this post was submitted on 10 Oct 2023
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Which Linux distro is running in Thomson TVs. What are the capabilties.

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[–] [email protected] 76 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Unless you have the ability to root it, does it matter? It's likely a completely custom, stripped down distro anyway.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Just want to stay away from Android TV crapps and ads. ( Also, dont need root as of now - Based on forum posts, root access is not allowed )

[–] [email protected] 81 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Is it even possible to buy a dumb TV any more?

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Keep the smart TV off the network and the difference is usually minimal.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Still takes a while to boot compared to a dumb panel.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

From standby isn't that noticeable. Definitely a bit of a difference in cold-boot times though.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can't speak for others but mine puts up big intrusive banners if you don't connect it to the internet.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Maybe you can trick it by using a private DNS server. Maybe someone already cracked their API and has a manual how to run your own server telling the tv „bro, everything easy“ Just google jailbreak (insert tv name) this should be a good start for digging.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Plenty of them will auto connect to what ever open network. So you can't guarantee that. Or various exploits that could exist in the wifi stack. It's not the same as buying a "dumb" tv.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That is what we call 'breaching hacking laws'. In other words, if you catch your TVs doing that, lawsuits can be brought against the supplier.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

No it isn't, there's no hacking involved in connecting to a wifi network. Plus different jurisdictiona might see it differently anyway. And good luck with your lawsuits against mega corps.

This isn't some hypothetical, this is something smart TVs are known to be doing, right now.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

No it isn’t, there’s no hacking involved in connecting to a wifi network. Plus different jurisdictiona might see it differently anyway.

Most western jurisdictions define hacking as accessing computer resources without permission. So yes, at least in the west, such behaviour definitely counts as hacking. Doesn't matter if there's no encryption breaking or brute forcing going on. If it's connecting to a network that it doesn't have permission to be on, it is breaking the law.

And good luck with your lawsuits against mega corps.

It is possible to get entire products pulled from stores if they are breaching hacking laws.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago

Look at commercial monitors. They're the screen without the bloat.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

I think there's a few models that are not really advertised, don't know them though.

Seems unattractive for manufacturers since apparently 50% of income on TVs is user data.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

But if you don't connect your smart tv to anything how is it smart.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

No, but you can likely remove the Wi-Fi and any other Wireless chips that you don't need (other than the IR). That, and use it as a display for a computer through HDMI

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago

Yes, as long as you never connect your TV to the internet, then it is for all intents and purposes a "dumb tv."

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Thats what I'm currently doing but is it even possible to buy a new dumb TV nowadays?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Android TVs are also Linux TVs, in fact I have a good degree of certainty that most smart TVs are Linux, developing a whole OS from scratch is hard, much easier to use one that already exists.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Samsung uses tizen, based on linux, maemo, bada: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tizen

LG uses webos, based on linux, ~~palmos~~: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebOS

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

WebOS isn't based on PalmOS. PalmOS was it's own completely unique OS for PDAs and phones, WebOS was Palm's Linux-based successor to PalmOS for the Pre. Eventually LG ended up with it and turned it into a TV and watch OS.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

WebOS is such a sad story. It started as a pretty innovative and interesting mobile OS at a time when phone manufacturers bothered to innovate. Then it ended up being owned by the grossest software company ever, HPE, and now it’s a pathetically crappy TV operating system. What is LG even doing?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah if it could use modern cell networks and the like 3 apps I actually need I would switch from my modern android phone to a Pre in a heartbeat. It is by far my favorite mobile os

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

That article made me realize how old my TV is, and certainly made me appreciate WebOS compared to the previous OS I could have had if I had gotten my TV two years prior.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Even webOS is Linux-based. It just doesn't make sense to use any other kernel for such an application.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

IMO LG TVs with WebOS are the best user experience right now.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

But you don't have smarttubenext

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

This is true and something to consider. There's also no app for Crunchyroll which is personally a huge downside.

It's still the best user experience and I seriously dread having to use other people's TVs now. Even major players like Samsung are seriously lacking in comparison.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I rooted mine before the patch, and the homebrew store has an ad-free sponsor blocking yt app