this post was submitted on 23 Jul 2024

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Imperfect, Linux-powered, DIY smart TV is the embodiment of ad fatigue (arstechnica.com)

submitted 3 months ago by BrikoX@lemmy.zip to c/technology@lemmy.zip

37 comments fedilink hide all child comments

DIYer picks a "little insane"-looking setup for less tracking, more control.

all 38 comments

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[–] ptz@dubvee.org 27 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

That's basically my setup, lol. Except the laptop is just old but otherwise intact.

Boots into OpenBox with some custom startup scripts to auto launch a fullscreen browser to my Emby server, a little python daemon I wrote to control various things (screen on/off, volume, etc) via MQTT, and some webhooks from Emby to tie it into my HomeAssistant.

All my DVD/BR library has been ripped to my server, local OTA feeds in from my HD Homerun tuner, and can use my phone or anything with a web browser as a remote.

I refuse to use my money to buy an ad platform.

[–] anarchrist@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Same buddy. I use a projector and a laptop with an air mouse and my 'apps' are just browser shortcuts set to auto open at specific urls in kiosk mode.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Is there not an issue with the likes of streamers capping resolution on desktops? Maybe you dont use streamers at all.

[–] anarchrist@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 months ago

Not a huge problem for me: they cap the resolution at 1080 but that's what my projector does. Looks pretty good on my wall. Plus I only currently have HBO myself...but yeah 4k bluray/jellyfin looks just as good because the projector is the limiting factor anyway.

[–] randompasta@lemmy.today 17 points 3 months ago (5 children)

I'd love to see Linux folks figure out easy ways for consumers to replace the on board OS's for any TV out there. Can that be done?

[–] aksdb@lemmy.world 16 points 3 months ago (1 children)

DRM crap ruins the typical end user experience.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz -2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You can thank Torvalds for supporting TiVoization.

[–] onlinepersona@programming.dev -3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Huh? What did I miss?

Anti Commercial-AI license

[–] grue@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

What you missed is how Linux is GPL v2 only, not "or any later version," which stopped it from gaining the anti-tivoization protections from GPL v3.

[–] yonder@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 months ago

Buddy, we can't even get phones fully working. Though apparently and Amazon echo can boot linux.

[–] BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago

The issue usually is proprietary streaming services, not a lot of interest from them on Linux/etc support and the unofficial options are usually kind of janky. That does make total sense but also kills it's chances of getting wide support / adoption which limits the growth of the projects.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 months ago

Lineage OS supports some TV boxes

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 months ago

It usually uses strong cryptographic verification with very specific proprietary firmware.

In short very hard. It is easier to get a separate device

[–] Im_old@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago (4 children)

hum, why go the whole custom interface way when he could use kodi? I have a dumb HD (not gull HD, just HD, that's how old it is) connected to a rPi with Kodi. Kodi has the jellyfin plugin to connect to my jellyfin server. I even had the DVB-T adapter so I can watch regular TV. When I'll eventually buy a new TV I'll just connect the rPi to the new one.

[–] MudMan@fedia.io 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Yeeeeah, I was gonna say this, too. There are easier, nicer looking ways to drive your media consumption through a computing device on a TV. Hell, there are very nice vertical mounts for laptops that look good as a showpiece, no need to strap the thing to the back of the TV.

But hey, it's a kid doing a hobby project. It's a fun thing to do. I support it.

[–] wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I've tried this myself, but I've found that you really need to commit to mainataining your own media library, or to using pirate streaming services.

None of the big name legal streaming services work well through Kodi plugins due to the DRM on the content. Usually end up with stuff limited to 720p, stereo, no hdr.

I really wish the streaming companies would chill so it was easy to get a single unified interface for all my content in the highest quality available, but no, someone might pirate it in a marginally easier way then they already can!

[–] Im_old@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Yeah, that's true, but I've been a sailor of the high seas for as long as I've had an internet connection. And all the *arr stack makes life really easy now. I do pay for the subscriptions, I just don't use them.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 months ago

I like Android TV (Lineage OS) better

[–] onlinepersona@programming.dev -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Isn't rPi underpowered for anything media? Last one I tried to run even struggled just opening a browser, much less a video. rPi3 or something...

Anti Commercial-AI license

[–] Im_old@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I use an rPi3 and h264 is decoded without problems natively. For h265 files I have an old nvidia card on the jellyfin server that does hardware transcode on the fly.

[–] lemming741@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Rooted LG oleds are tolerable with pi-hole, and have a 92.7% WAF.

[–] Mentando@feddit.org 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

WAF = Web Application Firewall? Or is there some other meaning?

[–] lemming741@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Wife Approval Factor 🤣🤣

[–] Mentando@feddit.org 2 points 3 months ago

Well, that makes much more sense in that context 😅

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 months ago

Welp...I know what I'm doing tonight.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 4 points 3 months ago

I've got a similar setup except I have a dock under my TV that I connect my steamdeck to and a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse that sits under the coffee table. Using sway would be way nicer and allow me to browse with keyboard. Fuck smart TVs they are actual garbage.

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Hm. I install emby on my "smart"-tv and done. No ads ever, no nothing. Just everything i ever want to see. Type a name, wait a minute, watch.

[–] Laser@feddit.org 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

All my Android TV devices boot into the Android TV home screen which does have ads. How do you avoid this?

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Maybe a regional thing? They do the maximum they're allowed by law.

Also i use another launcher to replace the google one. Also i have a google-tv not android-tv. Though it wasn't different on my shield or other tvs.

Also i use pihole. So even if there might've been an ad someplace, i wouldn't have seen it anyway 😁

If there was one single ad anywhere i would return this shit and indeed built my own. With blackjack and hookers. And linux.

[–] Laser@feddit.org 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I don't know what you consider an ad. The Android (or Google?) TV launcher looks like this:

Discover tab is an ad. IIRC, "Apps" also contains ads for applications to spend money on one way or another. The whole area below is an ad. Under your application-specific entries, there's more ads (something called "popular movies" or so). And no, you can't change the launcher to start by default as you can with phones. This is on a device sold in the EU.

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Can't tell for android-tv, my last one was the nvidia shield and i don't recall any stupid "discover" tab there. Just the apps i want. Or maybe by default and i disabled them... Would be totally pissed if I had to live with them. Especially because i only need one app on a tv.

On google-tv (android-tv is dead) i can change the launcher and hence those forced tabs aren't an issue. That's why i sorted the tvs by OS. Wouldn't touch samsung & co.

If there was no other way, I'd attach a shield to it and forget about the "smart" of my tv. Maybe even a chromecast-shitstick.

[–] Laser@feddit.org 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This is both on the TV itself and on an added Android TV box that I have; neither allow removing the ads fully or changing the default launcher. Same problem but different ecosystem with the fire sticks.

If there was no other way, I'd attach a shield to it and forget about the "smart" of my tv

I bought the Android TV box for AV1 support, does the shield feature that?

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Weird, considering you're also europe. Though with firesticks i would really expect that.

Av1 means your tv's 1st external input? If it's hdmi then yes. There are cheaper boxes out there, but if you stream legally those might be troublesome (netflix), the shield ain't.

But overall: "smart" - tvs suck big hairy, sweaty monkey-balls. The digital future ain't a bright one for the critical thinkers and simple ad-haters

[–] Laser@feddit.org 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Av1 means your tv's 1st external input?

No, AV1 being the video codec. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AV1

My box is actually certified and should play 4k Netflix. Am not subscribed though, bit it does for Amazon Prime Video.

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 months ago

Oooh the codec lol. Dunno if the shield did or do use this one. Never really cared as i really only use one app, and it transcodes on server if need be.