this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2024
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The move embodies how ads are a growing and virtually inescapable part of the TV-viewing experience—even when you're not watching anything.

As you might have expected, LG didn’t make a big, splashy announcement to consumers or LG TV owners about this new ad format. Instead, and ostensibly strategically, the September 5 announcement was made to advertisers. LG appears to know that screensaver ads aren't a feature that excites users. Still, it and many other TV makers are happy to shove ads into the software of already-purchased devices.

LG TV owners may have already spotted the ads or learned about them via FlatpanelsHD, which today reported seeing a full-screen ad on the screensaver for LG's latest flagship TV, the G4. “The ad appeared before the conventional screensaver kicks in," per the website, “and was localized to the region the TV was set to.”

LG has put these ads on by default, according to FlatpanelsHD, but you can disable them in the TVs' settings. Still, the introduction of ads during a screensaver, shown during a pause in TV viewing that some TVs use as an opportunity to show art or personal photos that amplify the space, illustrates the high priority that ad dollars and tracking have among today’s TVs—even new top-of-the-line ones.

The addition of screensaver ads that users can disable may sound like a comparatively smaller disruption as far as TV operating system (OS) ads go. But the incorporation of new ad formats into TV OSes' various nooks and crannies is a slippery slope. Some TV brands are even centered more on ads than selling hardware. Unfortunately, it’s up to OS operators and TV OEMs to decide where the line is, including for already-purchased TVs. User and advertiser interests don’t always align, making TV streaming platforms without third-party ads, such as Apple TV, increasingly scarce gems.

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[–] sibachian@lemmy.ml 3 points 9 hours ago

well this sucks. i'm on my 4th LG TV because I can't stand the quality from other brands; but when the choice is ads vs picture quality, i'll take the inferior quality every single time. fuck ads.

[–] automattable@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago

Is there an OLED tv on the market now that doesn’t just exist to sell ads?

[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago

Now I'm glad I never bought an LG TV.

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago

LOL, they are basically billboards that you purchase to display ads at home!

[–] LunchMoneyThief@links.hackliberty.org 7 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

The fabled HTPC is a fix that few people know exists for a problem that few people know they can do anything about.

[–] Evotech@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

Anything other than the native TV experience. I use a Nvidia shield personally.

It's not perfect but at least I don't get ads for anything other than a few Disney shows in a small bar

[–] aesthelete@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago

I bought an Apple TV and it's pretty damned good to be honest. I'm still rocking the native experience on my bedroom TV but this sounds like that's going to have to change.

[–] Solemn@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 10 hours ago

Install a 3rd party launcher if you want to get rid of those too

[–] mjhelto@lemm.ee 4 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (1 children)

Every day I turn on my LG TV, it wants an update. It's been doing this for like 3 years now. Given the article, it won't be getting that update any time soon!

[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I generally like the picture quality from my LG OLED but the interface is not great and you are sooo right about the updates. My SO constantly complains about turning on the tv and it needs an update.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago

The pop up is slightly delayed as well, and I think its very intentional so you turn it on and then start doing an action and select something, only to select the update.

[–] 5oap10116@lemmy.world 46 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] elrik@lemmy.world 5 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

This is giving me 1998 MS Publisher vibes and I'm here for it.

[–] 5oap10116@lemmy.world 3 points 21 hours ago

Word art is in style now my man

[–] Nexy@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 18 hours ago

Dystrophic...

[–] simplejack@lemmy.world 94 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Oh the irony. The site reporting LG’s ads wants people to remove ad blockers.

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[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 5 points 22 hours ago

Cool. No internet anymore for my TV.

[–] elrik@lemmy.world 4 points 22 hours ago (6 children)

My TV is probably going to kick the bucket in a year or two at most. Filtering "non smart TVs" on a site like BestBuy shows only commercial display options at this point.

Are there any well maintained projects out there that are able to replace the firmware on newer smart TVs to get rid of these features? I really just want a dumb display with an input for a Chromecast with CEC support (or similar device if Google decides to enshittify that platform with screensaver ads too).

[–] frezik@midwest.social 5 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

I think the best way forward would be a single board computer that can do an open source equivalent to chromecasting. Plug that in and leave your TV unconnected to the network.

You can't do chromecast directly, because Google holds encryption keys for it. Unfortunately, this means casting apps need to be modified to support it.

There's a few projects like this:

[–] elrik@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

I'm pretty happy with Chromecast currently for its simplicity. I meant to try and replace the TV firmware so it's more or less a dumb TV that just displays its inputs without having ads and other gimmicks.

[–] MeatsOfRage@lemmy.world 3 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

Just don't connect it to the internet and it's a dumb display, simple as that

[–] elrik@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago

Probably the best idea I guess as long as you can set the TV up without Internet.

[–] ResoluteCatnap@lemmy.ml 8 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

Last tv i bought wouldn't let you set it up without connecting to the internet. Guess we'll need open hardware tvs next if they don't aleady exist

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[–] h54@programming.dev 59 points 1 day ago (15 children)

Not only do I use pi-hole, my so called smart TV never connects to the Internet in my household. Hell, I don't buy any smart devices period.

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[–] normalexit@lemmy.world 45 points 1 day ago (13 children)

I was always torn over what TV brand to buy. This helps narrow it down further.

[–] daddy32@lemmy.world 3 points 23 hours ago

This narrows it bit too much, LGs were the one of few remaining beands.

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[–] Cyberjin@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (8 children)

Disconnect your TV from internet. They are slow & limited, have ads and a lot of data harvesting.

Get an Android device that faster and give you more control (not firestick etc.)

[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

As if android tv isn’t also loaded to hell with ads and reliant on streaming networks that basically all have increasingly obtrusive ads

Either only buy physical or pirate all of your media, set up a jellyfin server, set up a dns server that blocks ads (adguard, pihole) and point any device that can connect to the internet at it. Cancel all of your streaming subscriptions and use a coreelec box to watch your media from your jellyfin server. There are literally no other ways to not get obtrusive advertising.

If you have an lg webos tv like me you can keep it connected to the internet but root it, block updates in homebrew channel, install YouTube with adblocking and sponsor block, and then again make sure it’s getting dns from your ad block server. Add in custom rules for

us.ad.lgsmartad.com us.info.lgsmartad.com ngfts.lge.com lgad.cjpowercast.com edgesuite.net us.rdx2.lgtvsdp.com us.info.lgsmartad.com us.ibs.lgappstv.com us.lgtvsdp.com ad.lgappstv.com smartshare.lgtvsdp.com ibis.lgappstv.com us.ad.lgsmartad.com lgad.cjpowercast.com.edgesuite.net ngfts.lge.com yumenetworks.com smartclip.net smartclip.com

snu.lge.com su.lge.com lgtvonline.lge.com

These block ads and the last three block the update servers. The update blocking isn’t strictly necessary if you have rooted and blocked updates in homebrew channel but it will get rid of the annoying “new version” nag that pops up when you turn on the tv. You may have to clear caches on the tv

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