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

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

#101

Post by CameronBanga »

nrp wrote: post #80
CameronBanga wrote: post #14

A couple years ago, I bought the domain "DumbTV.com" and considered looking to source my own television sets from China to sell at a premium with no added features besides HDMI ports. Should have followed through on that.

If you’re not planning to do it, we may be interested in that domain.

Unfortunately, it looks like I am misremembering. I never had the .com, but had the .io, .app, and a couple others.

The one I did get and keep was DumbTV.org, as I thought that it may be more valuable to promote a basic sense of principals that made a TV a "DumbTV", and promote that as well as work to promote brands who were consumer friendly.

I would discuss giving up that domain if it would be of interest. My email is my username at gmail dot com.

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

#102

Post by rhn_mk1 »

ed25519FUUU wrote: post #93
giobox wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen rumblings that day may be very soon, too. Once devices in the home have embedded prepaid 5G out with your control, all sorts of home networking/firewall challenges are going to arise. We are entering a world in which it will cost very, very little to embed 5G into almost anything with say 1GB of prepaid eSim data for analytics collection, regardless of whether device resides on your LAN or not.

There’s only a fractional amount of people using smart TVs without WiFi. I’m very dubious it’s worth the cost to imbed GSM cards in each TV to reach the fraction that doesn’t allow the TV on WiFi.

If that happens, it's going to be to reach those who can't set up wifi manually. It's better user experience not to have to, leading to fewer returns.

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

#104

Post by eropple »

lancesells wrote: post #86
modriano wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mesh would have to be so fine that you wouldn't be able to see the screen (unless you were inside the "cage").

Simple, go wired and encase the house in a faraday cage.

Really, anyone who's lived in a sufficiently old house knows you can run your own Wi-Fi in a Faraday cage. Just probably not between rooms.

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

#105

Post by shrike »

AlexAltea wrote: post #44
KerrAvon wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But that would require an accessible WiFi network. I'm sure someday it'll be impossible because they'll embed 5G chips and do it over cell without involving your consent, but that day isn't here yet.

This already happens with Nespresso coffee machines (they have an SIM that connects to the Internet, whether you want it or not). That day is already yesterday.

Wow, they sure do. Page 29 of the user guide for the Nespresso Zenius says -

This coffee machine is equipped with M2M (Machine to Machine) techology which may be activated in due time with your agreement. Thanks to a SIM card already integrated in the machine, such network connections will offer new services (subject to further terms and conditions) to its customers and improve the after sales process by automatically communicating machine troubleshooting / diagnostics to our Customer Relationship Centre (depending on country requirements and specificities).

https://www.nespresso.com/shared_res/manuals/zenius/www_Zeni...

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

#106

Post by philsnow »

benreic wrote: post #56
KerrAvon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this. I bought an LG OLED C2 recently, plugged in an Apple TV, have not connected the TV itself to the internet. Works absolutely fine; bonus is that the apparently annoying voice control option is disabled. You don't need firmware updates unless there's a specific bug that you need fixed, and you can update by USB stick if you do need a fix.

I also got a C2 and briefly connected it via WiFi before I had the Apple TV. After hooking up the Apple TV I turned WiFi and thought I was all set, but it keeps turning WiFi on by itself and checking for updates which is really annoying. Might do a factory reset to clear out the WiFi password.

Change your wifi password, give the new password to your TV and make sure it connects, then change the wifi password (either to another new password or to the old one) and don't give the new new password to the TV. They generally don't remember and try previous passwords.

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

#107

Post by captn3m0 »

TYPE_FASTER wrote: post #95

It's worth noting that TVs that run Google TV (which includes Sony Bravia) let you choose Basic TV or Google TV. https://support.google.com/googletv/answer/10408998?hl=en#zi... If you don't want to connect to the internet, you can select Basic TV at setup and get the equivalent of a dumb TV.

This only applies to new models, post 2021 I think. I’m considering getting one, and I am having to check which year- model combination has Basic TV support.

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

#108

Post by philsnow »

KerrAvon wrote: post #20
was_a_dev wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hasn't some models (thinking Samsung) been shown to connect to any WiFi network they can? edit: Appears to be an urban legend, with not much substance to back it up!

But that would require an accessible WiFi network. I'm sure someday it'll be impossible because they'll embed 5G chips and do it over cell without involving your consent, but that day isn't here yet.

I think the most likely next steps is integrating with Amazon Sidewalk instead of 5G. I don't know what the relative availability of 5G signal vs Sidewalk signal is, but I'm pretty sure Amazon has a dashboard tracking the latter.

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

#109

Post by than3 »

ipqk wrote: post #99
than3 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You may want to get yourself an SDR kit and check that for yourself. They typically broadcast on 43-33 cm band, (700-900mhz), and 2.4/5 ghz. You'd also be wrong about Apple's privacy protection.

You can't just say someone is wrong without explaining why.

[flagged]

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

#110

Post by djaychela »

Since getting pi-hole on my home network, I've been amazed at the amount of phoning home my old (7 years+) smart TVs are trying to do. All of the domains are about content matching, which I'm thinking is no longer happening since getting pi-hole as the domains are never bring resolved for them.
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