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Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

nytimes.com

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Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#61

Post by nickthegreek »

femiagbabiaka wrote: post #10
slackfan wrote: post #6

Article does not give a single not-smart-tv option. The journalism quality is outstanding .

Because they claim the not-smart versions aren't worth it. They suggest alternative solutions, some of which commenters here have already echoed. Why the cynicism?

Then provide the reader with the name of the very best crappy one and what features it lacks. That at very least answer's the question that was posed. The writer mention bluetooth connectivity as something they want tv's to have. I consider that feature stupid and wouldnt consider that a negative.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#62

Post by jjoonathan »

ed25519FUUU wrote: post #2

The approach I’ve taken is to just keep my TV off the internet (never join a WiFi network) and make it smart via an Apple TV, which I personally believe to have the strongest privacy protection of any smart TV device. Another bonus is my TV UI hasn’t changed despite changing and upgrading TV brands.

My TCL TV bootloops if it goes more than 3 months without downloading fresh ads. If you contact support, they walk you through connecting to the network.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#63

Post by humps »

A4ET8a8uTh0 wrote: post #45
humps wrote: post #21

All smart TVs are dumb if you perform one simple action. When the terms and conditions screen pops up during the TV setup process simply select "No." Congratulations, you have a dumb TV. This is what I do and so far it has worked.

You are assuming that: 1. It will be honored 2. It will not be changed to default during update

you can easily tell if anything has changed every time you turn the TV on, plus, I haven't hooked them up to the internet

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#64

Post by beefee »

endisneigh wrote: post #15

idk why people are against Smart TVs. It's not like the vendors put a 5G modem on it and pay for the ads to be served to you themselves with their own internet. buy your tv, don't connect to wifi. connect to your device of choice, done. trying to avoid smart tvs is so silly, as you basically exclude nearly all of the good ones.

Here are some reasons.

1. Cost. I'd rather not pay for hardware and software I won't use.

2. Environmental impact. Unused and unwanted hardware is waste.

3. Unauthorized users connecting to WiFi. TVs are often in common areas. The settings menus have no authentication. So an unauthorized user might connect the TV to a WiFi network.

4. Automatic WiFi connections. TVs might connect to open or partnered WiFi networks without telling the user. Hard to know without an audit.

5. Accidental WiFi connections. Settings menus might be unintuitive (or deceptive) enough to trick users into joining WiFi networks accidentally.

6. Future data leaks. TVs might be recording data and saving it to internal storage. The next owner of the TV could connect it to a network, and years of stored data would be leaked. Again, hard to know without an audit.

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#65

Post by karaterobot »

micromacrofoot wrote: post #16
slackfan wrote: post #6

Article does not give a single not-smart-tv option. The journalism quality is outstanding .

The point is that you can't buy a decent quality TV that doesn't come with smart features, all you can do is keep it disconnected from the internet.

You absolutely can, as noted elsewhere in this (and about 25 other HN threads).

In any case, if the question is "recommend a dumb TV to me" the answer should include at least one dumb TV, even if the editor wants to note that they aren't as good as his favorite TV.

This article is like if someone asked for a recommendation on a new bike, and the answer was "cars are faster, buy a car and pretend it's a bike"

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#66

Post by ajmurmann »

lbotos wrote: post #31

Search: digital information display Samsung 4k https://www.samsung.com/us/business/displays/4k-uhd/qb-serie... It's more expensive then the subsidized ones, but right in the description: QB65B--N * Direct-Lit 4K Crystal UHD LED Display for Business Without Embedded Wi-Fi or Bluetooth As others have suggested as well, possibly a monitor, but I'm not aware of many 65" 4k monitors (But they may exist)

This seems to be a great option. It seems much harder to get reviews and even buying options. Looking for an LG OLED, there seem to be some really cool things from regular screens, to flexible and transparent ones, but I need to "inquire for purchase options" and the regular screen only comes in 65". That's a good size, but more options would be great. It's sad how harder it is to buy something that doesn't spy on you...

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#68

Post by 2OEH8eoCRo0 »

ed25519FUUU wrote: post #2

The approach I’ve taken is to just keep my TV off the internet (never join a WiFi network) and make it smart via an Apple TV, which I personally believe to have the strongest privacy protection of any smart TV device. Another bonus is my TV UI hasn’t changed despite changing and upgrading TV brands.

Ethernet was added to HDMI

https://thehometheaterdiy.com/hdmi-with-ethernet/

Re: Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

#69

Post by flangola7 »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #68
ed25519FUUU wrote: post #2

The approach I’ve taken is to just keep my TV off the internet (never join a WiFi network) and make it smart via an Apple TV, which I personally believe to have the strongest privacy protection of any smart TV device. Another bonus is my TV UI hasn’t changed despite changing and upgrading TV brands.

Ethernet was added to HDMI https://thehometheaterdiy.com/hdmi-with-ethernet/

But why. HDMI is a video transmission format.
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