Linux TVs

max641@lemmy.world to Linux@lemmy.ml – 177 points –
Thomson Alpha 100 cm (40 inch) Full HD LED Smart Linux TV with 30 W Sound Output & Bezel-Less Design (40Alpha009BL) - Thomson India
thomsonhome.in

Which Linux distro is running in Thomson TVs. What are the capabilties.

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I'm against Android but I admit it's getting harder and harder to get "connected" (not to say "smart") device without it on. Anyway I did give up on my 55" Samsung TV for a video projector from Nebula. It's so compact it sits under the former TV stand. I installed VLC on it and connect to my RPi4 with a DNLA server on it and watch content I downloaded before. Not a perfect setup but quite happy with it. Until then I was using LibreElec on the RPi to drive the TV.

Using LibreElec, were you able to get any streaming services running like Netflix or YouTube?

I would like a UI I could use with a remote but the wife still needs Netflix so Kodi wouldn't cut it.

I specifically do not use streaming services. I don't have the discipline to avoid binge watching and I trust dark patterns to be too good to keep me hooked. I only rely on files I download. I believe, maybe naively, that the extra step keeps me in check.

IMHO VLC as a UI is sufficient and it works well with the remote of the Nebula video projector. I don't need Kodi anymore. Sure sometimes you don't have nice covers but if your filesystem hierarchy is clear, directories are sufficient. It does look less "sexy" but again in my context of being mindful of screen time that's a feature.

That's a nice idea.. ( even though, I want to avoid Android )

Ps: I guess your samsung is Android TV and not Tizen

Whenever I'll hit a limit with Nebula I might tinker to see if I could replace Android with Linux proper. It might be all supported hardware but I truly don't know.

PS: iirc the Samsung TV was Tizen, it was a relatively old model but now it's gathering dust so I don't know.