# Modern TV/Monitor without Android? **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/modern-tv-monitor-without-android/16188 **Category:** Questions **Created:** 2024-01-13T19:09:32Z **Posts:** 11 ## Post 1 by @Cyber-Typhoon — 2024-01-13T19:09:32Z Hi, As we are aware modern TV comes with voice assistant, microphones, play store, manufactures trackers and in some cases even cameras. Those are quite privacy invasive or questionable features. Are you aware of a 4K QD OLED, OLED or Mini Led TV or monitor that is 50" or bigger, with a glossy panel and without all those intrusive features? Well, I hope this is not a topic that sounds as promoting some product. I’m genuine trying to learn if there are such a device. Cheers --- ## Post 2 by @exaCORE — 2024-01-13T19:45:36Z Just don’t connect your smart TV to wifi and just use HDMI to a computer. --- ## Post 3 by @anon21489307 — 2024-01-13T20:04:57Z As @exaCORE suggested, cutting off the internet would fix the issue. However, with this route, you would need to use Windows or macOS PC/box to be able to watch Netflix, Prime, etc. at 4K. Linux box won’t stream over 720p by default due to Widevine L3. Netflix 1080p might be possible with the 1080p extension. But I unsubscribed Netflix long time ago, so I don’t know whether it’s still working. In any case, 1080p won’t look very good on 4K TVs. Nevertheless, if you’re going to use the TV as a monitor, that’s OK. Otherwise, it would be better to stick with Android TV. At least, you wouldn’t put sensitive data on your TV. And you won’t get much better privacy by using either Windows or macOS. Moreover, I don’t think Samsung TV/projector OS, LG’s WebOS, or other Chinese inhouse OS is better in terms of privacy, if not worse. --- ## Post 4 by @Cyber-Typhoon — 2024-01-13T20:16:10Z Would you handle security software, firmware and feature updates via flash drive only? It doesn’t rest my mind that at any given moment the TV can be connected to the network and inadvertently risk privacy at my home. Althought this is the probably the most obvious direction to address my question. --- ## Post 5 by @ph00lt0 — 2024-01-13T20:19:04Z It’s a good question but why not just keep the tv disconnected from the internet? Problem solved. I am using an apple tv on a fully disconnected tv. I threw away the siri remote with mic and use the remote of the TV instead. I am not saying apple is great privacy but at least it is secure and receives updates. --- ## Post 6 by @Cyber-Typhoon — 2024-01-13T20:22:23Z Content wise is a whole additional discussion. I’m aware the Linux limitation to stream Netflix. Personally, I’ve adopted Plex and Emby (probably should looked Jellyfin first) for about 6 years now and I have a little Linux NUC server where I host the content. We don’t use the TV very much at home other than the movie sessions. Thank you for the inputs they are very welcome. If I’d have to choose today a tv box probably would look at Apple. For some reason they seem to give me a little more confidence than the other options. If my judgedmet worth a note. --- ## Post 7 by @exaCORE — 2024-01-13T21:01:26Z > [@Cyber-Typhoon](#): > > server where I host the content. We don’t use the TV very much at home other than the movie sessions. I guess, although firmware updates dont seem as important for a television imo --- ## Post 8 by @anon21489307 — 2024-01-13T21:29:57Z > [@exaCORE](#): > > firmware updates dont seem as important for a television It does, at least, for my Samsung projector :sweat_smile: It fixed some issues (random restart, unresponsive UI) while introducing some new issue (auto focus doesn’t work most of the time now). If OP still want to update the firmware, it’s doable by resetting WiFi password every time the TV finished its update. So, it has no connection whatsoever regardless of the operation behind the scene. --- ## Post 9 by @exaCORE — 2024-01-13T21:38:07Z Good point hadn’t thought of that. --- ## Post 10 by @xe3 — 2024-01-13T22:35:57Z > [@Cyber-Typhoon](#): > > Would you handle security software, firmware and feature updates via flash drive only? I suppose if its not networked, security updates are not very important. Firmware and features may or may not matter to you (if you are using your TV as ‘just a screen’ and it is not connected to the network, most features would be irrelevant and broken anyways since there is no connectivity. But if you did want to keep up with updates, it seems you could either see if there is an offline update method, OR do something like factory reset the TV once a year, connect it to a network with DNS filtering, check for firmware/software updates, and disconnect from the network, and possibly to another factory reset. > [@Cyber-Typhoon](#): > > the TV can be connected to the network and inadvertently risk privacy at my home. How could this happen _inadvertently_? Someone would have to either _deliberately_ attach an ethernet cable from the TV to the Router, or _deliberately_ input the correct WiFi password. It couldn’t be accidental or inadvertent. If you are worried about someone else in the household connecting it, you could always go so far as to block/blacklist the TV at the network/router/firewall level, or even connect it to a network segment that has no WAN or LAN access. --- ## Post 11 by @anon73250778 — 2024-01-15T05:37:12Z With regards to your TVs, some TVs _can and will_ remotely connect to the surrounding WiFi. All it takes is a neighbor resetting their wifi and not set a password and all you data/metadata/telemetry will escape into the open web, back to the tender loving arms of its home base. The Monitor/TV you want is the “Display Signage” variety, meant for the bright screens used in fastfoods and the like. Its as dumb as it gets but IIRC its hard to get it as a consumer.