TechnoTalk: Time to Tech

[TylenolJones]

Woah did you guys hear, the best iPhone ever has been announced! The only worthwhile addition is ai shit which isn’t going to be ready for launch!

Spoiler:  (click to show)(click to hide)

I was going to drop $2k on a new phone and headphones, but since the new ones are so underwhelming I’ll just spend $100 on a new battery. Thanks Apple!!

[Potato]

Just buy mid range phones dude. Nothing you do on your phone requires bleeding edge tech. Mobile games are arse anyway.

[TylenolJones]

Just buy mid range phones dude. Nothing you do on your phone requires bleeding edge tech. Mobile games are arse anyway.

I use to do that, but all those devices would turn to shit after a year or two. My 13 pro is three years old and has no issues. I’d be willing to pay to upgrade, but I’m not paying another $1000 to get a usb c port.

[Potato]

My pixel 7 is running fantastically.

No plans to update for at least another year.

I didn't pay anywhere near full price either.

[Polident]

I’ve been out of the loop regarding TVs. Are there any meaningful OLED updates? Because I’m looking at some and the 2022 LGs are half the cost of the 2024 models.

Some are claiming mini led surpassed OLED. Mostly has to do with brightness?

[Nintex]

I’ve been out of the loop regarding TVs. Are there any meaningful OLED updates? Because I’m looking at some and the 2022 LGs are half the cost of the 2024 models.

Some are claiming mini led surpassed OLED. Mostly has to do with brightness?

Overall OLED LG is still king for blacks and contrast. Newer OLEDs are usually less bright because of regulations but they have added some software trickery to improve that. It is reported that the new LG G4 is much brighter than the older CX model, especially in sunny conditions.

The most important new features to look out for are VRR (Variable Refresh Rates), so you can run a 40fps game without it looking choppy and HDMI 2.1 ports, that allow for higher output resolutions and refresh rates on devices that support it. There are also a bunch of new AI features and faster chips in newer models, in case you want to use apps.

From what I'm reading you can't go wrong with any model between 2022 - 2024 but this years new line-up did offer a bigger set of improvements than the 2023 models did compared to 2022. 

Whenever I try something that isn't OLED I always find my LGC8 (which is now 6 years old) to be superior. 
Like my Odyssey G7 with a VA-panel that has a strange banding effect under certain conditions and while blacks on a VA panel are nice, they aren't as good as on OLED. The HDR is also not as good.

In my office we have a Samsung screen on the wall that looks like a painting. The gimmick is neat but my older OLED is far superior to the Samsung screen.

The only downside about my screen is the number of caveats and software bugs. The gaming mode isn't working as it should after an update, the screen is 50% less bright and the response time actually slower. So for the Switch I had to set the input label specifically to PC to be able to tweak certain settings and keep high response times.
 
My Xbox had lots of input lag which I only found out when I tried the SF6 demo on PC and bought the full game for Xbox. I didn't understand how I suddenly couldn't do combos anymore and I realized that certain games like Elden Ring also felt sluggish compared to games I played on PC. So I did some digging and found out that Dolby Vision caused it but the option on Xbox to turn it off for just games is broken too, so you have to entirely turn off Dolby Vision to make games run properly.

[Polident]

Two I’m looking at are B2 and B4. Charts at the store showed comparisons and B is the entry OLED and then there’s C and G and others. Main differences shown there were the chips and higher end models are 144hz vs 120hz. And some brightness boost setting that means something to some people.

Back home I have an LG OLED from 2017. Might be mixing up the year. No VRR or higher spec HDMI. No rush to replace it.

Honestly, the different specs with same cables and ports trips me up. I bought a monitor advertised as 165hz. But only with DisplayPort. The HDMI input is 2.0. My laptop has HDMI 2.1 output, and if I cared there’s an HDMI 2.1 to DisplayPort adapter.

[Nintex]

Two I’m looking at are B2 and B4. Charts at the store showed comparisons and B is the entry OLED and then there’s C and G and others. Main differences shown there were the chips and higher end models are 144hz vs 120hz. And some brightness boost setting that means something to some people.

Back home I have an LG OLED from 2017. Might be mixing up the year. No VRR or higher spec HDMI. No rush to replace it.

Honestly, the different specs with same cables and ports trips me up. I bought a monitor advertised as 165hz. But only with DisplayPort. The HDMI input is 2.0. My laptop has HDMI 2.1 output, and if I cared there’s an HDMI 2.1 to DisplayPort adapter.

You can easiliy compare here

B2 vs B4
https://www.rtings.com/tv/tools/compare/lg-b2-oled-vs-lg-b4-oled/31240/49540

B4 vs C4
https://www.rtings.com/tv/tools/compare/lg-b4-oled-vs-lg-c4-oled/49540/49541

Between the B2 and B4 I'd go with the B4. I'm reading its very close to the C4.

[Polident]

Hang up with the B4 is it’s currently double the cost of the B2. From that very helpful comparison, B4 has better upscaling and marginally faster input response, while everything else seems on par. Nicer stand on the B4, though. But I might try mounting this given the room size.

Actually, double checking the C2 is cheaper than both. I think that’s the mid range model from 2022.

[Nintex]

Hang up with the B4 is it’s currently double the cost of the B2. From that very helpful comparison, B4 has better upscaling and marginally faster input response, while everything else seems on par. Nicer stand on the B4, though. But I might try mounting this given the room size.

Actually, double checking the C2 is cheaper than both. I think that’s the mid range model from 2022.

C2 is indeed better than the B2. Biggest difference between C2 and B4 seems to be the HDR brightness especially in gaming and less banding on the gradients. 
https://www.rtings.com/tv/tools/compare/lg-c2-oled-vs-lg-b4-oled/31229/49540

While it makes a difference for HDR content I don't think the B4 is worth it at double the cost.

[Uncle]

what recommendations do you have for a non-smart TV

basically just get a PC monitor and pretend it's a TV?

[Nintex]

what recommendations do you have for a non-smart TV

basically just get a PC monitor and pretend it's a TV?

Depends on what you are looking for and the screen size. 
You really can't go wrong with LG OLED if you find one that is affordable and if you don't connect it to the internet it's basically 'dumb'.
Samsung has a nice "cheap" 55 inch (Samsung CU8000) that performs well also.

LG has also a 43" OLED PC monitor but it's rather pricey. 
 
I also read good things about TLC all the time but we don't have those in Europe.

[Uncle]

I just fucking hate smart TVs because it's one more point of failure, one more thing to wait for it to boot up, one more thing making demands of the user, all my friends have had constant problems and complaints, "oh yeah the app is no longer supported on my TV so there's no point in it being smart anymore"

my TV is from 2008 and still functional and I dread when it fully dies

[Polident]

I like how my 2017 is stupid smart. It has apps, but no home screens or recommendations or or ads or anything of that sort. The built in media player is pretty good, too. Dump any video files on a USB drive, plug it in, and it all works as intended.

I have a firestick from a couple years back when they were $25. Had to use it for some services, and I really didn’t like its attempt to combine everything and recommend media. “We think you’ll like this slop on Disney Max.” Fuck off.

[Nintex]

On my LG from 2018 it's fine too. Just the usual apps like Netflix, Spotify and Plex for WebOS.

The Samsung we have at the office is just loaded with ads. 

[TylenolJones]

Smart TV + no internet connection = dumb tv

Just use an Apple TV or chrome cast for the apps and then you have no reason to keep your tv online besides updates.

[Uncle]

Smart TV + no internet connection = dumb tv

Just use an Apple TV or chrome cast for the apps and then you have no reason to keep your tv online besides updates.

does it still literally just pass the signal through from your HDMI? or is every startup like "welcome to smarthome xl, booting up..." and when the computer dies it loses the ability to change inputs?

[Cauliflower Of Love]

My 2018 LG has webos on it. I think it was one of the lightestweight tvos at the time.

Using a monitor as TV is kind of a pain without built in speakers that are good. 


I wouldn't rely on a tv's OS for entertainment, but some of them at least load it in two levels - basic TV functions, then the overlay. If you have a CC or apple tv just keep it on that input.

I'd personally stay away from anything that has google built in, because google SUCKS at keeping up.

They introduced a new feature to their new streamer that lets you control home devices through google home (all software). Except they aren't backporting it to their old CC with google tv.

[TylenolJones]

Smart TV + no internet connection = dumb tv

Just use an Apple TV or chrome cast for the apps and then you have no reason to keep your tv online besides updates.

does it still literally just pass the signal through from your HDMI? or is every startup like "welcome to smarthome xl, booting up..." and when the computer dies it loses the ability to change inputs?

I was going to say it boots up the smart home stuff first and then you just hit the confirm button to go to the input which takes about 5 seconds or so. However I checked the menu and found an option to just go straight into the last selected input which takes under a second. Thanks for asking cause I probably would never have changed it otherwise. 

I have an av receiver which handles all the hdmi inputs so the tv is just used for video on a single input.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

New Google Tv streamer box thing doesn't come with an hdmi cable.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

everytime i use my sony xm3s Im like fuck why is sony ear fucking me so good

[Potato]

everytime i use my sony xm3s Im like fuck why is sony ear fucking me so good

[Nintex]

Keep winning tech bros

[benji]

[Cauliflower Of Love]

So apparently booster 5 was caught by spacex on their chopsticks.


lol

[benji]

[Potato]

https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-new-kindle-colorsoft-kindle-paperwhite-kindle-scribe-2024/

New kindle models, including a colour screen model.

I refuse to update until they bring physical page turn buttons back.

[Uncle]

AI is eeeevil it steals from artists it has no good use cases ever 

[Nintex]

Generative AI is fantastic and this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Imagine if after the invention of the car a bunch of communists were putting laws in place to prevent us from improving cars and driving them.
Let's hope Trump wins and deregulates the whole thing for Elon

[Polident]

Google as a search engine just doesn’t work anymore.

No matter how many quotations marks and clarifications, you don’t get relevant results. Let alone useful information.