Most private option for watching YouTube on TV (VacuumTube, SmartTube...?)

Questions
1

Hi,

I have a 55" LG TV from 2019 that’s not connected to the internet. I mainly plan on watching YouTube videos on it.

I’d like to hear the community’s tips on feasible privacy-oriented options. Form factor and ease of use are my ultimate priority - if I have to purchase any devices, I’d like them to be compact, with the ability to use a remote. For any third-party YouTube apps, I’m looking for:

  • the official interface, or at least a polished one
  • ad blocking
  • usability without a Google account

I’ve previously tried Kodi and its official YouTube addon, but the addon hasn’t given me the best experience. I’ve considered using a media-oriented Linux distribution such as CoreELEC or OSMC and combining it with a YouTube wrapper such as VacuumTube, but the aforementioned distributions don’t seem to support such programs launching or running in the background.

2

(1) Force the TV through a VPN connection (ex. set up Proton VPN on the router)
or
(2) Buy Apple TV or alternatives maybe
or
(3) Connect a laptop to the TV via HDMI

Option 1 works if you really need the TV’s native apps, though it still involves data collection. Generally, investing in a solid router that supports OpenWRT is a smart move, benefiting both your TV and other IoT devices. Option 2 is likely the ideal choice for your situation, despite the higher price, while Option 3 is what I currently use, even though it’s a bit inconvenient.