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Alp
19-12-2018, 19:07
I have had a Samsung Smart TV a couple of years ago and have been pleased with it until recently when the default source has become Rakuten TV running ads for films it offers. I tried moving it on the source bar at the bottom but still it was the default. I tired deleting from the source bar and the menus (you can't) but after an internet search (https://www.cb-net.co.uk/general-tech/removing-rakuten-tv-syncplus-channels-from-2017-2018-samsung-smart-tvs/) I found that deleting channels 4000, 4001, 4002 etc. removes it, which I did :). But I was far too pleased with myself too early. A few days later it appeared again.:scratch: but is no longer in the channel lists so cannot be deleted.

Does anyone else get this annoying piece of *&^% and has found away to successfully remove it permanently?

mikmas
19-12-2018, 20:22
Does anyone else get this annoying piece of *&^% and has found away to successfully remove it permanently?

We have had a Samsung about the same time as you and yes, Rakuten was always the default source when we switched on. A bit annoying but I simply clicked through to the source we wanted to use and ignored it.

Have never really tried to get rid of it but I did recently install Freeview (simply plugged in an aerial and did a 'broadcast' scan)
After that Rakuten becomes the first channel on the list but once you have selected a different channel the tuner stays on that when you switch off. When you switch back on the 'Live TV' is still the default source but now displays the last channel you were watching so effectively you need never see Rakuten again ;)

The Black Adder
19-12-2018, 20:51
That sounds really annoying... That would really put me off. Do all Samsung TV's do this? Also, do any other TV's do similar?

mikmas
19-12-2018, 23:34
That sounds really annoying... That would really put me off. Do all Samsung TV's do this? Also, do any other TV's do similar?

In my experience with the Samsung TV the Rakuten thing is a complete non-issue, it's simply the default 'Live TV' setting Samsung provide from the factory (they have a partnership deal with Rakuten) if you switch on the TV on its own.

But in the 'Settings' menu you can also choose which HDMI input to use as default and this is what the TV will default to when you switch it on - if I want I can have my PS3 or Apple TV as a default but I prefer the 'Live TV' setting because that's what we use mostly. When we had a Virgin box it would open with the Virgin box, now we have Freeview it connects with that as the 'Live TV' source.

Simples :)

(Edited to note that my previous post might have confused the issue a bit)

Alp
20-12-2018, 19:18
Thanks for the suggestion, Mike. I have tried that and will see how it goes. However, I would not say its a "non-issue" and is very annoying and only happened in the last few weeks. I had never seen (or used) the Rakuten App and suddenly it was the first on the list and cannot be deleted (hence my attempt to move it, delete the channels etc.). Whether it applies to all Samsung TVs or newer ones I cannot say.

paulf-2007
20-12-2018, 19:33
I've never heard of that but then I use av from sky box scart out. None of this hdmi here.

mikmas
21-12-2018, 17:53
Thanks for the suggestion, Mike. I have tried that and will see how it goes. However, I would not say its a "non-issue" and is very annoying and only happened in the last few weeks.

Sorry Alastair - didn't mean to downplay your problems, was only referring to my own experience which is clearly very different.

Have also been reading up on the problem on the Samsung forum where it seems quite a few are having the same problems as you (and worse...) and it is clear that not all models have responded the same way to firmware updates.
https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/TV-Audio-Video/TV-Plus/td-p/247863

Quite a few solutions suggested on the (very long) thread .. in some cases switching off Anynet+ in the settings menu helped ... this video also showed a method of dealing with it involving locking TV+ after deleting all the relevant channels (sound is a bit crap):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaWnm3Ji34Q

Obviously it would help immensely if Samsung addressed the problems in a much more robust way (or simply stopped plugging all the crap) but based on my experiences with Apple 'smart' products, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Alp
03-01-2019, 12:05
Hi MIke, no worries and thank you for the link. I will give it a try. Recently, I had the pleasure of being woken-up in the middle if the night with the TV coming on on its own, playing, surprise, surprise, Rakuten TV. I had been watching a DVD with the family earlier (I rarely watch DVDs these days) and had shut down as normal. The only solution is to power off at the wall.