[deusum]

If I understand correctly it uses a RPi or other ARM device attached to the TV.

Is there anything out there tbat overwrite the TV's "smart" firmware? Something analogous to OpenWRT and its router support?

It would be bet cool if you could use the controller and buttons "natively".

[pabs3]

If Software Freedom Conservancy win their lawsuit against Vizio for GPL violations in their TVs, you will probably be able to install open source Linux distros with KDE Plasma Bigscreen or Kodi on any Vizio TV and soon afterwards lots of other smart TV vendors will be similar. Allowing the vendor operating system to remain on the device after you purchase it basically means spyware these days.

https://sfconservancy.org/copyleft-compliance/vizio.html

[fomine3]

Open source != custom code can be run. Bootloader would be locked by cryptographically signing. There are source distributed TVs already.

[pabs3]

That would not be GPL compliant (both v2 and v3), so would not conclude the lawsuit.

https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2021/mar/25/install-gplv2/ https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2021/jul/23/tivoization-and-t... https://events19.linuxfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017...

[mike_d]

A lawsuit against Vizio for GPL violation cannot compel them to open or release software from their OEMs. For example you are never going to get a functional driver for the display panel made by Panasonic.

It isn't even clear that Vizio would be able to comply with GPL enforcement, since they largely just OEM TVs built by AmTran in Taiwan and don't do much more than slap a logo on it.

[cycomanic]

That's a pretty strong statement to make.

It would highly depend on the contract between Vizio and their suppliers no? In particular if the lawsuit finds that anything from the supplier (like e.g. the display driver) is part of the GPL violation the contract likely contain clauses that would force the supplier to provide source code. Otherwise Vizio has grounds to sue their supplier.

That's the beauty about going after the big customer facing companies, it offers the strongest leverage.

[mike_d]

Suing a rebranding company is actually the dumbest move. If I buy Ford trucks wholesale and put my own logo on the grill and my own software on the entertainment system that uses GPL code in violation of the license, you can sue me until the cows come home but you are never going to get all the other software Ford has on that car.

The idea that a court could compel Vizio to provide enough source code that you could run your own OS on the TV is pure fantasy. You would need to obtain binary blobs for firmware and drivers from an original TV, and distributing them would in turn be software piracy.

[jeroenhd]

> It isn't even clear that Vizio would be able to comply with GPL enforcement, since they largely just OEM TVs built by AmTran in Taiwan and don't do much more than slap a logo on it.

They should've looked better at their contract, then. It's not the consumer's task to make sure these companies and their suppliers stick to their licenses. If their suppliers ship software that's not compliant (i.e. the vendor doesn't follow GPL's requirements) then Vizio is not allowed to ship them either.

If they can't comply with the license, they shouldn't be allowed to be sold in jurisdictions where the GPL is considered legally binding; after all, they are violating copyright. Any damages from their vendors' malpractices can be resolved in a separate lawsuit if Vizio wants to hold them accountable but you can't hide behind your vendors to sell illegal wares.

As GPLv3 states:

> All rights granted under this License are granted for the term of copyright on the Program, and are irrevocable provided the stated conditions are met.

If they can't or won't release the GPL source code, they can't legally ship the software as they haven't met the requirements for their license and if they do, authors of the GPL'd code could sue them for copyright violations.

In fact, this paragraph could bring them into even hotter water:

> However, if you cease all violation of this License, then your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated (a) provisionally, unless and until the copyright holder explicitly and finally terminates your license, and (b) permanently, if the copyright holder fails to notify you of the violation by some reasonable means prior to 60 days after the cessation.

> Moreover, your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated permanently if the copyright holder notifies you of the violation by some reasonable means, this is the first time you have received notice of violation of this License (for any work) from that copyright holder, and you cure the violation prior to 30 days after your receipt of the notice.

In other words, if copyright holders notify them of their violation and Vizio doesn't act in a timely manner, copyright holders could permanently retract their GPL licensed code from Vizio. Should a particularly important Linux developer choose to do so then that could effectively deny Vizio the right to ship Linux on any device it sells (to areas where GPL is upheld, such as the USA or Germany).

[mike_d]

Sure. But someone attempting a lawsuit would be better served naming AmTran/Foxxcon as a defendant.

[_carbyau_]

Yeah, I was super interested until it turned out to be Yet-Another-RPi-MediaPlayer-image.

I mean, it seems cool if the voice commands etc all actually work but it is one of many.

Being able to update the actual TV firmware like: OpenWRT, Canon Hack Development Kit, Valetudo(vacuum robot) is what would really have my interest.

[denkmoon]

>It would be bet cool if you could use the controller and buttons "natively".

This is what LibCEC is for.

[qbasic_forever]

You might be able to use your native remote if it's infrared and LIRC supports it, and you get a little USB IR receiver dongle: https://www.lirc.org/

Or what I like is to get a generic air mouse/keyboard remote that has programmable IR buttons for volume, input select, power on, etc. to control the TV's native settings. There are a ton of inexpensive options: https://www.amazon.com/air-mouse-remote-keyboard/s?k=air+mou...

[weberer]

I use LibreElec on a Raspberry Pi 4 and it already supports receiving remote control messages from the TV. So if you hit the play button on your remote, your TV's IR receiver will pick it up, then pass the signal to the Raspberry Pi over the HDMI cable.

[dylan604]

Is there a bit of commonality for remote button frequencies? I have 3 different remotes for TV equipment plus my AppleTV remote. The volume buttons from all 4 remotes work, and I've never attempted to program/train/learn them.

[inhumantsar]

There isn't really. Most manufacturers have multiple sets of patterns.

There are smart remotes with libraries of patterns and capable of switching between those, eg Logitech Harmony (assuming that's still a thing).

There are also "learning" remotes. One of these would be easiest to homebrew. Basically you've got an IR detector. You point your existing remote at it and tell it to start watching for whatever button you want to map. Then you press that button on your existing remote. Voila, key mapped. You just have to keep doing that for all the zillion and a half buttons on your remote and you've got yourself a clone.

[qbasic_forever]

Yeah most use a 38khz pulse wave and then encode ones and zeros in it. There are tons of different brand-specific protocols for stuff like volume, power, etc. but you're right there is a lot of overlap and commonality. Some universal remotes just fire as many different brand signals on button press as possible.

[dzhiurgis]

Samsung TV i’ve got for my parents recently can control apple tv and random eastern european iptv box. Really surprised by this.

[emmelaich]

The Google TV remote has trainable buttons. I can operate the chromecast and but also adjust volume direct to TV. And turn TV on and off.

So, rarely have to use the TV remote. It's used only for live TV (rare) and switching input, also rare.

[KMnO4]

I think remote buttons are passed through CEC. For example, I can use my TV’s remote to open the menu and change settings, but when the menu is closed I can also use it to navigate my Fire Stick UI.

[xattt]

At one point, there was SammyGO firmware to root non-Tizen Samsung Smart TVs. However, it seemed to be for sideloading certain apps only.

[amelius]

> Is there anything out there tbat overwrite the TV's "smart" firmware?

Or use a monitor instead of a TV?