Products · Pattern or everyday thing
Smart TVs
Raised as a usability problem by 683 people on Hacker News over 17 years (2010–2026), in 370 threads.
- 1Interface responds more slowly over timeUnreviewed
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- 1Interface responds more slowly over timeUnreviewed
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- 8Cannot figure out how to turn the TV offUnreviewed
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- 1Interface responds more slowly over timeUnreviewed
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11Cannot figure out how to turn the TV offUnreviewed
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- 29Netflix button responds very slowlyUnreviewed
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- 38Update prompts constantly interrupt useUnreviewed
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Every issue, all time, most people first
Interface responds more slowly over timeUnreviewed
20102026- Switching apps on TV interfaces is slower than switching tabs or virtual desktops2026-10-23
- TV slowed down with each update and took 5+ seconds to turn on2026-09-09
- Each update makes the TV progressively worse to use, forcing the owner to disconnect it from the internet2026-09-07
Operating system is sluggish and filled with adsUnreviewed
20102026- Interface has gotten awful, interactions sluggish, and more ads crammed onto the homescreen2026-10-13
- Default TV interface is slower and more cluttered with ads than Apple's2026-09-12
- Smart TV menus and ads are hard to avoid; the manufacturer makes it miserable or impossible2026-06-15
Interface is unresponsive and slow to bootUnreviewed
20102026- Simple UI widgets take multiple seconds to load2026-07-22
- Interface is slow and glitchy, sometimes crashes2026-06-15
- UI becomes slow and laggy with no feedback once connected to the internet2025-06-14
Changing channels takes several seconds before playback startsUnreviewed
20102026- TVs now switch channels much slower than before2024-09-20
- Laggy response when changing channels makes devices frustrating to use2023-12-03
- Channel changes take up to 5 seconds, making browsing sluggish2023-07-28
Interface takes 10 to 20 seconds to respond to remote inputUnreviewed
20102026- Remote takes 15-30 seconds to respond and then drops inputs2026-01-12
- UI takes 10-20 seconds to respond to remote input2026-01-12
- Voice remote often fails to hear or responds with lag, requiring waiting2025-12-09
Picking letters with remote arrow keys is slowUnreviewed
20102026- Typing show names with awkward onscreen keyboard is a huge pain2026-09-12
- Keypad-style layout with A top-left makes typing on TV frustrating and slow2025-06-24
- Users can't quickly locate letters on alphabetical on-screen keyboards, scanning for minutes2024-05-16
TV cannot be used until forced app download and setupUnreviewed
20102026- After an update, the TV no longer opens on the Media tab, requiring extra navigation steps to reach streaming apps2026-10-26
- Forced app download and account signup before the TV works at all2026-09-08
- Content provider missing from TV's app store, forcing workarounds2025-12-13
TV is so slow that changing volume is difficultUnreviewed
20102026- Volume changes lag and changing input takes over a minute, needing resets2025-01-10
- Volume changes lag because the TV hardware is underpowered; Netflix app is terrible2022-04-03
- TV is so slow that changing the volume is difficult2021-02-28
Cannot figure out how to turn the TV offUnreviewed
20102026- Turning the TV off is harder than turning it on2026-09-09
- Hidden menus and buried settings needed to stop TV from misbehaving with a PC2025-12-10
- Features stay disabled until the TV is connected and updated firmware, which is hard to discover2025-03-30
Repeated update pop-ups push toward updating and interrupt useUnreviewed
20102026- Constant alerts and popups interrupt viewing on connected LG TV2023-01-03
- Repeated update pop-ups interrupt use of the TV, pushing users toward updating2021-08-20
- Repeated pop-up asks to connect the TV every couple of weeks2020-09-29
Typing passwords with the remote on-screen keyboard is tedious and shift-heavyUnreviewed
20102026- Searching for content with a TV remote is painful, especially entering text2026-10-14
- Typing passwords on TV on-screen keyboard with remote is tedious and shift-heavy2026-10-03
- Typing search text on the TV is annoying, so users are pushed to speak2026-09-13
Switching HDMI inputs takes many steps through a laggy interfaceUnreviewed
20102026- Switching HDMI inputs takes many steps through a laggy UI2026-09-07
- Bloated slow interface defaults to home screen instead of the HDMI input2024-04-20
- Selecting HDMI input takes about 10 seconds and four button clicks each time2022-04-15
Separate app must be opened to reach streaming appsUnreviewed
20102026- Too many separate streaming apps make it hard to control and start a specific program2026-01-13
- Streaming apps' player behavior differs across devices, so controls are inconsistent2025-03-18
- Must open a separate app to reach streaming apps, making navigation awful2021-04-30
Must click past an ad every time to switch inputsUnreviewed
20102026- Input button removed; must navigate Home tiles cluttered with ads to switch inputs2025-12-13
- Must click past an ad every time to switch inputs2022-09-28
- Changing inputs requires scrolling past ads; accidental presses trigger confusing error messages2021-07-01
TV keeps returning to home screen, leaving the chosen HDMI inputUnreviewed
20102026- TV forgets the cable input at power-off and returns to a cluttered ad-filled home screen2026-10-24
- TV keeps returning to home screen, forcing navigation away from chosen HDMI input2025-12-13
- Auto-playing Samsung TV channel appears instead of input when Apple TV fails to switch on2025-01-10
Takes a minute to turn on and switch to HDMIUnreviewed
20102026- Takes several seconds to show the picture after pressing power, about three times slower than monitors2026-07-23
- Takes a minute to reach brightness settings; menu is slow and clunky2023-04-08
- Takes about 20 seconds from power on to showing content2022-09-16
Cannot pick an HDMI input directly, only auto-detection with cable unplugging to resetUnreviewed
20102026- No direct way to pick an HDMI input; must use smart detection, reset by unplugging cables2025-03-14
- Can't simply pick an HDMI input; forced to use auto-detection, reset requires unplugging cables2025-03-14
- HDMI control stays off by default, so connected devices don't work until the user finds the hidden setting2023-12-29
Unwanted apps forced onto the home screen and cannot be hiddenUnreviewed
20102026- Removing preinstalled apps requires a convoluted series of resets, hidden menus and restarts2023-11-13
- Apps disappear from home screen, forcing a hunt for them in the App Store2021-03-11
- Unwanted apps keep appearing in Recently Used menu and cannot be removed2020-06-30
Dark patterns push people into choices they did not makeUnreviewed
20102026- Expects TVs to show nag screens and dark patterns that push users into paying2025-01-10
- Setup popups push owners toward connecting the TV via dark patterns2024-08-01
- Expensive smart TVs are full of dark pattern design2023-05-21
Constant notifications, update prompts and ads confuse elderly peopleUnreviewed
20102026- Smart TVs are impossibly unusable for a person with Alzheimer's, lacking simple channel up and down2026-01-12
- Constant notifications, update prompts and ads make the TV frustrating and scary for elderly user2025-10-10
- Elderly user with poor vision can't read random on-screen prompts from across the room2023-04-08
Repeatedly prompts to agree to terms when opening the main menuUnreviewed
20102026- Terms popup covers part of screen at random times, forcing acceptance2025-11-09
- Setup wizard forces internet and terms acceptance; accidental input switching triggers the same nag2023-01-03
- Accidentally pressing the input button triggers a repeated terms-of-service acceptance prompt2021-08-20
Forced firmware update and account creation before the TV can be usedUnreviewed
20102026- Basic TV use is infuriating because of bloatware and the privacy settings tradeoff2025-12-30
- Users have little control over the TV's firmware, which is hostile to them2025-12-06
- Forced upgrades and unskippable account-creation onboarding screen block using the TV2023-12-26
Ads still pushed through system notifications after opting outUnreviewed
20102026- Paid ad removal still shows Amazon ads and prompts that cannot be turned off2021-11-25
- Ads pushed through system notifications even after opting out2020-09-29
- Ads appeared via a software update that can't be rolled back2017-08-27
Motion settings hard to adjust, impossible on some Samsung modelsUnreviewed
20102026- Motion smoothing and video correction modes are enabled by default, making video look worse2023-02-03
- Hard to get TV motion settings to do what the user wants; some Samsung models make it impossible2022-08-22
- Some smart TV features cannot be turned off, including motion smoothing2019-12-28
Mode is too dark and its behaviour is unexplainedUnreviewed
20102026- HDR mode is too bright in dark rooms and too dim in bright rooms, forcing setting adjustments2025-05-14
- Mode is too dark and its behaviour is not explained anywhere2023-12-04
- TV picture modes are hidden and nobody switches them, so content looks too dark2022-11-28
Too many remotes, and an app is needed to start thingsUnreviewed
20102026- Multiple devices and remotes must all be operated together, which is cumbersome2024-09-20
- Needs multiple remotes and growing wait before actually watching anything2022-05-25
- Too many remotes lying around and having to use an app to start things2017-04-13
Constant updates and apps on the home screen clutter the displayUnreviewed
20102026- Constant updates, apps on home screen, and lag make it frustrating to use2025-03-14
- Screen lags behind typing and scrolling, so waiting for updates makes it unusable for coding2024-11-04
- Gets so slow over updates that it becomes unusable2022-06-11
Update prompts constantly interrupt useUnreviewed
20102026- Update prompt reappears every power-on and won't close until manually dismissed2026-05-14
- Permission prompts reappear after every update and one false click opts the user in2024-09-26
- Constantly shows update prompts that interrupt the user2017-01-08
Cannot find a way to turn off built-in smart featuresUnreviewed
20102026- Cannot turn off the smart UI, so ads and recommendations keep appearing2025-12-30
- Smart features keep showing unwanted menus and EULA prompts, blocking use as a plain display2022-05-07
- Can't find any way to turn off the built-in smart features2021-11-29
Casting requires logging the TV into every app accountUnreviewed
20102026- Casting now requires logging the TV into every app account, so it no longer just works2024-10-30
- Must manually power on TV and open Spotify app before casting works2021-01-28
- TV's built-in OS is so slow the user must use a casting device2020-10-03
Waits 20 seconds before manual input selection when a laptop is plugged inUnreviewed
20102026- Waits about 3 minutes on each input change, and silently resets settings like HDR and game mode2023-11-24
- Each time a laptop is plugged in, it waits 20 seconds before forcing manual input selection2021-11-29
- Input select menu stays on screen for about 45 seconds2012-01-03
Forced EULA and update prompts block displaying an HDMI inputUnreviewed
20102026- Laggy remote caused accidental update with no cancel option, then forced EULA acceptance2026-07-22
- Forced EULA and online update prompts block simply displaying an external HDMI input2026-06-27
- Startup EULA prompt offers no visible reject option, only accept2020-10-02
Elderly people cannot operate devices after familiar controls were removedUnreviewed
20102026- Elderly residents can't operate their devices after technology changes removed familiar controls2026-03-20
- Firmware updates change the familiar interface, so elderly users must relearn it2023-10-26
- Complicated, hard-to-read, slow-responding interface is difficult for elderly to operate2023-04-07
Interface won't load without internet, so no HDMI input can be selectedUnreviewed
20102026- Cannot display HDMI input without internet; forced setup and license screen blocks use2022-04-15
- Setup page offers no way to skip internet connection after choosing Basic TV2022-03-02
- Smart TV UI won't load without internet, so the user can't select an HDMI input2021-11-29
Unreviewed issues were grouped by machine: Claude Haiku labelled each comment as a usability complaint, named what it's about and summed up the problem in a line, and a small model grouped similar problems. Nobody has checked them by hand. Expect mistakes.
The newest 50 complaints
- Pre-installed ads and nag prompts on the main screen would be intolerable2026-11-02
- Input selector is buried; user must go through the home app to switch inputs2026-11-02
- Forced Wi-Fi setup workflow reappears every ten power-ons, needing three remote clicks to dismiss2026-11-02
- Screen turns off in the dark too slowly and is a nuisance2026-10-27
- After an update, the TV no longer opens on the Media tab, requiring extra navigation steps to reach streaming apps2026-10-26
- Cable setup blocked without internet, remote fails, confusing QR and phone-pairing steps2026-10-25
- Input button replaced by a Home Screen, which is confusing to use2026-10-24
- TV forgets the cable input at power-off and returns to a cluttered ad-filled home screen2026-10-24
- Switching apps on TV interfaces is slower than switching tabs or virtual desktops2026-10-23
- External HDMI source stays blanked after power-on until the remote reselects it, undocumented2026-10-21
- Searching for content with a TV remote is painful, especially entering text2026-10-14
- Interface has gotten awful, interactions sluggish, and more ads crammed onto the homescreen2026-10-13
- Smart TV is basically unusable for the commenter2026-10-09
- Typing passwords on TV on-screen keyboard with remote is tedious and shift-heavy2026-10-03
- Audio lag changes randomly, so the viewer cannot compensate for it2026-09-25
- Typing search text on the TV is annoying, so users are pushed to speak2026-09-13
- Setup nag screen defaults to agreeing to all terms, pushing users into consent2026-09-13
- Opt-in default and confusing consent prompt bundled with terms of service2026-09-13
- Accept-all button is the easy path, opting out requires navigating each consent item2026-09-12
- Typing show names with awkward onscreen keyboard is a huge pain2026-09-12
- Accept All button pushes users into agreeing to unnecessary terms and ACR2026-09-12
- Default TV interface is slower and more cluttered with ads than Apple's2026-09-12
- Must accept viewing data agreement to finish setup, no way to opt out2026-09-12
- Setup pre-selects accept-all and hides optional spying consent among required agreements2026-09-12
- Had to manually hunt through menus to turn off data collection2026-09-10
- TV slowed down with each update and took 5+ seconds to turn on2026-09-09
- Turning the TV off is harder than turning it on2026-09-09
- Bixby mutes shows to listen and re-enables itself after updates2026-09-08
- Setup forces an account and app sign-up, with the skip option hidden or missing2026-09-08
- Forced app download and account signup before the TV works at all2026-09-08
- Each update makes the TV progressively worse to use, forcing the owner to disconnect it from the internet2026-09-07
- Switching HDMI inputs takes many steps through a laggy UI2026-09-07
- Nagging prompts use dark patterns to push users into accepting voice data sharing2026-09-04
- TV's built-in OS is slow, rarely updated, and blocks installing apps2026-08-29
- Monitor interrupts the user at random times to run its cycle instead of waiting until it is off2026-08-24
- TV software is sluggish, needing to load its menu from the internet every startup2026-08-24
- Juggling many accounts, inputs, subscriptions and plans to find and watch content2026-08-01
- Full-screen prompt to connect to internet interrupts viewing and must be dismissed with an unused remote2026-07-23
- Takes several seconds to show the picture after pressing power, about three times slower than monitors2026-07-23
- Nags user every time TV turns on until Alexa is enabled2026-07-23
- Laggy remote caused accidental update with no cancel option, then forced EULA acceptance2026-07-22
- Simple UI widgets take multiple seconds to load2026-07-22
- Connecting Bluetooth headphones requires a chain of phone apps and Wi-Fi syncing2026-07-22
- Smart TV software became nearly unusable as it degraded and went unmaintained2026-07-22
- Setting wrong country first locks user out of LG account; fix is convoluted2026-07-22
- Forced EULA and online update prompts block simply displaying an external HDMI input2026-06-27
- Switching inputs on the TV is unreasonably slow2026-06-15
- Smart TV menus and ads are hard to avoid; the manufacturer makes it miserable or impossible2026-06-15
- Streaming apps and menus on smart TVs are painfully sluggish to use2026-06-15
- Interface is slow and glitchy, sometimes crashes2026-06-15