I refuse to connect this TV to the internet because if it does get connected it will force an update that says unless you agree with forced arbitration your TV will be unusable. I just want to change the HDMI slot 2 spaces over 🤦. Gargle my nutsack Roku.
After they announced that they would snoop on the HDMI port and then push targetted ads during paused media, I decided I will never own a Roku device again. Before they had TVs I’d recommend to anyone to get their smart boxes. Then Roku, like everyone else, enshitified.
they would snoop on the HDMI port
Most smart TVs do this by default, unfortunately. They use a technology called ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) to determine what you’re watching, essentially like Shazam but for TV shows and movies. This gets sent to the manufacturer who can then build an advertising profile about you.
At least they don’t show ads, yet.
Never connect a smart TV to the internet. Put it on a separate VLAN that doesn’t have internet access. For streaming, use something like an Nvidia Shield (or if you’re in the Apple ecosystem, an Apple TV).
Yup. On my TV you can’t even change the name of an Input without Internet. Fuck you Roku youre blocked from the internet forever.
I have 2 TCL Roku TVs. I don’t use Roku for either of them, I got them because they were good and cheap. I have them set to switch to HDMI at boot & use android tv boxes. I set that up with a temporary said, then deleted the ssid after.
It really sucks that we have to do things like that to use things we paid for.
Do you have lineageos or similiar on the android boxes, or just stock? How do you modify the boxes for privacy, and what brand do you use?
It’s stock Android TV on Nvidia Shield boxes. I’m doing firewall & DNS filtering and I’m only using Plex, Jellyfin and Wireguard. Ideally, I’d like to use a nuc style PC that has a minimal Linux and starts straight into the Jellyfin client.
Somewhere in the settings you can have it boot to HDMI1 and you can skip that whole stuff.
Im in the same boat as you. Insanity. There is a way to disable smart features (and internet/ads) after a factory reset if you dont need any apps like youtube, etc.
Yeah, but that factory reset might make them update the TV and then force the arbitration. I don’t feel like risking it for now, I’m just using my pi to consume content on.
For those in California, forced arbitration is not enforceable as it’s against the law.
