this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024
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[–] [email protected] 126 points 7 months ago (14 children)

That's because there's no reason for most people to buy another TV. The majority of people who would want one already have a TV, and there has been no technological advancement in the last decade or two that would entice anyone to throw away their already perfectly acceptable large LCD/OLED/whatever television just to buy another one just like it.

The only thing anyone has been able to come up with is making all TV's internet connected and "smart," which is a feature that approximately nobody except the MBA's in charge of the companies cranking them out seems to actually want.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 7 months ago (2 children)

This. Nowadays people mostly buy TVs when their old ones break. There's no marginal improvement. The industry is here to stay, but its high growth days are in the past.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago

We have also seen the budget range improve in quality and affordability. There will always be cheap junk TVs and overly expensive TVs, but that midrange, where most people buy, has become rock solid. There just isn’t much region to upgrade at the moment.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

And we've mostly hit the limit of usable maximum sizes. For like the last two decades you could upgrade your TV to the next bigger size every few years for the same money you paid for the last one.
I remember starting with a maybe... 21" LCD TV back in 2005ish, and for that money today I could get like 70" TV. I don't have space to fit one that large, nor do I have any need for it even if I could.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 7 months ago (4 children)

Actually, a LOT of people stream with a smart TV instead of a separate device. More than half in the US.

https://gitnux.org/smart-tv-sales-statistics/

This tends to track with what I see in my family and friend’s homes. People tend to do couch streaming via the smart TV’s apps.

Personally, I think a fast, separate HDMI CEC device is a MUCH better user experience, and it’s still one remote. But for whatever reason, a lot of people aren’t opting to go with a separate AppleTV, GoogleTV ChromeCast, Roku, game console, etc.

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[–] [email protected] 63 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

Make more dumb TVs and my interest in buying a new one goes up significantly. Im actively avoiding buying a new one even though I have to furninsh a good sized living room and all I have right now is a bit small for the space. It'll still work.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago (5 children)

There are tons of dumb TVs out there but they're more expensive because the ads and data harvesting subsidizes the cost.

I know it's not a perfect suggestion but I agree with the other comment: buy a smart TV and never connect it to the internet. The vast majority of displays don't gain anything (outside of the "smart" features) with firmware updates. The exceptions to that are very rare.

It sucks to have to buy a streaming box on top of it but the two items combined is less than a commercial (dumb) display. Even at cost.

Though instead of a Chromecast for streaming, I'd consider an AppleTV...I'm not a fan of Apple but it's hands down the best streaming box I've used outside of a dedicated HTPC.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I keep hearing people say that, but I paid thousands of dollars for my TV to still have ads. The days of if you don't pay for the product then you are the product is dead. You will pay for it and still be the product regardless of cost.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

You can always just not use the smart features, and if you do want them, pick up a chromecast to plug into it. Walmart's one is like $20 and holds its own against the more expensive ones.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

With some exceptions, enthusiasm in technology is in decline in general. We are peaking in terms of rate of progress across the board, from computer speed to smart phone innovation to TV specs. When's the last time ordinary folks got excited about a new phone release? Who cares about a TV larger than 60 inches? It's not like most people can even afford a wall big enough to put it on. Who cares about anything more than 4k on a tiny screen?

Meanwhile, the cost of living is only increasing, and consumer trust in product life support is in decline. Stories about TVs listening to private conversations, or holding your device hostage for forced TOS updates, anti-right to repair, the mountain of e-waste and micro plastics, pervasive DRM, enshitified services, subscription hardware...

Should we be surprised? No.

The only thing that gets me excited about tech any more is repairability and offline/local networking.

[–] [email protected] 50 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (9 children)

Most of them are dead to me. Sell me a dumb TV or sell me nothing.

My last two purchases were a 32" PC monitor for the guest room and a projector for the main room. Both connected to a Roku and media center PC.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago (6 children)

I've got an order out for a digital signage display to replace my living room tv. It was more than I would've spent on a "smart" tv but it's a dumb box that I can plug anything I want into. If they sold dumb TV's still I'd probably upgrade some of the other TV's my family has, but fuck smart TV's.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago

I don't own one, but even if I did, I sure as hell would not want a smart television. So I completely agree with you.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 7 months ago (4 children)

I dunno if TV is dead per se as we all enjoy watching shows/movies. Not really interested in gimmicks - we only have 4K as all new TV's are 4K & we only got it because our previous TV failed & they can no longer be repaired.

All i want is a good quality dumb screen. You can stick all your smart features where the sun dont shine, I'll handle everything via a separate box that I control thank you. I'll not be at the mercy of your shitty EULA, you won't monitor my viewing habits or force ads into the UI or remove your dogshit apps without warning. Our TV has never been online, HTPC with a couple of USB TV tuners, uBlock Origin, an interface of my choosing, remote control & lots of storage handles everything. Still perfectly happy watching SD stuff, the only 4K we watch is YouTube.

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

Don’t forget enshittification. I use my TV less and only streaming but am really frustrated by ever more intrusive ads and surveillance. Sometimes I’m just too annoyed to turn on the big TV.

Mine is only 3 years old, but I can definitely see not bothering to get a new one when it’s old, unless they start making dumb TVs again. There are plenty of screens in the house and done of them are less annoying to use

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago (6 children)

Nothing prevents you from using your Smart TV in the same way as a dumb TV. Just don't connect your TV to the internet and use a third-party device via HDMI.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Absolutely. Dumb TVs going forward. Unfortunate that the best screens like those made by Samsung are ruined by surveillance and hardware that can't run the "smart" OS for more than a few years without eventually running like dog shit.

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I'll keep my dumb TVs and monitors over a ~~spy~~smart tv anytime. Can't wait for them to roll out pay-to-use-tv next.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 7 months ago (3 children)

4K came out in 2012 and 8K just isn't that popular, in part due to content issues but also people's eyesight. If you don't need a new TV now, why would you buy an upgrade?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago (3 children)

TVs are also a product that seems to last, at least on my experience.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Sorry, your TV OS is no longer supported. All your apps will stop working tomorrow. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Solved

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (4 children)

Smart people don’t use smart TVs.

Smart people get dumb panels and connect the steaming box / computer of their choice.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago

Smart person here.

The Roku that I purchased 6 years ago just bricked itself until I agreed to forced arbitration. This, of course, has nothing to do with the data breach they just announced.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yesterday I was in an electronics store and saw a 65" 8K TV and a 65" 4K TV. The difference in image clarity is almost imperceptible even if you get up close. Maybe 8K will be useful for huge TVs like 85" or more.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 months ago

Gizmochina doesn’t understand that physical TV sales has nothing to do with “TV being dead,” what a disconnect here.

“TV is dead” because it is full of ads, and crap nobody watches, not because global flat screen TV sales are down.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago

They'll pry my 10-year old non-smart TV out of my dead cold hands. It's a 1080p Toshiba that can connect to anything (4x HDMI, VGA, composite, component, SCART, coax and satellite), has a CI/CI+ slot, has DLNA support, and can record/replay using a USB SSD. The only regret I have is that I should've bought the larger model.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago

I'm pretty sure that PEOPLE ALREADY OWN A TV and probably can't afford to replace it.
I have no intention of replacing mine.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Market's saturated. Why do analysts not understand this? Once you hit a certain size you don't get much more from a new tv.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

B-b-but... line must go up!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago

Well they aren't alive especially when my TV asked me to sign this no lawsuit BS

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago

Projector guy here. Once you get a taste you don't wanna go back. The tech has gotten so much better over the last 10 years and short throw projectors are a game changer.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago

My dumb TV is 15 years old. It’s a bit small for the space and there’s a W burned into it but you can only see it on static screens.

I would like a new one but it’s pretty low down on the list of things I need to buy with the 37p I manage to save each month.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I won't buy another tv. Only dumb monitors now.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I bought a projector not too long ago. I'll never go back.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Maybe if they werent all packed full of preinstalled shit that takes up what measily space is available, didn't force ads into the menus, and actually had real smart features not the half assed bullshit they put out.. People might upgrade TVs..

Also.. The content just isn't there these days. Movies are crap and rehashes of the same old shit, series are generic and characterless and even music sounds shitter than it used to be.

Fuck all your media whether its social or propaganda you bunch of nosy data mining cunts.. The next phase is going to be worse with empty AI generated shit with zero originality.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago

It's not just the technology. Why buy a TV when the subscriptions cost a fortune and the shows are crap? We have the Internet now, and watch less TV than before.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Go back to selling "dumb" sets and I'd buy 4 brand new, big TVs right now. Seriously, I would replace both of my existing TV's and finally get ones for the other major rooms in my house almost immediately. But I won't, because all you can get now are smart TVs and smart TVs are just fucking awful.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago (9 children)

Has there really been a killer must-have feature from TVs in the last couple of years? If yours is still working is there a need to buy another?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

OLED, highly-localized dimming, and HDR10

The thing is, all those features are locked behind units that cost several thousand dollars. So, they're never going to see large volumes of sales or widespread adoption until they trickle into the sub-$1k and sub-$300 price points.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

I have Jellyfin stream old sitcom reruns almost all day while I work. I just don't need to upgrade all that often.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

I just don't want to own a smart tv, so I'll stick with what I have.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I've never seen my son scrolling tv channels. Tv to him it just a large tablet.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

Okay, so people have less disposable income than they did a few years ago, and less need for indoor entertainment devices than they did during the pandemic. Is it really surprising that fewer purchases are being made? (Plus, did they include "digital signage" and monitors with HDMI inputs when they were compiling the statistics?)

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