2 ms·

How can we lock down a TV, still use it but trust we aren't being spied on?

by androiddrew 14d ago

gnomesteel 14d ago
Don’t give your TV internet access, and use an Apple TV.
- herpdyderp 14d ago
  I've gotten frustrated enough with my Apple TV that once my gen of hardware is no longer supported I'll replace it with a Raspberry Pi. I don't need fancy apps, just a browser for Jellyfin and (sometimes) YouTube. Any other incidental streaming service usage can also be done through a browser anyway.
  - dwedge 14d ago
    I tried doing this and the video stutter on a raspberry pi made it too annoying. Probably better off using an N100
    - herpdyderp 14d ago
      That's too bad! Which Pi version and RAM configuration did you try?
    - Rohansi 14d ago
      > Probably better off using an N100 Exactly this. Search for a mini PC and it'll have a cheap Intel SoC in it that performs way better than a Raspberry Pi 5 but cheaper (comes with everything for ~$300), and even consumes a similar amount of power.
  - aryadee 14d ago
    A heads up: my CachyOS gaming PC has been doubling as my media box. But sadly, I've noticed that modern streaming DRM limits the quality because the OS+hardware is not "trusted". There's probably a way to hack around it, but I haven't gotten into it
- joering2 14d ago
  There it is. Not a single TV at my house ever seen a WiFi password. I add cheap Amazon FireStick and be done. Sure Amazon also spies on me but as far as I know original FireStick does not have built-in microphone and probably is not scanning/copying my LAN content to some cloud/back home. And at any time I can just throw it in the trash, get another $29 device. Once I/you plug WiFi password to your TV, there is now way of coming back.
- newsoftheday 14d ago
  We do that but use a Kubuntu Linux laptop behind the TV and a wireless mouse and keyboard (when we want to pause a movie in Chrome and search for something, like details about an actor in a movie).
- 1shooner 14d ago
  At what point do we need to contend with an out-of-band mesh network? Sure you didn't connect your TV to your LAN, but did anyone within LoRa range, on any device from the manufacturer?
- brianaker 13d ago
  Create an open Xfinity Wi-Fi network, as well as an AT&T one. See if the TV connects to them. This is probably obvious to most people, but I will mention just the same: do not install the antenna that the TV comes with.
  - Namidairo 13d ago
    > This is probably obvious to most people, but I will mention just the same: do not install the antenna that the TV comes with. Wifi antennas would typically be internal and unrelated to the one F-Type coaxial connector one would typically think of as the "antenna" input. Can't really stop the internal module from scanning and connecting to open access points unless you control the software.
notyourwork 14d ago
Leave it offline.

How can we lock down a TV, still use it but trust we aren't being spied on?

gnomesteel 14d ago

Don’t give your TV internet access, and use an Apple TV.

herpdyderp 14d ago
I've gotten frustrated enough with my Apple TV that once my gen of hardware is no longer supported I'll replace it with a Raspberry Pi. I don't need fancy apps, just a browser for Jellyfin and (sometimes) YouTube. Any other incidental streaming service usage can also be done through a browser anyway.
- dwedge 14d ago
  I tried doing this and the video stutter on a raspberry pi made it too annoying. Probably better off using an N100
  - herpdyderp 14d ago
    That's too bad! Which Pi version and RAM configuration did you try?
  - Rohansi 14d ago
    > Probably better off using an N100 Exactly this. Search for a mini PC and it'll have a cheap Intel SoC in it that performs way better than a Raspberry Pi 5 but cheaper (comes with everything for ~$300), and even consumes a similar amount of power.
- aryadee 14d ago
  A heads up: my CachyOS gaming PC has been doubling as my media box. But sadly, I've noticed that modern streaming DRM limits the quality because the OS+hardware is not "trusted". There's probably a way to hack around it, but I haven't gotten into it
joering2 14d ago
There it is. Not a single TV at my house ever seen a WiFi password. I add cheap Amazon FireStick and be done. Sure Amazon also spies on me but as far as I know original FireStick does not have built-in microphone and probably is not scanning/copying my LAN content to some cloud/back home. And at any time I can just throw it in the trash, get another $29 device. Once I/you plug WiFi password to your TV, there is now way of coming back.
newsoftheday 14d ago
We do that but use a Kubuntu Linux laptop behind the TV and a wireless mouse and keyboard (when we want to pause a movie in Chrome and search for something, like details about an actor in a movie).
1shooner 14d ago
At what point do we need to contend with an out-of-band mesh network? Sure you didn't connect your TV to your LAN, but did anyone within LoRa range, on any device from the manufacturer?
brianaker 13d ago
Create an open Xfinity Wi-Fi network, as well as an AT&T one. See if the TV connects to them. This is probably obvious to most people, but I will mention just the same: do not install the antenna that the TV comes with.
- Namidairo 13d ago
  > This is probably obvious to most people, but I will mention just the same: do not install the antenna that the TV comes with. Wifi antennas would typically be internal and unrelated to the one F-Type coaxial connector one would typically think of as the "antenna" input. Can't really stop the internal module from scanning and connecting to open access points unless you control the software.

notyourwork 14d ago

Leave it offline.