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Roku and TCL are being sued for allegedly bricking smart TVs with bad updates
(www.androidauthority.com)
this post was submitted on 04 May 2026
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Technology
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damn I just bought one of these for my kid. is there a solution yet?
Get yourself an Apple TV and use your TV as a dumb terminal.
That’s what I do. I love my Apple TVs. Never connected to TCL to the Internet.
What do you need to update your tv for?
New streaming apps for one.
If you’re really considering possibly (probably) worsening the performance of your tv just to download Peacock, might I suggest you buy a $20 streaming stick instead? They can all get Peacock
A streaming stick that also need updates and just moves the problem you mean?
Mine needs to be updated so I can continue using Kodi. If I use a stick with Kodi, same shit needs to be done regardless.
Not the person you're replying to, but if a bad update hits the streaming stick you're out a $20 streaming stick not a few hundred dollar TV. Sure the problem has moved but the damage from being moved is a lot more manageable than it was before.
At that point I’ll hook something else up.
The point is convenience, not adding a bunch of other extra steps and failure points.
What if the hdmi port fails? Then you’re gonna be glad you’ve got the tv instead.
I have nwver had an hdmi port fail. How often are you shoving things into it to break?
I’ve never had a tv brick from an update. You see how none of the arguments matter? It’s a possibility, so to argue is just silly.
This is a post about tvs being bricked from updates. Tvs bricking is a real thing that multiple people are facing right now. HDMI ports breaking is something I have never heard happen unless a user is actively destroying them. I used to work in IT at my last job and I had to replace monitors because the panel failed never because the port failed. Additionally, what even remotely modern TV doesn't have multiple HDMI ports?
And all I was doing was answering someone’s question.
Of course it’s unlikely to happen, but it’s always been a possibility, and has happened before actually too.
Just like a tv being bricked, you also realize that your stick is a failure point too and can be bricked? Or does this not exist in your imaginary scenario? This happens all the time. Or the stick just fails outright. Ignoring these to make your point too?
And if I have multiple TVs without apps I would need multiple sticks, or only the one. And if that’s the case it would be moved and hence why the ports CAN be damaged. It’s thinking ahead to remove that possibility. So yes, it’s all related, so go whing to someone else. (Having $100 in sticks isn’t a smart choice, I don’t think this needs to be explained….)
My comments are on topic, just because you don’t think they are doesn’t mean they aren’t. Especially when I have only been directly answering YOUR conversation topics.
I literally mentioned it in my first comment in this thread. The literal first thing I said in this thread was:
Buddy the person who owns 5 smart tvs can clearly afford a new smart tv in their masion. I would have a hard time placing 5 tvs in a single house or appartment I have ever lived in or been in or any friend has lived in or been in. Where are you putting 5 TVs? Are they in your bathroom and kitchen? At that point the componding issue of expense is magnified in my favor. If they're all these brands facing bricking updates then yes it would still be better to have 5 streaming sticks since thats a 5 $20 replacement instead of 5 $500-5000 replacement.
It’s almost like everyone’s situation is different eh? So all you’re doing is saying everyone has to do things your way since that’s your experience. That’s asinine dude.
You asked questions, I answered them, and now you’re arguing since I’m different than you.
But bloviate dude lmfao.
And where are you buying your tcls? They’re $200 for a 4k 40”. I have one good tv in basement, and the rest are cheap ones. Kids, garage, living, bonus room. That’s 6 cheap TVs right there. 3 kids dude. And streaming sticks aren’t $20, they are closer to $50. So you’re lying to make your points.
Als kids wreck all kind of plug in ports, bet you never thought about that eh? You seriously worked IT and never had a single person who had a kid and fucked up a port? I seriously doubt that. What about usb ports? Those are also ports, and don’t claim none of those have failed or been broken.
Mother of fucking god read the thread. I never claimed streaming sticks were $20. Someone else did, and I ran with it since it was their prompt to set up this conversation. But fine they're $50 and an update bricks them. Its $50 to replace them which is somehow the worse option than spending $200 to replace a tv that gets bricked by an update.
Anyone who had their kid use their work laptop had it replaced witha work desktop computer that stayed at work, most people weren't plugging in and unplugging their keyboards and mice every 15 minutes and hell when I ws a child I never fucking with cables to the point of breaking the ports. Fun fact TVs can be mounted above where small children can reach.
I still don't understand what is hard to understand here. These TVs get an update that bricks them, the TV no worky now, TV no worky because of update. TV no update if TV have no internet. Streaming stick let TV still have netflix, streaming stick cost less than TV, if streaming stick brick then streaming stick replaced, streaming stick cost less than tv, tv have many hdmi port.
Are you following the conversation? You changed it when someone asked why they would want to update it and the user answered their question. You than started a different conversation when you argued.
Of course it’s unlikely to happen, but it won’t happen if you just use the tv to stream to begin with
Okay, so you haven’t experienced it, so it’s not possible. Just like people not having their tv bricked…? Do you see the commonality of the conversation now? Or are you just going to cry that using a tv for streaming isn’t a good idea, because that seems to be the only point you’re making here. Which isn’t even remotely correct anyways. People have reasons for not using sticks and using their tv. You can argue if you want, but it just makes you look foolish.
The tv stick can also brick as well, so now you have two things, that’s a worse idea actually. So why add additional steps, with multiple failure points instead of one? Great idea dude lmao. Give your head a shake.
In this thread, people telling me to read the thread who have not read it themselves and accusing me of saying things other people have said. Please screen shot the comment I made where I asked why someone would update their TV. Do it. Show me where I (drcobaltjedi) said that.
Literally never said that.
Again this is on a post about TV's being bricked. Someone who is NOT ME suggested using a streaming stick who asserted that they cost $20 to avoid having bricked expensive tvs. I am making the statement of fact that replaceing a streaming stick costs less than a TV and that in the event an HDMI port somehow breaking isn't the end of the world since TVs are shipped with multiple HDMI ports so somehow if one breaks its still better to replace the less expensive streaming stick.
You both keep putting other peoples words in my mouth I'll send you both the "Redditorest person of the year" award.