Hey #Fediverse, has anyone heard of a #FreeSoftware / #OpenSource "Smart TV" project? Something like what #OpenWRT is for WiFi routers?
@rysiek you mean like Kodi?
@tbr yes, but specifically able to run directly on a "Smart TV" as its OS.
I would be interested in being able to replace whatever BS proprietary OS is running on a TV with something under my control.
@tbr @kravietz@social.privacytools.io find me an 43-55" LCD screen that does not cost an arm and a leg, and I'll gladly get that instead. I don't need any "Smart" capability. I have plenty of devices that have HDMI output.
@rysiek Yes, Yes, I feel you. Currently looking at buying the simplest TV in exactly that range. Seems that's about 300-400€. Is going to be "smart", but will never go online and will only ever use HDMI input.
The 24" LCD served well, especially combined with a projector that can fill a whole wall. Would want something larger with a fixed screen though.
@wolf480pl @tbr shipping would come out to ~1kPLN itself. And yes, I looked at Manta or Kruger&Matz TVs. It's the shipping.
I ended up getting a reasonably priced Enox non-"Smart" FHD TV. FHD is entirely enough for me, although I am still annoyed by how the industry pushes "Smart" crap down our throats.
A guy at an electronics store: "yeah, people are just choosing Smart TVs"
me: "do they really have a choice though?"
guy, looking at Smart-only stuff around him: "Hmmmm, I guess not really..."
Some smart TV run proprietary OS, some run Android. But even with the latter it's nothing different than vendor-supplied #android in smart phones - packed with spyware and proprietary apps.
While reflashing smartphones is well engineered, I don't think this is the same case now with smart TV.
So probably best get a "dumb" TV and just run OpenELec on a plug-in stick like the one mentioned by @tbr
Are you sure it doesn't run all the spyware stack in the background anyway?
@randynose @kravietz@social.privacytools.io @tbr thank you for your valuable input. I would have never thought about not connecting the TV to my network. Not to mention that this completely solves the related security issues - after all Bluetooth and WiFi are known to be rock-solid secure, especially in embedded devices like TVs. You have been of great help.
@randynose It would matter of course. Some TV has voice command features that run all the time, on who knows what else. @kravietz @rysiek @tbr
@randynose No surrender. It would be just a matter of time till the TV gets connected somehow, a visitor, a neighboor, DLNA, screencasting, open network from a Hotspot, bluetooth, TNT, who knows.
@kravietz @rysiek someone already mentioned openelec, which is a minimalist distro intended for Kodi.
Kodi as "User interface" is also known to run on other embedded operating systems, e.g. distros built using Yocto and the openembedded frameworks.
There's nothing stopping you from running that directly on a TV, except of course reverse engineering the tuner and other interfaces.
I run my bedroom "TV" from an embedded board into a simple LCD screen. openelec+kodi
Never looked back.