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Just don't buy a smart TV. Buy a good "dumb" TV (or just get a good large monitor), then hook it up to a set top box (with TV capabilities as needed).

by prmph 9d ago

arkx 9d ago
If you want a good panel, you're going to have to buy a smart TV. Just don't ever let it connect to the internet.
lazystone 9d ago
"Just a good large monitor" costs a fortune. If anyone could recommend any dumb TV with good panels in EU, you're more than welcome.
- prmph 9d ago
  If you don't need something much larger than 43 inches, and you are cool with wide monitors, there are a couple ones that seem good: - Samsung 40 inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) Series WUHD Curved Gaming Monitor (https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Odyssey-Curved-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B0FJYNVR3R https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Odyssey-Curved-Gaming-Monitor...) -- $699.99 - Acer Nitro 49 inch DQHD 5120x1440 Curved 120Hz Office Monitor (https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Nitro-Gaming-Monitor-UltraWide/dp/B0FS3XHDTR https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Nitro-Gaming-Monitor-UltraWide/d...) -- $549.99 - Acer DM431K A 43 inch Class 4K UHD LED Monitor - 16:9 (https://www.amazon.com/acer-DM431K-Class-UHD-Monitor/dp/B0F3B127L5 https://www.amazon.com/acer-DM431K-Class-UHD-Monitor/dp/B0F3...)-- $334.20 - LG 37G800A-B 37 inch Ultragear 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) Curved Gaming Monitor, 165Hz, 1ms (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FS3LV3WG https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FS3LV3WG) -- $598 - INNOCN 40C1R Ultrawide Monitor 40 inch WQHD 3440 x 1440p 144Hz (https://www.amazon.com/INNOCN-Ultrawide-Monitor-FreeSync-Premium/dp/B09N3G9T16 https://www.amazon.com/INNOCN-Ultrawide-Monitor-FreeSync-Pre...) -- $479.99
  - drcongo 9d ago
    I have a 50" Philips screen with no smarts. It's great.
- nuxi 9d ago
  I have a 43" Philips Ambilight (43PUS8510, 4K QLED). It's not a dumb TV per se, but you don't have to use any of the smart features, and - most important - you don't have to connect it to a network.
medwards666 9d ago
... and that's the trick, isn't it. Have you ever tried going into an electrical store and buying a dumb TV any time recently?
- prmph 9d ago
  See this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49596956 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49596956
  - clsec 9d ago
    I bought a Sceptre a few years ago but it died pretty quickly (dead pixel strip on the screen). But the replacement 44" Insignia (Best Buy) that I replaced it with has been an awesome tv. So yes, you can just walk into the Electronics Store (Best Buy) and purchase a dumb TV.
    - Marsymars 9d ago
      Best Buy no longer produces dumb Insignia TVs.
  - deleted 9d ago
    [deleted]
JoshTriplett 9d ago
That would be lovely. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, nobody sells (for instance) high-quality 65"+ OLED non-"smart" TVs. "dumb TV" options are limited to older display technology.
- dwedge 9d ago
  Projectors are probably the only remaining exception here, and obviously don't work in all use cases.
- patrakov 9d ago
  Try https://www.aorus.com/monitors/AORUS-FO48U/Key-Features https://www.aorus.com/monitors/AORUS-FO48U/Key-Features - yes, it's a bit too small for you.
  - JoshTriplett 9d ago
    Literally my current computer monitor, but no, does not work as a living room TV. (Also, would not recommend as a monitor; aggressive ABL and persistent messages about turning off for maintenance.) When I said 55+ I was talking about the whole size category larger than that, including 65, 77, etc.
drcongo 9d ago
I don't understand why the best advice in this thread is getting downvoted. Even if you buy a smart TV and then disable the smarts, you're still teaching the TV companies that smart TVs sell.
drcongo 9d ago
Side note: I can't be sure, but I may have actually been the person who coined "Dumb TV" 12 years ago [0] - I've been unable to find an earlier usage. [0] https://andybeaumont.com/post/dumb-tv/ https://andybeaumont.com/post/dumb-tv/
nnevatie 9d ago
> Buy a good "dumb" TV Unfortunately, you can't have one without the other. The best, image quality -wise, TVs are all "smart".

Just don't buy a smart TV. Buy a good "dumb" TV (or just get a good large monitor), then hook it up to a set top box (with TV capabilities as needed).

by prmph 9d ago

Just don't buy a smart TV. Buy a good "dumb" TV (or just get a good large monitor), then hook it up to a set top box (with TV capabilities as needed).

arkx 9d ago

If you want a good panel, you're going to have to buy a smart TV. Just don't ever let it connect to the internet.

lazystone 9d ago

"Just a good large monitor" costs a fortune. If anyone could recommend any dumb TV with good panels in EU, you're more than welcome.

prmph 9d ago
If you don't need something much larger than 43 inches, and you are cool with wide monitors, there are a couple ones that seem good: - Samsung 40 inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) Series WUHD Curved Gaming Monitor (https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Odyssey-Curved-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B0FJYNVR3R https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Odyssey-Curved-Gaming-Monitor...) -- $699.99 - Acer Nitro 49 inch DQHD 5120x1440 Curved 120Hz Office Monitor (https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Nitro-Gaming-Monitor-UltraWide/dp/B0FS3XHDTR https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Nitro-Gaming-Monitor-UltraWide/d...) -- $549.99 - Acer DM431K A 43 inch Class 4K UHD LED Monitor - 16:9 (https://www.amazon.com/acer-DM431K-Class-UHD-Monitor/dp/B0F3B127L5 https://www.amazon.com/acer-DM431K-Class-UHD-Monitor/dp/B0F3...)-- $334.20 - LG 37G800A-B 37 inch Ultragear 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) Curved Gaming Monitor, 165Hz, 1ms (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FS3LV3WG https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FS3LV3WG) -- $598 - INNOCN 40C1R Ultrawide Monitor 40 inch WQHD 3440 x 1440p 144Hz (https://www.amazon.com/INNOCN-Ultrawide-Monitor-FreeSync-Premium/dp/B09N3G9T16 https://www.amazon.com/INNOCN-Ultrawide-Monitor-FreeSync-Pre...) -- $479.99
- drcongo 9d ago
  I have a 50" Philips screen with no smarts. It's great.
nuxi 9d ago
I have a 43" Philips Ambilight (43PUS8510, 4K QLED). It's not a dumb TV per se, but you don't have to use any of the smart features, and - most important - you don't have to connect it to a network.

medwards666 9d ago

... and that's the trick, isn't it. Have you ever tried going into an electrical store and buying a dumb TV any time recently?

prmph 9d ago
See this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49596956 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49596956
- clsec 9d ago
  I bought a Sceptre a few years ago but it died pretty quickly (dead pixel strip on the screen). But the replacement 44" Insignia (Best Buy) that I replaced it with has been an awesome tv. So yes, you can just walk into the Electronics Store (Best Buy) and purchase a dumb TV.
  - Marsymars 9d ago
    Best Buy no longer produces dumb Insignia TVs.
- deleted 9d ago
  [deleted]

JoshTriplett 9d ago

That would be lovely. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, nobody sells (for instance) high-quality 65"+ OLED non-"smart" TVs. "dumb TV" options are limited to older display technology.

dwedge 9d ago
Projectors are probably the only remaining exception here, and obviously don't work in all use cases.
patrakov 9d ago
Try https://www.aorus.com/monitors/AORUS-FO48U/Key-Features https://www.aorus.com/monitors/AORUS-FO48U/Key-Features - yes, it's a bit too small for you.
- JoshTriplett 9d ago
  Literally my current computer monitor, but no, does not work as a living room TV. (Also, would not recommend as a monitor; aggressive ABL and persistent messages about turning off for maintenance.) When I said 55+ I was talking about the whole size category larger than that, including 65, 77, etc.

drcongo 9d ago

I don't understand why the best advice in this thread is getting downvoted. Even if you buy a smart TV and then disable the smarts, you're still teaching the TV companies that smart TVs sell.

drcongo 9d ago

Side note: I can't be sure, but I may have actually been the person who coined "Dumb TV" 12 years ago [0] - I've been unable to find an earlier usage. [0] https://andybeaumont.com/post/dumb-tv/ https://andybeaumont.com/post/dumb-tv/

nnevatie 9d ago

> Buy a good "dumb" TV Unfortunately, you can't have one without the other. The best, image quality -wise, TVs are all "smart".