Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions

High Quality Dumb TV

more_vert
So it seems like these days, if you want a good TV, you have to get a smart TV... they kind of universally suck. Sure it's nice to have only a single remote, but I'd take that over having a TV that doesn't get updates after a year.
Am I the only one who would want Massdrop to make a really nice 4k dumb TV?
Personally, I'd like to see the following:
  • High quality 4k screen
  • 6-8 HDMI ports, with some on the back and either side.
  • Several USB ports to provide power, and maybe firmware updates
  • Optical audio out for soundbars, and compatibility with modern surround sound standards.
  • a couple of legacy ports maybe?
  • Maybe a TV tuner, but even better would be a stick that could plug into one of the HDMI ports, and be controlled through CEC.
  • VESA mounting.

Massdrop already made a monitor, this should be pretty similar. Anyone else?
14
7
remove_red_eye
5.9K

search
close
ireinire
0
May 2, 2019
joker927
5
Mar 21, 2019
TVs are so cheap. This would make them more expensive for to smaller market. Also smart features are decent today. Look at Roku tv. What amount of people really don't want to stream anything, ever? Disable the network connection. Done.
rjzak
0
Mar 14, 2019
A Dumb TV is more attractive given that TV manufacturers see post-sales as a revenue stream. Not from me! https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/19/03/13/216213/vizio-wants-next-generation-smart-tvs-to-target-ads-to-households
BF_Hammer
717
Sep 2, 2018
I have had to do the TV shopping for my disabled brother twice in the last 3 years. The last 2 TVs, he insisted that he needed a smart TV because that is what the buying guides are telling him to get. The first Samsung smart TV crapped out in 2 years, and that was OK because the smart functions were painfully slow. As in you could push a remote button and wait for a count of 1...2...3 before it did what you wanted it to do. Next Samsung we bought last winter was much snappier, but lets face it. My brother simply does not use the smart features except to play around once every 4 months or so. He just is insisting he needs to spend extra for the smart TV stuff because of what he reads when researching TVs. He also demanded 4K for the same reason, but again, the cable company only provides 1080 res and he cannot afford or really learn about streaming services. He has no Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, or the means to subscribe to them due to being on disability and being overcharged for cable which he insists he must have and get all the premium channels too. Yeah, I have tried to show him the light as far as the true cost per channel actually viewed regularly, and how streaming can be done and cost maybe half, but it's not in his comfort zone. A 1080p dumb TV with the same 46" class screen he got would have cost half as much last winter. Oh well, the internet experts are supreme intellects I guess.
So I really have not seen a true advantage to having a smart TV as opposed to buying a Fire TV or other streaming device. You can change out a Fire TV with new tech easily for under $100 and keep using a good TV with a good display for years after. The only trick I saw the new Samsung do that Alexa does not really do is integrate with the local cable service and allow a voice search of what is on right now. But give Alexa some time there...
Since this turned into a rant about marketing causing bad buying decisions, let me just say that what we need most is options and choices so we can have what is really the right item for us.
BF_HammerExactly, the long term support of the "smart" part of the TV is abysmal. I'd rather replace a Roku, or a fire stick every few years than have it built in and have to replace the entire set. I'm not willing to pay as much for ansmart TV because I know I'll have to replace it sooner.
ohsigmachi
232
Sep 1, 2018
I've owned a "smart" tv for the last ten years and have pretty much NEVER used the "smart" features.
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in More Community Picks