• Activity
  • Votes
  • Comments
  • New
  • All activity
  • Showing only topics in ~tech with the tag "televisions". Back to normal view / Search all groups
    1. Connecting Amazon Echo Dot to smart TV

      I'm wondering if anyone here might be able to help me with this. We've bought a Amazon Echo Dot for my Grandma who's no longer able to see very well. The idea was to connect it to her Smart TV so...

      I'm wondering if anyone here might be able to help me with this.

      We've bought a Amazon Echo Dot for my Grandma who's no longer able to see very well. The idea was to connect it to her Smart TV so that she would be able to navigate it using voice commands rather than the remote (which she can't see).

      I've been able to add the TV as a device on the Alexa app, however I'm unable to get Alexa to carry out any commands on the TV - change the channel, open an app etc.

      I believe that what I need to do is connect the TV to the Echo Dot via Bluetooth. Is this correct? Is it functionally a different thing than having something as a device in the app? Currently when I go to the TV under devices and click to manage linked Alexa devices, the Echo Dot is greyed out because it's already paired with a device (presumably the iPad where I've downloaded the app as there are no other devices connected).

      If the lack of bluetooth connection is the issue, I'll need to buy a Bluetooth transmitter for the TV has it doesn't have bluetooth capability. So I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice for me before I invest in another piece of tech.

      8 votes
    2. At what height should I hang my TV?

      Sorry for the elementary question but Googling that gives me 100 results and I have no idea who to trust. I need to hang a 50" TV in my bedroom on the wall opposite to my bedframe. At what height,...

      Sorry for the elementary question but Googling that gives me 100 results and I have no idea who to trust. I need to hang a 50" TV in my bedroom on the wall opposite to my bedframe. At what height, relative to my bed's height, am I supposed to hang it? How do I calculate that?

      8 votes
    3. Hitachi Rear Projection TV - No audio on inputs, except Static on Antenna

      So I rescued an old TV from the trash, appears to be a Hitachi Rear Projection TV, no obvious model number available, and when I try to power it on, it will display just fine, but it has no audio...

      So I rescued an old TV from the trash, appears to be a Hitachi Rear Projection TV, no obvious model number available, and when I try to power it on, it will display just fine, but it has no audio coming out UNLESS I turn it over to antenna input, in which case it has bone rattling analog static. This is the US where everyone changed over to digital television, so not super helpful, and while I could do some sound splitting magic, that seems like a waste if there are already good speakers. So I have come to you, honored Tildos, for assistance in pointing me in the right direction on whether or not this television's speakers can be saved.

      6 votes
    4. [SOLVED] Tech support request: Possible screen-tearing issue while gaming on TV

      EDIT: This is now solved thanks to @Amarok! Solution is here. Changing the refresh rate from 60 Hz to 120 Hz fixed it. My husband and I recently upgraded our TV to a Samsung Q70, and I have...

      EDIT: This is now solved thanks to @Amarok! Solution is here. Changing the refresh rate from 60 Hz to 120 Hz fixed it.


      My husband and I recently upgraded our TV to a Samsung Q70, and I have started experiencing an odd issue, visible in this video here.

      The Issue

      There's a horizontal section across the entire bottom of the screen that seems to be refreshing later than the rest of the TV. The game is running on a PC hooked up to the TV via HDMI, and the TV is running on game mode. This issue did not happen on our last TV (a 10-year-old Visio that I don't remember the model number of).

      The Oddness

      • It doesn't happen on the desktop or in video inputs.

      We've been watching YouTube and Hulu through a Shield TV that we also have hooked up, and this issue isn't present in any of those, nor is it visible when I'm using desktop applications on the TV through the PC.

      • It only happens in certain games.

      The video is from Trackmania 2: Lagoon, where it is always present. Meanwhile, it is not present at all in Trackmania (2020). Likewise, I've been playing 428 Shibuya Scramble where it shows up in the exact same way in the exact same area, but it does not exist in Distance or Rogue Legacy, for example.

      • It does not respond to v-sync.

      I've tried toggling v-sync on and off, both through the game itself and forcing it through my video card. Neither alleviated the issue. The display looked the same whether or not v-sync was turned on or off.


      I'm looking for any guidance anyone can give me, especially if this is a hardware issue with the TV itself, since I'm still in the return window.

      6 votes
    5. How do you turn a smart TV into a dumb TV?

      I've been lamenting the death of the dumb TV for years now, but I'm finally in the market for a new set and trying to plan my next purchase carefully. I've come to grips with the fact that any...

      I've been lamenting the death of the dumb TV for years now, but I'm finally in the market for a new set and trying to plan my next purchase carefully.

      I've come to grips with the fact that any late-model TV I buy is going to feature some or all of the following:

      • Internet connectivity
      • Slow, janky menu screens with awful UIs
      • Pre-installed apps (all of which I consider bloatware)
      • Ads incorporated into the built-in menus or overlaid on my content
      • Alexa / Google Home integration
      • Automatic content recognition and/or other data collection techniques
      • Microphones or cameras, purportedly for voice/gesture control

      My goal is to take a stock smart TV and completely neuter all of the above, resulting in an otherwise fully functional dumb TV. All of my content will be delivered over HDMI from external devices.

      As I understand it, basically all modern TVs are running one of five operating systems: Android TV, webOS, Tizen, Roku TV, or SmartCast. Not knowing anything about these platforms, where should I begin? Which are most susceptible to rooting? Are there any good custom ROMs I could install that would achieve what I'm looking for? Surely others have asked these same questions before me, but I can't find the answers online.

      Yes, this is a companion post to my other home theater question earlier today.

      37 votes