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Many smart TVs will connect automatically to any open wifi signal. Setting up a Faraday cage around the device, or a full Faraday room, isn't feasible for most

Many smart TVs will connect automatically to any open wifi signal. Setting up a Faraday cage around the device, or a full Faraday room, isn't feasible for most people; likewise, disconnecting the hardware inside the device will be error prone and void the warranty. Many modern televisions will stop working altogether of they go too long without phoning home. Some newer models won't allow you to use them without first connecting. Likely advances in the future will be utilizing Ethernet over HDMI from newer connected devices, and perhaps building some sort of 3G or LTE or 5G antenna into the thing if the pricing and ad profitability works out. A more likely route is making agreements with ISPs to get access to their mandatory built-in modem wifi access points, which cannot be turned off by end users in some areas; that's a large logistical problem so we won't see things had that way for a little while.

Scoundreller 6y ago
> likewise, disconnecting the hardware inside the device will be error prone and void the warranty. It’ll still void the warranty, but a drill press, the right place, the right bit and depth should do the job in seconds, no? Could make it a service of taking smart TVs and dumbing them for $50-$100.
- mmastrac 6y ago
  I think it's a lot easier than that to be honest - most TVs have separate boards for the "smarts", and on the smart section, many will have a separate wireless module (usually so it can be independently certified). I'd pay for the service, for sure. If the TV fails to boot with the wireless module removed, perhaps cutting an antenna trace might be sufficient.
strawberrypuree 6y ago
> Many smart TVs will connect automatically to any open wifi signal. Which? So we can avoid. I don’t buy TVs often; the 2019 LG OLED I have required me to set up WiFi. Which of course I didn’t do, but it wasn’t forced. > Many modern televisions will stop working altogether of they go too long without phoning home. Same question as above. Would be good to get a list going. Maybe a shared doc of TVs to avoid.

Scoundreller 6y ago

> likewise, disconnecting the hardware inside the device will be error prone and void the warranty. It’ll still void the warranty, but a drill press, the right place, the right bit and depth should do the job in seconds, no? Could make it a service of taking smart TVs and dumbing them for $50-$100.

mmastrac 6y ago
I think it's a lot easier than that to be honest - most TVs have separate boards for the "smarts", and on the smart section, many will have a separate wireless module (usually so it can be independently certified). I'd pay for the service, for sure. If the TV fails to boot with the wireless module removed, perhaps cutting an antenna trace might be sufficient.

strawberrypuree 6y ago

> Many smart TVs will connect automatically to any open wifi signal. Which? So we can avoid. I don’t buy TVs often; the 2019 LG OLED I have required me to set up WiFi. Which of course I didn’t do, but it wasn’t forced. > Many modern televisions will stop working altogether of they go too long without phoning home. Same question as above. Would be good to get a list going. Maybe a shared doc of TVs to avoid.