Hisense TVs Cause Mysterious Computer Problems for Windows Users
A TV’s Surprising Impact on a Windows PC Revealed
The rise of “smart” TVs has introduced new challenges and risks to users. While these TVs offer convenience and streaming services, they also come with privacy concerns, advertisements, and potential vulnerabilities for cyberattacks. However, recently reported cases have unveiled a surprising twist: a modern TV causing disruptions to a Windows computer.
One baffling incident involves a Hisense TV and the Windows PC of Priscilla Snow, a talented musician and audio designer from Montréal, Quebec. Snow’s detailed account of her experience with her Hisense TV is reminiscent of a thrilling mystery, reminiscent of a Columbo episode. In a twist of events, the culprit turns out to be the TV, impacting Snow’s PC in unexpected and perplexing ways.
Strange Malfunctions Plague Windows PC
According to Snow’s account from April 19, her Windows PC had been experiencing numerous issues over the past couple of years. Initially, Snow had trouble accessing display settings and encountered problems with a MIDI keyboard interface, task manager hang-ups, and video capture card failures. These issues may have been shrugged off by someone familiar with Windows and its occasional glitches.
A pivotal moment occurred when Snow attempted to troubleshoot a remote desktop session and her taskbars vanished. Additionally, the PC no longer allowed for the launch of any settings panels. While Snow tirelessly searched for solutions, she stumbled upon a Reddit thread discussing a Microsoft support question that mirrored her computer’s peculiar issues, with no apparent cause.
The Striking Connection between Hisense and Windows PC
A user named Narayan B shed light on the matter in Microsoft’s forum, suggesting the Hisense TV was generating random UUIDs for UPNP network discovery at frequent intervals. Windows, perplexed by this unusual behavior, mistakenly recognized these alternate Hisense devices within its Device Association Framework (DAF). This overload of attention-grabbing devices within DAF became the root of Snow’s problems, causing notable disruptions to Task Manager, Bluetooth, Settings apps, and even File Explorer.
Resolving the Enigma
The solution to Snow’s woes was found in an unexpected place: the Windows registry. Correcting the issue involved the meticulous deletion of hundreds of registry keys associated with the Hisense TV. Similarly, Snow disabled the “Set up network connected devices automatically” feature in the “Private networks” settings within Windows. Following these actions, Snow was thrilled to witness the restoration of Task Manager, MIDI keyboard, remote desktop functionality, and even a CRT monitor she previously believed was broken.
Avoiding the Hisense TV Puzzle
While the mystery surrounding the unexpected Hisense TV and Windows PC interactions has been solved, the identity of the culprits at large remains unknown. Snow advises Windows users to exercise caution when dealing with this Hisense TV model, and to refrain from connecting it to the same network. Additionally, she cautions against a potential reoccurrence of similar issues by disabling the “Set up network connected devices automatically” feature.
Ars attempted to contact Hisense for comment on this matter, and the article will be updated accordingly if a response is received.
