✨ Feature Suggestion | Add tips for using a Smart TV in hardware section #2257

New Issue

2021-04-09T21:43:22Z

efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc commented

2021-04-09 21:43:22 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Description

So its almost unavoidable these days to get a TV that has a good picture quality and isn't a Smart TV.
There is no Smart TV to be find on the internet with open source code or privacy friendly features.
All the Smart TV's these days are calling home, but what can we do to regain our privacy a bit without sacrificing image quality.

Some things came along in our communities that i think are useful to mention:

First of the less technical solutions:

Consider computer monitors, projectors or commercial TVs. They don't have ads or some kind of spyware in them because they are not subsidized by data collection and the displays tend have a better image quality then your average TV.

Technical solutions:

Isolate the TV in a VLAN so u can make use of the "Smart" functions of the TV. In addition to that setup a PiHole and add TV specific block lists.
Don't connect the TV to the internet (heads up i cant find a source for this tho but allot of people on reddit pointed this out) but even if u don't connect to your TV to the internet it will force its way and connect to open networks. What you do to minimize this is, get a network switch with VLAN and firewall capabilities. You set up a secondary VLAN that has no network routing to the rest of your network, connect the Smart TV on that secondary VLAN, then, set up firewall rules explicitly denying all incoming and outgoing network requests. This is how you successfully sinkhole a TV and turn your smart TV into a dumb TV. This is much more desirable then never connecting.
Physically remove WiFi, Bluetooth, mic and camera.

Even when privacy friendly smart TVs don't exist yet. It is still important to inform people about what they can do to regain some of their privacy and still have a somewhat pleasant experience.

## Description So its almost unavoidable these days to get a TV that has a good picture quality and isn't a Smart TV. There is no Smart TV to be find on the internet with open source code or privacy friendly features. All the Smart TV's these days are calling home, but what can we do to regain our privacy a bit without sacrificing image quality. Some things came along in our communities that i think are useful to mention: First of the less technical solutions: - Consider computer monitors, projectors or commercial TVs. They don't have ads or some kind of spyware in them because they are not subsidized by data collection and the displays tend have a better image quality then your average TV. Technical solutions: - Isolate the TV in a VLAN so u can make use of the "Smart" functions of the TV. In addition to that setup a PiHole and add TV specific block lists. - Don't connect the TV to the internet (heads up i cant find a source for this tho but allot of people on reddit pointed this out) but even if u don't connect to your TV to the internet it will force its way and connect to open networks. What you do to minimize this is, get a network switch with VLAN and firewall capabilities. You set up a secondary VLAN that has no network routing to the rest of your network, connect the Smart TV on that secondary VLAN, then, set up firewall rules explicitly denying all incoming and outgoing network requests. This is how you successfully sinkhole a TV and turn your smart TV into a dumb TV. This is much more desirable then never connecting. - Physically remove WiFi, Bluetooth, mic and camera. Even when privacy friendly smart TVs don't exist yet. It is still important to inform people about what they can do to regain some of their privacy and still have a somewhat pleasant experience.

👍 1

Oymate commented

2021-04-15 10:21:59 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Buy a good TV, but then use a raspberry Pi + Kodi setup to have a private good looking TV

ph00lt0 commented

2021-04-18 09:58:14 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

I bought a huge monitor instead. Was a lot easier to find than a TV without microphone etc.

Oymate commented

2021-04-18 10:28:39 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

What's the difference if it's never connected to internet?

efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc commented

2021-06-28 12:57:23 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Well TV's collect the data in a local database if its not connected to the internet and lets say when u need to update the tv it will send all the data of the local database to the company. Also some TV manufactures dont even allow u to setup the TV without a connection. If u cant setup the tv u cant use it.

With a monitor u dont have to worry about those things.

Well TV's collect the data in a local database if its not connected to the internet and lets say when u need to update the tv it will send all the data of the local database to the company. Also some TV manufactures dont even allow u to setup the TV without a connection. If u cant setup the tv u cant use it. With a monitor u dont have to worry about those things.

Oymate commented

2021-06-29 11:18:58 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

@efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc most TV manufacturer allows USB updates

efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc commented

2021-06-29 11:20:18 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Ah really i didnt know about that.

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Reference: privacyguides/privacytools.io#2257