I’m considering buying a new TV. There’s plenty of posts about trying to find dumb TVs, comments like ‘just don’t connect it to the internet/network’.

What surprises me is that there isn’t a good overview of (popular) TVs or brands with basic information, answering for each TV:

  • Can you use it as a basic TV by choosing not to enable smart features during setup?
  • Can you opt out by just not accepting a bunch of agreements?
  • Does it have a camera and/or microphone? Where in the device are these? Is there a physical disable switch for microphone?
  • Does it nag when not connected to any network?
  • Does it have higher than normal power usage when not able to phone home?
  • Has it been discovered to connect to public WiFi networks? Does it have the (theoretical) ability to connect to 5G mobile networks?

And similar.

There are extensive lists with a lot of detail about VPN services but nothing like that for TVs. Am I ignorant of a good source, or does this just not exist (yet)?

  • GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml
    313·
    12 hours ago

    What I don’t understand is that if you want the TV to be offline, why don’t you just buy a monitor and connect a digital TV receiver to it via an adapter (if it doesn’t have an HDMI output). It’ll be more expensive for sure and it will require a design-hostile antenna but all the privacy issues should just go out of the window.

    • The Doctor@beehaw.orgEnglish
      1·
      5 hours ago

      From trying to get people to do that (with no success), it’s because it seems too much like work. Folks want something they can plug in and go… but plugging in one extra thing is just a bridge too far these days. It’s frustrating as shit.

    • Im_old@lemmy.world
      10·
      12 hours ago

      Do they make 55" OLED monitors? Only stuff I’ve seen is LED, and I’m pretty sure the picture/color quality is inferior to proper tv panel

      • GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml
        25·
        11 hours ago

        I think the color quality of good monitors is far superior to it in TVs because monitors are meant for professional image editing. The size may be a problem though. Usually monitors are not more than 27".

        • pimeys@lemmy.nauk.io
          12·
          11 hours ago

          A big monitor with 100% AdobeRGB is going to be very very expensive. And if you want it to be 65", you just can’t find them…

          And it is a monitor, meant to be watched from a close distance. It will not be such a great experience for movies and such.

    • tab@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      10 hours ago

      monitors are generally made to be viewed up close - if video quality is no issue, then a commercial display /digital signage is also okay.

      however, a good detailed list of tv aspects would help with even that choice.

      not shooting any option down - just wondering about available resources/information.