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Comment by rconti | Hacker News Reader

1.67x on the ethernet version! $150 -> $250.

Here is an alternative: put any Linux distro that packages Plasma Bigscreen on a old laptop or mini-PC. Add an HDMI-CEC for control with the TV's remote. It even comes with Ethernet!

If you were going to use a streaming service, say Netflix or Prime Video, do you still get 4K and HDR10 this way?

No, you don't. And you probably also use a ton more power than a streaming box too.

Is 4K even relevant at a typical couch distance from the TV/monitor? Besides, 4K content can also be found elsewhere, it does not have to be streamed, and the viewing experience is probably better when it is not.

Yes the difference is noticeable.

Especially, that Netflix 4k seems to be on par with blue ray 1080p.

Why is the image quality on Netflix so bad? Do people really not care about not having 4k when paying for the most expensive tier of the most expensive streaming service?

Consumers consume. Most of those who pay for Netflix Premium don't even know what they are paying for. They believe Netflix that says it's better quality, of convince themselves that they're going to use off-line features on flights.

I’ve never once given a second thought to declining the “opportunity” to upgrade to Netflix 4k - nothing I want to watch requires that kind of quality because none of that content is necessary to begin with. We’ve been considering axing some subscriptions and Netflix is on the top of the list already - I can get my baking show from the highs seas and stranger things is done

It’s an alternative, but for the majority not a good alternative (unless you go the OSMC Vero route). I have tried doing this ever since it’s been possible to play video back on a PC (and before that I used SGI’s, and Macs with external video solutions) and continue to try it with many devices and hardware configurations. An Apple TV is easier to maintain and the quality of output is great.

The only thing not so great with Apple TV are the solutions for local media playback, OSMC and a Vero V is a better solution for that.

For reference I do this both for fun and work professionally in video workflow and pipeline solutions for 25+ years.

It's a mess, how would you remotely start up your laptop ?

The plasma big screen is also not very well made, I don't know if you can even compare it to Android tv or apple tv.

And the last nail in the coffin is that you don't get apps on plasma big screen. I need my internet provider app to acees the tv channels, otherwise I'd have to pay even more, and it's not available on Linux of course.

No, really, it's not an alternative.

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