are desperate for a TV solution that isn't filled with vulnerabilities that could compromise controlled information. Quit subsidizing our TV's with trash.

  • Thomas Villanova
    2019-11-22 04:04:06

    Agreed, the language used tainted an otherwise quality rant that I completely agree with.

  • Thomas Villanova
    2019-11-22 04:08:24

    True for QLED panels but not true for OLED panels. OLED are superior in every way except for pixel brightness.

  • Thomas Michaels
    2019-11-17 14:40:13

    I also want a non-smart TV. But I want something that has a clear enough picture to let me see the tennis ball during matches. (We're a big tennis family.) Any suggestions? Would like something larger (50-inch or bigger), but clarity is the key.

  • TechZilla
    2019-11-11 00:24:22

    We want to pay more, I'm done being the packaged product instead of the customer businesses are supposed to serve. Same for Google, I'm ready to pay for quality search results that are not tampered with.

  • Rick Mach
    2019-11-11 03:39:17

    Yes I agree with you. The point I was making is the article was saying you should pay less for a dumb TV which is wrong because they are making money off the consumer too.

  • LEXI_ANIME
    2019-11-06 00:14:08

    I too want a dumb 4k tv. I have a ps4 that I connect to the tv so I don't have the use for apps on the tv. I'd rather use my ps4. I just want a normal tv without the smart features.

  • George R. Blake
    2019-10-20 14:51:05

    I fully agree with you. The "smart" TV's have software loaded in them to allow Third-Party companies (aka, CBS, etc.) to post ads. I would also like a "dumb" TV.

  • Nisar
    2019-10-19 19:23:50

    I want to buy 65 to 75 inch Dumb tv. Is that available on the market? My smart tvs have NO APPS anymore after an update! They have deleted every APP which I used to watch. Now the TV is worth nothing! Would prefer a dumb tv with PS4. I can use it as Smart tv or a box

  • MergatroidMania
    2019-10-03 17:48:14

    Why should it be? LED TVs are really just LCD with LED backlights. Unless you get local dimming (which has it's own problems) you are going to get pretty much the same quality of picture depending on the panel LCD quality.

  • MergatroidMania
    2019-10-03 17:43:16

    You can purchase large monitors (50-80+ inches) but they are for signage, very thick and heavy, and they cost a small fortune. They do have 4K monitors though if you don't mind the price and the thickness.

  • MergatroidMania
    2019-10-03 17:35:33

    Excellent rant. I couldn't agree more. I'm still using a 10+ year old 46" Sony LCD with CCFL backlights because I don't want to replace it with something that will have app failure in a year or two. In fact, doesn't that qualify as "planned obsolescence"? Isn't that illegal? I don't want my money going towards purchasing junk I won't use.

  • Renzsu
    2019-08-29 15:43:58

    If Sony or whatever other manufacturer would just make a nice 4K panel with a separate (but included in the purchase) smart hub, that would be the best perhaps. You can select to not use it and go for a Roku, but most people would probably just hook it up.. So you could potentially still get the software makers to pay the manufacturer to be included in the box, while leaving the customer with the freedom to go with their own choice.

  • Felix Kütt
    2019-08-07 12:20:20

    You're most certainly not alone. But alas. This is a battle we've already lost. RIP good old times..

  • HawkZon
    2019-08-01 14:14:12

    Tvs are a mess these days anyway. I just lost a 47 inch Vizio LCD in a storm. When I bought a new tv the picture is terrible compared to the older model. I'm furious. I expect things to be better not worse and like you guys, I don't want all that crap on my tv. LED tv is not a better picture.

  • russ hook
    2019-07-01 01:54:33

    After the debacle called SMART METERS, I do NOT trust anything in my home with the word 'SMART' in front of it.

  • russ hook
    2019-07-01 01:33:25

    Actually Turin is a nice place to visit! (; Answer to yer question... After a short time reading comments...OBVIOUSLY the TV is smarter!!!

  • russ hook
    2019-07-01 01:31:09

    Grow a skin Spanky.

  • russ hook
    2019-07-01 01:30:14

    I read that the Vizio has a better picture, and at at least on one site, is voted BEST 4K TV. Luckily I do NOT beLIEve everythang I read. (;

  • russ hook
    2019-07-01 01:27:52

    I don't voice commands either!!! Verbs may come in handy juan day? Have jou seen Idiocracy yet? That movie is NOW.

  • russ hook
    2019-07-01 01:20:01

    REALLY!!! GREAT point! Why would anyone buy a VIDEO component for the AUDIO ASSpect of it? I have a nice M&K/ Marantz 7.2 Atmos system already. I just want an equal 4K VIDEO panel to match it.

  • Peter
    2019-05-11 16:17:17

    I prefer to watch TV without others collecting my ID by IP. When you are in the database of Google there is no turining back. Question: who is smart a TV or the user?

  • Dennis Burger
    2019-05-02 15:26:55

    Sigh. I wish I could do the low-shelf-mounted projector thing, but I have a rambunctious, 80-lb. pit bull whose butt seems to have a mind of its own. He has the best of intentions, but the child knocks over chairs and tables all the time purely by accident. He's always remorseful, but "I'm sorry!" doesn't cut it when picking pieces of a multi-thousand-dollar projector out of the carpet.

  • Rick Evans
    2019-04-25 13:00:52

    Unfortunately, the app makers pay TV makers to soil your TV with their garbage. Those subsidies lower the price similar to the garbageware polluting today's laptops. Fortunately for computers you still have control over what pops up in your face when you boot up; not so much for "smart" TVs. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/smart-tvs-are-dumb/581059/

  • Danno
    2019-04-24 16:33:52

    I too seek to replace my dumb TV with another dumb TV, I'd actually be fine with just a computer monitor but they don't tend to come in 60+ inch sizes.

  • Olde
    2019-03-26 14:25:04

    If anyone knows of any, ANY, dumb OLED TV's, or dumb OLED screens, that would work well with Android TV boxes, please post here. Some installers would even pay a small markup on regular wholesale prices, to get feature-stripped TV's. BTW, from my research: Shield now has option to NOT switch TV inputs, and it CAN connect into the AVR instead of the TV, using CEC pass-through where necessary to control other boxes... (yes, Cocaine Poodle on the Shield, "pretty-please close the blinds and turn off the lights, fan, fireplace and wife..."). Also, the state of the art configuration for recent Home Theatre installs seems to be: 1. All HDMI sources into a classic (non-streaming) 11.4.4 AVR, 2. Ye olde Nvidia Shield 3. VPN Express 4. Kodi with a frequently updated, "loaded build", like NLM 5. Puffin for anonymous browsing and easy downloads, 6. Sideload Channel 7. A sideload launcher instead of Android TV launcher 8. Smart Youtube TV (no adds and easier account switching), 9. Netflix/Prime/Nest/LiveChannels/lots of useful standalone APK's... 10. Trakt, 11. Real Debrid for improved torrent access, 12. Plex Server, Player and Pass for the Live-TV schedule, 13. HDHomeRun Quatro, 14. Channel Master HD-antenna and RF-amp (because OTA content is immediate and legal) Is this list obsolete already? If so, what is the new, state-of-the-art, Home Theater Installer checklist...?

  • Woofy98102
    2019-03-25 23:22:45

    I'll take my TV dumb as well. The inconvenient truth of the matter is that TV manufacturers now continuously collect and sell data about their customers to most anyone who will pay them for it. It's referred to as "monetization" by TV makers, but it really means invading your privacy, including taking audio and video from inside your homes with your TV's built-in webcam and built-in microphone, to collect information that they then sell for a profit to whomever wants to pay for it without overtly notifying you or compensating you for it. You didn't think they insist on selling ONLY so-called smart TVs out of some altruistic need, did you? And the data collection isn't limited to your TV's browsing history or apps, either. As long as that TV is connected to the internet, it's spying on you whether you want it or not. It's pretty skanky but not surprising in this day of unregulated corporate greed. Apps on your smart devices do the same thing and bury it in their intentionally complicated license agreements. I discovered that the hard way when one day my Pinterest account suddenly filled up with firearms reloading stuff in spite of only looking at photography blogs on there. That is, until I realized that behind me and just above my head on the bookshelf were my late father's decades old manuals on ammunition reloading. The Pinterest app was exploiting my tablet's screen-side camera to spy on me inside my own home to collect data for targeted advertising without my express consent. Needless to say I deleted the Pinterest App and filed a formal complaint with the State Attorney General and FCC. In addition to my tablet I also put a nifty little privacy cover over my TV's camera which I got at Fry's and put a tiny piece of constrained layer sound damping material over the TVs mic. That way I get automatic firmware updates but I don't give up my privacy in return for having an appliance I already paid good money for.

  • fsck
    2019-03-25 19:56:59

    Agree on every point.

  • Jim Fuerstenberg
    2019-03-20 19:41:23

    I completely agree. I have no use for a smart tv. the tv is just a monitor for me.

  • Dennis Burger
    2019-03-14 14:14:43

    The issue with CEC, for those of us who use advanced control systems, is that CEC often makes choices we don't want it to make -- switching inputs automatically just because a source is on, renaming source inputs, etc.

  • Michael Richardson
    2019-03-14 18:02:39

    Yep! Every time I start the nVidia Shield, it changes the input to its own. When I had the Shield connected to a power supply that started when the TV started, I would end up with the input changed and the Shield on. Not what I always wanted! BTW it's not connected that way any more. I have a little more control now. Nothing else is connected that way. The rest all go through my Outlaw 975. And a further BTW: the input selection on the control for my 5-year-old Samsung TV is extremely stiff, and I worry it's broken. When I looked at replacing the control, however, and saw the price, I decided I'd use it until it truly broke!

  • Dennis Burger
    2019-03-12 19:06:04

    Ah, my favorite troll pops up again. I know I can always count on you to completely miss the point.

  • bigcjm
    2019-03-11 23:02:24

    Just buy BFG Monitor. Hp has 65 inch monitor you can buy. That should make you happy. probably wont like the lesser picture quality and price but it'll be dumb.

  • Paul
    2019-03-09 06:02:47

    Hell yeah, agreed 100%. I don't care to do ARC, for one. $99 and under (Apple TV excepted, though you can usually get those refurb at better deals straight from Apple) devices for streaming are stupid cheap and as you note, far easier & cheaper to upgrade when the time comes or you just feel like it. I have all 3 major STBs - Roku, Fire, Apple TV and find myself using each for certain specific things. I've had 2 TVs with "smart" apps and I have never even started any of them at all except for that one accidental time...

  • Javan Pohl
    2019-02-26 21:25:41

    We're paying historic lows for the size and quality and TVs and you're still complaining about price. Get this man some cheese.

  • Michael Rossmaessler
    2019-02-22 09:33:49

    This is the latest version of "I just want a big monitor". A big monitor with the picture goodies but no tuner or internal speakers have been the holy grail ever since Tivo's came along and then cable dvr's. The apps thing is just the latest version. Call it the mass market curse, it's like a car where the option you want only comes in a package with others you don't. I bought a refrigerator once and didn't want an ice maker (no water line access) the model without it was a special order and cost more. I got the one with the ice maker and just didn't use it. In a nutshell, I feel your pain.

  • William Ragsdill
    2019-02-21 20:59:02

    No AVR? All my sources are on the AVR and the TV stays on HDMI 1, period. I don't use ARC or HDMI-CEC.

  • William Ragsdill
    2019-02-21 20:56:29

    Preach on, brother. Or sister? Your article doesn't list your name, LOL (I had to go back to main screen to see your name). Or at the VERY least, give us the option to turn the crap off. I guess like you said, don't connect it to the network (or unplug the ethernet) unless doing firmware upgrades. I like my Roku. The netflix app on my 10 year old Sony has never, ever, been used.

  • Tracy Rainwater
    2019-02-21 19:46:49

    I completely agree. Just give me the features that I want and keep the crappy apps. While you're at it, keep the crappy speakers too and give me a straight up monitor. My worst-sounding setup that's currently in my house (my wife's Bose Wave Radio/CD Changer, a gift from her Dad) sounds better than most built in speakers.

  • Michael Richardson
    2019-02-21 22:19:27

    So... here we go again. What is AVR? I use HDMI2 for my Tivo, DVD player and DirecTV, fed through my Outlaw Model 975 pre-pro. Found out the hard way, Chromecast and Shield want to be connected directly to the TV, which means if I want sound through my pre-pro, I have to use ARC (which is on HDMI3, the connection for the Shield.)

  • Mark Alfson
    2019-02-21 00:15:56

    I'm on-board. Both my tv's have apps, but they blow in comparison to using either my Roku or Apple TV.

  • StrainedDig4
    2019-02-20 11:35:05

    <u>I buy a TV for the image, nothing else</u>. Cute Apps do not interest me. I would only buy monitors if they were sold, but for reasons unknown we must buy a screen that also has things better served form a dedicated $49.99 streamer. Go figure...

  • Trevor Bartram
    2019-02-20 00:36:40

    Buy the TV based on picture quality etc, don't use the apps and turn off the snooping features, as long as you don't voice commands!

  • Michael Richardson
    2019-02-19 18:42:51

    I've been using the ARC for, first, two versions of Chromecast, and now an InVidia Shield. Probably a layer of ignorance here, but what is the problem with HDMI-CEC? I see it come up on the screen of the TV whenever the Shield is turned on. Without ARC, I'd be stuck listening to the sound of the speakers in the TV - are you kidding?

  • David C. Snyder
    2019-02-19 17:59:37

    To this, I would add that I don't want to pay for integrated speakers. Even models like our old LG 65UB9500 with 35 watt 2.1 speaker system sound terrible compared to a budget HT-in-a-box solution. Does anyone really buy a 65" or larger TV and use it without a home theater sound system??!

  • Jim Grigsby
    2019-02-19 17:52:16

    I am in same boat now too. Got to get set to replace beloved DLP Mitsubishi 72" as pixels starting to get stuck on DMD. I have yet to see a picture as film like as on this set...OLED is great and flashy but not realistic. All the extra sh@t I have to get too...the apps and other "smart" stuff I do not need one iota. Also do I consider a projector? I have issue with most LCD sets black levels and feel the same will happen with projector along with much less color saturation. Sick about this but replacing DMD in 10 year old set just not smart....

  • Phil Davis
    2019-02-19 14:09:30

    Florida is hotter than Alabama...I have a ceiling fan in the HT room...but my Epson HD projector is on the shelf of my cocktail table in from of the sofa where I sit and it works fine....I have just added a 4K Onn 55" tv without apps at Walmart for $230.00 Plus about $30 for the three year warranty.....it works great. I use it in the bedroom with my 4K Firestick running through my HT Yamaha Receiver.......

  • Glenn R Cole
    2019-02-19 13:52:22

    I can second the choice for a TCL 6 series as the picture and cost factor are hard to beat. Was it really necessary to use your tone of language "god......... and half ....... in your column. I really thought HT review contributors were better than that, very unprofessional.

  • PeterC
    2019-02-19 13:16:20

    I definitely agree with you! I just bought the latest 77” LG OLED smart TV. My Control4 guy connected it so that it accesses Netflix directly off the TV and it seems to work well and gives me a great 4K picture. I question the sound however. He as you mentioned didn’t use the HDMI audio return channel for audio to my Receiver but instead used a digital optical cable. Does this limit the audio formats that I can receive? What you also don’t mention in your article is that nobody provides user manuals with their equipment so that you can figure out how to use the smart features. Even the online guides that you can look up are not very good. I’m with you. Bring on the dumb TV.

  • pw lane
    2019-02-17 22:59:15

    Just buy the new TLC Series 6 75" TV and don't use the apps.. $1000 at Amazon..

  • Rick Mach
    2019-02-17 22:06:14

    Well according to Vizio, you would pay MORE for a dumb TV. See this article: https://www.businessinsider.com/smart-tv-data-collection-advertising-2019-1

  • Steve Baker
    2019-02-17 21:59:27

    just buy an android box and dont use the smart spy features

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