Harm Reducing/Replacing your Smart TV

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In general, the TV industry has moved toward making them “smart”, meaning that it’s super rare to find “dumb” TVs, if you can find a TV that doesn’t spy on you. Projectors generally haven’t followed the same path, but there are projectors that have “smart features” built in.

Displays

Monitors (Recommended)

Generally speaking, unless you want to go the used route, it is impossible if not rare to find “dumb” TVs in stores nowadays, so one of the general recommendations is to buy a monitor in the size of a TV (not ultra-wide ones) or the one you want, and adding something like our software recommendations above and devices below makes for a generally much more private alternative than buying a Smart TV.
Examples of these to understand what I mean:
(These links will take you to PcPartPicker, this is their (actually not bad at all) Privacy Policy)

Used TVs

If you’re willing to go the used route. You could find used TVs on selling sites like craiglist (with necessary precautions) or your local e-waste store which could be a better alternative than the ladder which will generally be “dumbed down” however it does come with downsides which is why the monitor approach is recommended. Also, these TVs will generally be either CRTs or LCDs and we would recommend avoiding used CRT TVs unless you know the risks with them or are willing to be more “janky”, especially as CRTs suffer from burn-in and are complex to maintain and generally do not have modern ports like HDMI. And of course for LCDs, old LCD TVs generally do not have the best quality over modern LED, LCD or OLED TVs or monitors, but old LCD is your best bet here.

Media/Streaming Devices

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Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi is a single board computer that is able to use the POGO pins to extend functionality like the TV HAT to be used as a TV. It also uses Linux as it’s main operating system which also supports the software above, making it a private alternative to the “smart” features we get, it and hopefully other SBC’s having something like the TV Hat means that if the consumer still wants television (PVR) or other functionalities still with their monitor, they can use that as an extension.

:house:Homepage

Computer

In general, a computer that meets the hardware requirements for the above software can also serve as a media entertainment system and can be expanded to a TV (PVR) with a Tuner Card. See the related pages for hardware and software requirements.

Smart TV Harm Reduction

If you’re not willing to go through the above approach, or otherwise you already went through and bought a Smart TV (or maybe a friend or family has went with their own purchase of that.), Here’s some harm reduction you can do to improve as much of the TV’s Privacy as possible:

The True Number 1 Rule: Do not connect the TV to the Internet

Though seriously, try to do that, by not connecting the TV to the Internet (or on the network, period), you’re essentially making it act as like a bit annoying but “dumb enough” TV as I would put it. Though we know this might or might not be a long term viable option as things could happen (eg. This first example is a speculation on my part God Forbid I’m giving these manufacturer ideas They have a SIM Card that allows to connect to mobile data network and therefore are able to collect data this way, or the TV Could force you to connect to the Internet for whatever arbitrary reason or You may want to use the services, maybe like for example you wanna watch YouTube or something on the TV (god forbid just use that frontend you installed on your phone)).

If not connecting to the internet is enough.

Then after connecting it (and assuming you’re not forcing yourself into anything too sketchy I’m looking at you Roku, or whatever), try to set it up with Internet (sign out of any accounts you may or may not have been forced to create if applicable) then turn off internet completely again on the TV. If that’s still not enough here’s some steps:

  1. Opt out of any data collection [where possible] in your TV’s settings[1][2][3][4]

  2. Use DNS Content Filtering, The ones that are recommended by Privacy Guides (especially ones you have control for, like Control D, NextDNS, Pi-Hole and AdGuard Home) that can use the standard DNS 53 (DNS 53 is basically Raw IPv4 DNS, it’s generally recommended to use Private DNS if available and in that case configure one instead (so DNS Over TLS or HTTPS where possible) but not all TVs or even No TVs seems to allow that so there’s that.)

    1. After you figured out your DNS, Go to the necessary settings of your TV to make the changes [Ignore the change region instructions, also this was the only source I could find, and it does not cover Android TV or Roku. Here’s guides for Android TV, Do NOT change to Nord DNS Servers, instead use the DNS IP you have chosen and Roku does not allow you to change DNS so you would need to do that on your router or avoid Roku-based TVs.]
      [Generally consult a manual or a guide for your specific model among other things on how to change DNS]

Taking these steps will generally improve the privacy of your TV dramatically but it may not prevent all of the data collection all together so Generally it is best to stick to the True Number 1 Rule or go with the recommendations above. (And generally take any other steps to improve your privacy, like for example here about Avoiding Big Tech in the same wiki)

Criteria

For Displays:

  • Must not collect any sensitive data or otherwise be a “Smart” device.
  • Must support the ports devices can use like HDMI, No adapters.

For Devices:

  • Similar to Displays, software must not collect any sensitive data (out of the box).
  • Can use operating systems like Linux.
  • Can use different peripherals for the likes of TV (PVR) and others and can use the recommended software.

Personal notes

@GorujoCY

Firstly, you may have noticed that this is based off my original PR(#2930) and that is correct!
Lastly, as with any wiki you are free to discuss about this (and I prefer before making changes) or add knowledge about it, thank you.

Last edited by @GorujoCY 2025-05-08T01:17:11Z

4 Likes
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Cool post! I believe FOSS stands for Free and Open Source Software, not just Free and Open Source.

Also, I think looking for non-smart TVs can be easier if you just search for “digital signage display”

Lastly, would you be willing to use bolded words instead of all caps?

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hey there, thanks for the feedback! I didn’t really think to use bolds in these specific parts, I hope it is better I’m open to any other feedback :smiley:

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Thanks for your receptiveness! Maybe you can also mention that KDE is working on a smart TV OS?

5

Hmm it is a good point I’m gonna be honest

but while it would be nice to tease and stuff, is there any good example that can be put with plasma bigscreen?

I’m thinking it’s kind of like Kodi here I think but something’s odd right :thinking:

because I indeed looked at it, exciting and even now looking at it only to be met with disappointment ( Distributions offering Plasma Bigscreen - Plasma Bigscreen ) [Maybe KDE Neon could actually have an option of Plasma Bigscreen Dev/Alpha/Beta Brach but I digress]

if I can very much get a usage out of it, will definitely include in the recommendations.

If it’s otherwise to give a tip maybe I can figure it out tomorrow perhaps or I allow the community to squeeze it in appropriately.

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Why recommend using a monitor instead? I understand that it would work as a replacement but considering the outsized cost to using a monitor as a TV, I think it should be a last resort. Especially with the other alternatives mentioned.

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Monitors tend to be the more modern versions of the “Dumb TVs”, again it can be super rare if not it outright might as well not exist when it comes to actual Dumb TVs that would have modern panels like Modern LEDs or OLEDs, Monitors have those advantages while not being “Smart” Except the Smart Monitor M6 from Samsung, trust me this thing should not exist at all.

Granted it’s why Used TVs are okay but considering in my experience most of what I can find is CRTs than LCDs, it’s a “Browse at your own risk”[So therefore not a recommended/safest approach] kind of method and again as said here Old LCDs don’t really if not at all compete with the modern panels (like OLED, Modern LCDs/LED) that we have now.

It’s also why I alzo wrote a guide about Harm Reduction of Smart TVs as a whole if none of these are an option.

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I just felt like it could be worth mentioning not for people to use right now, but for people to keep an eye on it if they are interested

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will consider, I was just hoping to get ways to catch those eyes and interests better so…

10

Great job!

For the Raspberry Pi and Computer Sections, I think it would be great to research more about what to install on those devices to make it into an “tv box”. Perhaps it could warrant its own wiki article but a basic overview can work for now

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That was the point of adding Kodi together honestly but @jonah refuses, instead he wants it separated in a guide which I can reference to as a whole anyways.
It’s just honestly this whole cheapest possible setup is going to cost me 100 euros take or leave if I recommend using a game controller instead etc.
(the whole kit for a Pi itself is cheap, only around 50 something bucks) so there’s that to properly make a guide or something.

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see: Kodi (Media Streaming Software) - #3 by jonah