3 ms·

So where can I get an actual privacy focused streaming box, even if the apps (Neflix etc) running on it are not?

by giantg2 3mo ago

cogman10 3mo ago
I'm increasingly being convinced the only way to do that is you do a media pc nuc. The problem, of course, is you probably won't have the netflix app. It's painful to setup such a box to stream from various services.
- mbmbn 3mo ago
  I tried going that route, but most apps for streaming are Android. And that was only one of the issues. It was a rabbit hole and in the end I got back using my NVIDIA Shield. This is about 10 years now, but it’s actually still the best option.
- Tepix 3mo ago
  What's wrong with Apple TV? It runs VLC if you want to stream something from your NAS.
- giantg2 3mo ago
  I tried to look at setting up an stripped down privacy-focused Android based box for Netflix, but ran into issues. Seems like you need to be spied on to run Netflix.
- dwaltrip 3mo ago
  What about just using the Netflix desktop website? Or does that limit the resolution?
MattTheRealOne 3mo ago
Apple TV is currently the best balance of privacy and convenience. The only way to get more private is using a PC, but that limits the resolution for most streaming services to 720p or 1080p.
- theshrike79 3mo ago
  And longevity. It just keeps getting updated tvOS versions and every provider's apps keep working - unlike on random Android TVs that just fall out of support. I'm on my second one and I've owned them since the first version. My current one is the first generation 4k that's ... seven years old? Still works like new.
PcChip 3mo ago
I assume apple TV doesn’t do malicious things like this, and we love the interface and it “just works” with HDR
haunter 3mo ago
[dead]
ghostly_s 3mo ago
These are not "streaming boxes" in the sense you are talking about. Their appeal is that they come preloaded with chinese pirate streaming apps. Traditional streaming boxes - Apple TV, Fire stick, Roku - are not affected by this, though if you want privacy-focused Apple TV is the only remaining contender, and with Apple's continued descent into advertising vendor I'd guess that one is not long for this world, either.
- giantg2 3mo ago
  My understanding is that Roku bypasses DNS blocking with hardcoded tables so it can report back on various data they track on you.
  - timbit42 3mo ago
    Can you monitor its traffic and block by IP?
    - giantg2 3mo ago
      I probably could, but haven't done so yet.
    - mikestew 3mo ago
      I’m sure you could. At what point do you just rip out the thing that is trying so hard to work around your control of your network? An Apple TV doesn’t cost that much.
    - kube-system 3mo ago
      The door is slowly closing on all of these blocking schemes by moving ad content to the same domains as the primary content. This is already a common feature for analytics toolkits.
  - autoexec 3mo ago
    Roku collects an insane amount of data on users. Basically everything that they can get their hands on > Roughly twice per second, a Roku TV captures video “snapshots” in 4K resolution. These snapshots are scanned through a database of content and ads, which allows the exposure to be matched to what is airing. For example, if a streamer is watching an NFL football game and sees an ad for a hard seltzer, Roku’s ACR will know that the ad has appeared on the TV being watched at that time. In this way, the content on screen is automatically recognized, as the technology’s name indicates. The data then is paired with user profile data to link the account watching with the content they’re watching. https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/acr-the-future-of-tv-and-audience-data https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/acr-the-future-...
noboostforyou 3mo ago
Besides setting up your own device, Apple TV would be the best bet from any of the large manufacturers.
Pxtl 3mo ago
kodi on an rpi5?
deleted 3mo ago
[deleted]
drnick1 3mo ago
If you want actual privacy (rather than promises from Apple or Google), what you need is a mini-PC running Linux with the Plasma Bigscreen DE. You then use a Web browser rather than invasive "apps" for your streaming. For Youtube, there is VacuumTube (an improved Youtube Leanback client). The main limitation is capped resolution on some commercial streaming services. I believe Windows does not have that restriction, so a VM could presumably be used for streaming (I have not tried).
knowaveragejoe 3mo ago
The Onn TV devices from walmart seem fine, baseline google tracking not-withstanding... but no residential proxy or botnet participation without you knowing! You can just block them at the router and stream content locally.

So where can I get an actual privacy focused streaming box, even if the apps (Neflix etc) running on it are not?

by giantg2 3mo ago

So where can I get an actual privacy focused streaming box, even if the apps (Neflix etc) running on it are not?

I'm increasingly being convinced the only way to do that is you do a media pc nuc. The problem, of course, is you probably won't have the netflix app. It's painful to setup such a box to stream from various services.

mbmbn 3mo ago
I tried going that route, but most apps for streaming are Android. And that was only one of the issues. It was a rabbit hole and in the end I got back using my NVIDIA Shield. This is about 10 years now, but it’s actually still the best option.
Tepix 3mo ago
What's wrong with Apple TV? It runs VLC if you want to stream something from your NAS.
giantg2 3mo ago
I tried to look at setting up an stripped down privacy-focused Android based box for Netflix, but ran into issues. Seems like you need to be spied on to run Netflix.
dwaltrip 3mo ago
What about just using the Netflix desktop website? Or does that limit the resolution?

MattTheRealOne 3mo ago

Apple TV is currently the best balance of privacy and convenience. The only way to get more private is using a PC, but that limits the resolution for most streaming services to 720p or 1080p.

theshrike79 3mo ago
And longevity. It just keeps getting updated tvOS versions and every provider's apps keep working - unlike on random Android TVs that just fall out of support. I'm on my second one and I've owned them since the first version. My current one is the first generation 4k that's ... seven years old? Still works like new.

PcChip 3mo ago

I assume apple TV doesn’t do malicious things like this, and we love the interface and it “just works” with HDR

haunter 3mo ago

[dead]

ghostly_s 3mo ago

These are not "streaming boxes" in the sense you are talking about. Their appeal is that they come preloaded with chinese pirate streaming apps. Traditional streaming boxes - Apple TV, Fire stick, Roku - are not affected by this, though if you want privacy-focused Apple TV is the only remaining contender, and with Apple's continued descent into advertising vendor I'd guess that one is not long for this world, either.

giantg2 3mo ago
My understanding is that Roku bypasses DNS blocking with hardcoded tables so it can report back on various data they track on you.
- timbit42 3mo ago
  Can you monitor its traffic and block by IP?
  - giantg2 3mo ago
    I probably could, but haven't done so yet.
  - mikestew 3mo ago
    I’m sure you could. At what point do you just rip out the thing that is trying so hard to work around your control of your network? An Apple TV doesn’t cost that much.
  - kube-system 3mo ago
    The door is slowly closing on all of these blocking schemes by moving ad content to the same domains as the primary content. This is already a common feature for analytics toolkits.
- autoexec 3mo ago
  Roku collects an insane amount of data on users. Basically everything that they can get their hands on > Roughly twice per second, a Roku TV captures video “snapshots” in 4K resolution. These snapshots are scanned through a database of content and ads, which allows the exposure to be matched to what is airing. For example, if a streamer is watching an NFL football game and sees an ad for a hard seltzer, Roku’s ACR will know that the ad has appeared on the TV being watched at that time. In this way, the content on screen is automatically recognized, as the technology’s name indicates. The data then is paired with user profile data to link the account watching with the content they’re watching. https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/acr-the-future-of-tv-and-audience-data https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/acr-the-future-...

noboostforyou 3mo ago

Besides setting up your own device, Apple TV would be the best bet from any of the large manufacturers.

Pxtl 3mo ago

kodi on an rpi5?

deleted 3mo ago

[deleted]

drnick1 3mo ago

If you want actual privacy (rather than promises from Apple or Google), what you need is a mini-PC running Linux with the Plasma Bigscreen DE. You then use a Web browser rather than invasive "apps" for your streaming. For Youtube, there is VacuumTube (an improved Youtube Leanback client). The main limitation is capped resolution on some commercial streaming services. I believe Windows does not have that restriction, so a VM could presumably be used for streaming (I have not tried).

knowaveragejoe 3mo ago

The Onn TV devices from walmart seem fine, baseline google tracking not-withstanding... but no residential proxy or botnet participation without you knowing! You can just block them at the router and stream content locally.