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Roku TV bricked until agreeing to new terms of service (programming.dev)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by DaleGribble88@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world

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See title - very frustrating. There is no way to continue to use the TV without agreeing to the terms. I couldn't use different inputs, or even go to settings from the home screen and disconnect from the internet to disable their services. If I don't agree to their terms, then I don't get access to their new products. That sucks, but fine - I don't use their services except for the TV itself, and honestly, I'd rather by a dumb TV with a streaming box anyway, but I can't find those anymore.

Anyway, the new terms are about waiving your right to a class action lawsuit. It's weird to me because I'd never considered filing a class action lawsuit against Roku until this. They shouldn't be able to hold my physical device hostage until I agree to new terms that I didn't agree at the time of purchase or initial setup.

I wish Roku TVs weren't cheap walmart brand sh*t. Someone with some actual money might sue them and sort this out...

EDIT: Shout out to @testfactor@lemmy.world for recommending the brand "Sceptre" when buying my next (dumb) TV.

EDIT2: Shout out to @0110010001100010@lemmy.world for recommending LG smart TVs as a dumb-TV stand in. They apparently do require an agreement at startup, which is certainly NOT ideal, but the setup can be completed without an internet connection and it remembers input selection on powerup. So, once you have it setup, you're good to rock and roll.

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[–] dinckelman@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Why can't we ever have anything nice?

I don't even know what's worse, really. Is it that they're making a shit product on purpose, or that their EULA says you cannot sue them for making a shit product

[–] Igloojoe@lemm.ee 2 points 8 months ago

You can still class action lawsuit them. No matter what, you can't sign your rights away. Also, they can't prove that YOU confirmed their agreement. -"oh my nephew must've clicked it."

[–] DaleGribble88@programming.dev 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

IKR? I've been pretty happy with their service up until now. Sure, the home menu ads were certainly annoying, but were easily ignoreable and didn't interfere with normal use of the TV.

It's weird, I don't mind waiving rights when I know what I'm in for. (I'll sign the release form when I do something inherently dangerous.) However, I don't like having the deal changed out from under me, and I certainly don't like not being given a choice. I should have had the ability to hit decline, then forfeit my right to access roku on-demand services and maybe even firmware updates. But, whatever I had installed and working with 3rd party services shouldn't be affected. They shouldn't be allowed to disable the hardware. Honestly, and I mean speaking from the heart here, I probably would have just clicked OK without much thought about it if they'd at least included the disagree button.

[–] bane_killgrind@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago

They shouldn’t be allowed to disable the hardware.

Yeah that's where consumer protection laws come into play...

[–] SharkAttak@kbin.social 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Smart TV would be great, in theory: watch normal TV, connect your console, watch multiple streaming server, even stuff from your own LAN. But no, they have to go and do this kind of shit.

[–] dinckelman@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

That’s a very utopian scenario. Any time a “smart” tv is released, they do anything in their power to force you into their ecosystem. Like streaming services? Well how convenient. The one they partnered with is on the front page. Other ones? Sucks to suck