Page 4 | To refuse a smart TV despite my kids' pleas.

BeSunnyRaven · 2026-03-14T23:20:57+00:00

We just moved house and got a new TV. I settled for a Cello one with a built in DVD player and no smart bullshite. I don't want all this telemetry or the attention span ruining elements of being able to watch whenever you want when you want. Nor do I want to connect it to my internet and I'm certainly not paying to watch something, especially not to an american company DD13 and DS11 desperately want one. I've said that if they want to watch something on netflix or the like, they can use the pirate bay to download it, burn it onto a dvd and load that into the TV. Apparently that's 'not cool' and 'annoying' or whatever. AIBU?

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:43

SabrinaThwaite · 14/03/2026 23:41

We do use ITV and iPlayer though, wish there was a telly with iplayer and itv and my5 or whatever but no American programs.

It’s called a smart TV. Not sure how you can avoid ‘American programs’ as the terrestrial channels show American programmes.

American programs that collect data. NCIS isn't getting telemetrics off of me.

OP posts:

SabrinaThwaite · 14/03/2026 23:41

We do use ITV and iPlayer though, wish there was a telly with iplayer and itv and my5 or whatever but no American programs.

It’s called a smart TV. Not sure how you can avoid ‘American programs’ as the terrestrial channels show American programmes.

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:41

Holdmybeermoment · 14/03/2026 23:39

That’s called a smart TV. You download the apps you want, like iplayer and ITV player. You do not need to download Netflix or prime or any other.

They are called apps, not programmes. And you choose the ones you want.

You do sound slightly mad. Especially telling them to illegally download and burn DVDs. Computers aren’t even sold with disc drives anymore.

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The one I bought (Dell, 2025 model) has a disc drive. You know nothing about computers. And apps come on a phone or tablet.

They come preinstalled with netflix, youtube and the like. There's no way to delete it, I did a lot of searching regarding this.

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LemonFancy · 14/03/2026 23:40

Didn’t even know you could still buy non smart TVs any more TBH! You do you though.

estrogone · 14/03/2026 23:40

Loves these threads.

OP: AIBU and being a dick for the sake of it
MN: resounding YABU and really weird/silly
OP: Double down IANBU. Dont care if I am a dick / thief (yes pirating content is theft and NO I do not pirate content).

You do whatever you want OP. Dont waste time asking for opinions that you aren't interested in. Or perhaps you just wanted everybody to say ooh look - how marvellous that poster is so cool, stealing from and eschewing mainstream media.

Meh

Edited: DYAC

OntheOtherFlipper · 14/03/2026 23:40

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:39

So would it be unethical for me to pay £7 and bingewatch it all in one round? It's a data collection service first and foremost. I'm all for buying DVDs though. regularly buy new releases from HMV

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No, because that would be within their terms and conditions and part of the scenarios they budget for. Also, crucially, not theft.

Holdmybeermoment · 14/03/2026 23:39

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:34

Not buying such a tv. Though I might get a bigger one. And they're programs not apps.

Not ipads, but PCs. The PCs don't have streaming services as I don't pay for them and we use a youtube frontend called invidious. We do use ITV and iPlayer though, wish there was a telly with iplayer and itv and my5 or whatever but no American programs.

Show quote history

That’s called a smart TV. You download the apps you want, like iplayer and ITV player. You do not need to download Netflix or prime or any other.

They are called apps, not programmes. And you choose the ones you want.

You do sound slightly mad. Especially telling them to illegally download and burn DVDs. Computers aren’t even sold with disc drives anymore.

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:39

OntheOtherFlipper · 14/03/2026 23:37

On the plus side, think about the person selling DVDs, who now can’t believe their vintage luck.

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HMV is financially booming. Ya must be 10 to think DVDs are vintage.

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Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:39

MasterBeth · 14/03/2026 23:35

It's not just the billionaires you're stealing from.

It's the creators and craftspeople who make TV and movies. Camera operators and make-up artists and actors who might get one decently paid job a year.

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So would it be unethical for me to pay £7 and bingewatch it all in one round? It's a data collection service first and foremost. I'm all for buying DVDs though. regularly buy new releases from HMV

OP posts:

OntheOtherFlipper · 14/03/2026 23:37

MasterBeth · 14/03/2026 23:35

It's not just the billionaires you're stealing from.

It's the creators and craftspeople who make TV and movies. Camera operators and make-up artists and actors who might get one decently paid job a year.

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On the plus side, think about the person selling DVDs, who now can’t believe their vintage luck.

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:37

ChickenBananaBanana · 14/03/2026 23:34

Why make your kids be weirdos to their mates etc for the sake of a fiver a month

They can still watch what they want, just I'm not paying for it, they can pirate it or watch on something that isn't full of telemetry. Their friends like the 'granny tv' as it's called by one of the kids from the neighbourhood, DS regularly invites over his friends to watch TV.

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estrogone · 14/03/2026 23:35

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:29

I use a flip phone and an mp3 player. Can't get me here

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Aren't you so marvellous then.

OntheOtherFlipper · 14/03/2026 23:35

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:29

I use a flip phone and an mp3 player. Can't get me here

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Nobody is trying to get you.

MasterBeth · 14/03/2026 23:35

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:32

I genuinely do not care any less. The billionaires won't cry over me not giving them £7 a month.

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It's not just the billionaires you're stealing from.

It's the creators and craftspeople who make TV and movies. Camera operators and make-up artists and actors who might get one decently paid job a year.

ChickenBananaBanana · 14/03/2026 23:34

Why make your kids be weirdos to their mates etc for the sake of a fiver a month

mumofoneAloneandwell · 14/03/2026 23:34

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:34

Not buying such a tv. Though I might get a bigger one. And they're programs not apps.

Not ipads, but PCs. The PCs don't have streaming services as I don't pay for them and we use a youtube frontend called invidious. We do use ITV and iPlayer though, wish there was a telly with iplayer and itv and my5 or whatever but no American programs.

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Oh girl you are being so unreasonable sorry

OntheOtherFlipper · 14/03/2026 23:34

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:24

If buying it off of amazon or whatever doesn't mean you own it and they can take it away at any time, then it's not stealing.

And don't act like you haven't pirated before

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I… have you arrived from 1998?

LorenzoCalzone · 14/03/2026 23:34

Heading over to site stuff to request a "Things that didn't happen" board.

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:34

mumofoneAloneandwell · 14/03/2026 23:29

Honestly girl, just buy a bigger TV and make sure it has the apps on it

Unless, do they have their own ipads? I imagine not but think I should check?

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Not buying such a tv. Though I might get a bigger one. And they're programs not apps.

Not ipads, but PCs. The PCs don't have streaming services as I don't pay for them and we use a youtube frontend called invidious. We do use ITV and iPlayer though, wish there was a telly with iplayer and itv and my5 or whatever but no American programs.

OP posts:

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:32

MasterBeth · 14/03/2026 23:31

The contractual arrangements of a service you're not using are irrelevant. You're teaching your kids to steal copyrighted content. It's no different to sneaking in to the cinema or onto a train without buying a ticket.

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I genuinely do not care any less. The billionaires won't cry over me not giving them £7 a month.

OP posts:

MasterBeth · 14/03/2026 23:31

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:24

If buying it off of amazon or whatever doesn't mean you own it and they can take it away at any time, then it's not stealing.

And don't act like you haven't pirated before

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The contractual arrangements of a service you're not using are irrelevant. You're teaching your kids to steal copyrighted content. It's no different to sneaking in to the cinema or onto a train without buying a ticket.

Thesnailonthewhale · 14/03/2026 23:30

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:29

I use a flip phone and an mp3 player. Can't get me here

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But you clearly use the internet... So do your kids.... All the stuff you're opposed to they have access to already...

It's so weird.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 14/03/2026 23:29

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:28

32 inch screen. Bigger than the old TV which was somehow never complained about.

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Honestly girl, just buy a bigger TV and make sure it has the apps on it

Unless, do they have their own ipads? I imagine not but think I should check?

Original poster

BeSunnyRaven · 14/03/2026 23:29

Summerbay23 · 14/03/2026 23:27

YABU. Do you shun all modern technology? Smart phones. Internet. Music Streaming. Seems very strange and limiting.

I use a flip phone and an mp3 player. Can't get me here

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AWedgeOfLemonAndASmartAnswerForEverything · 14/03/2026 23:28

A DVD player? It'll rot their brains.

You should have got a CRT telly in a wooden cabinet. One you have to get up to change the channel by turning a dial. I'm sure someone somewhere is still broadcasting on the analogue frequencies.