I have been rather unhappy with my smart TV’s functionality as I feel it isn’t smart for me but smart for the manufacturers. I just can’t use it how I want to. I would love to overwrite the existing OS from Android to Linux. I’ve recently converted from Windows and loving Mint.

I haven’t read too much regarding Linux smart tvs as my searches mostly come up with raspberry Pi and overwriting an Android box. I don’t want to connect anything and just want my tv to boot up in Linux when it’s turned on, and get some of my apps going. Is there a way to do this?

For reference I have a Sony Bravia with Android installed on it.

  • kittenzrulz123@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    212·
    1 day ago

    I’ll answer your question right now without beating around this bush, what you are asking is simply impossible. In fact I will take it one step further, not only is your request not possible using your preexisting TV there is no such consumer TV that you can purchase as of now that will just run Linux. Furthermore there is not a single Linux distro as of now designed to run internally inside of TVs (there are distros for set top boxes, not TVs).

    Is it possible in theory?

    Possibly but until a single confirmed case of a successful Linux installation on a TV is found I will consider this impossible (furthermore the chances that the successful Linux installation occurs on your specific model of TV is slim).

    • colournoun@beehaw.org
      7·
      1 day ago

      Agreed. Theoretically possible, but practically not possible unless you are an embedded hardware engineer with access to Sony’s datasheets and potentially crypto keys. Some sort of external box is much more practical.

      • kittenzrulz123@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        9·
        1 day ago

        The requirements to make replacement Linux firmware for a TV would be

        1. A degree in CompSci
        2. Experience in hardware engineering
        3. Extensive knowledge of the TV circuitry
        4. All low level schematics of the TV
        5. Extensive knowledge of the processor used
        6. Extensive knowlage of the original firmware and boot process
        7. Extensive knowledge of embedded Linux systems (most likley Alpine)
        8. Kernel sources for the TV OS as well as somehow gaining acess to all firmware files
        9. Extensive knowledge on low level internal TV communication protocols

        At that point just make your own smart TV using a commercial display

        • frongt@lemmy.zip
          3·
          1 day ago

          You won’t need EE knowledge, that’s all abstracted away in silicon. You just need to know how to drive the chips, and they’ll manage the inputs and outputs.

          I doubt the TV OS is any kind of Linux. Usually embedded systems run something like vxworks. Sometimes Minix. Real fancy ones run Android (which is derived from Linux, yes).