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> Ideally you run a TV on a different VLAN. Why let it ‘run’ on your network or the internet at all? I’ve never connected my newest TV to my WiFi, and can’t e

> Ideally you run a TV on a different VLAN. Why let it ‘run’ on your network or the internet at all? I’ve never connected my newest TV to my WiFi, and can’t ever foresee a reason to do so. All of the apps I want are running on a connected box I trust to maintain a degree of privacy that I’d never assume from Sony, Samsung, or the like. It’s not as if Netflix or Hulu actually force you to use the embedded TV apps.

nickhalfasleep 9y ago
I plug my "smart" TV into ethernet now and then to get firmware updates, then unplug it the rest of the time.
- Filligree 9y ago
  Are the updates needed? Was anything broken?
  - baq 9y ago
    If you ever read some av forums, you'll find that modern TVs are about as reliable as modern computers, i.e. it's amazing they even turn on when requested. Features are DOA for new lines and need multiple updates to be useful, sometimes they're completely disabled and only get enabled after a year, e.g. Dolby Vision on 2017s Sonys.
    - roywiggins 9y ago
      My parents' TV has an incredible anti-feature where, if the video gets dark enough, the whole screen dims temporarily. There's no firmware update for it so they've just lived with it for years.
- wvenable 9y ago
  Why do you need firmware updates for a TV not connected?
  - Sylos 9y ago
    Yeah, sometimes those might actually make things go smoother, but generally it's security updates, which you almost certainly won't need without internet connection.
  - nickhalfasleep 9y ago
    In my case, it fixed a random black screen Vizio e48u-d0 with an intel NUC pushing 4k 29hz.
- ManlyBread 9y ago
  2008: plug the TV into the power outlet and you're done 2018: your TV needs internet access because updates What the hell happened? This is ridiculous.
  - NoNotTheDuo 9y ago
    2008: Manufacturer finds a defect in the firmware code that causes excessive processor usage, thus causing the internal electronics to fail earlier than anticipated. No fix available. 2018: defect in firmware found. New version deployed to internet connected devices and lifespan extended. Both of those are made up scenarios, but I would argue that there are legitimate reasons for devices to be connected to the internet. Along with a bunch of terrible reasons, of course.
    - bambax 9y ago
      > lifespan extended Right. Sure. The manufacturer will spend time and money to extend the life of devices already purchased. I would prefer not take the chance, and see what happens. If the TV dies early, so be it.
    - dest 9y ago
      2028: defect found, but purposely not fully fixed so that people buy a new TV
    - ManlyBread 9y ago
      >2008: Manufacturer finds a defect in the firmware code that causes excessive processor usage, thus causing the internal electronics to fail earlier than anticipated. No fix available. There is a fix available - return it to the store.
    - RaleyField 9y ago
      Why do you think most Android phones stop receiving months after release and flag carrying ones one or two years after release? And what firmware in a HDMI decoder is supposed to be fallible? And why can't updates be supplied via USB stick.
  - 9y ago
Jeffrey903 9y ago
I also have a smart TV that I have never connected to the internet, and I never foresee a reason to either. When I want to use apps on my TV, I use a separate streaming box. If in the future there is a software update for the TV with a cool feature I want (unlikely), I would connect it via ethernet temporarily, perform the update, and then disconnect ethernet. I would never connect it over WiFi for fear that it wouldn't forget the network. If someone has a smart TV that only supports WiFi, then I would suggest they setup a new WiFi network, temporarily connect the TV to perform the software update, and then disable the WiFi network.
- mistersquid 9y ago
  You could use wireless in the same way you use a wire by restricting wireless clients by MAC address, for example. When you want the IoT device to have Internet access, temporarily relax the restriction. I did this because my TV is mounted on a wall with a large desk in front and its ethernet port is inaccessible.
rocqua 9y ago
A few times at home with my parents, I've used the 'chrome-cast' functionality to view Youtube controlled from my laptop, without any cable hassle. The same thing with Plex worked, but finicky. Somewhere between linux, plex and the TV, there is some compatibility problem.
- slfnflctd 9y ago
  That 'cast' functionality has improved and enhanced my life more than I expected. It saves significant time, hassle and stress to be able to connect to either of the two main screens in my house from my laptop when I want to show someone what's on my screen (remote desktop in reverse is how I think of it). No redundant searching, or going to the trouble of sending someone a link. Just cast and it's there. However, it works best for images and text-- video or graphics tend to have more issues, and there is definitely a lot of lag, as with remote desktop.
  - rocqua 9y ago
    Some web-apps, like youtube, do the casting for video in a more complicated manner. Rather than actually doing the 'remote desktop in reverse' they essentially instruct the Smart-TV to go to the same video end-point and start streaming. Thus, none of the rendering, decoding or even downloading will be done on your laptop. This is slightly worse from a control perspective, but quality wise it is great.
NelsonMinar 9y ago
How much longer do you think it will be possible to buy a TV that works without Internet access? I assume at some point soon they will demand connectivity to even display images coming in on the HDMI port. Internet services is the future profit center for screen manufacturers; also it's easier to build a system if you assume it has Internet connectivity always. (For, say, HDCP updates.) I also don't allow my screens to have Internet access; did that the second time Samsung demanded I approve a firmware update before I was allowed to watch my TV show. Fuck that.
- BoorishBears 9y ago
  What reasoning behind your assumption? It hasn’t happened yet, and there are still tons of people using TVs in places without Internet. I say, tackle the problem when it gets here, for now I’ve never had a smart TV hooked up to the internet and it’s not even because I hate Smart features, I just don’t see a point, my 30$ Chromecast covers every use case I could have.
- fencepost 9y ago
  If I purchased a TV and only found out after the fact that it required internet access I'd be returning it to the store as defective. If I can't use it for movies with a DVD player in my fishing cabin, it's clearly not a TV.

nickhalfasleep 9y ago

I plug my "smart" TV into ethernet now and then to get firmware updates, then unplug it the rest of the time.

Filligree 9y ago
Are the updates needed? Was anything broken?
- baq 9y ago
  If you ever read some av forums, you'll find that modern TVs are about as reliable as modern computers, i.e. it's amazing they even turn on when requested. Features are DOA for new lines and need multiple updates to be useful, sometimes they're completely disabled and only get enabled after a year, e.g. Dolby Vision on 2017s Sonys.
  - roywiggins 9y ago
    My parents' TV has an incredible anti-feature where, if the video gets dark enough, the whole screen dims temporarily. There's no firmware update for it so they've just lived with it for years.
wvenable 9y ago
Why do you need firmware updates for a TV not connected?
- Sylos 9y ago
  Yeah, sometimes those might actually make things go smoother, but generally it's security updates, which you almost certainly won't need without internet connection.
- nickhalfasleep 9y ago
  In my case, it fixed a random black screen Vizio e48u-d0 with an intel NUC pushing 4k 29hz.
ManlyBread 9y ago
2008: plug the TV into the power outlet and you're done 2018: your TV needs internet access because updates What the hell happened? This is ridiculous.
- NoNotTheDuo 9y ago
  2008: Manufacturer finds a defect in the firmware code that causes excessive processor usage, thus causing the internal electronics to fail earlier than anticipated. No fix available. 2018: defect in firmware found. New version deployed to internet connected devices and lifespan extended. Both of those are made up scenarios, but I would argue that there are legitimate reasons for devices to be connected to the internet. Along with a bunch of terrible reasons, of course.
  - bambax 9y ago
    > lifespan extended Right. Sure. The manufacturer will spend time and money to extend the life of devices already purchased. I would prefer not take the chance, and see what happens. If the TV dies early, so be it.
  - dest 9y ago
    2028: defect found, but purposely not fully fixed so that people buy a new TV
  - ManlyBread 9y ago
    >2008: Manufacturer finds a defect in the firmware code that causes excessive processor usage, thus causing the internal electronics to fail earlier than anticipated. No fix available. There is a fix available - return it to the store.
  - RaleyField 9y ago
    Why do you think most Android phones stop receiving months after release and flag carrying ones one or two years after release? And what firmware in a HDMI decoder is supposed to be fallible? And why can't updates be supplied via USB stick.
- 9y ago

Jeffrey903 9y ago

I also have a smart TV that I have never connected to the internet, and I never foresee a reason to either. When I want to use apps on my TV, I use a separate streaming box. If in the future there is a software update for the TV with a cool feature I want (unlikely), I would connect it via ethernet temporarily, perform the update, and then disconnect ethernet. I would never connect it over WiFi for fear that it wouldn't forget the network. If someone has a smart TV that only supports WiFi, then I would suggest they setup a new WiFi network, temporarily connect the TV to perform the software update, and then disable the WiFi network.

mistersquid 9y ago
You could use wireless in the same way you use a wire by restricting wireless clients by MAC address, for example. When you want the IoT device to have Internet access, temporarily relax the restriction. I did this because my TV is mounted on a wall with a large desk in front and its ethernet port is inaccessible.

rocqua 9y ago

A few times at home with my parents, I've used the 'chrome-cast' functionality to view Youtube controlled from my laptop, without any cable hassle. The same thing with Plex worked, but finicky. Somewhere between linux, plex and the TV, there is some compatibility problem.

slfnflctd 9y ago
That 'cast' functionality has improved and enhanced my life more than I expected. It saves significant time, hassle and stress to be able to connect to either of the two main screens in my house from my laptop when I want to show someone what's on my screen (remote desktop in reverse is how I think of it). No redundant searching, or going to the trouble of sending someone a link. Just cast and it's there. However, it works best for images and text-- video or graphics tend to have more issues, and there is definitely a lot of lag, as with remote desktop.
- rocqua 9y ago
  Some web-apps, like youtube, do the casting for video in a more complicated manner. Rather than actually doing the 'remote desktop in reverse' they essentially instruct the Smart-TV to go to the same video end-point and start streaming. Thus, none of the rendering, decoding or even downloading will be done on your laptop. This is slightly worse from a control perspective, but quality wise it is great.

NelsonMinar 9y ago

How much longer do you think it will be possible to buy a TV that works without Internet access? I assume at some point soon they will demand connectivity to even display images coming in on the HDMI port. Internet services is the future profit center for screen manufacturers; also it's easier to build a system if you assume it has Internet connectivity always. (For, say, HDCP updates.) I also don't allow my screens to have Internet access; did that the second time Samsung demanded I approve a firmware update before I was allowed to watch my TV show. Fuck that.

BoorishBears 9y ago
What reasoning behind your assumption? It hasn’t happened yet, and there are still tons of people using TVs in places without Internet. I say, tackle the problem when it gets here, for now I’ve never had a smart TV hooked up to the internet and it’s not even because I hate Smart features, I just don’t see a point, my 30$ Chromecast covers every use case I could have.
fencepost 9y ago
If I purchased a TV and only found out after the fact that it required internet access I'd be returning it to the store as defective. If I can't use it for movies with a DVD player in my fishing cabin, it's clearly not a TV.