Or is there at least one where Smart mode can be turned off verifiably AND it doesn’t keep enticing you to turn it on by withholding ease of use or some convenience feature until you just give up?
Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
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Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#2This has been brought up several times on here. Maybe you can use the search to find those similar questions.
One of the suggestions I remember seeing is to buy a large display/monitor instead of a TV. I don't remember the specifics.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#3Rtings maintains a list of ad-free TVs. This isn't the same as smart-free, but maybe that's what some people want:
https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/ads-in-smart-tv (The ones with a "10" in the ad-free column.)
The often-given advice of "just don't connect it to the internet" is viable only sometimes. My TV shipped with some missing features that were enabled after a software update.
Perhaps plug it in, update the software, and then unplug it again.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#4I’ve kept my Samsung offline since I purchased it in 2019. I’ve kept my LG offline since I purchased it in 2016. As long as you have an AppleTV or similar connected to service your need for “smarts” it won’t be hard to leave the TV offline.
(I recommend LG over Samsung - Samsung TV has native undismissable ads from 2019 still)
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#5I’ve kept my Samsung offline since I purchased it in 2019. I’ve kept my LG offline since I purchased it in 2016. As long as you have an AppleTV or similar connected to service your need for “smarts” it won’t be hard to leave the TV offline. (I recommend LG over Samsung - Samsung TV has native undismissable ads from 2019 still)
> As long as you have an AppleTV or similar connected to service your need for “smarts” it won’t be hard to leave the TV offline.
Do these TVs start up and boot directly into the selected input for something like an Apple TV, or do you have to go to extra hoops when it starts up to switch to your desired input? I'd actually be perfectly happy with a smart TV that's disconnected if it never throws its UI in my face when I'm trying to just use an input for something.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#6Jeff Geerling just did a video on a commercial tv that even has a pi in it. Maybe look into digital signage stuff or even a large computer monitor or projector.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#7Sceptre sells dumb TVs. Often these are available for order through Wal-Mart's web site.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#8I’ve kept my Samsung offline since I purchased it in 2019. I’ve kept my LG offline since I purchased it in 2016. As long as you have an AppleTV or similar connected to service your need for “smarts” it won’t be hard to leave the TV offline. (I recommend LG over Samsung - Samsung TV has native undismissable ads from 2019 still)
> As long as you have an AppleTV or similar connected to service your need for “smarts” it won’t be hard to leave the TV offline. Do these TVs start up and boot directly into the selected input for something like an Apple TV, or do you have to go to extra hoops when it starts up to switch to your desired input? I'd actually be perfectly happy with a smart TV that's disconnected if it never throws its UI in my face wh…
My "smart" Vizio TV and LG projectors just go directly to the last active input (in my case a Google TV). I never even remember they have their own built-in smart OSes because I never see them.
However, these days, most of the streaming sticks have their own shitty recommendations and ads anyway, so unless you're doing a self-hosted Plex box or something, expect ads. And then of course there are the actual streaming service ads.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#9I’ve kept my Samsung offline since I purchased it in 2019. I’ve kept my LG offline since I purchased it in 2016. As long as you have an AppleTV or similar connected to service your need for “smarts” it won’t be hard to leave the TV offline. (I recommend LG over Samsung - Samsung TV has native undismissable ads from 2019 still)
Same setup here. Sony TV that’s never been connected plus an Apple TV.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?
#10This has been brought up several times on here. Maybe you can use the search to find those similar questions. One of the suggestions I remember seeing is to buy a large display/monitor instead of a TV. I don't remember the specifics.
Here's one from this week, but I don't think this is the most price sensitive option - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31674957