According to tipster Ice Universe, Samsung has disabled Odin, a proprietary firmware flashing tool typically used to install stock firmware, install custom ROMs, and restore devices. It also appears that Samsung has removed “Download Mode,” which acts as a gateway for Odin. This change appears to have been made in the latest One UI 8.5 firmware and currently affects the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and recently launched Galaxy S26 series.
I wish you could just buy a fucking tv. I don’t want your shitty-ass proprietary version of YouTube or Netflix. I don’t even want WiFi or an Ethernet port. I’ll buy a fucking Roku or Apple TV or whatever. Or just watch Blu-rays.
I tried blocking so off those ports from one of my Samsungs. Eventually YouTube couldn’t work. You’d have to jump through massive hoops including unblocking their servers and hard power cycle — I can’t even remember. I thought they legit bricked it because I didn’t want any updates or spying or ads forced on me.
TVs are just awful. Monitors are way better, but I have yet to find 85" monitors.
I have two functioning 50 inch Scepter TVs reality will pry from my cold dead hands because they are the last dumb TV. I’d like an 80 inch but am not interested in any smart bs, wish I could store 10 different Scepters for future use.
You can. Look for commerical displays. They typically have no smart shit and are designed to have a display box plugged in via HDMI or be served static images and nothing else. You won’t get the best tech though as they dont make commercial displays in OLED or anything.
Case and point: https://www.samsung.com/us/business/displays/commercial-tvs/
Been rocking one since I bought it new off of eBay a few months ago, and it just works. Bought the latest Samsung soundbar system to pair with it and it also just works.