On today’s episode of You Asked: We explore why smart TVs don’t include faster Ethernet connections, how much of all the gear I get to see I actually still use, and do you even need to plug anything else into your TV in 2024?
Why don’t top-tier TVs have faster Ethernet ports?
Dave writes: With the internet service providers now providing superfast 1-2 Gbps modem/gateways, I’m somewhat disappointed that the TV manufacturers only incorporate the ancient 10/100 Ethernet adapters in their new sets. I get that a consistent 50 Mbps connection should be sufficient for watching streamed 4K programming. But do you feel that the manufacturers are too cost-conscious to opt for a gigabit Ethernet adapter on their top tiers of sets?
I get this question a lot. Why don’t TV brands get with the times and have higher-bandwidth Ethernet ports? First, most brands don’t make the board that has the inputs and outputs — including HDMI ports and Ethernet port — as well the system-on-a-chip (SoC) that runs the processing. Perhaps the most popular maker of that component is MediaTek. And that’s why when the MediaTek Pentonic SoCs came out, many of us were hopeful they would have four HDMI 2.1 inputs, because we knew that would mean TVs from brands like Sony and others would therefore have four HDMI 2.1 inputs.
The need for a gigabit Ethernet jack on a TV is pretty low. I mean, the folks most likely to take advantage of such a thing are trying to stream 4K Blu-ray rips from their media server straight to their TV. Way to be awesome, but there just ain’t that many of ya out there.
LG and Samsung could do gigabit Ethernet if they wanted to shift their manufacturing in that direction — they make their own chipsets. But I suspect they aren’t doing it for the same reasons MediaTek and others aren’t doing it. There just aren’t many use cases that could take advantage of it. And I imagine there are ramifications that go beyond just slapping a new wireless adapter in the mix.
While it’s convenient not to have to add a box, you can always add an external streaming device that can handle higher bandwidth and deliver the video signal via HDMI. It’s not like you’re totally out of luck if the TV doesn’t have that port on it. But, yeah, I get it. It sure would be nice, huh?
What do you do with your vintage A/V gear?
Robert writes: Loved your video on the GoldenEar T66, and the way it got into the emotional places audio equipment can take you. It was excellent and really resonant. It also led me to a related topic: Inevitably, you end up with equipment that you love that nevertheless loses its “daily driver” status. Great speakers, amps, headphones — quality stuff that you have a history with, but isn’t quite what you need for your current media and listening habits. Do you keep any of it for down the road when you may want to hear a particular sound again, or might have a space to put it to use? If you do, what are the things that distinguish a keepsake from old hardware? If you do hang on to old gear, do you ever actually bring it back out to give it a spin, or does it end up gathering dust?
So, first off, to Robert and everyone else who left such kind, thoughtful comments on the GoldenEar T66 review — thank you! It means the world to me. That review was tough, but cathartic and special, and it was hard to put out there.
I am someone who would like to collect more gear than I can afford to keep around. I used to have a great Harman Kardon twin power receiver that I loved, but I ended up giving that to a friend who I wanted to have an awesome retro system, and I knew they would really enjoy it for what it was. Same story with some speakers I’ve owned over the years. They meant a lot to me, but ultimately I wanted for them to be enjoyed rather than just gather dust. So, I put my efforts into finding someone who would value them as much as I did. That was rewarding in its own way.
There have only been a couple of times I got rid of gear that I wish I hadn’t. Once was when I was really struggling financially and I sold my Dynaco ST-70 tube amp. But, well, I reacquired one of those. Paid through the nose for it, but I got one back in the collection.
I also have some other Dynaco gear that I will never let go of. It makes for great set pieces, but I am crazy in that I actually run a rotation of gear here. I get new stuff for review and that stuff usually goes back to the brand that sent it. But I keep my personal stuff around because I like to use it from time to time. Change it up. Not everyone can do that — it just so happens that my job is awesome and circles around this stuff.
I do have my eye on a couple of other vintage pieces I want to buy. I dream of having some Klipsch Cornwalls or La Salas just because they are monumental and nothing quite sounds like them. But those are going to have to go into a dedicated listening den or something. I am also lusting after a couple of vintage Mrantz, Sansui, and Pioneer pieces from the late 1960s and ’70s. And one of these days, Metzger Vintage Audio is going to get some more of my money. He’s always got just the best stuff.
But I must confess that I think storage units are the biggest waste of money on the planet, and I think that way too much real estate is going into storage units. So I’m not into storing things that gather dust, unless they are heirlooms that I will never let go of. Otherwise, I want others to enjoy what I got to enjoy. And maybe those pieces will bring a special meaning to them before they hand them off to the next person — and may the cycle continue.
Thoughts on a new Android TV box?
Jayesh writes: How useful do you think an Android TV device is in 2024? With the rumor of Sonos potentially releasing a box, what features would you like to see in a high-end Android box? I personally would like to have a competitor to the Nvidia Shield Pro, which is a fan favorite among enthusiasts. I would like something that supports more modern codecs like AV1 and YouTube HDR, as well as something that runs a bit more smoothly. The amount of video and audio support the Shield TV Pro has (such as supporting playback of a wide range of Dolby Vision profiles) is why enthusiasts still tend to favor it five years on.
The idea of a rumor around a Sonos Android TV set-top box is so laughable right now — it’s already announced that two new products have been delayed. Sonos has plenty to deal with just to get its core business back together after the failed Sonos platform update in May. Also, I don’t see any reason why Sonos would want to get into that kind of hardware. It just seems to go against everything Sonos has always been about. Less hardware, more app.
But, I will say that so long as there are enthusiasts out there with hyper-specific needs for certain codec support, then there’s enough need for someone to make that box or dongle. I don’t think it’s going to be big business — but it’s a business.
I think Nvidia is in the best position to make a new box folks want to buy. I think Apple could do it, too. But what we know about Apple’s support for high-res lossless audio and video is that it invests just where it serves its interests at a large scale.
I think Nvidia is so powerful and so rich, it probably wouldn’t care if it lost a little money on a niche hobbyist box. And I hope it makes an awesome update to the Shield Pro. I wish you would Nvidia — you hear me?
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