What is least terrible SmartTV OS for privacy?
What is least terrible SmartTV OS for privacy?
My parents are getting a new tv, and are asking for recommendation. I think all I can influence is the brand/model (not realistic to propose rpi and more complex systems). I instinctively avoid google/android and lean towards anything else open source, so probably LG WebOS.. But I had bad luck searching for more detailed comparisons. Maybe you have experience or opinions?
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Just don’t connect it to the internet.
This is the way. I have an LG and bought one for my parents. Do the initial sign up/registration, then turn off Internet access. I actually thought mine was broken when I got it, but it was just my pihole blocking it. Temporary whitelist for setup, smooth sailing since.
That's generous of you. If I'd mistakenly bought one that wouldn't work without ever having a network connection, I'd be returning it and demanding my money back. Hasn't happened yet, though.
Won't work without setup?
It was required for setup, and the latest update shoves ads at you.
I used to be a fan of LG TVs (we have 3 of them, last model is a 2021 Nanocell). Because of this alone LG will never see my money again. Thanks for the warning.
I have recent LG TVs. They did start showing ads, but if you dig around in the menus you can disable them.
To each his/her own. It's not easy in some places to find TVs that aren't smart, and in all honesty, I think LG has no competition when it comes to the panels. But out principle, I'm not giving money to companies like that. Why isn't it opr-in instead of opt-out and on top of that you have to dig deep to opt-out?
I do understand your position, and respect it. I'm just not willing to be part of their revenue.
Didn’t really state a position other than ownership, which does have some implications. I am fine with smart TVs but not ok with data collection and ads.
Either would only be ok if I had opted in, especially be paying a lower price with that tradeoff, but I and everyone else are paying full price, so I am adamantly opposed to it.
You took it a step further than me, and I applaud your efforts. I hope they are noted by the manufacturers.
This is why I buy my TVs from Costco. If it needs internet at any point, return. It's a TV, it shouldn't need internet at any point.
But you can just block all the ads on the home screen with pihole. Then you can still use the native TV apps. It's a win-win.
If you turn off Internet access then your parents can't stream.
So, stupid question, all I have is internet TV, no cable carriers, how do I pull that off with no internet access to the TV? It's late and I'm tired, I could be really dumb right now.
My TCL Roku TV kept flashing its indicator light in a very annoying fashion after disconnecting it from my network. Guess which TV does not have an indicator light anymore…
Yeah, but is that an option realistically, if the parents want Netflix and Iplayer or whatever?
I think just with electric cars all the options are a complete privacy nightmare ...
*all new cars
Ya, because it’s a TV. You connect those things to the inputs and drive the content from other things (game console, firetv, htpc, etc.
I’m baffled by people negatively reacting to my post. It’s how tvs have worked for 50+ years. Just because they recently got the ability to execute programs, doesn’t mean you have to use it. Just air gap it and the issue is 100% solved as far as the tv is concerned.
how do you remote control HTPC?
wireless keyboard and mouse is not a real solution. all other such devices that you mentioned used a handheld remote controller
There are a ton of remote controls with USB out there. Including ones that are remote control sized with a mini keyboard, presenter style air mouse built in, or even using remote controls on your phone (KDE connect is awesome for this).
I do use a wireless keyboard/mouse combo. A very very small one. But I very rarely use that. I push all content through plex which can be driven easily with devices like firetv and have remotes. The htpc does the real work, but I don’t interface with it directly (generally speaking).
Sure is. Block the tv from the internet. Get a Chromecast, use that instead
Bad advice.
Why? That’s exactly what I did with my tv. It never saw the internet and works just fine. I literally don’t care what Samsung does or pushes out for updates because it doesn’t matter.
I can still do everything I want from Netflix to streaming from my NAS etc.
/shrug
Because some TVs will scan and connect to an access point, such as one your neighbor temporary enables. Then it uploads years of data that it collected on you in less than a minute.
How can it connect to access points without a password? Every wifi/hotspot has passwords on by default.
That's not a factual statement.
damn, your neighbor must have stupidly fast wifi if it's uploading that much so fast