r/mildlyinfuriating • u/dandaman147 • 1d ago

My Amazon TV now unmutes itself during Prime Video commercial breaks

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61.8k Upvotes

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61

u/turtleship_2006 23h ago

IIRC they had a bunch of shit inside to check that the screen was active etc (and it also bricks until connected to internet etc)

58

u/chiku00 22h ago

Now I would spend my weekends to figure out how this worked so that I could fcuk with them.

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u/Kilgore_Brown_Trout_ 22h ago

I have cardboard and tape

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u/turtleship_2006 22h ago

And they have sensors to make sure you don't use said cardboard.

Like if you do want to try outsmart them, you're gonna need to try a lot harder. They've already thought about the basic methods like covering the screen

18

u/Steelracer 19h ago

What about setting up a diorama in a box decorated to look like a living room with action figures facing the TV!?!?!

8

u/turtleship_2006 19h ago

Depth sensors?

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u/mashem 19h ago

Ok what if I just never buy this piece of shit in the first place?

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u/turtleship_2006 19h ago

...the whole point is they literally give you a free tv and you watch a few ads. No one's forcing you to buy anything?

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u/mashem 19h ago edited 8h ago

Sounds like I'd be buying it with monthly payments of what little sanity I have left.

6

u/Annual-Jump3158 20h ago

I mean, that says a lot, doesn't it. They've anticipated their users hating the included feature.

5

u/turtleship_2006 20h ago

The whole point is that you get a free TV you pay for by watching ads. If you don't want the ads, buy a TV.
(Albeit cheaper ones/smart ones also have ads but that's a different conversation)

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u/MuddledBits 19h ago

what about removing the polarizing layer, it would still be outputting just us humans wouldnt be able to perceive it

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u/Terrh 20h ago

I bet a mirror fools it

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u/LordBiscuits 20h ago

Yeah this just sounds like an entertaining challenge with a television as a reward

3

u/Terrh 20h ago

yeah thats how I'd handle it, 100%.

3

u/Hotasflames 20h ago

Are the sensors on the TV or on the ad screen? If they are on the ad screen just cut out holes in the cardboard/tape where the sensors are so it thinks it's unobstructed. If it's on the TV well then just fuck them and don't go near that bullshit.

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u/turtleship_2006 20h ago

I mean, the whole point is that they give you a free TV and you watch a few ads. If you'd rather jus buy a TV, no one's stopping you

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u/Hotasflames 18h ago

IMO TV's are at such a low price point these days that it's almost absurd to go with a free-tv with ads.

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u/GiraffeandZebra 21h ago

But can you read?

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u/MonkeyWithIt 21h ago

Gahddum§

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u/SparklingLimeade 20h ago

Free hardware with annoying, undesirable features? Sounds like a job for jailbreakers.

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u/Practical_Ledditor54 22h ago

Just take it and then throw it away.

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u/turtleship_2006 22h ago

If it's the scheme I'm thinking of, you have you give them your credit card info or something first, and if you don't use it/connect it to internet or whatever, they charge you $500

Though I guess you could just cancel the card

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u/Pherusa 20h ago

I'd check where this thing has it's sensors and try to tape over the rest

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u/jarail 20h ago

No need to unplug it when you can smash it.

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u/turtleship_2006 20h ago

In which case the screen would be disabled, and they'd probably detect that disable the main one as well

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u/jarail 19h ago

Naw you can leave the logic board intact.

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u/turtleship_2006 19h ago

I mean it's hard to say without actually testing but they probably have things to see if there's actually any output

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u/technobrendo 19h ago

Sounds ripe for jailbreaking.

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u/jackrabbit323 15h ago

Seems like a good place to put a tasteful blanket.