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What's to prevent you from doing the same with a SmartTV in the future? Just disconnect it from the network and keep a box plugged into HDMI1.

freeflight 7y ago
> Just disconnect it from the network and keep a box plugged into HDMI1. One would assume it'd be as simple as that, but apparently it ain't because many SmartTV's will jump trough quite a few loops to get online, like using nearby open Wifi. At least there's been a bunch of stories like this in past HN discussions around SmartTV's.
- wil421 7y ago
  There’s been plenty of discussions on HN about the possibilities of SmartTVs doing nefarious stuff but not a lot stuff in the wild. Last time this came up someone was telling me the TV could get Ethernet from an HDMI cable via an AppleTV or Xbox etc. Stackexchange said the tech was dead and no one really adopted it. You can’t find a TV or even a cable that supports it. Any source about the auto connect to open WiFi?
  - freeflight 7y ago
    Where do the discussions on HN, and Reddit [0], come from if it's not a thing in the wild? Granted: It's hard to search for because Google will bury any relevant results between a ton of support requests about people not being able to get their Samsung TV online. [0] https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/bpr6xs/if_you_choose_to_not_connect_your_samsung_smart/ https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/bpr6xs/if_you_choo...
    - wil421 7y ago
      Your link is just as much hearsay as HN posts. TVs are connecting to WiFi yet no one provides any evidence.
Lio 7y ago
I believe the suggestion is that in a 5G world the TV would have its own prepaid 5G connection home that you can’t turn off or audit.
M4v3R 7y ago
Some functions of "smart" TVs are impossible to turn off, unfortunately. I personally don't like the FPS smoothing most modern TVs do, and for many there is no option to turn it off completely.
- SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
  I’ve never personally seen a TV that can’t have the soap opera effect turned off, but I believe you they are out there. Apples to oranges feature though.
  - fernandotakai 7y ago
    it was the first thing i turned off when i bought my LG tv. funny thing: i did not know the name of it and i couldn't not understand why "Avengers: Infinity Wars" was so upsetting to watch. took me literally 20min of poking around to find out the option and turn it off (it's called "TruMotion").
    - SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
      Yea, it’s usually something with Motion or Smooth in it. What’s crazy to me is that some people can’t see it! Or think they line it... or the lunatics that actually do! Once you see it; I don’t think it can be unseen.
- colechristensen 7y ago
  Most TVs have a "game" mode which turns off the smoothing.
- snuxoll 7y ago
  Motion smoothing was the first thing I turned off on my new LG TV when I got it this month. It’s a nice feature for sports, but it sucks for basically everything else - especially animation where everything turns into a hot mess. This is a pet peeve of mine, walking into the house of a family member, business lobby, etc. and see awful looking video on the screen because they didn’t turn this garbage off.
johnsoft 7y ago
6. Want to turn down the volume? You can do so instantly, instead of waiting 20 seconds for your TV's operating system to finish booting.
alkonaut 7y ago
Smart TVs are already cheaper. If you don’t connect it you are basically getting the rebate you should get because your information is sold, but without uploading your information. If this becomes common manufacturers will need to ensure this hole is closed. I suspect TVs will soon be sold with big rebates that can only be redeemed ON the tv itself once it’s been internet connected for some time.
bonestamp2 7y ago
> Just disconnect it from the network On this note, I would suggest never connecting it to your network (it could secretly remember your wifi password). Maybe it's just a bug, but once in a while the my Samsung TV's usb connection is listed as the last used source. I've never connected anything to the usb connection and it's wall mounted above my desk (where my kids and wife would not be able to reach it so I know it's not them using it either). It could be a coincidence, but I have also not seen it do this since I changed the wifi password in the access point. Needless to say, when I bought a new TV recently I never connected it to the network at all.

freeflight 7y ago

> Just disconnect it from the network and keep a box plugged into HDMI1. One would assume it'd be as simple as that, but apparently it ain't because many SmartTV's will jump trough quite a few loops to get online, like using nearby open Wifi. At least there's been a bunch of stories like this in past HN discussions around SmartTV's.

wil421 7y ago
There’s been plenty of discussions on HN about the possibilities of SmartTVs doing nefarious stuff but not a lot stuff in the wild. Last time this came up someone was telling me the TV could get Ethernet from an HDMI cable via an AppleTV or Xbox etc. Stackexchange said the tech was dead and no one really adopted it. You can’t find a TV or even a cable that supports it. Any source about the auto connect to open WiFi?
- freeflight 7y ago
  Where do the discussions on HN, and Reddit [0], come from if it's not a thing in the wild? Granted: It's hard to search for because Google will bury any relevant results between a ton of support requests about people not being able to get their Samsung TV online. [0] https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/bpr6xs/if_you_choose_to_not_connect_your_samsung_smart/ https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/bpr6xs/if_you_choo...
  - wil421 7y ago
    Your link is just as much hearsay as HN posts. TVs are connecting to WiFi yet no one provides any evidence.

Lio 7y ago

I believe the suggestion is that in a 5G world the TV would have its own prepaid 5G connection home that you can’t turn off or audit.

M4v3R 7y ago

Some functions of "smart" TVs are impossible to turn off, unfortunately. I personally don't like the FPS smoothing most modern TVs do, and for many there is no option to turn it off completely.

SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
I’ve never personally seen a TV that can’t have the soap opera effect turned off, but I believe you they are out there. Apples to oranges feature though.
- fernandotakai 7y ago
  it was the first thing i turned off when i bought my LG tv. funny thing: i did not know the name of it and i couldn't not understand why "Avengers: Infinity Wars" was so upsetting to watch. took me literally 20min of poking around to find out the option and turn it off (it's called "TruMotion").
  - SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
    Yea, it’s usually something with Motion or Smooth in it. What’s crazy to me is that some people can’t see it! Or think they line it... or the lunatics that actually do! Once you see it; I don’t think it can be unseen.
colechristensen 7y ago
Most TVs have a "game" mode which turns off the smoothing.
snuxoll 7y ago
Motion smoothing was the first thing I turned off on my new LG TV when I got it this month. It’s a nice feature for sports, but it sucks for basically everything else - especially animation where everything turns into a hot mess. This is a pet peeve of mine, walking into the house of a family member, business lobby, etc. and see awful looking video on the screen because they didn’t turn this garbage off.

johnsoft 7y ago

6. Want to turn down the volume? You can do so instantly, instead of waiting 20 seconds for your TV's operating system to finish booting.

alkonaut 7y ago

Smart TVs are already cheaper. If you don’t connect it you are basically getting the rebate you should get because your information is sold, but without uploading your information. If this becomes common manufacturers will need to ensure this hole is closed. I suspect TVs will soon be sold with big rebates that can only be redeemed ON the tv itself once it’s been internet connected for some time.

bonestamp2 7y ago

> Just disconnect it from the network On this note, I would suggest never connecting it to your network (it could secretly remember your wifi password). Maybe it's just a bug, but once in a while the my Samsung TV's usb connection is listed as the last used source. I've never connected anything to the usb connection and it's wall mounted above my desk (where my kids and wife would not be able to reach it so I know it's not them using it either). It could be a coincidence, but I have also not seen it do this since I changed the wifi password in the access point. Needless to say, when I bought a new TV recently I never connected it to the network at all.