Comment on YouTube: 5 ads the norm now?
ares35@kbin.social 5 months agothat would be correct. get a cheap laptop.. even a shitty one for $200 (new) will work for yt.. hook it up to hdmi, get a wireless kb/trackpad to stream surf from the sofa. i set a laptop (a junky stream14 with emmc) to not shut off when lid is closed. it stays closed. i sleep and wake it from the kb (k400 early model). that is my streaming 'device': browser (firefox)+addons>apps any day.
PurpleTentacle@lemmy.world 5 months ago
That’s a clunky, ugly and pricey solution that’s not suitable for 99% of all people.
Just get a cheap Google TV or Fire TV stick (starts at $20 not $200), install SmartTube and you not only will get a remote control come with it, you can control it with your TV’s remote via HDMI-CEC. You can also install any other official or personal streaming solution you like with full features like HDR etc.
ares35@kbin.social 5 months ago
an x64 laptop that can run anything you want, including browser addons or os 'apps' if that's your jam, is clunky and 'not suitable' for "99%"? 99% of tv viewers wouldn't know how to sideload an alternate 'app' or that they even exist. and 'ugly'? the lid is always closed, it's tucked away. i can't even see it.
PurpleTentacle@lemmy.world 5 months ago
That used to be true, but simply is no longer the case. Commercial streaming services are heavily restricting how and what you can output on your x64 PC.
You’re not only getting far better platform and format compatibility on your cheap Google TV or Fire TV stick, you’re also getting the far better apps and overall user experience.
That’s also nothing stopping you from installing Firefox on these devices or pairing a mouse with them, if you desperately need “browser plugins” and an less sofa compatible input device for whatever you’re doing in your living room.