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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?

#301
post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You planning to run off a HD antenna? That’s the only reason for a TV tuner.

I do OTA for local news to supplement other over-the-top services.

I don't have cable, so I do OTA for anything I want to watch that's on network TV, especially football during the NFL season.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#302
post #205

You want to buy a “monitor”, not a TV. For instance there is this from LG [0] or this from Dell [1]. Just do a search for “large 4K monitor” and you’ll find more. [0] - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-43-ultrafine-4k-uhd-monitor-... [1] - https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-55-4k-conference-r...

Also make sure that you don't install Microsoft, Apple or Google software on the computer that will control it...

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I have to narrow down a specific definition of "smart feature" I would say voice input of any sort. So my take on OP's question is: can I buy a TV that has no built in microphones? Maybe OP meant something different but that is what I would want. Simplest though is to just not have a TV at all. If there is something important, it will be online.

I ended up buying a cheap TCL brand TV a while ago. It still had all the smart features (which I didnt want) but at least it did have a physical switch to disable the microphone.

If the TV has no Internet connection, the mic is useless. I use an Amazon Firestick in developer mode connected to a network that uses a P-hole and other mitigation efforts to keep all the nasty tracking, beacons, etc. minimized. Nothing is 100%, but we can come close. What I'd like to see is a browser that doesn't allow scanning of fonts, etc. There has to be a way to perhaps fake what they can see and poison their data collection.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#304
post #4

I’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)

> (I recommend LG over Samsung - Samsung TV has native undismissable ads from 2019 still) Wow you get ads even when you never connected it to the internet? That's really user hostile design. If I get a tv it'll be LG anyway because they do real OLED, not that Qled stuff that Samsung does.

https://smarthomestarter.com/can-you-block-youtube-ads-on-a-...

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#305
post #205

You want to buy a “monitor”, not a TV. For instance there is this from LG [0] or this from Dell [1]. Just do a search for “large 4K monitor” and you’ll find more. [0] - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-43-ultrafine-4k-uhd-monitor-... [1] - https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-55-4k-conference-r...

Is there a proper term or category for a monitor meant for high end installations that has no branding on it (e.g., as one would put into a display at a museum)? I refuse to buy something with a logo on the front of it.

commercial display? I'd imagine they being expansive and maybe the DPI isn't fit for home usage

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a proper term or category for a monitor meant for high end installations that has no branding on it (e.g., as one would put into a display at a museum)? I refuse to buy something with a logo on the front of it.

Thin bevel TVs don't have space for the logo. For example https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-oled65c1pub-oled-4k-tv

That model has a logo on the stand. It's pretty small, but logos are generally fairly small on almost any current TV (since thin bezels are in style, which doesn't leave much room for a logo).

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#307
post #205

You want to buy a “monitor”, not a TV. For instance there is this from LG [0] or this from Dell [1]. Just do a search for “large 4K monitor” and you’ll find more. [0] - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-43-ultrafine-4k-uhd-monitor-... [1] - https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-55-4k-conference-r...

Also make sure that you don't install Microsoft, Apple or Google software on the computer that will control it...

True, but that's the easy part, there are plenty of distros one download click away. Dumb TVs or large monitors, on the other hand, are not easy to come by and/or very expensive.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#308
If your budget permits, I recommend getting an LG OLED in your desired size and a good AV receiver. Connect your preferred streaming box (we like the AppleTV) to the receiver and use the streaming box remote to control everything.

We have this setup and the LG has never been connected to the internet and its remote went back in the box after initial calibration and setup.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also make sure that you don't install Microsoft, Apple or Google software on the computer that will control it...

True, but that's the easy part, there are plenty of distros one download click away. Dumb TVs or large monitors, on the other hand, are not easy to come by and/or very expensive.

TVs all have a dedicated board for WiFi... not sure what happens if you just unplug it?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a TV on the market without “Smart TV” features?

#310

Just don't ever give it the wifi password. Drive the TV from a PS4/PS4, xbox series X or home theatre PC. Use the youtube/netflix/amazon video/whatever client software on those platforms. I have a thousand times more confidence that microsoft or sony will keep their operating system patched and free from zero days than some random OS on a TV. And at least they're big enough that their telemetry and data collection pr…

> Just don't ever give it the wifi password This works for now but Amazon is already working on a way to share messages from devices through echo dots etc in the area. Even your neighbors'. It's intended precisely for this purpose :( To capture days from those trying to stay under the radar. It's called sidewalk.

If it ever connects, then return it. It stopped working.
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