AFAIK, LG still do not require internet access on first startup.
At least on their medium/high end lines (C and G series)
This was a hard requirement for me. Mine has never been on the internet.
Comment on I love my smart TV (From Mastodon) - Repost
Skunk@jlai.lu 2 days ago
Ah! I was reading that post yesterday lemmy.world/post/22309068 as I am looking for a 55’ 4K oled dumb display.
So far no joy.
Apparently some manufacturers makes internet mandatory at first boot and even if you block or disconnect it later it will nag you for firmware update every now and then.
The only possibility I have found for an EU customer at the moment is Sony Bravia. Yup Sony sucks but apparently Bravia’s let you choose to refuse the terms of service and not use the smart things, thus making them dumb tv.
But maybe I’m wrong, maybe it’s not the case anymore or maybe they will decide to change that.
That sucks, if any of you knows about a commercial display/computer monitor/dumb tv in oled 4K 55’ available in Europe, I might fall a little bit in love with you.
GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 2 days ago
Skunk@jlai.lu 2 days ago
That’s good to know, thanks.
But after my message this morning I decided to try out my xgimi projector in the living room instead of the bedroom.
It is perfect like that and I will give the tv (old LG 1080p). A bedroom is not a home cinema anyway, because you don’t want crumbs in the bed 🙄
GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 2 days ago
I love having a projector in the living room.
I won’t lie, it gets used far less than I’d like.
But it cost me almost nothing, and it’s just fun to have a massive wall of video.prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
I’m sure they exist (though at what price point?) but I have a hard time imagining a projector (and a surface to project on), that can reach anything close to the black levels of a modern OLED panel.
Again, I’m sure they exist, but at comparable prices?
Icarus@beehaw.org 1 day ago
I recently got a TCL TV that has Google TV on it. The reason I chose it, even tho it’s not the highest quality 4K capable TV, is that on first boot it gives you the option to choose dumb TV or smart TV modes. Have never connected it to the internet. Maybe you would have some luck looking into that!
ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day ago
I also recently got a tcl with google, and haven’t hooked it to the internet.
The OS on it isn’t very good (seriously too many menus in too many places), it sets full brightness and then reduces to setpoint when you change inputs, and I haven’t figured out why it boots up my ps4 every time I turn on the tv, but beyond that I’ve been pretty happy with it.
It’s a very decent dumb tv.
Honytawk@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Same. TCL is pretty good at being a dumb TV.
Wouldn’t trust it if it is connected to the internet though.
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
Does Sony suck? I mean, their “SmartTV” software is garbage, but so is every other brand.
The picture on my Sony Bravia OLED is better than anything I’ve seen, including relatives’ LG OLED panels.
But yeah, the software side is trash.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
My LG so far doesn’t nag about no internet. If you have all AI features disabled at least.
Pechente@feddit.org 2 days ago
I recently got the Bravia XR-55A95L probably going through the same thought process as you. You can indeed just skip all the TOS and set it up as a Basic TV.
However: The software is crap. Complete garbage. Random reboots - I already had to reset it once completely because it no longer showed a picture (and then set it up again). Every day it will show you a notification that it’s not connected to the internet DESPITE having networking disabled completely.
I tried to update the TV from USB and it failed every time. I eventually gave in and connected it to the internet to update it only to see that I‘m already on the newest version (which I assume is also why updating from USB failed with a cryptic error).
I never had this much trouble with a device that costs as much as a MacBook or a high end gaming PC and I would’ve already returned if there competition wasn’t even worse.
Skunk@jlai.lu 2 days ago
Ah shit.
Thanks for the feedback, it is greatly appreciated as those things are expensive.
I guess we are fucked until the EU make a new pro-consumer law. But that would take years (if they ever make it).
Tja@programming.dev 1 day ago
The competition doesn’t sound worse to me. My smart tv from 2019 is rock solid.
Sony is just known for amazing picture quality and abysmal software, so that’s just par for the course. If you want a stable TV return it and get some of the other models using the same panel (IIRC a QD OLED from Samsung Display).