10 ms·

If this is an argument that all TVs are smart TVs, then all TVs with an IR control input device are smart TVs (because universal remotes).

isoprophlex 5y ago
No of course not. The moment you - possibly accidentally - grant the fucker an internet connection over BT, it starts to rat on you. However briefly. Aything with an IR remote does not betrays it's users like that (through the remote)
- gopalv 5y ago
  > grant the fucker an internet connection over BT, it starts to rat on you Or it does that by itself, with a mesh network that your neighbours have setup by accident with their Alexa or Ring - Amazon Sidewalk is an amazing end-run around your own firewall rules.
  - isoprophlex 5y ago
    Thanks for giving me another invention to be angry about, haha. Makes you wonder about the opportunities for poisoning of Sidewalk networks, just to get some petty revenge.
    - clairity 5y ago
      that's not petty, that's downright patriotic. we have an inalienable right to privacy, security, and liberty, and absolutely no obligation to let companies (or governments) invade or curtail those rights.
      - DaiPlusPlus 5y ago
        > we have an inalienable right to privacy, security, and liberty I assume you’re referring to the US constitution. The rights you’re referring to constrain the government, not companies. You do not have a legal right to privacy w.r.t. your TV spying on you.
        clairity 5y ago
        no, not just the constitution, it's inalienable because it's intrinsic to being civilized people, not because some piece of paper says so. on the contrary, companies have no right to spy on us.
        DaiPlusPlus 5y ago
        Yet they seem to be able to keep on doing it just fine.
        clairity 5y ago
        so people still kicking dogs makes it ok? note that a right isn't a passive trait, but an active assertion. every time we give in to what's easy, we lose a little bit of our rights. you maintain rights by speaking out and living by them. we wouldn't need a second amendment were that not the case (n.b., i don't personally own nor desire a gun).
  - krustymeathead 5y ago
    I wonder when home security setups will start including a Faraday cage, at least for certain rooms or areas.
    - rightbyte 5y ago
      It seems way simpler to short the wifi antenna or something than to redo the walls? Bluetooth is probably harder to fix though, if the TV has that.
    - bick_nyers 5y ago
      If you build it into all of the exterior facing walls, you can use a cell range extender to tunnel a data connection inside your house, and also similarly with a Wi-Fi AP connected via Ethernet, in the event that you want Wi-Fi signal outside your home as well. Actually, when I build my next house in 5-10 years I think I might do exactly this
    - vineyardmike 5y ago
      Not gunna lie, i'm looking at building/remodelling a home in the next few years, and i'm seriously considering foiling the walls of some rooms just to build a faraday cage.
snerbles 5y ago
IR is line-of-sight, and the receiver can be blocked with a small piece of electrical tape.
- m00x 5y ago
  Same for bluetooth, just build a faraday cage around your TV and you're good! /s
  - kazinator 5y ago
    Only if it's grounded, so that's a step up from the tape.
- the_mitsuhiko 5y ago
  Bluetooth can be turned off in the settings.
  - Volundr 5y ago
    It can't. Which is sort of the point of my comment. If it could I'd have no problem with this feature.
Volundr 5y ago
I mean sure, it's (probably) not an internet connection, but Bluetooth and an IR remote aren't really comparable. Bluetooth exchanges information in both directions, IR does not. Bluetooth works from hundreds of feet away (or more) with no line of site, an IR remote does not. Bluetooth allows for broadcasting arbitrary content to my TV, an IR remote can only change the channel. Given the relative complexities I'm also far more concerned about a security vulnerability existing in the never updated random Bluetooth module/drivers in the TV than an IR receiver that emulates button presses.

isoprophlex 5y ago

No of course not. The moment you - possibly accidentally - grant the fucker an internet connection over BT, it starts to rat on you. However briefly. Aything with an IR remote does not betrays it's users like that (through the remote)

gopalv 5y ago
> grant the fucker an internet connection over BT, it starts to rat on you Or it does that by itself, with a mesh network that your neighbours have setup by accident with their Alexa or Ring - Amazon Sidewalk is an amazing end-run around your own firewall rules.
- isoprophlex 5y ago
  Thanks for giving me another invention to be angry about, haha. Makes you wonder about the opportunities for poisoning of Sidewalk networks, just to get some petty revenge.
  - clairity 5y ago
    that's not petty, that's downright patriotic. we have an inalienable right to privacy, security, and liberty, and absolutely no obligation to let companies (or governments) invade or curtail those rights.
    - DaiPlusPlus 5y ago
      > we have an inalienable right to privacy, security, and liberty I assume you’re referring to the US constitution. The rights you’re referring to constrain the government, not companies. You do not have a legal right to privacy w.r.t. your TV spying on you.
      - clairity 5y ago
        no, not just the constitution, it's inalienable because it's intrinsic to being civilized people, not because some piece of paper says so. on the contrary, companies have no right to spy on us.
        DaiPlusPlus 5y ago
        Yet they seem to be able to keep on doing it just fine.
        clairity 5y ago
        so people still kicking dogs makes it ok? note that a right isn't a passive trait, but an active assertion. every time we give in to what's easy, we lose a little bit of our rights. you maintain rights by speaking out and living by them. we wouldn't need a second amendment were that not the case (n.b., i don't personally own nor desire a gun).
- krustymeathead 5y ago
  I wonder when home security setups will start including a Faraday cage, at least for certain rooms or areas.
  - rightbyte 5y ago
    It seems way simpler to short the wifi antenna or something than to redo the walls? Bluetooth is probably harder to fix though, if the TV has that.
  - bick_nyers 5y ago
    If you build it into all of the exterior facing walls, you can use a cell range extender to tunnel a data connection inside your house, and also similarly with a Wi-Fi AP connected via Ethernet, in the event that you want Wi-Fi signal outside your home as well. Actually, when I build my next house in 5-10 years I think I might do exactly this
  - vineyardmike 5y ago
    Not gunna lie, i'm looking at building/remodelling a home in the next few years, and i'm seriously considering foiling the walls of some rooms just to build a faraday cage.

snerbles 5y ago

IR is line-of-sight, and the receiver can be blocked with a small piece of electrical tape.

m00x 5y ago
Same for bluetooth, just build a faraday cage around your TV and you're good! /s
- kazinator 5y ago
  Only if it's grounded, so that's a step up from the tape.
the_mitsuhiko 5y ago
Bluetooth can be turned off in the settings.
- Volundr 5y ago
  It can't. Which is sort of the point of my comment. If it could I'd have no problem with this feature.

Volundr 5y ago

I mean sure, it's (probably) not an internet connection, but Bluetooth and an IR remote aren't really comparable. Bluetooth exchanges information in both directions, IR does not. Bluetooth works from hundreds of feet away (or more) with no line of site, an IR remote does not. Bluetooth allows for broadcasting arbitrary content to my TV, an IR remote can only change the channel. Given the relative complexities I'm also far more concerned about a security vulnerability existing in the never updated random Bluetooth module/drivers in the TV than an IR receiver that emulates button presses.