LG's recent software update has forcibly installed Microsoft Copilot, an AI assistant, on smart TVs without removal options, sparking widespread user backlash over privacy, bloatware, and loss of control. This highlights growing tensions in smart devices, where monetization often overrides user preferences.
Thanks to HDMI-CEC you can control additional media players with your TV’s remote. Sometimes it might not be perfect for things like long presses and stuff, but for basic controls it works.
That’s my experience with an Nvidia Shield and a Raspberry with KODI. I wouldn’t really recommend the Raspberry though.
So long as the GabeCube is at a decent price it is going to be my TV’s media center. My old plan of building a new main rig and repurposing my old rig with an arc B580 upgrade went out the window for my budget when ram prices went through the roof.
Just consider that Netfliix and Co. don’t offer higher resolutions than 720p (?) on browsers that are not Edge (or does Chrome support it by now?). I really forgot the details because it’s such a mess using them on Linux. But maybe you use other sources for movies anyways. Also if you need to use your browser for media streaming you might lose some benefits from CEC because you still control things with mouse and keyboard.
I have no qualms against paying for Netflix and getting their videos from other sources. If Netflix wants my viewing data, they can change their stance. Until then, Jellyfin with Jellyserr to handle requests will suffice. The Netflix app may just become a browse app if they don’t accept the future.
Isn’t it possible to get around by changing your browser user agent?
Stremio with real debrid has very nice 4k with hdr, dolby vision, etc
Who would have thought?
I use a remote like this that has a pointer function and a keyboard on the back.
Install KDE Plasma Big Screen QT6, Waydroid Android TV, and you’ll be golden
Modern replacement as a kodi box for both shield and pi is ugoos am6b+. ~120$ on aliexpress (probably more with tariffs) and once you flash it with coreelec it can natively playback pretty much any format except av1. You still dual boot to android so can also run all the streaming apps too, if you want, and the android is really stripped back vs the shield (especially the later releases where ad bullshit creeped in quite a bit) though not fully degoogled because the play store is still present.
Main downside is some issues with hdmi-cec. It works 99% but power on doesn’t when in coreelec. Ugoos locked the bootloader for some reason and refuses to unlock it. Fixes for this depend on equipment and use scenario. Some people on the forum that watch tv a lot just disable power on/off cec and leave it running 24/7, it’s pretty low power. I have an avr that works with hdmi-cec and home assistant so I have hdmi-cec on/off turned on, it will turn off when I turn the tv off with remote, and when I turn the tv on the avr turns on via CEC then home assistant sends a wake-on-lan packet to the device, which turns it on. A bit of a delay, but works.
Only device on the market that can properly play back Dolby vision though, including commercial bluray players. If you download 2160p remux with the dv layer for lg oled this is literally the only thing that plays it back correctly. Alternatively just get hdr rips