Instead of ‘splurging’ on a dumb tv bc they’re more expensive now thanks to the data sompanies sell off of smart tvs I was considering getting a smart tv and dumbing it down. Is the way to do this never connecting it to the internet? And is that the only way?
I’d want to find and physically remove all the microphones and cameras from the TV for peace of mind. Plus never let it have a network connection. Just use HDMI in.
What streaming tool then? Chromecast, but then Google just tracks it all.
Some form of tiny PC with Kodi and a remote.
I’m currently looking at jailbreaking an Apple TV for the purpose.
If you’re already using an Android phone with Play Store on it, the additional exposure through the Chromecast is probably not significant. Otherwise, in addition to the other suggestions, you could grab an Android capable board from HardKernel for example and run plain Android TV on it. For example the ODROID-C4. It’s got nearly identical hardware to the CCwGTV. The setup is obviously more elaborate.
I’ve replaced rokus / firesticks with cheap mini PCs. Currently they’re running ReviOS (a stripped down version of windows) but I plan to migrate to linux as I get more comfortable with it.
That I don’t know. My mom just has Comcast s and we have the cable box HDMI output going to the TV. No streaming though in principle we could use a computer for that.
I wonder if an HDMI computer monitor could substitute for a dumb TV.
Regarding pihole etc: idk if that suffices since the TV might have a wireless network inside. Better find and disconnect that too if it is there. I think there is no safe “non-destructive” way to de-smart the TV.
FYI, tracking is also (potentially) done via the HDMI connection by the streaming device.
For example: I have an HDMI Blu-ray, and the TV has tech to sample what is on the screen - so it knows what I’m watching even if it’s not streamed. The bastards are always a few steps ahead of us.
If it’s not connected to a network(or connected to one without internet access), the data never leaves the TV though, and then the tracking doesn’t really matter.
They’re starting to put LTE modems in all cars. When will they do the same with TVs? LTE or LORAWAN prob.
You cannot hide. Lol
AppleTV 4k is probably the best option privacywise IMHO.
Watch out, you can’t say anything good about any Apple products on Lemmy lest you seek downvotes. Anything less than hate is insufficient.
I know, I know. Fortunately Lemmy downvotes mean nothing. Apple software has definitely gone downhill since I started back in 2007, but there’s still no total ecosystem replacement that is superior, as far as I can tell.
Look I don’t care for lemmy trends and I use Apple laptops as I get them from work.
That said it’s hardly a superior ecosystem, and particularly for this specific use. As a million people have said already, kodi on Linux is a pretty good start. Look at libreelec that is an os wrapped around kodi.
Because Apple privacy is as much a sham as any other product. They just market and obfuscste well.
Kodi on a Raspberry!Easy to install, once set up it’s rock solid and you can integrate a lot of streaming and IPTV serviced these days.
Remove any networking you can. Remove wifi antennas and cap them with RF test plugs (I forget what they’re called). These absorb RF frequencies, converting them to heat which radiates out of the absorber is IR (If I remember right).
They are called loads or alternately terminations, but technically you would specify which termination, for instance a 50 ohm termination to distinguish it from a short or open.