Smart TV and Skype

**crabber** · 29-11-2016, 01:16 PM

It is about six months or so since micro shaft announced they were stopping support for Skype on smart TVs. I have an LG for which I had to buy an LG webcam as PC ones do not work.
I was incensed to read a notice on this TV saying that "from December the Skype app would be removed" I have written to them asking how dare they remove software from my TV without my permission and not surprisingly I am still waiting for a response.
In the meantime does anyone know how to block updates to an LG smart TV, or how I would find the IP address they use so that I could block it?
I think Samsung are doing the same but I have read that someone has released a h a c k that can reinstall either Skype and/or older firmware. No such luck with LG as far as I can find.

**Dark Cloud** · 29-11-2016, 04:53 PM

Samsung dropped it too last June,.....................it was great, so much better than PC/Laptop/Tablet/Phone.

**geoffh** · 29-11-2016, 11:49 PM

I have a Samsung smart tv this really ****ed me off when I lost skype has made family chats to my daughter in Singapore very difficult all crowded round a laptop

**Dreamcatcher** · 30-11-2016, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by geoffh

I have a Samsung smart tv this really ****ed me off when I lost skype has made family chats to my daughter in Singapore very difficult all crowded round a laptop

Could you plug the laptop into your TV via HDMI and access Skype on the laptop and use the TV as a monitor?

**crabber** · 30-11-2016, 03:17 AM

It still works fine on my LG TV so I guess that if I can prevent the skype app being removed then it will continue working until micro shaft change skype so that it wont. They do frequent updates to skype which I know that some on here have stopped getting to their PCs because they hate the advertising etc. As far as I know the older versions still work, someone may post to let us know. (hint ian lol)

As for using a laptop with TV as a monitor then yes of course that would work although the one that I am writing this on has no HDMI socket, a low resolution video card and the camera is pants compared with the LG one which can zoom.
My family back in the UK use an xbox (I think as I know nothing about them) the camera on this follows sound around the room and is really excellent for seeing the grandchildren.
Perhaps I am just too grumpy but I find it infuriating that M$ decide to "remove support" then the TV manufacturers just go along with it and remove the app from the TV. It wouldn't be too hard for them to release drivers for their cameras to work on a PC, hence them not being rendered completely useless as they are now.

**crabber** · 30-11-2016, 07:06 AM

update: Received a reply from LG:
Thank you for contacting LG Customer Support. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience, Skype is a third party application, we dont have control from them if they want to discontinued there service with LG. As I have checked on my resources Skype will be removed by December 2016. This disclaimer can be change anytime.

My grammar and spelling leave a lot to be desired but this "professional" reply makes me wonder if the author's first language is English.

This is my reply to them:

Thank you for your response to my last message. Unfortunately you have not answered my questions so I will ask you again:
Will you remove software from the TV that I purchased from you without my permission?
Why are you removing the Skype app from LG smart TVs just because Microsoft have stopped support as the app still works and most likely will keep working?
Will you compensate customers like me who were forced to buy an LG webcam as you deliberately prevent PC webcams from working on your TV's?
Will you release drivers to allow your otherwise useless webcams to run on Linux and/or Windows?

**vamas** · 30-11-2016, 07:40 AM

I have never used any app from the tv. I am using all via the android tv box connected to the tv along with a cheap Logitech cam and all works wonderful. Tv boxes are so cheap now and better then the expensive cams provided by the tv producers.

**crabber** · 30-11-2016, 10:21 AM

Yes I fear smart TVs are not smart at all in fact most of the software is crap.
I have had another reply from them, exactly the same as the first. You would think if this is their standard response which they paste into an email, they would at least take the time to check the spelling.

**geoffh** · 30-11-2016, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by crabber

Yes I fear smart TVs are not smart at all in fact most of the software is crap.
I have had another reply from them, exactly the same as the first. You would think if this is their standard response which they paste into an email, they would at least take the time to check the spelling.

Perhaps you were not talking to a real person?

**andy gg** · 30-11-2016, 02:12 PM

I bought a Samsung Smart TV also bought a Skype Camera for it at a cost of £85+postage.
The camera does not work on any other device.
The camera was bought for the Samsung TV so I can talk over a large TV screen instead of a small PC.
I wonder if there is a way to get a refund from MSN,Skype or Samsung.