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TV that doesn't require 'on-line activation' to set up. (midwest.social)

submitted 1 month ago by catfishsushi@midwest.social to c/technology@lemmy.world

77 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I'm going to buy my first new TV in years. Even if it's a 'smart' tv we plan to just use our Roku. I've heard that some TVs require you to connect it to the internet before you can even use a Roku device. For privacy reasons I don't want my TV to EVER have access to my wifi. Is anyone aware of how to know what models/brands of TVs allow me to use it without ever connecting the TV itself to wifi?

If necessary I guess I could connect it to my guest network to 'activate' the TV, set up the Roku to connect to my private network, then change the password to the guest network.

Would rather just have a TV that doesn't even 'phone home' once.

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[–] gofsckyourself@lemmy.world 65 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Funny that you're concerned about your TV "phone home" when you're using a Roku which is the worst offender for that sort of thing.

You're already soaking wet but afraid of the rain.

If that sort of thing already concerns you, then you need to get rid of the Roku and find something else. Like an Nvidia shield or media box with Kodi.

[–] ccdfa@lemm.ee 7 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

With a caveat on the shield. It's still android TV so ideally you put your own OS on it if you're worried about that kind of thing.

[–] thirteene@lemmy.world 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Shield also refused to update mounting networking drives after Android 14 so they are pretty useless now

[–] UberMentch@lemmy.world -1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

How does that make them useless? They may not work for a use case where you're mounting network drives, but still work perfectly fine if you're using them to connect to a media server.

[–] thirteene@lemmy.world 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Nvidia shield was known as king of media servers because it was able to be client and server. Now it's a running on a build from ~2015 that can no longer function as a server. Yes it's a client, but it's old and overpriced now with a bunch of additional Google shitware. If you have one use it, don't buy one.

[–] UberMentch@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I suppose I don't have enough experience or interest in the Shield as a server, so I'll take your word on that part. I don't disagree that purely as a client, it's overpriced today, although I've always been satisfied with mine. It's always outperformed most other clients I've ever tried. What would you suggest as an alternative now, just a mini pc or something?

[–] thirteene@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

It's bleak, Xbox one is my preferred client and it's quickly degrading. Chromecast has little overhead but requires another client. I've heard older rokus are in demand on eBay. I don't recall if apple TV has a casting feature, but I've heard the ecosystem works for apps. I checked this thread for new recs.