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LG Update Installs Unremovable Microsoft Copilot on Smart TVs, Ignites Backlash
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this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2025
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If you root your lg oled you can truly block automatic updates. You can also install ad free youtube with sponsorblock integrated plus a bunch of other stuff that is of varying utility depending on your use case.
In general though just don’t connect it to the internet and get a $100 box for jellyfin from china (ugoos am6b+ works great and can playback basically anything but av1 natively if you flash Coreelec, the android side can still run streaming apps if you insist or iptv apps like tv mate since iptv support in kodi/jellyfin suuuucks).
Lg has proven they don’t respect consent by silently opting you in to data collection with updates. The updates never add features or bug fixes, just ugly UI changes and shit like this. It’s almost never worth updating unless someone is specifically saying “you should update, it fixes/adds ____
In the future don’t support them but at the same time it’s the “who the fuck can you support/oh you use an iphone under capitalism” problem. Yeah you don’t need a big tv, you don’t need an oled, you can buy a far more expensive commercial display, etc. I dunno
My brother in christ.
You buy a $400-$3000 tv and eliminate big parts of the feature set (dlna, phone/laptop as remote, airplay/casting, etc) because you let their nonsense prevent you from connecting something you purchased to the internet so the vendor won’t ruin it.
Or you buy any other brand where rooting isn’t even an option and the ad penetration is often worse because they’re almost all based around amazon, androidtv, or Roku, all of which are much more developed and mature. With tricks like not allowing you to set a custom dns for Adblocking (Roku does this) or hard defining a cloudflare DNS to circumvent ad blocking dns if you set it at the router level (android does this).
If all the options are shit, make one that works
I have tricks too. My firewall forcibly redirects any outbound request on port 53 to the internal ip of my pihole. You’ll take my dns and you’ll like it Roku.
That workaround is slowly coming to an end as these devices start making DNS requests using DOH, which you will not be able to redirect, and will be much harder to detect and block.
The cat and mouse game of having a piece of technology you bought work with your interests in mind continues...
True. Then I guess I’ll just fall back to dumping it on a subnet that null routes everything outbound, and use like an Apple TV or a shield or something for all the content.
Exactly. This is already so many levels 9f wrong up to this point.
Not connecting it isn't going to necessarily matter in the future if TVs start using meshnets to spy and install adware/bloatware/etc. regardless of if you're connected or not like has been looked into for a while.
Raising the importance of both having a rooted tv and independent analysis of network traffic related to these devices
Not Netflix though, right?
We cancelled our Netflix subscription earlier this year, but I am just curious. To my understanding to install Netflix you have to use trash tier HTPC devices.
The android side should be able to run Netflix with Dolby vision/hdr/atmos though I have not tested this because I don’t have an account.
The reason it works for Dolby vision playback in kodi/core elec is because it’s licensed. That’s why you end up having to dual boot, you need to retain the blobs on the android side to make the DV profiles work. It’s fucking dumb and Dolby vision is dumb and proprietary but technically superior but hdr10+ is open but lg doesn’t support it, it’s all fucking dumb. HTPCs dont work great with DV, at least for pirated content (not sure about streaming). They’ll play some profiles with specific software configurations but not all. Generally you end up tonemapping
Anyway it’s licensed for Dolby vision because it’s primarily meant as a box for streaming apps, so I assume Netflix/hbo max/etc would work. I don’t have accounts so I don’t know. I only use the android side for iptv
For DV it's understandable. IMO Dolby and DTS are kinda of a scam (e.g. their lossless codecs). They are welcome to make authoring tools, but the standards should always be open and not subject to unaccountable entities that operate in a unreliable jurisdiction.
The reason I am asking about Netflix is because we got a relatively powerful Chinese Android set-top box (that is supported by a local distributor) and it couldn't play videos in the Netflix Android app or even when logging in via web browser. The distributor said that Netflix support requires a license. After doing some research, this seems to be true for many non-American brands.
We cancelled Netflix and we are not buying any new subscriptions from American firms. I am just curious about the whole license issue.
Just out of curiosity I tried downloading the Netflix app and while that does work I couldn’t be bothered to make a trial account as it appears I need to give them a host of info including cc.
Looking online in kodi forums it appears the issue you describe is correct and ugoos lost Netflix certification though a newer option, the kinhank g1 may retain Netflix certification and still provide profile 7 FEL dv playback.
This is why I don’t support Netflix and instead keep media in jellyfin. Dolby/dts and even hdmi are fucking awful but I can at least work around them and ensure my hardware is in a working state. As long as I ensure new hardware and software additions will work I’ll be okay because worst case scenario I can just freeze things as they are and kick myself for adopting an lg oled or whatever. Netflix/hulu/disney/etc control of my content library? No way, it’s constantly at their whim. Revoke a license for perfectly capable machine because fuck you that’s why
From what I remember, downloading, installing and logging in worked, but we couldn't play any videos. Logging in worked on the WebUI too. That's why initially thought this was some sort of technical issue specific to my setup or perhaps even a bunk unit (even though it could play multiple containers/codecs from the NAS).
I was honestly shocked to discover that Netflix requires per device licensing. I can sort of understanding quality restrictions on some devices, even though the DRM is broken albeit the crack is not fully public (you can easily find even 4K WEB-DL copies on the internet), but per device licensing for playback is ridiculous. They don't even allow WebUI usage!
Who do they think they are? This is clearly an example of oligopoly corruption, on par with the russian oligarchy that de facto operates in the technology services sphere with state management (even though from my experience, the US commoner would strongly disagree with such a characterization).
Well good thing they’ll own hbo max soon
HBO Max isn't really a thing in my country. Although I was surprised to find out that they do allow you to sign up; Shudder which I would be willing to pay money for gives me a page with following text:
That's the whole page. Well, I will continue to use alternative sources for procuring your 1st party content if you don't want to take my money.
Haha! The audacity of that is astounding. Piracy at least gives you autonomy and equivalent quality, in many cases it gives you superior quality at that