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[godhandiscen]

Ads in your TV interface
Sometime in 2016 Samsung began pushing a software update to enable ads in the user interface of previously acquired Smart TVs as well as new TVs. The ads were shown above a new icon in the bottom menu.

Towards the end of 2019, owners have started to voice their dissatisfaction with larger, increasingly obtrusive, and unrelated ads showing up on their Samsung TVs. These include ads for canned beans or discount supermarkets such as the one embedded below or the one shared on Samsung's community boards here.

Samsung TV owners complain about increasingly obtrusive ads

The ads appeared sometime in 2016 but it is now escalating

www.flatpanelshd.com

 

[MilkyJoe]

I've seen covid ads on mine.

 

[Nymphae]

I have a Samsung TV never seen any ads at all, this must be for the Smart TV features? I do streaming via my connected PC, I hate TV apps.

 

[godhandiscen]

I have a Samsung TV never seen any ads at all, this must be for the Smart TV features? I do streaming via my connected PC, I hate TV apps.

Yes, they show up on the Smart TV OS. Not sure if they show up in the regular menus. I have a Smart TV and I also never use the TV OS, but it is only a matter of time before the ads make it into the regular menus.

 

[teezzy]

EW wtf - do most "smart" TVs do this?

 

[TaySan]

EW wtf - do most "smart" TVs do this?

Some are more egregious than others. LG isn't too bad on this front in comparison to Samsung.

 

[eddie4]

This is why I hate buying smart TVs. If I have to buy a smart tv, I don't connect it to the net.

 

[Deleted member 801069]

I have a samsung frame and don’t get ads. Is this a region thing?

 

[Slings and Arrows]

Wait, people plug their TV in to the internet?

Idiots.

 

[Deleted member 801069]

Wait, people plug their TV in to the internet?

Idiots.

I love my tv’s built in streaming apps come at me

 

[TaySan]

Usually the TV apps have the best picture quality compared to their web browser equivalents. At least on the LG C9.

 

[teezzy]

Some are more egregious than others. LG isn't too bad on this front in comparison to Samsung.

Looks like my 1080p dumb tv has more life left in it than I thought

 

[Slings and Arrows]

I love my tv’s built in streaming apps come at me

Usually the TV apps have the best picture quality compared to their web browser equivalents. At least on the LG C9.

10 years ago, sure. But when Netflix is on everything from a console to a phone, from a tablet to the toaster, running apps on a smartTV, especially one that gives you adds, is nothing short of Sadomasochism

 

[TaySan]

Looks like my 1080p dumb tv has more life left in it than I thought

1080p is just too low of a resolution for me... even 1440p was starting to look too soft for my poor eyesight. 4K OLED is worth it 100% and if the ads bother you just don't connect it to wifi. There is only like 1 tiny add for me on the app select screen so It doesn't bother me much.

 

[Heavy_D206]

I have Samsung and use the menu shown in the OP daily but never noticed the ads before. I think that space is usually filled with reccomended shows from like HBO, Netflix and Hulu.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Don't experience on my Sony sets, but they're also Android and easily crushable in the system settings if they ever happen.

 

[Kamina]

I too get this from time to the when i am in the menu.
Plus Samsung keeps reinstalling that TV+ trash app i deleted.

 

[ripeavocado]

Samsung has been consistently garbage for years, I stopped buying their products a couple of years ago.

 

[Elektro Demon]

Wtf? I'd smash that tv to pieces if it were showing me ads.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

This is a fact, only mitigated by an AV Receiver. I haven't seen that garbage in over a year.

 

[Weiji]

Don’t. Buy. “Smart TVs”

 

[HUELEN10]

Don’t. Buy. “Smart TVs”

You can’t not at this point. But you can just update firmware then block connectivity on the router level and then do the right thing and get Apple TV or an Nvidia Shield and use it as a dumb monitor, as it should be.

 

[bronk]

Remember when the 360 first started showing ads? I was like wtf!!! How far we've come.

 

[nush]

Wtf? I'd smash that tv to pieces if it were showing me ads.

I just disconnected mine from the WIFI. I knew that holiday special price was subsidized on the fact that I'd be shown ads ALL the time.

Turn on TV

Get 30 second add for the latest luxury car

Me: Bitch please. Do you think I'd be paying 200 for a Chinese brand 55" 4K TV if I had money to buy that car!?

 

[MetalAlien]

They need to get Samsung menu ad block plus

 

[betrayal]

After all, the advertising in the picture is for Bautz'ner mustard. It tastes quite okay.

 

[slugbahr]

Wtf? I'd smash that to pieces if it were showing me ass.

Yes, we know

 

[Azurro]

Weird, it must be their new TVs. I have a 4K Samsung from 2016 and have had it plugged in to the internet and received zero ads so far.

 

[Insane Metal]

My 2016 KS7000 doesn't do this thankfully, maybe it requires newer versions of their platform?

Anyway that sucks

 

[Ovek]

People need to start building and using PI-Hole.

 

[Red Rackham's Revenge]

Your Samsung TV is eavesdropping on your private conversations

Samsung's SmartTVs are transmitting your voice commands to a third party.

money.cnn.com

This too. Easily solved by not connecting to the internet.

 

[fran.fernandez]

I had lg 55 before with ethernet and wifi... never used.
got the c9 now and I tried the tv own apps. can’t stop, work flawless 4K, HDR, Dolby vision.
Also; Amazon, Netflix, Apple TV, Hulu, YouTube...

win win

 

[John2290]

Thank god I moved to LG.

 

[xrnzaaas]

It's probably best to avoid connecting the tv to the Internet or do it only once after the purchase to update the tv.

But yeah, a much easier choice is buying an LG.

 

[FreedomOfSpeech]

I get ads for amazon tv on the homescreen of my android tv.
But I use that menu only to start youtube, twitch or netflix so it's like whatever.

 

[Patrick S.]

Figures. I have a Samsung Smart TV, and I remember I deactivated ads, but kept getting the odd ad here and there. So it wasn't the TV network who was pushing those, but Samsung? Well, Samsung, my next TV will be an LG. Still pissed that my 4 year old TV isn't getting newer apps like Disney+, and pissed that this TV has developed a few purple spots, which seem to be super frequent in Samsung TVs. Also the TV's WIFI never worked well and had me unplugging and replugging my TV every couple of days because the whole TV would hang when trying to use it. And the TV is super sluggish when booting, so that was always double the pain. Was expecting much more from a Samsung 60" 4K TV, won't buy another one from them.

 

[Reptars Revenge]

Haven’t seen any on my Samsung besides maybe shows on streaming services which is fine. Peanut butter would be a no for me

 

[V4skunk]

Just download a custom android rom to a USB stick and flash the TV.
Plenty of guides about if you look.

 

[Patrick S.]

Just download a custom android rom to a USB stick and flash the TV.
Plenty of guides about if you look.

Do you have any recommendation for a good guide?

 

[V4skunk]

Do you have any recommendation for a good guide?

Just duckduckgo Samsung smart tv root.
Sammygo also has a guide to change firmware etc.
The smart tvs are very similar to mobile phones in hardware! Android with arm processors.

 

[Patrick S.]

Just duckduckgo Samsung smart tv root.
Sammygo also has a guide to change firmware etc.
The smart tvs are very similar to mobile phones in hardware! Android with arm processors.

I have a UE60JU6470, which uses Tizen OS, I think. Couldn't find anything for my model at Sammygo. Will try google, thanks!

 

[Mr Hyde]

Haven't seen any ads myself, that space has been reserved for app recommendations, such as HBO, Disney + etc. If ads will show up I will either return it and buy an LG or disconnect it and use Apple TV. Or toss it out the fucking window. Can't believe Samsung is pushing shit like this when you've paid good money for the screen. Disgusting.

 

[Boss Mog]

It's pretty simple, don't connect your Smart TV to the internet and no ads. You can get netflix and the rest via other devices.

 

[Spukc]

Holy fuck i am disabling auto update on my lg oled. XD

 

[Ymir]

Usually the TV apps have the best picture quality compared to their web browser equivalents. At least on the LG C9.

Lol, do you have a link for this? There is nothing about TV apps that have better quality than streaming from any other device.

 

[jufonuk]

So you get ads do the smart TV companies give you a benefit for this such as a free TV?

I have the LG so I am ok. But my mum has Samsung. I’ll look next time I use it.

 

[TaySan]

Lol, do you have a link for this? There is nothing about TV apps that have better quality than streaming from any other device.

My eyeballs. lol
Disney + in particular looks amazing on the TV app in comparison.

 

[MayauMiao]

I still use my old Samsung TV without the android built in. I use the android box instead for content which is pretty great since I can also play retro games with retroarch, no intrusive ads thanks to customize roms.

 

[Link1110]

Still not as bad as this TV I had a little while ago. Ads over EVERYTHING, including when I was playing my Super Famicom.

 

[MayauMiao]

Still not as bad as this TV I had a little while ago. Ads over EVERYTHING, including when I was playing my Super Famicom.

Holy shit. There ought to be a class action lawsuit for this mess (I am talking about the TV, not your room).