Asklemmy @lemmy.ml PokerChips @programming.dev 1mo ago

How do I get rid of this Gemini crap?

Trying to watch the game and do i really want to stare at this BS?

No google. I don't want your data mining creep. But of course you're going to make it difficult to remove your intrusion without breaking. I know it's bad just by the fact that i am unable to remove the message. And there is a timer for how long you long press as proof that i know what i am doing when i decide to sell my soul.

Does anyone know how to get rid of this trash without actually trashing my tv?

42 comments

Sometimes I think about changing out my 13-year-old 1080p TV for something with 4k. Then I see crap like this and hope it never dies.
- It really sucks that dumb TVs apparently just don't get made anymore
  
  They absolutely do. You just have to get a commercial display.
  
  I got a new Samsung TV (consumer model) last year and I haven't had any issues using my shield with it. The trick is don't use the built in crap.
  
  Most TVs are dumb if you never hook them up to the Internet. I don't allow my OLEDs on the Internet generally and simply use a different device to stream and do all the things (webOS is actually pretty cool but LG is obnoxious like this sometimes). Even if your TV is good enough, this shit happens anyway. At least if my shield gets obnoxious, I can replace it with a different device.
- I haven’t bought a TV in over a decade. I’ve thought about upgrading but I won’t upgrade to a TV that requires an internet connection to activate
  
  If it's any consolation I don't think any of them I've run into REQUIRE Internet to use them as a dumb screen. I wouldn't buy one that did either. Lol.
use your tv as a pc (e.g. raspi) screen and let the pc run everything.
- this is the simplest solution. make sure to reset and turn off all connectivity on the tv too.
Here is what I do, but ofc not for live sports.

My TV does have access to my wifi but I blocked its MAC address from actually accessing the internet. I have a jellyfin server on my network that also can not access the internet. Now my tv can see the jellyfin server without any data leakage, cause they are on the same network :) maybe this helps some of you.
- Where did you block the internet access? Ok the router? I've been looking to do this on some smart switches that I control from homeassistant, but I'm not sure how to block them
  
  On the router yes. Depending on your model you should be able to see a list of connected devices somewhere and from there block internet access.
- Why should the jellyfin server relay the internet connection from your tv if it isnt a router or proxy server??
  
  It doesn't, that's the point. There is no internet access for either the TV or the server.
If you have a smart TV, you're already at a disadvantage.

One solution to consider might be a black hole DNS on your local network, like Pi-Hole, that can target this device and prevent all Google requests.

Another, unfortunately, might be to get a dumb TV and use an HTPC as your streaming solution for the content you already watch.

And another might be to look into custom TV OS options out in the wild.
- I have been trying to find some motivation to get into the pi-hole game. And that Earl Grey project looks intetesting.
  
  If your router has basic blocking features, you can manually configure domains to be blocked.
  
  Earl Grey? Hot.
- Can you even still buy a dumb TV nowadays? Last time I looked, I couldn't find one
I never connected my TV to the internet, I use a computer, an Apple TV or other box like that, etc always using external hdmi devices.
- Great, but that doesn't really help OP.
Ah, a "smart" TV

[as the other guy said, use your TV as a PC screen and let the computer do the screaming]
- AAAAHHHHHHH
What's your tv?
- Samsung. But i think the culprit might be the new direct tv plug that seems to be wrapped up in gemini. This is my parents tv. I have actually never owned a tv and have onoy ever watch tv when i have roommates ir visit parents.
  
  Considering they actively ordered this thing i'm guessing we're just hosed.
  
  But i am still looking into pi-hole and jellyfin setup for them.
  
  Is it possible it's still in retail mode?
Everyone keeps complaining about smart TVs. I’ve got a Samsung and it gives me no bother. The only thing I don’t like is that when you turn it on, if you don’t do anything, it automatically switches to the last thing you were watching which often means my daughter might end up putting on some horror channel or whatever we were watching the night before after she went to bed.
- Same here I have a couple of Philips Ambilights and see none of this crap. Seems certain brands do it.

42 comments