3 ms·

I managed to buy a dumb TV in 2018. The model itself was a 2017 model, and it was literally the only dumb TV I could find on Amazon. Now, my only hope is that i

I managed to buy a dumb TV in 2018. The model itself was a 2017 model, and it was literally the only dumb TV I could find on Amazon. Now, my only hope is that it works long enough that the smart TV craze dies.

Grazester 7y ago
Do do know you don't have to connect your Smart TV to the Internet and could use it as a dumb tv?
- bluetidepro 7y ago
  I don't understand why you were down-voted. I agree with you. That's what I did, I just don't allow my "Smart TV" to connect to the internet, and now it's "dumb". Am I missing something? Who cares if it's smart or not, if it has no connection to the internet, it's always "dumb."
  - ajna91 7y ago
    There's another comment above that states that you have no idea if the TV isn't trying to connect to open WiFis, or even use acoustic channels to talk to an app on your phone or smart speaker. Sounds paranoid, but so did everything else until now.
  - peterwwillis 7y ago
    HDMI v1.4 includes Ethernet, so it is theoretically possible for a smart TV to connect to an internet-connected HDMI device and still get out to the internet, or vice versa. But nobody has ever implemented it commercially, so this will probably never be a real attack.
sli 7y ago
What brand/model TV?
- everdrive 7y ago
  "TCL 49D100 49-Inch 1080p LED TV (2017 Model)" It's an "ok" TV. The picture is pretty decent, but not great. The sound is fine. The refresh rate is usually ok, but isn't suitable for fast paced games.
endymi0n 7y ago
It won't. As a manufacturer, you can sell the same display cheaper as a Smart than a Dumb TV due to existing preinstallation and tracking agreements with third parties. Just don't connect it to the net — as long as that still works. Also considering the Fitbit disaster (I own a device), I think we'll eventually need new legislation on devices that get worthless without a connection.
- dylan604 7y ago
  >Also considering the Fitbit disaster I'm assuming the disaster is being bought by Google. What is needed is some sort of regulation that prevents the new owner to use the newly acquired data in a way that the user did not originally agree to. If the original agreement stated that the data would not be sold, then the new owner just can't go off and sell the data. This is what the regulation needs to protect, as well as the new company cannot retrospectively remove the option either.

Grazester 7y ago

Do do know you don't have to connect your Smart TV to the Internet and could use it as a dumb tv?

bluetidepro 7y ago
I don't understand why you were down-voted. I agree with you. That's what I did, I just don't allow my "Smart TV" to connect to the internet, and now it's "dumb". Am I missing something? Who cares if it's smart or not, if it has no connection to the internet, it's always "dumb."
- ajna91 7y ago
  There's another comment above that states that you have no idea if the TV isn't trying to connect to open WiFis, or even use acoustic channels to talk to an app on your phone or smart speaker. Sounds paranoid, but so did everything else until now.
- peterwwillis 7y ago
  HDMI v1.4 includes Ethernet, so it is theoretically possible for a smart TV to connect to an internet-connected HDMI device and still get out to the internet, or vice versa. But nobody has ever implemented it commercially, so this will probably never be a real attack.

sli 7y ago

What brand/model TV?

everdrive 7y ago
"TCL 49D100 49-Inch 1080p LED TV (2017 Model)" It's an "ok" TV. The picture is pretty decent, but not great. The sound is fine. The refresh rate is usually ok, but isn't suitable for fast paced games.

endymi0n 7y ago

It won't. As a manufacturer, you can sell the same display cheaper as a Smart than a Dumb TV due to existing preinstallation and tracking agreements with third parties. Just don't connect it to the net — as long as that still works. Also considering the Fitbit disaster (I own a device), I think we'll eventually need new legislation on devices that get worthless without a connection.

dylan604 7y ago
>Also considering the Fitbit disaster I'm assuming the disaster is being bought by Google. What is needed is some sort of regulation that prevents the new owner to use the newly acquired data in a way that the user did not originally agree to. If the original agreement stated that the data would not be sold, then the new owner just can't go off and sell the data. This is what the regulation needs to protect, as well as the new company cannot retrospectively remove the option either.