5 ms·

Every TV is "stupid" when it's not connected to the internet, and none of them can transmit your data when disconnected.

Bancakes 5y ago
My provider gives me a EON set-top-box which is just a smartphone with a ethernet and HDMI port. It's always connected as it's internet-based TV. This is the sad state of reality.
chii 5y ago
If it turns out that too many people are disconnecting their tv, the manufacturer would merely add in a sim card. They don't yet ATM because they don't need to - too many people are stupidly connecting their wifi.
- snvzz 5y ago
  >If it turns out that too many people are disconnecting their tv, the manufacturer would merely add in a sim card. Or silently use your neighbor's tv (of the same brand or cross-brand network pact) as access point. Not for streaming video, but just for the tracking. This is where we're headed.
- 3np 5y ago
  I also theorize that 5G will drive down the overhead enough to make that more prevalent.
- vortico 5y ago
  Wouldn't the free market simply provide modifications with the cell networking removed for an extra $50 or so? The "discount" you get from buying a smart TV verses a dumb TV (which is a niche product so it would cost hundreds more) would still be positive after subtracting the cost of modification.
  - OrderlyTiamat 5y ago
    > Wouldn't the free market simply provide modifications The free market doesn't seem so keen on modifications, see phones, laptops etc. All walled gardens where even repair is discouraged.
    - vortico 5y ago
      How so? I can buy a modified Thinkpad (https://minifree.org/product/libre-t440p/ https://minifree.org/product/libre-t440p/ or http://www.cnmod.cn/x210/ http://www.cnmod.cn/x210/) because enough people demand it. If enough people demand dumb TVs but their niche prices far exceed smart TVs, then people will begin selling modified smart TVs without cell chips for mutually fair prices.
- littlecranky67 5y ago
  GDPR requires consent, and no feature is allowed to be removed to coerce you into consent. So at least in the EU, there must be an option to switch off data transmissions.
  - chii 5y ago
    i would imagine that watch-time of a show is not Personally Identifying Information, and thus do not require GDPR consent.
    - littlecranky67 5y ago
      GDPR also regulates non PII, such as profiling.
mrjin 5y ago
It's beyond that. Dumb TVs are virtually instant on, those so called Smart TVs take a while to boot. Also the design of the UI were changed a lot by removing or hiding frequently used functions/remote buttons etc.
- navjack27 5y ago
  My TCL 4K HDR Roku TV turns on in 2 seconds. I hit the power button on my Roku TV app on my phone in the remote section and I count to two and there is an image on the display and then I hit right once and then okay and then one second later I see my Mac desktop. Amazing!
snvzz 5y ago
Every "smart tv" is or will be smart enough to connect to the internet via your friendly neighbor's "smart tv", and to do so silently for tracking purposes only.

Bancakes 5y ago

My provider gives me a EON set-top-box which is just a smartphone with a ethernet and HDMI port. It's always connected as it's internet-based TV. This is the sad state of reality.

chii 5y ago

If it turns out that too many people are disconnecting their tv, the manufacturer would merely add in a sim card. They don't yet ATM because they don't need to - too many people are stupidly connecting their wifi.

snvzz 5y ago
>If it turns out that too many people are disconnecting their tv, the manufacturer would merely add in a sim card. Or silently use your neighbor's tv (of the same brand or cross-brand network pact) as access point. Not for streaming video, but just for the tracking. This is where we're headed.
3np 5y ago
I also theorize that 5G will drive down the overhead enough to make that more prevalent.
vortico 5y ago
Wouldn't the free market simply provide modifications with the cell networking removed for an extra $50 or so? The "discount" you get from buying a smart TV verses a dumb TV (which is a niche product so it would cost hundreds more) would still be positive after subtracting the cost of modification.
- OrderlyTiamat 5y ago
  > Wouldn't the free market simply provide modifications The free market doesn't seem so keen on modifications, see phones, laptops etc. All walled gardens where even repair is discouraged.
  - vortico 5y ago
    How so? I can buy a modified Thinkpad (https://minifree.org/product/libre-t440p/ https://minifree.org/product/libre-t440p/ or http://www.cnmod.cn/x210/ http://www.cnmod.cn/x210/) because enough people demand it. If enough people demand dumb TVs but their niche prices far exceed smart TVs, then people will begin selling modified smart TVs without cell chips for mutually fair prices.
littlecranky67 5y ago
GDPR requires consent, and no feature is allowed to be removed to coerce you into consent. So at least in the EU, there must be an option to switch off data transmissions.
- chii 5y ago
  i would imagine that watch-time of a show is not Personally Identifying Information, and thus do not require GDPR consent.
  - littlecranky67 5y ago
    GDPR also regulates non PII, such as profiling.

mrjin 5y ago

It's beyond that. Dumb TVs are virtually instant on, those so called Smart TVs take a while to boot. Also the design of the UI were changed a lot by removing or hiding frequently used functions/remote buttons etc.

navjack27 5y ago
My TCL 4K HDR Roku TV turns on in 2 seconds. I hit the power button on my Roku TV app on my phone in the remote section and I count to two and there is an image on the display and then I hit right once and then okay and then one second later I see my Mac desktop. Amazing!

snvzz 5y ago

Every "smart tv" is or will be smart enough to connect to the internet via your friendly neighbor's "smart tv", and to do so silently for tracking purposes only.