I want my smart Android TV to be dumb again

No I specifically bought a Sony for my parents for ease of use and it is one of the worst purchases I have ever made.

I picked this specific model after looking for 3 months.

No where in any of the documentation or reviews did it say by plugging in a HDD I can only record a channel if I'm watching it and not record one channel while watching another which is a total deal breaker.

Also it has developed a fault where it basically shits its self every couple of weeks and the picture pixelates. It needs to be unplugged for a week and plugged back in. I've tried a new power pack but it doesn't really help. The only other thing I could do is get a new main board but can't source one with 6 months of searching eBay.

Do yourself a favour and buy a cheap LG panel and stick a streaming stick in it and never connect it to the internet.

I do appreciat the fact that sony TVs have native android, the TV menues are also more intuative IMO

Though regardless of the TVs OS, its best to not plug a TV directly into the internet. If you can afford it, get a dedicated android box, fire stick, or any other smart dongle you can afford.

TVs, your kitchen fridge, or even cars now seem to be a privacy nightmare. Updates also dont happen often enough or the manufacture chooses to drop support leaving consumers home networks at risk.