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Are the number of people who do this numerous enough for them to make the effort? (edited to add) I feel like the real problem will be when they start adding w

Are the number of people who do this numerous enough for them to make the effort? (edited to add) I feel like the real problem will be when they start adding wireless connectivity that you can't disable. I can keep my LG off the network today by refusing to configure networking for it. I can't do that if it doesn't use/require my network...

burnt_toast 5y ago
I was bored a few months ago and opened up my samsung tv to see if I could unhook the wifi antennas. Turns out there wasn't actually any in there but I was able to desolder the wifi chip. It was a small separate board mounted by 8 or so pins off the motherboard that I had to use low temp solder on. TV still works (minus the streaming services). If you try to open the network settings the screen just shows a loading icon indefinitely.
- tartoran 5y ago
  Would just not giving the TV access to wifi be enough or is it constantly bugging you with pop ups?
  - Nextgrid 5y ago
    Some people might be paranoid that the TV would automatically connect to any unencrypted Wi-Fi in range, but I think it's an urban legend as I've never seen it properly demonstrated and documented.
- QuarterReptile 5y ago
  People so often fail to remember this as an option. I once wanted an Android device for listening to podcasts at the gym, but the device couldn't have any cameras or radios or microphones because of the gym's policy. I just popped it open, unsnapped a few connections, and problem solved.
- Nextgrid 5y ago
  You got very lucky that the lack of expected hardware didn't crash the boot process. If anyone is considering doing this, I'd suggest tampering with the analog part of the wireless radio instead, so that the OS still sees a Wi-Fi chip, just that it's no longer able to receive anything.
Nextgrid 5y ago
> I feel like the real problem will be when they start adding wireless connectivity that you can't disable This gets raised all the time but I just don't see it being necessary - the vast majority is happy to voluntarily provide it with an internet connection. The ones like us who fight it is a very small minority not worth spending on including cellular modems (& the associated data plan) in every TV.

burnt_toast 5y ago

I was bored a few months ago and opened up my samsung tv to see if I could unhook the wifi antennas. Turns out there wasn't actually any in there but I was able to desolder the wifi chip. It was a small separate board mounted by 8 or so pins off the motherboard that I had to use low temp solder on. TV still works (minus the streaming services). If you try to open the network settings the screen just shows a loading icon indefinitely.

tartoran 5y ago
Would just not giving the TV access to wifi be enough or is it constantly bugging you with pop ups?
- Nextgrid 5y ago
  Some people might be paranoid that the TV would automatically connect to any unencrypted Wi-Fi in range, but I think it's an urban legend as I've never seen it properly demonstrated and documented.
QuarterReptile 5y ago
People so often fail to remember this as an option. I once wanted an Android device for listening to podcasts at the gym, but the device couldn't have any cameras or radios or microphones because of the gym's policy. I just popped it open, unsnapped a few connections, and problem solved.
Nextgrid 5y ago
You got very lucky that the lack of expected hardware didn't crash the boot process. If anyone is considering doing this, I'd suggest tampering with the analog part of the wireless radio instead, so that the OS still sees a Wi-Fi chip, just that it's no longer able to receive anything.

Nextgrid 5y ago

> I feel like the real problem will be when they start adding wireless connectivity that you can't disable This gets raised all the time but I just don't see it being necessary - the vast majority is happy to voluntarily provide it with an internet connection. The ones like us who fight it is a very small minority not worth spending on including cellular modems (& the associated data plan) in every TV.