Smart TV owners are increasingly exposed to advertising and tracking, a problem made worse by the trend of streaming providers delivering ads. Force customers To subscription With commercialsI can understand. We are someone A broken laptop is hanging from a TV Rather than being monitored by the TV’s native operating system.
Earlier this month, Tom’s HardwareBlogger Carl Rees, who describes himself as a software engineer, has published his DIY projects. A Linux-based “smart TV”. Rees’ projects stand out not because they’re the most unique, clever, or clean. In fact, if you’re looking for a visually stunning TV, e.g. Looks like a work of art or appear TransparentIf so, you’ll be disappointed with EarlGreyTV. The system involves connecting an old Lenovo laptop with a broken keyboard to your TV via a string. Riis writes: “It might seem a little insane, but it’s a great way to stay organized while still having access to your laptop.”
The laptop was destroyed because Reese spilled tea on the keyboard years ago. The keyboard stopped working and the laptop became hard to power on and off. Reese wrote, “I needed to short out two specific pins where the keyboard connects to the motherboard, so I removed the back. Supposedly this will also help the laptop run less hot.”
Riis did some extra work to make sure this project wasn’t just as simple as using a smart TV laptop for streaming and the TV as a monitor. His computer recognizes the HDMI connection as an app, and he uses Debian Linux with Sway as his desktop environment for its simplicity. Riis configured Sway to open the Firefox browser full screen upon logging in. He created a custom HTML file for his Firefox home page with shortcuts to his streaming services and anything else Riis wanted. He also used a custom Firefox browser to customize his Firefox. userChrome.css file It gives the browser a more traditional TV-like appearance, with no visible address bar and on-screen popups when you adjust the volume.
Rees says he knows his TV setup is not easy and has its drawbacks, but “it works for my needs.” Earl Grey TV is far from the prettiest answer to the shortcomings of smart TVs, but it’s still an appealing alternative to traditional TVs. advertisement and Tracking It has become prominent in smart TV software.
Reese says that for this project he’s not only using a broken laptop, but also a 55-inch Samsung smart TV that he bought at a discount on Black Friday. Even the display isn’t ideal for the project, according to Reese’s blog.
Ideally, I would have wanted a simpler TV screen – one that simply showed the display output – but this TV was on sale so I bought it. Launch the hidden TV service menu I’ll completely streamline it, and maybe one day I’ll do that, but for now it looks like I can get Tizen OS out of the way in a normal setup.
Riis also got a USB-powered CEC adapter so he could use the air mouse to turn his TV and laptop on and off at the same time, and the HDMI port on his five-year-old computer didn’t support that optional feature on its own. Riis also shared how he got iPhone casting done with his design.
The package also includes an air mouse that functions as a remote control, but Rees said it takes some time to learn how to use it and feels a bit “unreliable.”
Smart TV Alternative
Rees would rather use his tea-soaked laptop, which relies on cords and adapters for entertainment, than the smart TV OS already on name-brand TVs. “I don’t mean to criticize other smart TV interfaces, but the short answer is tracking, ads, and a lack of control,” Rees wrote.
TV OS operators like Roku, Vizio, Amazon, and LG have a strong interest in building their advertising business and ad tracking capabilities. Combined with the constant pressure from streaming providers to get viewers to watch ads, it’s nearly impossible to get from your TV home screen to the show or movie you want to watch without having to sit through an ad first. For example, Roku recently Video ads on the Roku OS home screenAmazon also Types of Fire TV Ads,from now on Alexa generated AI version.
That someone like Reiss decided to spend hours crafting this imperfect alternative illustrates just how much ad fatigue smart TV users are facing. Of course, Reiss isn’t the only one sharing his own cure for ad fatigue. Watch TV Online For those who do not use Smart TV OS, Privacy issues.
Ad fatigue aside, Rees is also pleased with the ability to fine-tune his web-based TV and movie viewing experience using the browser extension “ad/sponsor blocker and site blocking schedule settings.”
Reese’s project is underway GitHubHe also shared a video about his work on YouTube, which you can find below.
Introducing my custom smart TV – EarlGreyTV
