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I would be upset if my tv sent a single byte of information out. I use an old lcd and if it ever dies, I just don’t even know what we’ll do. Can you even buy TV

I would be upset if my tv sent a single byte of information out. I use an old lcd and if it ever dies, I just don’t even know what we’ll do. Can you even buy TVs anymore that don’t spy on you?

curtis3389 6y ago
Yes. Sceptre is a good brand for dumb TVs.
- gentleman11 6y ago
  Noted
ashtonkem 6y ago
You could just not configure the network on a smart TV if you can’t find a dumb one.
- GoToRO 6y ago
  2 years ago with a Samsung tv: no network, no terms and conditions signed, no terms signed, the tv would always forget to use the same input it was using before restart (degraded functionality). I never tried to remove the network after I signed the terms, maybe it woul have still worked.
  - zamadatix 6y ago
    I only connect my Samsung TVs for firmware updates, seems to work fine pulling the plug after.
- salawat 6y ago
  Actually, I recall articles which mention certain brands would look for nearby unsecured networks. All of that goes out the window if vendors start provisioning SIMs and use the cellular network. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have some code for looking for undersecured networks capable of being exploited to derive credentials, though at least then you'd have grounds to sue under CFAA.
  - sidpatil 6y ago
    Embedded SIMs won't be an insurmountable problem as long as the TV can work without network connectivity, but they'll be very inconvenient to deal with. A destructive approach would involve desoldering the chip or unplugging the antenna. A nondestructive approach would involve Faraday-caging the television: a mesh or aluminum foil taped around where the antenna resides.
    - myrandomcomment 6y ago
      The issue can be solved by not buying a TV with a SIM (hopefully still a choice).
  - myrandomcomment 6y ago
    This is HN lore. Commented many times, but no one has the proof. I have an old Vizio and 2 Samsungs. Configured them wired to updated the firmware then blocked the port on the switch. I use an AppleTV for everything as I know what it is sharing.
  - heroprotagonist 6y ago
    It doesn't even need that, really. Zigbee and similar long range wireless mesh networks are very realistic (and probably cheaper) for basic usage data. Bandwidth is much more limited so it probably won't send screenshots of what you're watching like has been reported with some TVs. Screenshots aren't really needed, though, when there's a host of other metadata and on-device processing available.
    - ashtonkem 6y ago
      As someone who runs a Zigbee network at home, this won’t work. The signal strength across my small apartment was marginal at best, there’s no way you could plop down zigbee devices at random and hope that they could find each other, especially between detached houses.
      - heroprotagonist 6y ago

I would be upset if my tv sent a single byte of information out. I use an old lcd and if it ever dies, I just don’t even know what we’ll do. Can you even buy TVs anymore that don’t spy on you?

curtis3389 6y ago

Yes. Sceptre is a good brand for dumb TVs.

gentleman11 6y ago
Noted

ashtonkem 6y ago

You could just not configure the network on a smart TV if you can’t find a dumb one.

GoToRO 6y ago
2 years ago with a Samsung tv: no network, no terms and conditions signed, no terms signed, the tv would always forget to use the same input it was using before restart (degraded functionality). I never tried to remove the network after I signed the terms, maybe it woul have still worked.
- zamadatix 6y ago
  I only connect my Samsung TVs for firmware updates, seems to work fine pulling the plug after.
salawat 6y ago
Actually, I recall articles which mention certain brands would look for nearby unsecured networks. All of that goes out the window if vendors start provisioning SIMs and use the cellular network. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have some code for looking for undersecured networks capable of being exploited to derive credentials, though at least then you'd have grounds to sue under CFAA.
- sidpatil 6y ago
  Embedded SIMs won't be an insurmountable problem as long as the TV can work without network connectivity, but they'll be very inconvenient to deal with. A destructive approach would involve desoldering the chip or unplugging the antenna. A nondestructive approach would involve Faraday-caging the television: a mesh or aluminum foil taped around where the antenna resides.
  - myrandomcomment 6y ago
    The issue can be solved by not buying a TV with a SIM (hopefully still a choice).
- myrandomcomment 6y ago
  This is HN lore. Commented many times, but no one has the proof. I have an old Vizio and 2 Samsungs. Configured them wired to updated the firmware then blocked the port on the switch. I use an AppleTV for everything as I know what it is sharing.
- heroprotagonist 6y ago
  It doesn't even need that, really. Zigbee and similar long range wireless mesh networks are very realistic (and probably cheaper) for basic usage data. Bandwidth is much more limited so it probably won't send screenshots of what you're watching like has been reported with some TVs. Screenshots aren't really needed, though, when there's a host of other metadata and on-device processing available.
  - ashtonkem 6y ago
    As someone who runs a Zigbee network at home, this won’t work. The signal strength across my small apartment was marginal at best, there’s no way you could plop down zigbee devices at random and hope that they could find each other, especially between detached houses.
    - heroprotagonist 6y ago