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?
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.