[SunshineTheCat]

Kinda a wild idea I had never really considered, but absolutely a possibility: using a TV as a loss leader to sell ads.

Not sure if that's they're intent here, but I could easily see that becoming a thing (if it isn't already). And what better way to collect useful ad data on people than forcing them to create an account and then tracking their usage of the device.

[mholm]

That's been the standard for a decade. $200 for a 4k 55" TV is not realistic without a secondary profit source

[mikepurvis]

Part of the reason that computer monitors are considerably more expensive. They're higher density, higher refresh rate panels, but they're also dumb so the sticker price has to cover the whole cost; no "netflix" button on the remote control contributing a few bucks or whatever.

[andrewmunsell]

This has been a thing for years, and so much so, that there's an entire TV with a dedicated second screen that shows you ads underneath your main screen: https://www.telly.com

[ifyoubuildit]

Wow. I guess I'm surprised it took this long for banner ads to reach TVs.

I think I have my next startup idea: a physical ad blocker for this thing. We could even have multiple styles: yellow sticky note, duct tape, painters tape.

And if you want cheaper ones, we can print our own ads on your ad blocker!

[ImPostingOnHN]

"ERROR: PLEASE REMOVE AD BLOCKER TO CONTINUE VIEWING."

"TO RESUME PLAYBACK, PLEASE STAND UP AND SHOUT THE NAME OF THE BRAND ON THE LOWER SCREEN"

"THANK YOU. PURSUANT TO YOUR CONTRACT WITH US, A VIDEO OF YOUR PROMOTIONAL ENDORSEMENT WILL BE POSTED TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS"

[bluedino]

> Kinda a wild idea I had never really considered, but absolutely a possibility: using a TV as a loss leader to sell ads.

They did it with a computer to sell ISP services. Maybe they could sell a TV that requires streaming subscriptions?

https://www.theregister.com/2000/03/20/circuit_city_shuts_do...

[h2zizzle]

TV has always been a loss leader for propaganda, so why not?

This comment brought to you by Ovaltine.

[stronglikedan]

> using a TV as a loss leader to sell ads

That's Amazon's Fire TVs in a nutshell.

[john_strinlai]

it is definitely a thing. a 65" 4K OLED tv costs less than 32GB of ram!

practically every other electronic has gone up in price like crazy, tvs have gone down.

[prepend]

Havent all electronics dropped in price?

Computers are cheaper. Phones are sort of cheaper. Headphones are cheaper.

Game systems cost more.

[john_strinlai]

>Havent all electronics dropped in price?

that does not reflect my reality, for the things i have bought (or considered buying), no.

but i dont have hard data to back that up, so maybe i am wrong about the general case and the price increases are more local or specific to some other variable.