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Pro tip for other people with 2019 and 2018 Samsung Smart TVs, if you back out of the network config and never set it up during the initial config or after a fa

Pro tip for other people with 2019 and 2018 Samsung Smart TVs, if you back out of the network config and never set it up during the initial config or after a factory reset the TV will never show any ads and will never have the annoying icons for its own apps in the menus. If you attempt to use these features the TV will kindly remind you that you are not connected to the internet/have no accepted the user agreement. I have done this on all of my Samsung TVs and the result is a much cleaner UI.

mistrial9 7y ago
any idea if simply using HDMI only on a 2016 model stops "phone home" behaviors? The wifi is setup on the device, almost certainly, but never on the TV mode
markovbot 7y ago
Alternatively, don't buy samsung TVs on principal.
- nyolfen 7y ago
  i have read repeatedly on this site that it is effectively impossible to buy a new dumb tv unless you get the kind of commercial ones meant for installation on walls in commercial buildings etc
  - RandomBacon 7y ago
    You can find them on Amazon pretty easily. That's how I bought my 4k dumb TV.
    - mr_toad 7y ago
      Just beware that some models don’t have speakers.
      - jsjw7sbw 7y ago
        Even better. Can we go any dumber?
        ComodoHacker 7y ago
        No channel controls? TV automatically switches to a whoever has made a better deal with the manufacturer?
        distances 7y ago
        That sounds like a traditional "smart" feature to me. Dumb could be a manual selection of HDMI input without scanning for the signal.
        Crespyl 7y ago
        I have a pretty dumb TV with no apps or internet features, but I'll admit that the one "smart-ish" feature I do kind of appreciate is support for CEC controls over HDMI. It makes it a bit more convenient to switch between my Roku/Switch/PC when I can push a button on the remote to have the devices ping the TV themselves. I do prefer a dumb TV, but it doesn't have to be completely brainless.
  - effingwewt 7y ago
    Nope. I purchased a dumb tv from Sam's Club in June of this year. It's a 4k 55 inch vizio. Cost me all of $300. Edit- my bad, it was a Hitachi. The vizio tv I have was purchased last year. However both are dumb, they have no internet capabilities at all
  - rsync 7y ago
    "... effectively impossible to buy a new dumb tv unless you get the kind of commercial ones meant for installation on walls in commercial buildings ..." Which is great news - they are fantastic displays, they last forever, and they behave just like a very big computer monitor. NEC commercial displays (P461, for instance) are not expensive. I highly recommend you look into it.
    - nyolfen 7y ago
      i intend to next time i need a tv, but most people aren't thinking so much about their tv's spying on them
- dvdbloc 7y ago
  Normally I’d agree with you, however when laying out things like picture quality between brand and cost, many times Samsung comes out on top and that’s why I end up going with them.

mistrial9 7y ago

any idea if simply using HDMI only on a 2016 model stops "phone home" behaviors? The wifi is setup on the device, almost certainly, but never on the TV mode

markovbot 7y ago

Alternatively, don't buy samsung TVs on principal.

nyolfen 7y ago
i have read repeatedly on this site that it is effectively impossible to buy a new dumb tv unless you get the kind of commercial ones meant for installation on walls in commercial buildings etc
- RandomBacon 7y ago
  You can find them on Amazon pretty easily. That's how I bought my 4k dumb TV.
  - mr_toad 7y ago
    Just beware that some models don’t have speakers.
    - jsjw7sbw 7y ago
      Even better. Can we go any dumber?
      - ComodoHacker 7y ago
        No channel controls? TV automatically switches to a whoever has made a better deal with the manufacturer?
        distances 7y ago
        That sounds like a traditional "smart" feature to me. Dumb could be a manual selection of HDMI input without scanning for the signal.
        Crespyl 7y ago
        I have a pretty dumb TV with no apps or internet features, but I'll admit that the one "smart-ish" feature I do kind of appreciate is support for CEC controls over HDMI. It makes it a bit more convenient to switch between my Roku/Switch/PC when I can push a button on the remote to have the devices ping the TV themselves. I do prefer a dumb TV, but it doesn't have to be completely brainless.
- effingwewt 7y ago
  Nope. I purchased a dumb tv from Sam's Club in June of this year. It's a 4k 55 inch vizio. Cost me all of $300. Edit- my bad, it was a Hitachi. The vizio tv I have was purchased last year. However both are dumb, they have no internet capabilities at all
- rsync 7y ago
  "... effectively impossible to buy a new dumb tv unless you get the kind of commercial ones meant for installation on walls in commercial buildings ..." Which is great news - they are fantastic displays, they last forever, and they behave just like a very big computer monitor. NEC commercial displays (P461, for instance) are not expensive. I highly recommend you look into it.
  - nyolfen 7y ago
    i intend to next time i need a tv, but most people aren't thinking so much about their tv's spying on them
dvdbloc 7y ago
Normally I’d agree with you, however when laying out things like picture quality between brand and cost, many times Samsung comes out on top and that’s why I end up going with them.