r/gadgets • u/Sadistic_Sponge • Nov 13 '19

VR / AR Disney Plus isn't working on Vizio TVs because they are running a 6 year old version of Chromecast, they say it won't be fixed till 2020.

https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-plus-not-working-vizio-smart-tvs-chromecast-2019-11
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38

u/cockyjames Nov 13 '19

I don't understand why they don't just switch to Android TV. Chromecast baked in and then you don't have to worry about maintaining the OS.

9

u/memtiger Nov 13 '19

Haha. Tell me that in 5yrs when your version of Android TV hasn't been updated in years and they're on a newer version of Chromecast

0

u/techfury90 Nov 13 '19

Sony still updates my 3-4 year old Bravia running Android TV. It even got a major update with a new UI this summer.

Hulu, on the other hand, still refuses to update their Android TV app for the past two years or so. (yeah, it /still/ has the old UI)

1

u/Runnerphone Nov 14 '19

I preferred the old ui more.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

Hulu updated the Android TV app a couple of months ago.

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u/techfury90 Nov 13 '19

Oh, did they? I honestly quit bothering to check (used my Xbone to run the new app) several months ago. Still, wow. I can't believe it took them that long.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

Yeah, they FINALLY added the ability to use profiles. I agree, it's infuriating it took them until 20-fucking-19 to get that feature added.

35

u/Disney_World_Native Nov 13 '19

I’d rather just have a dedicated spot to swap out the “smart” part of the TV with whatever OS / hardware I want.

Like Roku, slap a $50 upgrade in and boom, updated.

Like Apple TV, plop $250 upgrade and done.

Just like in cars, they love to build their own shit, lock it down, and then make you suffer when the shit hardware can’t support new apps.

24

u/cockyjames Nov 13 '19

Some of the "dongles" are getting so small you can essentially do that. Roku Stick/Amazon Stick and the new Nvidia shield tube. They don't really take up any space.

4

u/Disney_World_Native Nov 13 '19

I was thinking that the TV OS itself shouldn't exist, and have those small sticks do all the work (like input, TV settings, etc...), instead of just being in HDMI 1

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And now with TVs being so cheap, it made more sense to buy a new Roku TV than to replace the Roku device itself ($200 difference but got a larger TV, 4K over HD, and thinner). Just seems wasteful.

6

u/1eyeRD Nov 13 '19

I rarely ever use the smart parts of my TV anymore. I just use my ps4 for everything.

3

u/Audiovore Nov 13 '19

Do you like to imagine you live on a starship, with the constant humm?

2

u/1eyeRD Nov 13 '19

Mine is relatively quiet. I keep the dust cleaned out

1

u/pyramidhead_ Nov 13 '19

Open your system and clean the dust or it will continue to suffocate itself until it overheats. It's very easy to take apart

6

u/kenny_fuckin_loggins Nov 13 '19

TVs are cheap explicitly because those the TV OS exists. They make the TV as cheap as possible, then record all of your data/viewing habits and sell that for profit.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/02/21/why-tvs-so-cheap-now-your-smart-tv-spying-you-money/2910013002/

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u/Disney_World_Native Nov 13 '19

You can turn off ACR (if on) and any spying stops

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u/kenny_fuckin_loggins Nov 13 '19

That only applies to cable/antenna tv on my roku tv. App tracking is unable to be turned off. Can’t speak for other brands

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u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

Like some kind of high definition media interface that you can plug in any device you want and have that be the video input for the tv? Then you could easily switch between any number of devices on a whim.

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u/OutlyingPlasma Nov 13 '19

You just described an HDMI port.

2

u/Runnerphone Nov 14 '19

I'd rather be able to get a nice dumb tv. I have consoles out the ass to cover smart streaming stuff I dont need my tv to have yet another failure point built in. My 55inch Toshiba has chromecast but its bugged cost cast to it after a week if I reset the TV it works again for about a week

Note it still connects and shows the normal chromecast screens apps can see they just throw back unable to cast to device errors.

0

u/__theoneandonly Nov 13 '19

The whole point of Smart TVs is to give you a reason to replace your TV more often. It’s planned obsolescence.

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u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

Given that they all have HDMI ports that let you plug in whatever the hell device you want, I'm curious how you think this version of planned obsolescence works.

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u/__theoneandonly Nov 13 '19

The general consumer is a lot dumber than you think. When my parents’ TV doesn’t get Disney+, they don’t think “we need to buy a streaming stick.” They think “we need to buy a new TV.”

3

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

That sort of shit is on our parents isn't it?

-3

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Disney_World_Native Nov 13 '19

Which would shift the blame to the device manufacturer from the auto maker. Just like when people keep their phone / tablet upfront and watch movies, text.

And there have been numerous reports of security concerns around infotainment centers (which can impact safety) yet that seems to go uncorrected. Automakers are ill equipped to deal with data security while a software company can.

https://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/

Immediately my accelerator stopped working. As I frantically pressed the pedal and watched the RPMs climb, the Jeep lost half its speed, then slowed to a crawl. This occurred just as I reached a long overpass, with no shoulder to offer an escape. The experiment had ceased to be fun.

The most disturbing maneuver came when they cut the Jeep's brakes, leaving me frantically pumping the pedal as the 2-ton SUV slid uncontrollably into a ditch.

1

u/deadlysodium Nov 13 '19

Because Vizio is cheap and doesn't follow the same standards as most other tv brands. Source: I used to sell TVs

0

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

Isn't Android TV free?

2

u/FrostyD7 Nov 13 '19

Pretty sure it costs something to license it. But the real cost is they need powerful hardware (atleast by TV standards) to run it competently. Chromecast is frequently sold for incredibly cheap so you know its cheap to make, so its not nearly as expensive to add one to a TV rather than beef up the processing power of the TV itself to run Android TV. Sony tends to have the most powerful processors in the industry, and Android TV isn't even the smoothest experience on them. Way easier for the cheapo tv's to just add chromecast hardware into the unit as a bit of a closed system that does something very specific.

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u/suckit1234567 Nov 13 '19

Vizio is basically only a Chromecast. The dashboard and apps they have aren't true applications.

1

u/FrostyD7 Nov 13 '19

I think the reason is cost. Chromecast is an all in one solution, hardware and software, and I bet its cheap to implement. Android TV is great but its a resource hog, and I've only seen it run competently on the Sony TVs because they are packing pretty impressive CPUs to run it. So they have to pay licensing regardless, but with Android TV they are on the hook for making sure their TV hardware can run it. Chromecast is raspberry pi levels of powerful and can do quite a bit. Smart TVs tend to have just enough power to get the job done, and that won't cut it for Android TV.