LG TV's new software update installed MS Copilot, which cannot be deleted

https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1plldqo/my_lg_tvs_new_software_update_installed_microsoft/

124•bj-rn•1h ago

Comments

Neywiny•1h ago

As a proud member of the LGTV community (yes I'm making 2 of those kinds of jokes back to back, fight me), and an occasional reddit user, I'm both horrified by the notion of getting this update and thrilled people are still using old.reddit.com. The new layout, which isn't even new anymore, still falls very short for it I'm looking something up and it's buried in a comment thread where ctrl-f can't find it.

bdhcuidbebe•1h ago

Protip: https://farside.link/redlib/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1pl...

dmsayer•29m ago

502 error

stevesimmons•1h ago

Am I going mad or do some of those old.reddit comments slope downhill?

GaryBluto•1h ago

r/mildlyinfuriating seems to have a custom stylesheet that is deliberately mildly infuriating.

traverseda•1h ago

No, the subreddit has applied custom css to do that. It's the mildly infuriating subreddit. There's also an image of a hair visible on widescreen monitors, to make you think there's a hair on your display.

christophilus•1h ago

I see the hair on my iPhone. That’s a nice touch.

pmontra•51m ago

The next step will be adding a web in a corner, to make us think we cracked our touchscreen /s

Tyr42•1h ago

I see it too. What the heck?

bromuro•1h ago

I have poor eyesight and I don’t support this practice of linking old reddit on HN. Old website is unusable for me. I have to load the link in the native app to read it.

ctrl+F doesn’t work anyway as the comments are also buried in a “load more comments” on old reddit too. New website and app have a search comments field.

Neywiny•56m ago

While true some are hidden, old shows a *lot* more and most of my searches for obscure issues don't yield more viral posts

Gualdrapo•55m ago

I agree. I joined reddit when the "new" design was launched - I could never made sense of the old design. Way too cluttered and unreadable.

pier25•49m ago

I wonder how you're using HN then

rationalist•53m ago

> Old website is unusable for me.

New website is unusable for me.

shayway•52m ago

Assuming the issue with old reddit is font & element size, does zooming in with Ctrl+ not solve the problem?

gcr•51m ago

I have shitty eyesight and old is the only version that’s usable to me because text zooming works far better in the old layout. Are you using a screen reader by any chance?

caxco93•49m ago

actually, when you share a reddit link, HN automatically converts it to old.reddit

3RTB297•49m ago

I only use old.reddit.com when I am forced to sulk back over there and actually log in. To just look around I just use some redlib frontend.

The numerous layers of attempted monetization schemes since 2016ish hilariously touted as "features" are sort of band-aided on top of each other on new reddit in a way that makes it the worst possible way to display the information. It's like a terrible UI challenge.

jwr•40m ago

The management of reddit doesn't seem to use reddit at all and they seem to be unaware of the fact that a) the "new" layout just isn't that great, and b) their mobile app is terrible.

They killed third-party apps, which were way better than their garbage app and they don't seem to realize how much it annoys their users.

kstrauser•28m ago

I thank them for that, because forcing me back to their horrid app broke me of my habit of hanging out there.

I’ve got six digits of karma, and I’d rather walk away than suffer through its awful UI.

rvba•14m ago

They are doing everything they can to increase number of users before IPO.

Redit from a text based place, became a place driven by pictures (Can we call that "instagrami-zation"?).

The thing, is that discussion is what made reddit good. Now it's mostly low quality pictures, bots and comments written by marketers.

Then AI models and google search are trained on this garbage.

I wonder if someone will finally disrupt reddit

tapoxi•10m ago

They don't care about their users, they trapped people in and people aren't migrating to alternatives in droves.

shawabawa3•7m ago

More importantly they serve ads and capture all of the revenue from them

syntaxing•1h ago

I think them sneaking in and turning on that LivePlus feature is far more nefarious. The fact they can track whatever you watch and do to serve you personalized ads is insane.

abbycurtis33•1h ago

Until somebody releases a dumb TV, you just can't connect your tv to the Internet.

newsoftheday•1h ago

Our LCD TV is almost 2 decades old. If we upgrade, I can guarantee we won't be connecting it to the Internet. Also none of our smart appliances are connected to the Internet.

some-guy•1h ago

I am actually surprised at how well our second TV (Samsung) still looks [0] after 17 years. We inherited from my sister who bought it for some ridiculous amount of cash for the time. It’s heavy and runs hot, but doesn’t look any worse than cheap TVs of the same size today.

[0] https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/samsung-touches-lcds...

LeonM•54m ago

I bought the top of the line TV from Samsung in 2011. The 'smart' functionality services went offline after a year or two, which means all 'smart' functions no longer work and I am now happily using it as a dumb TV.

Eventually every smart TV becomes dumb when they inevitably shut down the backend services.

tempest_•47m ago

In 2011 smart tvs / phones were not quite the data harvesting devices they have become.

The things stopped working because they were for you the consumer.

The modern smart tv will keep working as long is its piping data back to the data retailers, they have a vested interest in keeping it going.

amlib•12m ago

> Eventually every smart TV becomes dumb when they inevitably shut down the backend services.

Except that on newer tvs all the nagging will still be there, all the ads will be "frozen" in time (mine has ads for stuff from 2023, the last time I connected it for some firmware update that _GASPS_ actually fixed some things) and some features may depend on internet connectivity. The manufacturer may care to release a final update and solve these issues, but you know they are much more likely to fraudulently just disable features that worked offline as a last middle finger.

Repeat with me, SaaS is fraud. Proprietary digital platforms are fraud.

tempest_•51m ago

It very likely depends on what you are playing on it and what size it is.

Even most cheap TVs now a days are 4k even if the panel is low end.

There is a large difference between 1080p and 4k which is usually quite noticeable if the TV is large but if it is a smaller size I can see how it would be less obvious.

SoftTalker•24m ago

> There is a large difference between 1080p and 4k

I cannot tell the difference at normal viewing distances. Up close, sure.

This is how they get you to buy the 4K version, in the store you are standing 2 feet from the screen and you can see the pixels at 1080. Sitting at a normal viewing distance and 1080 looks great.

tempest_•17m ago

Actually large LCDs (>65") were pretty uncommon in 2010 but if you ever watched a 1080p DLP television I would be surprised if you didn't notice when looking at them side by side.

There is also of course the issue where people have bad internet (so netflix or whatever destroys the bit-rate, or they have the cheaper 1080p only plan... is that still a thing?) or old cable boxes plugged into 4k televisions.

There is a lot that people can do to inadvertently destroy their image quality without knowing which is not great.

phoronixrly•56m ago

I think you underestimate how shameless the vendors can be. I imagine in a couple of years the TVs will refuse to function unless periodically connected to the Internet to get updated ads and an updated firmware so that you can't jailbreak them...

tjpnz•43m ago

We need a "Right to Be Left Alone" law.

morning-coffee•34m ago

At least we still have the right to not buy a TV... (for now?)

tylerflick•12m ago

Yeah, as someone with two of these I would never let them connect to the internet. It’s chock full of ads.

I do connect them to a jailed LAN so I can control them over the network.

baby_souffle•1h ago

If supported, rooting is easy. https://cani.rootmy.tv/

phoronixrly•1h ago

Just did that yesterday because it disables updates. I had stopped updating and disconnected my TV from the Internet completely in 2021 in fear that an update will bring ads, and in hope that a jailbreak will come around eventually.

pndy•1h ago

One user mentions that LG also enabled content-aware data mining: https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1plldqo/...

jmclnx•49m ago

I really use to like LG products, but between your link and this, I will never buy LG again. They were added to the same list Samsung was added to years ago.

It is like these companies do not want to sell what people really want, but only want to spy on you. The way things are going, it will be back to the old crt TVs, which you can still find used if you look hard enough.

pier25•47m ago

ACR has been going on for at least a decade now. It's the reason TVs are so cheap now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_content_recognition

A4ET8a8uTh0_v2•1h ago

It is interesting. Arstechnica just had an article about how to get a dumb tv, which I saw on google news. I want to believe there is a tide turning among non-hn peoples ( I tried various phrasings and neither worked in terms of exclusion ).

bdhcuidbebe•51m ago

I just read that, too. Its interesting and somewhat depressing that the best option for the last 10+ years according to ars and this linked reddit thead, and comments in this thread all suggesting Apple TV. I hope to see a viable foss option soon.

al_borland•11m ago

There are options like LibreELEC (Jeff Geerling did a video on setup a year ago[0]). However, these options are rarely plug and play. It also doesn’t let people simply download and use apps from the popular streaming services. They tend to rely on pirated content or someone who is willing to rip all their own physical media for more convenient access. FOSS has always had an issue with that last 10% of the user experience, and the services to make things pleasant to use, which I think really hurts mainstream adoption.

[0] https://youtu.be/3hFas54xFtg

1970-01-01•1h ago

Is there a DNS filtering list anywhere that just blocks these firmware updates? That would be the easiest way to maintain dumbification without getting into hacking the software while still allowing streaming services.

ezst•54m ago

Till yourself get hacked because the connected-to-the-internet TV I'd running an insecure software version. We should legal action the hell out of such practices.

jitl•50m ago

It’s well worth the $100 or whatever to do all the streaming through an AppleTV. It’s the only streaming device I’ve used that doesn’t seem to constantly try to upsell random garbage.

richid•11m ago

This is the answer. AppleTV is worth its weight in gold. Well supported and quality apps, good connectivity options, enough horsepower for hardware decoding, and Apple has a good reputation for privacy (hello no ACR).

hsuduebc2•57m ago

This is beyond tiresome.

Boxxed•56m ago

I wonder how this went down. "Hey LG, this is the Microsofts. Just had an idea how we could give your entire customer base the middle finger, wanna hear it?"

the_af•54m ago

Ah! I can finally chat to my TV by writing text to it and have it hallucinate shows that don't exist, or tell me I'm right about everything. Possibly even create PR for work from my LG smart TV, my boss will be pleased.

Just like I wanted!

jitl•53m ago

We need a Framework-style company making TVs.

Get the OLED panels from whoever makes them wholesale, spend on a beautiful enclosure / design, add just enough software to calibrate the image and switch between HDMI inputs with HDMI-CEC. Sell a premium soundbar as an add-on instead of including speakers in the base device.

I think a brand like Sonos could make a killing in this market selling a premium dumb tv to high end customers.

Look at how much markup Samsung adds to their standard LCD panel for a decent enclosure - it’s like $600-$1000 markup to get the Frame tv, which has a mid panel, JUST because the enclosure is actually nice/inoffensive.

boredatoms•48m ago

Maybe framework will pivot given RAM prices these days

3RTB297•46m ago

The hitch is that it would be more expensive, making it a "premium" product and limiting the market. Smart TV pricing typically includes subsidies based on the assumed data sales from each user over the lifetime of the device.

542458•33m ago

I really doubt the user data for a smart tv user is all that valuable. Meta has infinitely more rich data and an entire ad platform and makes around $10 per user per year.

jitl•31m ago

Yes I am suggesting a premium product, there’s at least $600-$1000 more the market is willing to pay just for aesthetics based on Samsung Frame tv, which is a premium product with mid-range LCD component quality. It’s priced about $200 underneath Samsung’s top of the line OLED

pontus•45m ago

I would buy this in a heartbeat. I am profoundly bothered by the slop software that is on every TV these days. I keep joking that as tech invades more and more corners of our lives, we will at some point in the future be helping our parents with their couches by saying "Have you tried restarting your couch?"

Don't get me wrong, tech is great when it's a value-add, but TV tech has gotten out of control.

shermantanktop•44m ago

It would not be cheap. All that ad crap represents revenue, and all those features represent sales volume for feature-conscious customers. Without volume you don’t have supplier leverage on pricing, or the ability to get onto big box store shelves, reducing volume further.

ninkendo•9m ago

I for one would be willing to pay a premium for what GP described. I’d honestly pay twice as much for a TV with working HDMI CEC, some simple picture adjustment controls, and a really really good panel. Nothing else, please.

scosman•43m ago

Sonos is a software company with a history of pushing bad updates. But Framework sounds great.

IneffablePigeon•37m ago

I too am irritated by their software but they do make nice hardware. I’d have their headphones if I trusted their software, the hardware is perfect IMO. Open and upgradable is not really their forte though.

jokowueu•43m ago

Wouldn't not connecting it online and using a google tv box fix this issue ?

jitl•25m ago

I’ve used some of my friends more recent year TVs and even if they’re not networked the UX is just horrible. One Samsung model eliminated the “input” button on the remote and forces you to go through “Home” to select inputs in a tiled menu festooned with quick tips and baked in ads for Samsung stuff like SmartThings. The worst part is that if it detects an input is connected to a game console, then it moves that input to the Gaming tab, which is chock full of tiles for shit like Solitare, Samsung game store, etc. WTF.

It’s like every interaction is viewed as an opportunity to sell attention or get you to mis-click on an ad.

cgbeeng•33m ago

What I want is simply a well-made monitor with a single HDMI input and built-in speakers. Make it as flat as you want.

The rest is almost unnecessary in this day and age.

If everyone were to do this, it would open a bigger market for a well-made upgradable combo smart device and air TV tuner that the TV manufacturers could produce if they wanted to.

al_borland•22m ago

I’d like this as well, except I think more than one HDMI port would be useful, for something like a game console. Maybe the screen itself could have 1 to keep it simple, with an optional HDMI switch that could integrate cleanly.

ivan_gammel•15m ago

We need Framework-style company making local/owner-first everything, including fridges and washing machines today. There’s no guarantee that your next coffee machine or teapot won’t come with AI talking to you.

varispeed•3m ago

We need regulators that look after interests of tax payers and not after who pays for regulator's yachts.

jitl•1m ago

Well I’m not sure if you can regulate having good design and user experience. Certainly the ability to roll back updates and enforcing privacy though.

haunter•52m ago

When it comes to technology Korean brands are really the worst. I'd never buy anything from Samsung or LG, not even a bread toaster.

Lio•20m ago

Yeah I would have switched from Apple to Samsung years ago but Samsung are agregious when it comes to control and privacy I don't want to have anything from them in the house.

The Korean car brands, Hyundai and Kia also have a terrible privacy story. They really do regard their customers as the product.

shinycode•52m ago

Awful software, I use an Apple TV or firestick to replace it

fishbacon•51m ago

Thinking about how my television was only ever on the internet for 5 minutes in 2016. It must think the world is tiny.

ur-whale•50m ago

Who the fuck still watches content on an effing TV in 2025?

recursive•45m ago

Me. It seems like the best kind of display for a game console.

boredatoms•45m ago

Probably half the planet

haunter•40m ago

I only watch films on a 6" phone display as God intended

redwall_hp•39m ago

Everyone except weird nerds. 97% of US households have a TV, usually a smart one they watch streaming apps through nowadays.

Fewer even own a desktop or laptop computer. Using one as a media center is comparably fringe.

morning-coffee•32m ago

All the people who weren't raised on a phone or tablet shoved in front of them since they were a toddler...

the_plus_one•11m ago

How else would you watch things with other people at home? Are you going to huddle around your desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc.?

hughes•48m ago

Why anyone would allow their TV to connect to the internet is beyond me.

jwr•48m ago

As a reminder, turn off the "Live Plus" thing on your LG TV. This "option" makes your LG TV spy on you, tracking and reporting what you watch based on the image that is shown on the TV.

You need to go to Settings -> All Settings -> General -> System -> Additional Settings to make sure the "Live Plus" option is OFF.

Check it periodically, as it sometimes turns itself back on again after updates.

The enshittification of our world is beyond words.

Mountain_Skies•48m ago

These are domain block rules I got from a previous HN thread about LG shenanigans. No idea if it is still up to date.

   ngfts.lge.com  

    us.ad.lgsmartad.com  

    lgad.cjpowercast.com  

    us.info.lgsmartad.com  

    aic.recommend.lgtvcommon.com  

    aic.homeprv.lgtvcommon.com  

    aid.rdl.lgtvcommon.com  

    aic.lgshopsvc.lgappstv.com  

    ^aic.*lg.*  

    us.emp.lgsmartplatform.com  

    snu.lge.com  

    us.lgrecommends.lgappstv.com  

    api.thetake.com  

    us.lgtvsdp.com  

    aic.service.lgtvcommon.com  

    lgtvonline.lge.com  

    (\.|^)gracenote\.com$  

    (\.|^)prehook\.com$  

    raw.vidyard.com  

    (\.|^)vidyard\.com$  

    (\.|^)wistia\.com$

pmontra•48m ago

I use a tablet as smart TV. As a bonus it's portable around my house. I'll look into Linux tablets when Android will get too obnoxious to bear. Are they a thing? Basically I need VLC and not much more.

pier25•46m ago

Just don't connect your tv to the internet. Get an Apple TV or an Nvidia Shield.

general1465•35m ago

Copilot usage must be abhorrent when you are pushing it into TVs and making it non-removable application.

nothercastle•21m ago

My decision to never allow lg devices to connect to the internet never felt smarter than today.

bachmeier•10m ago

Now I know why my wife needed the account login information this morning.

varispeed•4m ago

Yet again regulators are caught lacking. This is so predictable and yet not illegal. I guess they just wait for bribes to come in.

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