45 pointsby nowflux7 hours ago13 comments
  • rationalist7 hours ago
    I took out the Wi-Fi module before I ever powered up the TV. I don't want to have to trust that a guest won't try to connect to their own hotspot to watch their Netflix on my TV.
    • foresto4 hours ago
      If I had to buy a smart TV, this is what I would do. It's the only way to be sure.

      Sadly, the purchase would still reward the company for making a spyware screen, and signal that I find it acceptable, which is why I plan to avoid them forever.

      • arijun4 hours ago
        I think these TVs are subsidized by the ad revenue, so you might cause them more pain by buying one and never connecting it.
        • genewitch2 hours ago
          p.s. if you like this idea use the Ad Nauseam plugin for firefox et al in lieu of ublock whatever. It clicks on all ads it hides, polluting metrics, wasting money.

          it also tells you the estimated cost of all ads it's clicked on your behalf.

          • rationalist2 hours ago
            You're also going to be profiled based on every list imaginable. Have fun when companies think you're an extremist and into wild things like fetishes.
            • genewitchan hour ago
              Perhaps, but for that i use TrackMeNot plugin, which gets a list of headlines then does headline remixes/mashup and googles/searches for them on a set schedule of your choosing. you can choose to disallow words that would be illegal to search for in your jurisdiction.

              also, oh no! Coca Cola will think i like latex? Shoot, this ruins my retirement plans.

              • rationalistan hour ago
                > oh no! Coca Cola will think i like latex? Shoot, this ruins my retirement plans.

                Oh no! Now you didn't get that job because the company farms out their background checks and that company uses these metrics to determine different types of risks (social risks, financial risks (you must really like gambling after clicking on all of those gambling ads), etc). Oh no! Now you're on an extremist list and being investigated. Oh no! Now you're paying more for the same products because you're on a list of people that companies think will pay more. Oh no! Your social score is tanking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosedive_(Black_Mirror)

                • Larrikinan hour ago
                  Yea this isn't a thing and is just another scare tactic that gets dragged out when Ad Nauseum is brought up as the better solution. It's banned in the Chrome because it works
                  • rationalist28 minutes ago
                    I don't know, some of the other Black Mirror episodes ended up being right on the money.

                    Ah yes, "banned because it works"... That's why lots of stuff is banned /s

  • angry_octet6 hours ago
    I'm curious to know whether my Google TV is surveilling my use of Netflix and other apps. If I watch something via XBMC streaming does it sample it?

    It would be a shame if I had to have my own HDMI generator go back to switching inputs.

  • mannyv3 hours ago
    Just connect your TV to WiFi then block it at your router/wifi AP.

    Though at some point they'll just start using random MAC addresses Then you have to ensure that you block all external access for stuff that didn't get an IP from your DHCP server. Which probably won't work with IPv6 because it could just assign itself an IP and go.

    How would you block a random device on IPv6 that's generating its own IP?

  • its-summertime7 hours ago
    https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.06203 the study

    Instructions given from the twitter thread but are probably slop:

    Samsung:

    Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Terms & Privacy → Turn off "Viewing Information Services"

    LG:

    Settings → General → System → Additional Settings → Turn off "Live Plus"

    Settings → Support → Privacy & Terms → User Agreements → Turn off "Viewing Information"

    Roku TVs (TCL, Hisense, Philips, Insignia, Onn, Sharp, and others):

    Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience → Turn off "Use Info from TV Inputs"

    Settings → Privacy → Advertising → Turn off "Personalize Ads"

    Sony:

    Settings → All Settings → Turn off "Samba Interactive TV"

    Vizio:

    Settings → All Settings → Admin & Privacy → Turn off "Viewing Data"

    Amazon:

    Settings → Preferences → Privacy Settings → Turn off "Device Usage Data", "Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage", "Interest-Based Ads"

    • m4634 hours ago
      I thought texas sued them all because they did it even after changing settings.
    • mlindner6 hours ago
      FWIW, I would not trust LG here to actually do nothing even after turning all the elements off, their GUI is especially "web"-like. Just leave it disconnected.

      I don't understand why people can't just get a secondary device for accessing live streaming programs. There's numerous devices you can buy that do it.

      TVs should not be connected to the internet. The incentive structures are just too bad against the user.

      • 0cf8612b2e1e4 hours ago
        How do you know the TV will not also screenshot the HDMI input? That’s what I would do if I were looking to further milk the rubes buying my tv.
        • Larrikin4 hours ago
          The TV can take all the screenshots it wants in that scenario. It isn't connected to the Internet
        • arijun4 hours ago
          It seems like they do? That’s why gp suggested disconnecting the Wi-Fi entirely.
  • hyruo3 hours ago
    Since TV screenshots are used for advertising purposes, I'd like to know if the same thing happens on mobile phones.
  • landgenoot4 hours ago
    What is the framework of the TV's these days? I still have a 2011 high end Samsung that has no Wifi, but this thing is not going to last forever.
    • genewitch2 hours ago
      TCL roku TVs are cheap and you can just tell them you don't have an internet connection (or whatever) on first setup. I have no idea if TCL or Roku have pulled a samsung/sony/visio - i forget which - and connect to "open wifi" to phone home.

      I got tired of my TCL Roku taking so long to turn on and switch inputs and turning itself on and off to update. So i factory reset it and told it "no network". works fine.

      Sceptre makes dumb TVs, too. https://www.sceptre.com/ - i have been buying their panels for something like 24 years. they're "decent" nothing super remarkable, but they're just dumb displays. at least mine are.

      And finally, find a projector that does what you want. they're usually so compact they don't have roku/other smart stuff. I use a wall, we used dark brown or black paint to frame out a 95" screen roughly in between 16:8 and 16:9 aspect. wash the wall or sand lightly and wash the wall, then apply Behr Silver Screen in the matte-est behr base. I personally did three coats, it took less than a quart, so you only need a quart for ~100" with 3 coats. It looks like a movie screen when it's off, and it looks like a TV screen when the projector is on.

      observe a random clip of it in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG6VJ9WlLcs note i know there is trapezoid, i fixed that later by ceiling mounting the projector in the middle as opposed to slightly to the side. a more expensive / nicer projector can actually transform the image trapezoid to fix this, and the most expensive can do it on their own! mine has vertical trap but not horizontal.

      pitch black room and vibrant colors (powanqatsi maybe) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYrsm2B9UeY

    • bilegeek4 hours ago
      Seems the only viable solution nowadays is computer monitor + converter box and/or computer + speakers. There's ~$150 32" monitors nowadays, even a few non-TV 42-43 inch monitors if you're willing to spend ~$700-1200.
  • AirMax986 hours ago
    Dumb devices have gotta be a billion dollar market at this point.
    • rationalist5 hours ago
      I bought a dumb 4K TV years ago. When I looked not too long ago, I couldn't find any for sale.
  • kstrauser5 hours ago
    Maybe, but since I'll never connect that sucker to a network, it'll just have to sit and brood on them.
    • GauntletWizard5 hours ago
      They're increasingly turning to contracts with Comcast and AT+T so that even if you don't have them on the network, they can phone home on the neighbor's wifi.
      • big_toast5 hours ago
        Do you have additional information about this? I'm having trouble finding reporting or discussion on it.
      • LocalH5 hours ago
        Don't forget they can just drop a 4G modem into the TV too.
        • DANmode3 hours ago
          but also don’t forget that nobody has yet.
    • ButlerianJihadan hour ago
      Zealous Autoconfig https://xkcd.com/416/
  • m4634 hours ago
    lots of hacker news folks provide information:

    https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46294456

  • 3 hours ago
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  • therobots9277 hours ago
    I changed the WiFi password as never told my Samsung the new one. I expect this will work for a year or two until they figure out how to force their way onto the network.
    • jhhh7 hours ago
      Amazon sidewalk and related technologies will likely allow devices to bypass needing your network at all in the future. The last TV that doesnt support these features will probably be my last.
    • cwillu6 hours ago
      Thank god the EoH never became a thing, despite being in the HDMI standard
    • ezekg7 hours ago
      Do you just use a Roku to watch stuff or what?
      • therobots9274 hours ago
        Amazon fire stick
      • mlindner5 hours ago
        What is of value to watch on any of the streaming platforms?

        Netflix content is atrophying. Disney Plus is dying. To say nothing of Hulu or others.

        I watch youtube. The content is way more varied and interesting and less sanitized.

        • Larrikin4 hours ago
          Apple is producing multiple series that each could be in contention for a top spot on best sci Fi TV shows of all time.
          • therobots9272 hours ago
            Which ones?
            • Sabinus33 minutes ago
              Dunno what gp likes, but IMO Foundation is incredible.
      • bitwize7 hours ago
        There's a wonderful thing that we used to have and still do have, but might be going away soon. It's called "terrestrial television". For decades people streamed programming over the airwaves, straight off the antenna! For free! Ad-supported of course, but... no tracking! (Actually opt-in tracking with a Nielsen People Meter.)
    • cma7 hours ago
      They will probably eventually upload stuff through people walking by with Samsung phones or smart tags.
      • Dan_-3 hours ago
        Right? Couldn’t they exfiltrate this info through BLE?
      • m4634 hours ago
        look up 5g miot. 6g will be worse.