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Roku TV bricked until agreeing to new terms of service (programming.dev)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

270 comments fedilink hide all child comments

See title - very frustrating. There is no way to continue to use the TV without agreeing to the terms. I couldn't use different inputs, or even go to settings from the home screen and disconnect from the internet to disable their services. If I don't agree to their terms, then I don't get access to their new products. That sucks, but fine - I don't use their services except for the TV itself, and honestly, I'd rather by a dumb TV with a streaming box anyway, but I can't find those anymore.

Anyway, the new terms are about waiving your right to a class action lawsuit. It's weird to me because I'd never considered filing a class action lawsuit against Roku until this. They shouldn't be able to hold my physical device hostage until I agree to new terms that I didn't agree at the time of purchase or initial setup.

I wish Roku TVs weren't cheap walmart brand sh*t. Someone with some actual money might sue them and sort this out...

EDIT: Shout out to @[email protected] for recommending the brand "Sceptre" when buying my next (dumb) TV.

EDIT2: Shout out to @[email protected] for recommending LG smart TVs as a dumb-TV stand in. They apparently do require an agreement at startup, which is certainly NOT ideal, but the setup can be completed without an internet connection and it remembers input selection on powerup. So, once you have it setup, you're good to rock and roll.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I just stick with computer monitors these days.

"Smart" TVs are f****** ridiculous now.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Problem with monitors is they're not practical as a TV replacement for a livingroom environment. The 16/9 ones pretty much top out in the 40s inch wise unless you're going for something outrageously expensive like the Samsung Arc. Then you're investing a lot into features that don't necessarily benefit the livingroom entertainment uses like GSync if all you're using it for is watching movies and TV.

There's a lot of smart TVs that work great as dumb displays (my LG never shows anything from it's OS, just my inputs) as long as you don't connect them to the internet

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I didn't know there were any smart TVs that weren't pieces of s*** anymore, so that's good to hear.

Personally, I've never had a problem finding a large monitor that fit my living room well.

I buy a separate Chromebook or similar $30 used laptop and run everything off of that through HDMI to the monitor.

Cheap and easy.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Ditto for my Samsung QLED. It’s fine as a dumb monitor. Don’t connect it to the internet, throw the remote in a drawer, and use CEC streaming boxes and game consoles to control it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 8 months ago (1 children)

There's plenty available in larger sizes if you look for 'commercial display' instead, e.g.

Also you need to move on from 'as long as you don’t connect them to the internet'. It may have been true once, it isn't true anymore- see comments here about Roku TV including from OP and discussion on a recent Hacker news thread

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

These are digital signage displays. They're meant to sell the McRib at McDonald's. If you care about any of the features that make modern TVs look great, black levels, contrast ratio, HDR these won't cut it.

And yes the bottom of the barrel brands like Roku and Viso will give you the bottom of the barrel experience. This is not the same if you go with something like LG, Samsung or Sony