8mm Forum: Smart TV's getting too smart for they're own good!!!!

This is topic Smart TV's getting too smart for they're own good!!!! in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 11, 2015, 01:22 PM:

I just read elsewhere, that "smart" TV's have software in them records your actions, not a joke. Samsung has honestly come forward, (well how honest is it when they don't tell you ahead of time that they've placed that in your TV?!!) and admitted that they are doing this, but they hold that information in the "strictest confidence" ...

Strictest confidence, yeah ... right!!

I'm sure that Samsung can't be the only one. This really burns me up. Now, I still have the old 35 inch SONY from 2003, (still looks brilliant) ...

... but when I get my first non projection flat screen TV, I'll ask around to find out what brands do not have that software!!!

I really hope that a whole bunch of Samsung owners will bring forth a class-action suite against Samsung for a complete violation of privacy!

Hey, everyone who owns a Samsung smart TV on the forum ... Go moon your TV in protest!!! Lets see how they like that?

If I sound like I'm typing mad, I sure as heck am!!!!

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on February 11, 2015, 05:13 PM:

Just like all these corporations have held our personal information in the "strictest confidence". I've been notified a few times in the past year that my personal information, credit card, Social Security number, etc, has been compromised due to their network being hacked. It's only a matter of time before someone hacks Samsung.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 12, 2015, 12:17 PM:

... and can you imagine all of this footage, held in "strictest confidence", making it's way into the internet universe?

There will be a lot of people who were "making luv" in front of they're smart TV's, that had no idea that they were making the next new internet porn!

Rather uncomfortable!

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 12, 2015, 12:32 PM:

From what I've heard, there are no cameras in the TVs and the voice recognition microphone is in the remote and activated by a button.

Smart TV eavesdropping furor prompts Senator to quiz Samsung, LG on privacy

If I find my TV has this, I'll de-battery the remote and toss it in the junk drawer (Why not, I use the cable remote anyway...). If it's still able it can listen to us trying to find the shipping tape all it wants. If it can hear anything else through a granite countertop I'll be mighty impressed!

(Be more afraid of your laptop: it does have both a mic. and a camera. Fortunately it also closes when you aren't using it )

"-too smart for their own good"

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on February 12, 2015, 01:05 PM:

Steve, on an NPR program this morning it was stated that the smart TV'S do in fact have a built in camera, so they can see and hear what you are doing when the TV is switched on. It was also stated that the instruction manual includes a statement that the purchaser is agreeing to these features. And it was stated that the user can disable these features, but then it is no longer a 'smart' TV, whatever that is. You can also assume that any information collected will be used and possibly sold for marketing purposes.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 12, 2015, 01:16 PM:

If these TVs have the cams and Samsung monitors them, Senator Franken doesn't seem to care. You would think that's a much bigger deal.

I checked: they are available as an accessory for Skype.

-buyer beware! (-maybe knit it a little blindfold for un-Skype times!)

I'd never have an exposed webcam in a busy area of my house. That's like leaving a living room shade undrawn on a window at street level! It was a creepy world before they invented all this stuff, why give them another way to peep?

(If they want to see the faces I make when I'm reading Osi's abuse of the word "they're" when I'm at my desk I can live with that!)

How did we wind up with "smart TVs" when television in general is kind of stupid?!

I've always had kind of a queasy feeling about voice recognition processes anyway. I talk to people, maybe pets, but machinery I don't talk to. (I do yell at it once in a while...) It's kind of dehumanizing to elevate an object to that kind of relationship.

I got an Iphone last summer. I know many love Siri, but mine died a quick death at my hands and will never be heard again!

[ February 12, 2015, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: Steve Klare ]

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on February 12, 2015, 04:11 PM:

I'm going to make a tinfoil hat [Big Grin]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 12, 2015, 04:32 PM:

I checked it out: our flat screen doesn't have these "features".

(I think the toaster may be up to something though...)

What bothers me is I'm getting this urge to redo my cinema sound system to provide for IR volume control.

-am I that deep in middle age?

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 12, 2015, 04:42 PM:

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 12, 2015, 04:53 PM:

"What are you doing, Dave?"

What may be just as disturbing is we just bought a washing machine and it has WiFi capability!

Not even sure why: we just use it to do the laundry!

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on February 12, 2015, 06:46 PM:

quote:
What may be just as disturbing is we just bought a washing machine and it has WiFi capability!

That's what bothers me about many of the new appliances, they have computerized circuit boards that tend to die when exposed to heat and moisture. I already had to replace the mother board on a new dishwasher. These type of appliances used to work great without computers and they lasted for decades. If I get five years out of one now I'm doing good. I guess the industry figured out a way to shorten the lifespan so we have to buy more. I wonder if any one actually uses the wifi in their washing machine?

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 12, 2015, 07:17 PM:

My wife thinks you can use your smart phone to start the machine from anywhere. For example you could start it while you are at work so the load is done when you get home. (Where's the robot arm to move the laundry to the dryer?!)

Apparently if you are unhappy with the ten cycles the machine is already capable of you can program custom ones...

-I wonder how much that cost us?

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on February 12, 2015, 07:39 PM:

We had a Kenmore washer and dryer set that lasted 30 years, during which time they were totally submersed in flood water during Hurricane Agnes in Pennsylania in 1972. Our latest washer and dryer was purchased 3 years ago and they both already need repairs, and it will cost 75% of a new item to fix them.
All this electronic crap in appliances and cars is knocking the reliability way down. When I bought a new car 6 months ago the salesman tried to sell me the built in navigation system for an extra $1,750.00. I declined, knowing that when it goes wrong, as it surely will, it will cost a small fortune to replace it. So I purchased a dash mounted Garmin GPS for $150.00 which does the same thing. Keep it simple I say.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 12, 2015, 08:14 PM:

My salesman actually advised against in-dash navigation.

He said: "These are always getting better. Why do you want obsolete hardware stuck in your dashboard for years?"

-being that I got 25 years out of my last car I saw his point.

I'm not very big on GPS most of the time anyway: I'd really prefer to know where I'm going and not use it as a crutch.

(When I drive in Europe...that's another matter.)

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 12, 2015, 09:52 PM:

Talking about GPS, funny thing happened just after I did the morning school run for this bus company. I usually take the vehicle home during the day ready for the afternoon run. Anyway [Roll Eyes]

I had just got home, walked inside, and the phone immediately rang. I picked it up and voice on the other end said "just got home and walked through the door"...hu I thought...it was my boss she got that info from the GPS. Jeepers you don't miss much [Big Grin]

I replied

it was to do with route changes due to roadworks......and nothing about my "after run" regular coffee stops....

The GPS tells them where you are, what speed you have been doing, and how the vehicle is being operated and so on, heaps of information...which all said and done is a good thing.

Graham. [Smile]

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on February 13, 2015, 12:11 AM:

Graham, I saw that on a construction site. The truck boss had a laptop in his truck and he was monitoring where all the trucks were. He knew when they were showing up, if they broke down, when they were dumping their load. It was actually pretty handy for managing a large project. The drivers knew they were being monitored so there was no messing around on their part.

Posted by Guy Taylor, Jr. (Member # 786) on February 13, 2015, 10:45 AM:

The HAL-9000 was just misunderstood.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 13, 2015, 01:00 PM:

I agree Guy, that hal was just nice guy of a computer!

Steve, my apologies for the continual mis-use of the my native language. [Smile]

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